V7#5b9

Intervallic Fretboard Visualization I’ve been using this approach in combination with the CAGED shape based system, as well as the Three Notes Per String scales for some time now. I find it the most powerful way of mastering the fretboard. I’ve recently come across Tom Quayle’s YouTube channel where he advocates the intervallic approach from a more generic perspective, but it applies across the board. I’m posting the following videos in the spirit of sharing good information. No promotion intended. I don’t have the app as I don’t really need it, but I suppose it might be a great tool for some.

Thanks Greg. I don’t know about the fabulous playing chops, but I’m glad to have the guitar. 🙂

Congrats on your new gear acquisition Greg. Enjoy the Kempers and make great music with this set.

You may be right Six. I’m not sure what it is. Perhaps it’s an evolving technique. I remember as a beginner I couldn’t quite bond with a Strat. Its chunky neck felt like a baseball bat. Today a bit of meat doesn’t bother me. But I hope I won’t develop a dislike for thin necks.

My belated condolences on your loss Mandy. Your music may have died, but that’s one thing you can resurrect.

Actually in this case, Neil is closer. If you look at the Gibson price, it comes up to 25% exchange plus 13% tax and a free delivery from a local dealer. Of course, we don’t know the dealer’s cost.

No regrets here, either.

So Gibson moved their ES line from Memphis back to Nashville in order to streamline production and focus on quality. Well, I thought I would never get one until now. The new generation ES line seems promising. I mean it has to be since there are so many great alternatives, and I own a couple. But I thought I couldn’t go wrong with the real ES-335 this time. The amount of precision that goes into making the guitar these days, thanks to modern technology and machinery, should make the instrument as good as it can be. Right? I took a chance and got one. Nothing fancy, satin finish which makes the guitar less expensive. I got an extra deal on it, too. It’s equipped the same as the higher models with more frills. The new T-Type pickups are really a modern version of T-Tops from the mid 60s and 70s. They really fit the vibe of this semi-hollow guitar and give it a warn, creamy sound. I love that. I was a little worried about the neck profile and how chunky it may feel. However, even though it has a little more meat to it than my usually preferred slim taper neck, it actually feels great. The rounded C neck makes it a joy to play. I realize the satin finish will develop shiny patches in high touch areas over time, but I’m OK with that. Now, is it better than my less expensive alternatives (D’Angelico EX-DC and Sheraton II Pro)? I have to say YES. The Gibson ES-335 is better, but the alternatives are pretty close. Each guitar has its own character, but put the same electronics in say the Epiphone and chances are you won’t hear the difference. And yet there’s nothing like the real deal, is there?

A stunner she is, congrats Mike!

@Wim VD1, @DianeB Thanks, I hope you are keeping safe and doing fine. And so is everyone else. Safe Holidays Everybody!!!

@NeilES335 I wonder if Frank Vignola has adapted these exercises from the book called “Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns.” This book originally published in 1947, was written by Nicolas Slonimsky (1894 – 1995), a Russian-born American conductor, author, pianist, composer and lexicographer. It is said Coltrane and other seminal jazz musicians derived a wealth of ideas for their solos from it. Richie Zellon came up with “24 Permutations of a 4 Part Chord Arpeggio” as well as their application in the formation of new jazz improvisational vocabulary. The system is included with Richie’s BGIS course. Alternatively, it is available as a mini course for $12 at https://jazzguitar.richiezellon.com/ Membership is free.

Modal harmony has its peculiarities. In case of the five (variously referred to as) “Greek Modes,” “Church Modes,” or “Jazz Modes”: Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, and Locrian, you can’t establish mode defining tonality using harmonic scale (scale of chords) due to problems with the V7 – I progression, and some other harmonic incongruities. In other words, you can harmonize any one of the five modes, but you will find problems with the strongest and tonality defining V7 – I cadence. So, the trick is to combine modal melody with standard major-minor (Ionian-Aeolian) chord progression. Suppose you use the three principal chords in the key of D major (D, G and A7). The notes that make up those chords are: D E F# G A B C# D. Now suppose you write a melody using only the notes of the Dorian mode: D E F G A B C D. Two of the melody notes, F and C, will clash with the notes of the three principal chords. Those two notes are chromatic – they don’t belong to the key of D major. In order to preserve the Dorian mode feel, it’s important to avoid any instances of F# and C# in the melody. Furthermore, any modal scale can use any of the 12 chromatic notes as the tonic note. For example, the Dorian mode scale can start and end on the note E, provided you preserve the order of tones and semitones that defines the Dorian mode: tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone, tone. So, if you begin on the note E, the Dorian scale would be E F# G A B C# D E, and you would play the chords of E major: E, A and B7. On the other hand, just because modal harmony doesn’t work the same way as the major scale one, it doesn’t mean it’s completely useless. In the context of minor scales, the Dorian mode is frequently used as a key-centre scale with its own scale harmony. In the Dorian scale harmony the IV chord gets a dominant seventh quality. In jazz, modal cadences are used as modal reharmonization techniques.

Intervals Distance between two notes. There are consonant intervals and dissonant intervals. They’re divided into two categories based on acoustic properties. The consonances are actually divided into two groups themselves. Perfect Consonances - Unisons - Octaves - Fifths - Fourths The math and tunings of these intervals work out perfectly. That’s why the Fourths & Fifths are called “Perfect.” Imperfect Consonances - Thirds - Sixths They can be slightly sharp or flat. The math didn’t work out perfectly for those intervals, but they're still consonances. Dissonances - Seconds - Sevenths - Diminished - Augmented The study of consonance and dissonance, and music in general, is crucial to understanding how music works. Classical composers were very careful about how they introduced dissonance and how they resolved it. The study of this is called counterpoint.

It is rather difficult to explain all the benefits of fretboard visualization techniques in a simple post. As the above-mentioned article alludes, it’s highly unlikely that any beginner would realize that the E, A, and D are identical in construction and voicing. But, this is only the tip of the iceberg. CAGED system is one such technique, but it depends on how far one is willing to take it. Learning shapes without studying their anatomy, may or may not be enough, depending on the players goals. Learning chord shapes, formulas, intervals, spellings, etc., is part of the deal. Beginner courses don’t even mention how visualizing the fretboard from the perspective of string sets can enhance your understanding of it. And there’s so much more …