It’s called The Damnation Twist and features Billy on Guitars, Lap Steel, Pedal Steel, Baritone Guitar, Bass Guitar, Banjo and Dobro, and sounds, in his words, like ‘an unhealthy brew of nasty Twang, cry-in-your-beer balladry, groovy roots and unashamedly romantic dustbowl boleros’. It’s proper sounding. Can’t stop playing it…
Also, I’ve just started back teaching at Guitar-X and am doubly happy as ALL the students are utterly fantastic and I get to play with Iain Mackenzie, Sebastiaan de Krom, Rob Statham and Adam Betts every week. Total win. Anyhow – Adam, aside from melting my mind with this Meshuggah track, has an unbelievably amazing group you should check out. They’re called Three Trapped Tigers. Here’s a video:
Here’s a way to voice the chords in a II V I. You can think of each chord as having three bits.
The three bits are:
The Root
On either the fifth or the sixth string.
The 3rd and 7th
These are on the third and fourth strings.
If the root is on the sixth string then the 7th is on the fourth string and the 3rd is on the third string.
If the root is on the fifth string then the 3rd is on the fourth string and the 7th is on the third string.
The 5th and 9th
These are on the first and second strings.
If the root is on the sixth string then the 5th is on the second string and the 9th is on the first string.
If the root is on the 5th string then the 9th is on the second string and the 5th is on the first string.
Alter the 3rd and 7th to give you various chord types and alter the 5th and 9th to add different colours. This example is limited to a major II V I to prevent descending into the bottomless pit of possibility whilst neatly avoiding the problem of finding a loving home for G∆#5#9.
Now, what to mess with? Everything will be left unsullied apart from the 5th and the 9th of the D7 chord, and they will be fiddled with thus:
The 5th will be either b5 or #5
The 9th will be either b9 or #9
So that gives us these options:
Insert one of these chords in place of the D9. Like it? Is your heart gladdened by the skipping urgency of the bass, leaping and bounding like a little baby rabbit? Do you feel the stoic seriousness and perverse persistence of the guide-tones? Do you feel modern when listening to the skidding shock of icy 5ths worming their way through the chords, sneakily disturbing us with uneasy dissonance? Or are you dizzy from the heart-warming resolution that reminds us of all that is beautiful in the cosmos? Do you imagine you are very tiny and can climb onto the stave like a ladder and sit inside the notes, or hop from A# to Ab to Ab to A#, bouncing lightly on the spines of old ladies?
Things to try if it’s really wet out:
Omit bits depending on the context:
If you have a bass player [lucky you] omit the bass note [your bass player will like you].
If you’re supporting a melody, try omitting the top part of the voicing.
If you’re playing with a piano player try using the 3rd and 7th only.
Another way to think about it:
1 + 2 + 3
1 + 2
1 + 3
2 + 3
1
2
3
Try omiting one voice and singing it instead.
This is good for hearing all the voices in the chord. Usually we gravitate to the top or bottom of the chord first so this kind of thing is good for improving your ear. Plus, it makes you ‘feel’ the chord differently: sing the bass notes, hopefully you’ll hear what I mean.
Also try
Replace the 5th on the 7th chord with the 13th.
Try splitting the bits up when you comp; e.g., instead of strumming the whole chord, play the top followed by the middle, etc.
You could dispense with the limitations of the other chord voicings and find other ways to resolve the altered extensions.
Any other ideas? Feel free to share in the comment box below…
So Barack Obama revealed his true colours when he decided to bomb the moonand accept the Nobel Peace Prize on the same day.
The Clangers, anyone? Did anyone stop to THINK?
Anyhow, as my gig now has a political element I might wear a black armband, or perhaps a more fitting statement would be to make a T-shirt with the blog post title on it.
If you don’t know already – I’ll be playing guitar in this, and at some point I’ll be playing the swanee whistle. I’ll be taking on the role of Tiny Clanger or Small Clanger. It’s big – REAL BIG. In a Tiny sort of way. I’ve got to transcribe the Clanger dialogue and somehow learn to replicate it on the swanee whistle. Sounds impossible right now but we’ll see. Steve Vai was offered the gig but turned it down saying his transcription chops weren’t up to it. It’s a heavy gig, what with the politics and everything.
In the interest of authenticity I’d be interested to find out which model of whistle was used. A bit of Google rummaging has unearthed this, but I’m still none the wiser. So far I’ve bought two whistles: one is a plastic full-sized looking thing; it’s quite bassy, but tends to fail in the lower register. The other is a child’s instrument and is not up to the task, I’m afraid. There must be some kind of whistle shop in London with a geezer who knows the whole history and can absolutely shred on it. Hmnn, the Clangers shred. No, stop that thought right there.
Anyhow, 3, 2, 1, backintheroom. What’s it all about then? The gig is the music of Vernon Elliot. It’s one of a series of four performances that are taking place in the Union Chapel in support of the Margins Project, an in-house charity for people who are homeless or in crisis in London. In their words:
The music of Vernon Elliot (a tribute to the world of Oliver Postgate) performed by North Sea Radio Orchestra.
Produced in association with Trunk Records, this evening celebrates the music Vernon Elliott composed for Oliver Postgate/Smallfilms productions such as The Clangers, Ivor the Engine, Pogle Wood, Noggin the Nog and more. Featuring specially commissioned music arranged by Craig Fortnam and Laura Rossi performed by the North Sea Radio Orchestra, the Union Chapel will be decorated to reflect the shows to create an irresistible escape to childhood.
In honour of Postgate, who died last December, the concert will also feature a special arrangement of the songs and music of Bagpuss.
Other concerts in this series include:
Mon 19 Oct: Gavin Bryars Ensemble
Fri 23 Oct: Max Richter performing from From The Art of Mirrors
Sat 24 Oct: The Michael Nyman Band feat. David McAlmont
About The Margins Project:
In October 1995 the Margins Project was set up to help with London’s homelessness crisis. From that beginning 13 years ago, the Project’s emphasis was on social support and providing facilities to meet basic human needs. The project provides services and facilities for those People finding themselves living on the streets and in crisis.
Marginalised is presented by Union Chapel
produced by Arctic Circle.
Here’s part two of this series on the Melodic Minor Modes. This one is about the Phrygian Natural 13 mode. Click on the player above to hear it and download it for free if you like. Below is the notation and TAB; feel free to download that too and peruse it at your leisure. Do check out the related Guitarist column too as there are some nice chords there. Some pretty; some evil.
So, on with it. Some people name this scale Dorian b2, but the scale sounds more Phrygian-like to me so I use this name. Bear in mind the audience doesn’t hear the name of the scale when you use it so you could call it Sir Wolfgang Soil Spores III for all it matters. Call it whatever makes it sound the best.
Starting from G the scale is: G Ab Bb C D E F G. The function is: 1 b2 b3 4 5 6 b7 1. The slightly misleading thing about this scale is that it’s really used for a dominant chord that’s had its 3rd suspended, poor thing. The b3 is masquerading as a #9. So you could re-spell the formula thus: 1 b9 #9 4 5 13 b7 1. Make more sense? Think of the underlying chord as being a Dom7(sus4) with extensions of b9 #9 and 13. If you see these chord symbols: 13sus(b9), or a slash-chord like Ab∆#5/G then this might be your mode of choice. So that’s all very well, but how do you use it?
The chord progression I’ve used is a simple turnaround (usually C∆ A-7 D-7 G7) with the G13sus(b9) making an appearance at the end of the 4 bar loop – C∆ A-7 D-7 G13sus(b9). The G13sus(b9) is functioning as a dominant chord taking us back to the home key of C.
This sort of groove and harmonic sequence makes me think of George Benson. Some of the things I like about his playing are: the rhythm, the lightness, energy, rhythmic space, joy… he’s just ridiculous. And he has an incredible ‘tache. And he won’t quit ’til he’s a star. Check this out and weep at the funk. So, anyway, I love playing on this kind of thing. Hopefully, this little improvisation sounds nothing like Benson and that’s what I want; when I can let my influences out but not do it in a pastiche and not think about their playing at all. Herein lies the road to complete brain-meltdown, so I think it might be best if we just say GB is very good but he’s not going to help me play this solo. But, if you think it sounds exactly like Benson then, oh well… back to the drawing board!
Another thing I like is to sometimes play on the changes and sometimes play bluesy stuff right across the changes. E.g. bar 5-7 you could look at that as sort of just bluesy stuff in C, then the run at bar 8 starts out in C and switches to the G Phrygian nat.13 scale. Also, take note of any repeated ideas/motifs; for example, the little quaver/2 semiquavers thing starting at bar 21. Using little motifs and keeping the ideas moving through the changes makes your playing sound like it’s got direction, ideas unfolding, telling a story, making sense, etc. One idea moves to the next. Maybe think of how conversations develop or how ivy grows out or [insert mystical analogy here]. Whatever makes you not raz up and down the scale as fast as you can and makes you develop ideas is a good thing.
Ok, that’s enough ‘dancing about architecture’. I really need to learn how to string a sentence together but tea and crumpets beckon.
Feel free to add something here. How about your favourite 13sus(b9) voicing/use in a composition/favourite place you’ve heard it used/anything. The comment box is yours…
Just got back from a massive European tour of three whole days with good friends Sebastiaan Cornellisen and Frans Vollink. First stop was Bremen in Germany and a short tour of the city courtesy of our fine host, Helge. Bremen has the Beck’s factory. Look, here it is.
So there’s the origin of joy and pain right there.
There *was* actual music played on this tour; it wasn’t just a tour of the outsides of beer factories, fascinating though that might have been.
Er, moving swiftly on, here are a couple of video clips from the Bremen gig. The second one is just a little HD version of the same tune but I think it offers a good argument for filming all future videos in HD. You’ll need to check it out at YouTube to see the better quality HD video and it is BIGGER too. I think all of the gig was filmed, so I’m sure more will surface on the interweb. Hmmn, not much movement going on there, is there? Perhaps a dance routine might work next time. Maybe some pyrotechnics…
The other two gigs were in Holland: one at Cafe de Stier in Eibergen, and the other at Lambooij Huis in Hengelo. Seb and Frans, bless their cotton socks, recorded and filmed the Hengelo gig so more stuff from that may surface. Seem to remember the second set from Hengelo was pretty good. When it does come out I’ll put it on my YouTube channel right here.
After a day off back in England I headed out to Wales to play with the Tony Woods group. First to Swansea Jazzland and then Cafe Jazz in Cardiff – both fantastic places to play and fine audiences and great people running the shows; always a pleasure to play there.
Having some time to spare in Cardiff I wandered down to Gamlin’s Music Shop and, with the assistance of the wonderfully helpful chap there, tried out four PRS guitars and, in particular, two gorgeous Santana IIIs. Two hours later and I’m completely blown away by the playability of this guitar. It’s like all of a sudden there’s all this extra stuff you can do on the instrument. On the Steven Wilson record I did all his guitars are PRS and they sounded rather splendid too. I’m, like, totally sold on getting one.
In the dream within the dream, and if the planets were aligned and I were Derren Brown, I’d make the neck ever so slightly slimmer, move the volume pot nearer and add some coil tappage and maybe some freakish things like a Kaoss pad or a kill switch, but on a guitar like that I’m not sure whether that’d feel right. I’m sure it would sound good though. Anyway – you’re backintheroom! And there’s a gig in Cardiff to do…
Ah. Oh, dear. Must remember to not play the guitar of my dreams before I have to do a gig on the, albeit my fault entirely, guitar of my nightmares. The frets on my guitar look like a child’s drawing of the sea or better yet, like a bad Yngwie-set-up-translation-error – “I said scallop the FRETBOARD, dumb-ass. Now you’ve unleashed the…” etc. [Hopefully, you’re thinking WFT are you on about? That’s good, just count your blessings and go about your day] Joyously, all the notes at the 10th fret fret-out, which is ok if you want to sound like a bad sitar. I should just give the damn thing a set-up but I’m always on it so it never gets done; it could do with some love and attention though. Anyway, the gig in Cardiff was ok but everything that came from my guitar was progressively more disappointing. After the PRS it felt like trying to run a race in wellies. That’s such a lame analogy but at least I can bring you, ninja-like, to my next offering.
I’m going to do the Great North Run in May and this has forced me into getting off my arse and doing something other that staring at a computer trying to figure out Space Designer or some other such bottomless pit of possibility. I have this book that progresses over 13 weeks. You start out running (or in my case, wheezing) for eight five-minute chunks divided into 30 seconds’ running and 4 1/2 minutes’ walking, and then the ratio between the two gets moved along over the 13 weeks until (with the blessing of Magutron – god of Arcturus) I’ll be running non-stop for about 50 minutes. Honestly, that sounds utterly impossible. Wish me luck.
What else? I went to see a screening of The Firm. I played guitar on the soundtrack. There’s a moment of glory right at the end where it’s just me playing solo guitar over the end credits. Ah, the familiar scenario: blissfully flailing away while everybody leaves. Speaking of my film-composing better half, there’s an amazing gig coming up of the music of Vernon Elliot. She’ll be arranging some music including some of the Clangers music. Here’s where it gets awesome – I (possibly… don’t get your hopes up yet) might be playing the swanee whistle. This will be good. Very good.
Been working on my album too. Running into all kinds of problems there. I guess having to solve problems is a big part of creative work, and there are all kinds of problems: musical, technical, equipment, and so on. For instance, I have this tune where I want the guitar to sound angelic and light, maybe a bit like you’re holding your breath.. that kind of thing, can’t explain exactly what I mean. And I’ve got no idea how to make it happen. Hopefully a new axe will solve everything :)
But just writing this has made me think of paintings so maybe a trip to the National Gallery is in order.
So, that’s my gibberish for now.
I’ll leave you with – Zal ik jou eens een lief kusje op je harige bips geven.
Here’s a lesson on the Melodic Minor for you. First, check out the track below (you can download it too). Then have a look over the TAB/notation below [download it here]
The solo uses the G Melodic Minor scale: G A Bb C D E F# G. Re-arranging that lot in this order – G Bb D F# A C E [1 b3 5 7 9 11 13] – gives you the basic harmony for the scale: Gm(maj7) with possible extensions: 9, 11 and 13.
Ok, that’s what it is. If that sounds like rocket science, then I’m happy to tell you that I’ve made a video course that explains it all simply, shows you exactly what to do to make those sounds, and how to apply them to the tunes that you play.
And the sounds from the melodic minor are bloody fantastic.
It’s a video course where we look at each mode individually. You’ll learn how to play the modes, where to use them, some beautiful voicings that give you the flavour of each mode, the theory, examples of the harmony from tunes, and more. Also, in the videos I show you step-by-step how to play these examples.
