Hey everyone!

As you remember yesterday, in the v-chat session, I mentioned something about a HOMEWORK

Well here it is then

1) Pick up a song you like
2) Sort out it's vocal line for the verse or chorus on your guitar - you only need the notes
3) See what harmonic progression lies behind that line you have chosen
4) See if it's already a modal progression or simply based on a natural minor or major scale
5) Choose a mode
6) Alter the original progression like we have done in the video chat session based on the explanations below

Here's what we have to do when we want to use a certain mode to create a modal progression, based on altering an already existing progression:

First of all, keep in mind that modes are nothing else but permutations of a scale - meaning that you actually play the same notes of a scale but in a different order.

The formulas for each of the 7 church modes are:

Ionian (the same thing with the natural major scale) - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Dorian - 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 (it starts on the 2nd step of the natural major scale)
Phrygian - 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 (it starts on the 3rd step of the natural major scale)
Lydian - 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7 (it starts on the 4th step of the natural major scale)
Mixolydian - 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 (it starts on the 5th step of the natural major scale)
Aeolian (natural minor scale) - 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 (it starts on the 6th step of the natural major scale)
Locrian - 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 (it starts on the 7th step of the natural major scale)

1) If we have a progression such as the one in 'Whiskey in the jar' G Em C G - this is a progression based on the G major scale

G A B C D E F# G

The chords have been obtained by harmonizing the major scale -> We have Gmajor Am Bm Cmaj Dmaj Em F#dim Gmaj or, if we want to use 7th chords -> GM7 Am7 Bm7 CM7 D7 Em7 F#m7b5 GM7 (harmonizing means, creating chords out of each step of the scale, by using notes belonging to that scale only - this provides the chord types above and this formula is valid for any natural major scale - maj min min maj maj min diminished maj or if you want to use 7th chords - M7 m7 m7 M7 7 m7 m7b5 M7)

2) You choose a mode which you want to use to alter the progression.

Let's say G Lydian

The Lydian formula is 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7 8 - applied to the G natural major scale -> G A B C# D E F# G this is G Lydian. Now, G Lydian has D natural major as a parent scale - we deduced this by knowing that the Lydian mode starts on the 4th step of a major scale. We ask ourselves which major scale has G as the 4th step? The answer is D major.

2) We harmonize D major with the formula (either with triads or 7th chords - we get to choose) and see what chords harmonize the G lydian mode by simply starting to look at the chords as they would start from G not from D.

3) We extract the chords obtained from the scale degrees of the initial progression, which was G Em C G (steps I VI IV I from the natural major scale) this means we have GM7 Em7 C#m7b5 GM7 for the G Lydian progression. I have used 7th chords, as the effect is even stronger.

4) take a look at the notes making up the theme - do they still belong to the mode - this means that we have to check if the notes we have in the initial chosen theme belong to the mode we have used to alter the initial chord progression - if not, we have two possibilities:

a. either improvise and keep the rhythmical aspects and elements of the initial theme and use notes belonging to the mode
b. alter only those notes in the initial theme which DO NOT belong to the mode and make them fit.

Example: Notice that the notes making up the initial theme in the 'Whiskey in the jar tune' belong to the Lydian mode as well, so we don;t have to alter them - the progression does the trick

Having said all of this - are you up to the challenge?

Cosmin

This is very interesting mate! So what you are doing in this particular song is switching the chord progression from Major to Lydian... it sounds like a great way to get most original tunes and to re-arrange simple ideas that we compose.

Thanks Gabe! That's precisely what I am doing and it can be done with a lot of modes - the results are incredible, it's like you are composing new music out of old music - just like shedding skin and having a new different and beautiful one

It sounds great! I will try it and then I will share my results.

Looking forward to that Which song would you pick up for such a thing?

Captain's Log, September 5th, 2012

Mates, this session will be dedicated to downpicking, as I have prepared two nice riffage ideas (on the last one we will come up with variations having some sort of Slipknot inspiration ) for your extended right hand workout and we will discuss a little bit about my upcoming collab, which you can find here: https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_fo...showtopic=45888

(Again, Guitarrero is the guilty one )

Check out the GP/ PDF files attached for a little glimpse on the riff variations!

See you all on Thursday, September 6th at 8 PM London time as usual and if you got any question, please send me a PM!

Cosmin

This post has been edited by Cosmin Lupu: Sep 6 2012, 07:25 PM

Hey guys! Here's the archive with the tracks from last night's session - 70 to 190 BPM - let's see some recordings Shall we, gentlemen? And Lady Grace?

And here are some vids with the riffage for you guys to check out - slow and fast!

https://rapidshare.com/files/3328228322/MVI_0704.MOV
https://rapidshare.com/files/1891776005/MVI_0706.MOV

Captain's Log, September 12th 2012

Mates, tomorrow it's time for some interesting licks based on the pentatonic scale and added chromatic notes!

See you tomorrow (Thursday) in the chat room at 8 PM London time


Cosmin

This post has been edited by Cosmin Lupu: Sep 12 2012, 10:13 AM

Hey guys, just wanted to post the video with my friend Nadine - the singer playing with a lot of 'vocal microbends'



And next time we will focus the session around ear training and emulating other instruments with the guitar, by sorting out this interesting violin lines in this little video here:

That girl surely has a magic God's gift!!! I bet she's a lot popular in Romania!!

Thanks for sharing!

Unfortunately, she is barely known ...

Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that this week's session has been re-scheduled on Sunday, September 30th at 7 PM London time, as this Thursday I am gigging with Voodoo.

See you on Sunday!

Cosmin

Good luck with ur gig... kick some arsess!!

Just dropped by at home for a few relaxing minutes before hitting the stage Thanks Slav!

So, gentleman and ladies - Jessi and Grace and ...do we have other ladies attending? Please do attend

I have prepared a very dear topic - combining riffs with melodies in one take and enriching the riffs thus with a melodic touch, plus a bit of a surprise element in the riff structure! Check out the PDF and GP files attached and I will see you this Sunday at 7 PM London time!

Cosmin

Captain's log - October 1st, 2012

Mates, this Thursday, we shall be debating another one of my favorite topics: combining guitar lines by using intervals!

What shall we work with? Why, famous vocal lines in choruses of course

Take a good listen to these here and we'll see the opportunities we can use, this Thursday - October 4th, 2012:





Don't think pop music Just think MUSIC

Cosmin

Captain's Log, October 8th, 2012

As we have discussed in the last session, this Thursday we shall continue our journey with the lines harmonizing and takee a look into the world of Alice in Chains. These guys have amazing vocal harmonies so let's see what's what in the next session with one of these tunes! I have chosen 5 of my favorites out of which we will see various passages where we encounter the interesting harmonizing.











Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Cosmin

Why Cosmin Lupu Would(?) you do that?

Repeating the same video has No excuse(s)

Why would(n't)?

Smooth, very smooth Ok! 'Would' can also be on the list