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Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 25 2014, 02:57 PM

Hello Mr Jones! How are you? I'm starting this thread to start work on the improvisation course.

So our first module is based on Major Scales. These are the diagrams and tabs that you have to use:



Caged System:





G Major (1 octave):





G Major (2 octaves):





Diatonic Sequences:





Arpeggio Shapes:





Backing track:


 Backing_Track_In_G_Major__I___V___IV___V_.mp3 ( 22.26MB ) : 111




You can replay the Vchat with explanations from my lesson notes: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=42832&view=findpost&p=694411

Posted by: Sensible Jones Aug 25 2014, 05:05 PM

Hi Gab!
I'm looking forward to working with you on this!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 26 2014, 05:23 PM

Excellent! Please start working on these Week#1 exercises. Check the video replay if you want to check how to work on each thing and please share here some improvisations over the backing track.

Tomorrow I will be giving Week#2 at the Vchat so you must hurry up!

Just kidding, take your time but work every day.

Posted by: Sensible Jones Aug 27 2014, 05:21 PM

I've had some fun just running through some of your suggestions and came up with a couple of nice passages! I'll record and post them either tomorrow or Friday and I'll definitely catch up with tonight's vChat tomorrow as well!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 27 2014, 07:52 PM

Excellent! Looking forward your recordings.

Posted by: Sensible Jones Aug 29 2014, 08:55 PM

Here you are Gab. I had to record in a bit of a rush so there are a couple of mistakes but I hope it shows what you need in the way of knowing the Arps and Scales in the different positions. If you'd prefer me to do video from now on then I'll do that!

https://soundcloud.com/neilwaller/g-major-gab

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 30 2014, 04:24 PM

Fantastic stuff mate!! This is exactly what you need to work every day to develop your improvisation skills. I think that you are ready to combine this stuff with Week#2 of the course during this week.

Check the lesson notes and replay video http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=42832&view=findpost&p=694891.

What do you say??

Posted by: Sensible Jones Aug 30 2014, 08:35 PM

Thanks Gab! Will start working on that right away!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 1 2014, 12:31 AM

Excellent! Please keep me updated!

Posted by: Sensible Jones Sep 1 2014, 03:07 PM

Will do! I'll probably post some audio tomorrow, or wednesday. Hopefully you'll be able to listen before your vChat!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 1 2014, 03:47 PM

Ok, I'll wait for it. Have you started with Week#2? How does it feel?

Posted by: Sensible Jones Sep 1 2014, 05:38 PM

I have, it's a very different concept to all that I taught myself over the years! Although I know that the Pents come from the Major or Minor I never tended to mix the corresponding ones together!
It's been interesting to say the least!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 2 2014, 02:19 PM

Yes! It's good to see the Major Pentatonic as a Major scale with less notes. You get a different vibe playing with Pentatonic, and the goal of this first two weeks is being able to go from Major to Pentatonic smoothly, using arpeggios to follow the chords.

Keep on working!

Posted by: Sensible Jones Sep 3 2014, 12:00 AM

I'm working on it for sure! I think I've learned more in this last 2 weeks or so than I've learned in years of playing the way I've always thought about things!
I'll post audio for you tomorrow! I've had fun, say writing a melody in Pent, then repeating the same melody but using the 4 and 6 as embellishments.then doing the opposite!
Thank you for this Gab, it's almost like learning from the start again but with more of an idea of what I'm doing and why! Wish I'd learned this sort of thing 25 years ago!! Seriously!!

Posted by: Sensible Jones Sep 3 2014, 05:27 PM

Here's this weeks study Gab!
https://soundcloud.com/neilwaller/gab-2

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 4 2014, 02:11 AM

Fantastic stuff mate!! I can start to feel that your next participation on collabs will be very affected by this new way of visualizing scales shapes, sequences and arpeggios.

The improvisation is going very good, you just have to continue practicing every day the concepts of week#1, week#2 and now incorporate concepts of week#3.

This new week I started with minor scale and minor arpeggios. This can be more familiar concepts however combining both things smoothly is very important if you want to keep on following this course so take your time to:

- Learn minor scale shapes and play random notes over the backing.
- Practice sequences
- Combine sequences with simple melodies over backing track.
- Use arpeggios and create melodies following chords I, IV and V.
- Mix arpeggios with scale to create melodies.

Posted by: Sensible Jones Sep 4 2014, 04:55 PM

Thanks Gab! It's definitely a different way for me to look at things and visualise them and it makes sense to me now even if it didn't 20+ yaers ago! Maybe I just learn slow, eh???
Have watched the vChat and am starting to work on this now as well as the last 2 lessons!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 5 2014, 02:29 PM

Excellent! There are many ways to learn the same concepts, many ways to apply them, and that's why music is so beautiful. It's infinite, you can learn new things and find new sounds every day.

Let me know if you have any questions! Keep on practicing every day to be ready for the Week#4.

Posted by: Sensible Jones Sep 8 2014, 05:58 PM

I'm really enjoying this Minor one Gab!! You'll be pleased with what I record for you!! I'll post it up tomorrow!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 9 2014, 03:12 PM

Cool! Looking forward it!!

Posted by: Sensible Jones Sep 9 2014, 05:33 PM

I know there's a few timing slip-ups but this was just a straight improv take after work today!
https://soundcloud.com/neilwaller/gab-minor

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 10 2014, 11:02 PM

Wou! This is sounding very musical mate! Well done! I think that will a more variable backing and some details in your playing this could become a song. Your playing is becoming much more melodic thanks to this workouts and this is very promising as the next weeks will add more stuff into your playing that will make it more interesting without losing musicality. That's the key!

Some things to have in mind in the next sessions:

- Add more vibrato, different types, different intensities to give more feeling to your playing.
- Experiment with dynamics.
- Use more silences, and also more rhythm variations in your phrasing.
- Experiment with other techniques like pinch harmonics, legato, tapping, more bends, etc.


By the way I think that you are ready to start working on the following week stuff.

Keep on the good job!!

Posted by: Sensible Jones Sep 11 2014, 04:39 PM

Thanks a lot Gab!!
I'm getting a lot from doing this. I'll try to work some more dynamics into the next things I do! I think I also need to work on my AP and Legato to get some faster phrases in.
Thanks for the compliments and suggestions!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 11 2014, 10:09 PM

Great mate! Keep on the good work and the updates here!

Posted by: Sensible Jones Sep 17 2014, 04:08 PM

Will have last weeks lesson update posted tomorrow Gab, I decided to compose something over the BT rather than just doing a straight Improv!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 17 2014, 06:05 PM

This sounds great!! Looking forward your tune.