Intermediate: September 2009 Archives

Major Scale Modes - Lydian - Mode 4

By
Vince Lauria
on September 30, 2009 12:07 PM | | Comments (0)
Lydian Family of Chords:

I chord =   F major                    (Fmaj7 four note chord)
II chord =  G major                    (G7 four note chord)
iii chord =  A minor                    (Am7 four note chord)
ivo chord = B diminished           (Bm7b5 four note chord)
V chord =  C major                    (Cmaj7 four note chord)
vi chord =  D minor                    (Dm7 four note chord
vii chord = E minor                    (Em7 four note chord)

Now record (or have a friend play) these common Lydian progressions 5 to 10 minutes each and live (or on another track) play the F Lydian scale using quarter then eighth notes.

F Lydian scale = F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F

1. I //// //// vii //// ////

2. I //// //// V //// ////

3. I //// iii //// II //// vii ////



Now transpose these to each position (register) of your instrument, then to all 15 keys.

 

 

All materials copyright 2010. For personal use only.

Vince Lauria Sun and Earth Music






Major Scale Modes - Phrygian - Mode 3

By
Vince Lauria
on September 29, 2009 10:44 AM | | Comments (0)
Phrygian Family of Chords:

i chord  =   E minor             (4 note chord = E minor 7th)
II chord =   F major             (4 note chord = F major 7th)
III chord =  G major            (4 note chord = G dominant 7th)
iv chord  =  A minor            (4 note chord = A minor 7th)
vo chord =  B diminished      (4 note chord = B minor 7th flat 5th)
VI chord =  C major             (4 note chord = C major 7th)
vii chord =  D minor             (4 note chord = D minor 7th)

Now record (or have a friend play) these common Phrygian progressions 5 to 10 minutes each and live (or on another track) play the E Phrygian scale using quarter then eighth notes.

E Phrygian scale = E, F, G, A , B, C, D, E 

1. i ////  II //// III //// II ////

2. i //// II //// iv //// III ////

3. i //// iv //// II //// i ////



Now transpose these to each position (register) of your instrument, then to all 15 keys.

 

 

All materials copyright 2010. For personal use only.

Vince Lauria Sun and Earth Music


Major Scale Modes - Dorian - Mode 2

By
Vince Lauria
on September 28, 2009 9:45 AM | | Comments (0)
Just like the Major Scale each Mode has its Scale Formula (whole step - half step) and it's created family of chords. Lets look at the Dorian Family of chords for the key of D Dorian.
(large V = major chord - small v = minor chord)

i chord =    D minor             (4 note chord = D minor 7th)
ii chord =   E minor             (4 note chord = E minor 7th)
III  chord = F major             (4 note chord = F major 7th)
IV chord =  G major            (4 note chord = G dominant 7th)
v chord  =   A minor            (4 note chord = A minor 7th)
vio chord = B diminished      (4 note chord = B minor 7th flat 5th)
VII chord = C major             (4 note chord = C major 7th)

Scale Formula: WS, HS, WS, WS, WS, HS, WS
Notes are: D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D

Now record (or have a friend play) these common Dorian progressions 5 to 10 minutes each and live (or on another track) play the D Dorian scale using quarter then eighth notes.

1.  i //// IV ////

2.  v //// IV //// i //// IV ////

3.  i //// VII //// i //// IV////

4.  i //// VII //// i //// III //// ii //// IV ////




Now transpose these to each position (register) of your instrument, then to all 15 keys.

 

All materials copyright 2010. For personal use only.

Vince Lauria Sun and Earth Music

Fun with Major Scale Modes - Ionian - Mode 1

By
Vince Lauria
on September 24, 2009 11:12 AM | | Comments (0)
Today I'm writing you from Washington State right near Canada where a film I composed the music for is being shown! Lots of fun more on this later.

Many times my students ask what is a mode and more importantly how do I apply it. First off modes are created from the major scale. By making each note of the major scale a root note the mode is created. Using the C major scale lets look at it:

Scale Formula: WS, WS, HS, WS, WS, WS, HS
WS = whole step 2 frets 
HS = half step 1 fret
Notes are: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C

Ionian Family of Chords:

I chord = C major             (4 note chord = C major 7th)
ii chord = D minor            (4 note chord = D minor 7th)
iii chord = E minor           (4 note chord = E minor 7th)
IV chord = F major           (4 note chord = F major 7th)
V chord = G major           (4 note chord = G dominant 7th)
vi chord  = A minor          (4 note chord = A minor 7th)
viio chord = B diminished (4 note chord = B minor 7th flat 5th)


Scale Formulas: WS, WS, HS, WS, WS, WS, HS
Notes are: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C

Now record (or have a friend play) these common Ionian progressions 
5 to 10 minutes each and live (or on another track) play the Ionian 
(Mode 1 of the Major Scale) scale using quarter then eighth notes.

1. I //// IV //// V ////  IV ////

2. ii //// V //// I ////

3. ii //// V //// I //// vi ////

4. I //// V //// vi //// IV ////


Later create at least 4 to 6 of your own progressions for each mode.
Now transpose these to each position (register) of your instrument, then to all 15 keys.

 

 


All materials copyright 2010. For personal use only.

Vince Lauria Sun and Earth Music

Right Hand Arpeggio Picking for Acoustic / Electric guitar

By
Vince Lauria
on September 21, 2009 8:16 AM | | Comments (0)
The word arpeggio means: to play the notes in a chord one at a time right after another - either ascending or descending (up or down). The origin Italian, from arpeggiare "play the harp," from arpa harp. 

Buy combining strumming (all notes at once) and arpeggio picking you can create a much more interesting and musical sound.

To make these examples easy I will number the right hand fingering (left hand for left handers) as follows:                   Thumb = T - first finger = 1 - index finger = 2 - ring finger = 3

For all of these examples each of the right hand fingerings will be as follows:
T will pull D string - 1 pulls G string, 2 pulls B string, 3 pulls thin E string.
Now try the following arpeggios with the open D, G, B, and thin E strings 
later I will add chords.
Once comfortable and smooth play these with your metronome at: 100 BPM 
(beats per minute)

1.)  T, 1, 2, 3, 2, 1   (repeat each arpeggio at least 20 to 100 times a day)

2.)  3, 2, 1, T, 2, 3 

3.) T, 1, T, 2, T, 3, T, 2



Now transpose these to each position (register) of your instrument, then to all 15 keys. 

On guitar an easy way to transpose is by using a capo. It clamps around the neck and depending on which fret you put it determines which key your in.

 

 

 

 

All materials copyright 2010. 

For personal use only.

Vince Lauria Sun and Earth Music



 

Finger Exercise For Guitar Part III

By
Vince Lauria
on September 20, 2009 12:21 PM | | Comments (1)
I had a student ask me:

"My question relates to your picking exercises. In those exercises, you start each string with a down stroke and alternate between down and up picking. If I am doing a scale across all six strings (with that alternating method of picking), do I start on the next string with an upstroke if that is the next stroke in the sequence or do I begin each new string with a down stroke?"
The answer is you do continuous down up picking no matter what string your on.
If you complete a string - picking up - then the next picking direction will be down. 
And if you complete a string - picking down - then the next 
picking direction will be up. 

Now for a new exercise:
Start with 4th finger 12th fret thin E string - pick down
3rd finger 11th fret - pick up (remember to lift 4th finger)
back to 4th finger 12th fret - pick down
2nd finger 10th fret - pick up
back to 4th finger 12th fret - pick down
1st finger 9th fret - pick up

Remember to repeat this exercise 5 to 7 times each adjacent string.
Thin E, B, G, D, A, Thick E
Also once comfortable with this exercise add the metronome at 90 BPM - then gradually increase speed to 100, 110, 120 up to 220 BPM





Now repeat these exercises on all position (register) of your instrument.



 



All materials copyright
2010. For personal use only.



Vince Lauria Sun and Earth
Music





     

Finger Exercises For Guitar Part II

By
Vince Lauria
on September 19, 2009 8:15 AM | | Comments (0)
After you warm up (see previous blog) do the following:
Starting on the thin E string place first finger first fret pick down -
holding first finger first fret - place 4th finger 4th fret pick up
place 3rd finger 3rd fret pick down (to hear 3rd finger you must lift 4th finger)
place back 4th finger 4th fret pick up
place 2nd finger 2nd fret pick down (remember to lift 4th finger)
place back 4th finger 4th fret pick up

Now repeat this same exercise 10 times each string - E, B, G, D, A, low E.

Remember once you are comfortable to use the metronome around 70 to 90 BPM.
Lets say you start at 70 BPM do this for 5 minutes, then go to 80 BPM for five minutes, 
then 90 BPM work up 220 BPM.

Also do all exercises using only up picking!
This is the weakest picking direction so it needs extra work.


Now repeat these exercises on all position (register) of your instrument.
 
All materials copyright 2010. For personal use only.
Vince Lauria Sun and Earth Music

Finger Exercises For Guitar Part I

By
Vince Lauria
on September 18, 2009 11:48 AM | | Comments (0)
The next few lessons I will be focusing on finger exercises.
These will develop consistency, smoothness, dexterity and speed!

First lets warm up.
Starting with the thin E string - pick the string down then up in a continuous motion.
Remember to start slowly and then gradually build speed.
Do this approximately 150 to 200 times for each open string.
Once you are comfortable with this add the metronome starting around 90 BPM (beats per minute).

Exercise 1. Starting with your first finger on the fifth fret of the thin E string pick down.
Now while keeping the first finger down add your 2nd finger on the sixth fret of the thin E pick up. Then keeping down the 1st and 2nd finger add your your 3rd finger on the 7th fret of the thin E pick down. Now add your fourth finger on the 8th fret of the thin E string and pick up.
Now repeat this 5 to 10 times EACH string - E then B then G then D then A then low thick E string. 

Also once you are comfortable add the metronome around 70 to 90 BPM.
Lets say you start at 70 BPM do this for 5 minutes, then go to 80 BPM for five minutes, 
then 90 BPM work up 220 BPM.


Now transpose above to each (all frets) register of your instrument, then to all 15 keys.

 

All materials copyright 2010. For personal use only.

Vince Lauria Sun and Earth Music




Tips For Soloing and Melody Creation

By
Vince Lauria
on September 17, 2009 9:44 AM | | Comments (0)
The following is intended for use with the C Minor Pentatonic Scale and also applies to all scales!
Make yourself stay in one octave at a time. So play your C Pentatonic Scale to your recorded rhythm tracks (see previous lessons) and limit yourself to two to seven notes at a time. When I first started to do this I would think this sucks I need more notes 
but in time I realized that it was me that was limited not the notes. 

Another important technique is for every melody or riff your create make three to seven variations of the same idea. This one technique alone has allowed me to write songs, create melodies and solos in abundance and quality. See examples below. Learn as given then create your own variations. Now the C Minor Pentatonic Scale the number formula is:
R, b3, 4, 5, b7, 8th/R or octave.

The notes would be:
C, Eb, F, G, Bb, C

Riff #1       (all examples given are using just the notes in the C Minor Pentatonic Scale)
Eb, C, G

Variation #1
G, C, G, Eb

Variation #2
G, Eb, C

Variation #3
Eb, C, Eb, C, G

Variation #4
G, Eb, G, Eb, G, C

Variation #5
C, G, Eb

Variation #6
G, Eb, G, C

Variation #7
G, G, G, G, Eb, G, G, G, G, C




Now transpose these to each position (register) of your instrument, then to all 15 keys.

 

All materials copyright 2010. For personal use only.

Vince Lauria Sun and Earth Music



More Chord Progressions And The Major Pentatonic Scale

By
Vince Lauria
on September 14, 2009 3:04 PM | | Comments (0)
Record the following chord progressions to a metronome at 75 BPM 
for 5 to 10 minutes for each progression.

1. Cm //// 
    Ab //// 
    Bb ////  

2. Cm ////
    Fm ////
    Cm //// ////
    Ab /// 
    Gm ////

3. Fm ////
    Cm ////
    Fm ////
    Cm ////
    Ab ////
    Gm ////
    Bb //// ////

Record or have a friend play the above chord progressions in C then - play the single note C Minor Pentatonic Scale in all possible positions (registers) and octaves. 
Remember to first play quarter notes then later eight notes. 
For understanding notes values follow link then scroll to bottom of page: 2008.08.11: Family Of Chords - Song Writing 101
Remember to refrain from playing at a tempo where each
note is not performed clean and consistent. 
Once comfortable gradually increase speed and move to eighth notes


Another commonly used scale for the Blues is the Major Pentatonic Scale.
In the key of C the notes are:
C, D, E, G, A, C.

C maj pent.png

Learn in all positions and octaves - then apply all techniques in previous blogs to the Major Pentatonic Scale.

The Blues, Minor and Major Pentatonic scales are the three most commonly used scales!
So you must transpose these scales to each position (register) of your instrument, then to all 15 keys.

 



All materials for personal use only.

Vince Lauria Sun and Earth Music

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