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Hi Gerard,
The bottom line is, like I state in the book, that “it is a matter of preference and ultimately perspective”. Regarding the use of mode b, I devoted an entire module and book chapter in my BGIS VOL 2. Don’t know if you covered it? Anyhow I showed the advantages of it employing “Rhythm Changes” as the vehicle.
In a nutshell, what I taught there and am teaching here is to view diminished chords as dominant 7b9 chords and map the chord tones and extensions accordingly for reharmonization purposes, mainly when it functions as a secondary dominant. Viewing the whole/half mode, forces you to have to remap a b3 to a #9 for instance. In other words none of its note functions align with those of a dominant, while with the half/whole, everything is already aligned! Furthermore, it is easier and more practical when applying the diminished in a dominant function, to view it like I show in the diagram. That is, the first half being super locrian and the 2nd half being lydian b7. This way we are relating it to two dominant scales we supposedly know and already use instead of having to learn and adopt a new perspective.That said, if I am teaching functional harmony and we are using mode b or the half-whole symmetrical with a determined root, I can refer to the 13, #11, b9,#9 as such and everybody knows where it is. This is not so evident if we are using the whole-half.
On the other hand, it also has ear training implications. For example, if applying the diminished chord with a secondary dominant function which is the most common application, I can hear the corresponding extensions as I normally hear them in other dominants. If I use the diminished chord as an auxiliary, for example Cdim7 resolving to Cmaj7, since this is not a dominant function, I hear its tones in accordance with the whole-half. So I hear the maj7 in the diminished as being a common tone in the maj7 chord, and for instance, the b3 in the dim resolving a half step up to the maj 3rd in the Cmaj7. These perspectives have to do with the function of the chord within the tonality.
Hopefully you’ll understand this better as you get into the actual reharmonization studies. But again, “it is a matter of preference and ultimately perspective”. 🙂
Richie
Hi Mikel,
Can you give me some specific pages and examples in the book? I’d like to know in what context you are looking at them.
There are exercises where they are sequential mainly at the beginning. But no, that is not the case when applied to music. You will see that they are not always sequential when applied to the standards repertoire in the second half of the book.
Richie
Hi Mikel,
This is not a mistake! When the book was laid out it was determined that only 10 exercises can fit on each of the summary pages. In reality, there are many more exercises but I believe these are the most important for now. You are definitely encouraged to include any exercises not included in the summary.Throughout the years, I have thought of maybe releasing another workbook of additional exercises which I now incorporate in my one on one lessons as needed. Who knows maybe I will…
Richie
Hi Mikel,
There is no such thing as 1 position that is the best for all sight-reading. The position is determined by the overall range of the given written music. You can usually find a position that will cover the entire range, or otherwise you will have to shift positions in different places. That in turn is determined by the positions that offer more comfortable fingerings to execute the music. So, the bottom line is that you have to be able to read anywhere on the fretboard.A good book which I recommend to master this in a methodical fashion is “Melodic Rhythms for Guitar” by William Leavitt. This is a Berklee book. I used it and in addition practiced sight reading “The Charlie Parker Omnibook” in C, Bb and Eb. These 3 books forced me to read his solos in different positions covering different ranges on the guitar. I remember doing this for a year almost every day. Not only did it improve my sightreading but it also helped me learn a ton of bebop vocabulary! Hope this is helpful!
Thanks for letting me know. It’s been fixed. Please try again and let me know if you still encounter the problem.
In essence because the majority of chord progressions in standards progress through the cycle of descending 5ths making it a a consistent and predictable pattern which is evident in II-V-I cadences. Please be sure to watch the 2 cycle of 5ths videos for more insight: https://bebopguitar.richiezellon.com/chord-studies
The downloads for module 1 can be reached through the “download’ links at the top of the Module 1 page. If you wish to download the entire books before the initial 30 days are over you can do so on the dashboard by requesting to have all the modules open at once. For this you must send an email to bebopguitar@richiezellon.com in which you agree in writing to forfeit the initial 30 day money back guarantee. Let me know if you have further questions.
Hi Steve,
Please read p.35 in the workbook and let me know if that answers your question. It has to do with the context.
Hi Tamara,
Aside from the initial theory review, have you had a chance to check out the ear training lessons in the different modules yet?Sorry, can’t help you there! This course, as any other guitar oriented one out there, is based on centuries of the technique that has evolved around the harmonic possibilities of the guitar’s conventional tuning. From the moment you change that tuning you are going to find yourself reinventing the wheel and redefining the instrument. Yes, you will find some new possibilities but then again you will find that many interval combinations are then not possible, especially in in the context of chord voicings.
You mention the complications of C-A-G-E-D and 3 Notes per String, but if you want my honest opinion, you’re faced with a whole new set of complications when changing the tuning. Trust me, if it was easier, we would all be doing it!
Hi Tamara, I think you might be getting ahead of yourself! Notice that I said in the quote you mention, “I usually have my private students learn…etc.” That’s because I don’t teach the specifics in the video, only in our “one on one” lessons.
If you are a new Platinum member, I recommend you simply learn the dominants for now and be able to play them through the cycle of 5ths as shown in the video. I will explain and show you the detailed procedure for everything else in our lessons.
As a matter of fact, the theory and chord studies before you begin the course are just there for reference and not an official part of the Bebop Guitar Improv Series, and you’ll notice that none of that information is in the books either. That’s because this is meant to be a linear improvisation course. A comprehensive chord study would require its own course (which I am working on and teaching only privately for now). Having said that, I recommend not to spend too much time for now on this aspect and try to focus primarily on Module 1 so you can schedule and take advantage of the “one on one” lessons. 🙂
Hi Joe,
I think you’ve missed some of the basics along the way. First let me say that the calisthenics and the etudes are in no way “key” related. The calisthenics are independent of key. Furthermore, they are to be practiced in any desired key using the summary at the end of each section. The initial fixed key examples in A with TAB are only there as an example if you need to check your fingerings the first time around.Second and most important of all, The altered dominant like all dominants must resolve a perfect 5th down. This is the essence of dominant function in any tonality. So an A super locrian and C7 alt are in no way related and would sound awful together. You need to play C super locrian for a C7 altered chord which would in turn resolve a p.5th down to F.
Hope this clears up any confusion. 🙂
