Someone was asking me about Eb

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guitarbuddha

Posts: 2970
Joined: Jan. 4 2007

Someone was asking me about Eb

I am trying to explain a little about Eb.

Anyone else wants to chip in I am sure it might be helpful too.

Por arriba is the flamenco MODE of E. In por arriba you mostly alternate between the notes of C major and A harmonic minor (either a G natural in the first or a G sharp in the latter. In there are two open string high pedal notes (notes that are used with open string or moveable chords the open B string and the open E string.

The chord sequence in por arriba (the really simple cheesy sounding on but which nonetheless comes up all the time in real flamenco ) is Am7 G7 Fmajor7 ( or F6 or sometimes F7) then E. The relative major is C ( chords C,F or Dm, G7)

OK for Eb you shift everything down a fret till you run out of room. The Mode is D#b phrygian ( I am saying D# not Eb because otherwise we would be thinking in the key of Cb which is cumbersome) because. Mostly you use B major or G# harmonic minor there is only one note different and that is a choice between Fsharp and F double sharp (either a note at the second or third fret of the first string). The basic chord sequence (andalusian cadence) is G#m7 (think Am but fourth fret not fifth) F#7 E major7 (or 6 or 7for colour) and then D#7 b9 (the flat nine is the open E string). Since the D# root is high (on the fourth string) you might want to play it in first inversion ( string/fret 6/3,5/1,4/1,3/3 or 3/0 2/2 or 2/6, 1/0)

The great thing about this key is that the open e string pedal not (sounded over changing chords) is the b9 of the home mode (it gives things a real exotic gypsy sound like adding the Bb to the A chord in por medio). The open G string on the tonic chord can come in handy too.

Now here is the clever part take any solea in E at the seventh fret and play it note for note ONE FRET DOWN but using the open high e string to get the realy gypsy Eb sound.

Alternatively take and por medio thing in open position and refinger it in the sixth position using the open string again. This is how Jucal by Nunez works for the most part.

I hope that gives you guys some ideas. Or if you are working on some transcriptions some help in working through them.

D.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 1 2014 22:34:21

Ricardo

Posts: 14819
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Someone was asking me about Eb (in reply to guitarbuddha)

quote:

The Mode is D#b phrygian

I guess your "b" is a typo?

What might help is to spell out the scale to compare the two keys:

Solea por arriba:

E F G(G#) A B C D

mi bemol (D#):

D# E F#(Fx) G# A# B C#

The Fx is confusing to guitar players cuz we think of the note as G natural. It is a theory rule of spelling to not have the same letter twice so transposition makes sense. In practice most players just remember the G natural note can be used along with G#, and "Fx" (pronounced F double sharp) is not in the thought process.

Another important result of having the 2nd scale degree as the lowest bass note possible, and the deepest or fullest sounding chord the music overall takes on the "aire" of Rondeña in most cases, especially when we use the home D# chord in first inversion. Just like with Rondeña, guitar players coming from other disciplines may recognize the "easy" way to deal with flamenco pieces in this tonality, is to think a lot about E lydian....indeed a lot of the development of the falsetas and what not explore this mode before finally resolving to the D# tonic.

As a general rule in flamenco, the lowest OPEN bass note in a certain key (usually E) can influence a lot of the "modal vibe" going on with the falsetas. Some examples: Solea Arriba is certainly more E phrygian sounding thanks to the E note being lowest. Taranta often takes on an "E dorian" vibe... minera in G# really comes to life in the sections that go relative major (E major), granaina even oddly ends on the relative minor (E minor), and the modern pieces in C# phrygian often catch that E Mixolydian vibe. In rare cases "por medio" can call in the locrian over the low E bass, but it is not the most attractive mode to explore. (Impetu by Escudero as a few little spots).

Speaking of "jucal" you can hear some of his falsetas transposed to A (por medio) in his accompaniment of Indio Gitano.

Ricardo

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 2 2014 14:56:48

guitarbuddha

Posts: 2970
Joined: Jan. 4 2007

RE: Someone was asking me about Eb (in reply to Ricardo)

Also some pivots and tritone things to consider.

There is an F#7 in the andalucian cadence for D# so there is an in for Taranto et al.

There is an E major so you can pivot to por arriba with a bit of lateral thinking.

D# is tritone on A anything por medio can be left as is and still get you to D#.

More obviously B major can be used.

Thanks for spotting the typo, I knew I could rely on you.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 2 2014 15:11:31

guitarbuddha

Posts: 2970
Joined: Jan. 4 2007

RE: Someone was asking me about Eb (in reply to guitarbuddha)

I just thought you could segue into por medio real nice from the D# like this.

Make the D#minor then play.

D#m first inversion
Dm first inversion
Gm first inversion
Bb first inversion
Gm first inversion
E7b9.

Anyone notice which Vicente Amigo piece starts with this progression ?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 2 2014 15:18:17

Morante

Posts: 2180
Joined: Nov. 21 2010

RE: Someone was asking me about Eb (in reply to guitarbuddha)

Ask a cantaor what he thinks

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 2 2014 15:23:20

guitarbuddha

Posts: 2970
Joined: Jan. 4 2007

RE: Someone was asking me about Eb (in reply to Morante)

I think Todd is right we need more emoticons. Especially for laughing

Howabout a child without glasses pointing and laughing.

A child with glasses and smirking.

And a donkey breying.

If you need to ask the singer if something works then you shouldn't be gigging.

But I digress, thank you for enriching our understanding of this tricky key Morante. (insert emoticon)

D.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 2 2014 15:55:30