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RE: Good Improvising scales (in reply to Reinhardt)
Improvising lead lines over a chord progresion?
what are the chords?
What scales are you currently using/or familiar with?
If you know the major scale, then you already know tons of scales.
If you're talking about playing changes, dont think "linear scales". Think "connect the dots, with chord tones" Its all about tonal centers. The 3rd and dominant 7th of the chord.
Any chords really, Im currently learning spanish gypsie scales that i got from www.all-guitar-chords.com thats closest to flamenco i can get. Any tips and scales to help me improvise the quickest will be much appreciated,
RE: Good Improvising scales (in reply to Reinhardt)
get 47 picados book by jorge berges. great reference for flamenco scales. either that or manuel grandos tecnica de la guitarra flamenca. lots of scales and exercises for the left hand.
RE: Good Improvising scales (in reply to Reinhardt)
OK, I don't know very much. In terms of improvisation, I think that applies mainly to rumbas. Other palos, I get the impression you mix and match various falsetas you already know in pleasing ways.
So how about this one for a rumba. Use the scale Paco uses in Entre Dos Aguas b,c,d,e,f#,g,a (i.e. the G major scale) and improvise over a two chord vamp Am7 and Bm7. The trick is landing on the chord notes in a melodic fashion over each chord.
Add in the full chord progression Am7, Bm7, Am7 and B7. On the B7 you have to change scale, don't ask me which one, I don't know. Just land on the D# and take a break.
What scales are you currently using/or familiar with?
If you know the major scale, then you already know tons of scales.
If you're talking about playing changes, dont think "linear scales". Think "connect the dots, with chord tones" Its all about tonal centers. The 3rd and dominant 7th of the chord.
I agree with Todd about this . Learning scale finger patterns is a DEAD END if someone wants to really learn to improvise. 'Connecting the dots between chord tones' is a great way to think of scales.
Jamie Aebesold the great Jazz educator has lots of great material breaking down and introducing improvising. It can be applied to flamenco and most easily to Rhumba and such like where there is a lot of cycle of fourths movement.
He has a lot of products. My favorite two and the more basic of his offerings are:
"The II-V7-I Progression" "Jazz and Rock: NOTHIN' BUT BLUES"
These two albums both consist of play-along music tracks.
As for scales you should learn the modes generated by the major scale and the chords that go with them as well as the whole tone scale, harmonic and melodic minor scales and diminished scale. The diminished arpeggio and diminished tri-tones are worth knowing, too. Learn some basic chord progressions used in jazz and the basics of applying the scales appropriate to them.
In Entre Dos Aguas Paco is landing on the 3rds a lot - the C for Am7, D for Bm7 and the D# for B7. There ya go.
Yep! Take for instance the Solea falseta we've been talking about that i uploaded. Its virtually a lesson in chord tone connecting.
He starts off over the E chord with the dominant 7th note "D" to start the melody. Then when he hits the F bass, he uses the root (F) leading chromatically to the dominant 7th (Eflat) for the melody. (connecting the dots using chord tones!hello! ) When he hits the G bass, he uses the major 3rd, then 2 notes later the dominant 7th. Then when he hits that sneaky C bass, he hits the major 3rd, which btw is just one half step away from that dominant 7th note of G. (classic voice leading)
Then he goes to F finally, uses the B note for the melody, which is the tritone (flat 5/sharp 11)
Take any major or dominant chord, and play a melodic minor scale from the fifth degree of that chord.
So in this case , we have an F chord. The fifth is C. So we're playing C melodic minor over an F chord. This yeilds the dominant 7th and the flat 5/sharp 11 sound.
Here's another one. For chords that are resolving down a 4th, like a 5-1 resolution or 6-2 resolution, for instance E7 resolving to Amajor or A dominant. Over the E7, you can play melodic minor, starting from a half step above the root (F melodic minor). This yeilds lots of altered tones.
RE: Good Improvising scales (in reply to takitaka)
quote:
Hi, which performance did you transcribe i'm only familiar with the live utube version would love to hear the version you tabbed ,any chance? cheers
He does that falseta in virtually every Solea he plays, but he improvises tiny changes each time. There are even a few where he totally fluffs the C to F part completely. It never really puts you off, cause you're too busy picking up your jaw off of the floor when he does the picado run the follows that falsetta.
RE: Good Improvising scales (in reply to takitaka)
quote:
Ok thanks for the info . Just listened to that version and it too has the Fand the A landing right on the beat strange that isn't it !
The A actually lands with the F bass on the 16th after the onbeat. Similar to the Cbass and E note prior. But these are such small details, it really doesnt matter. The idea actually is to variate falsetas anyway. Most really good players rarely play anything totally verbatum. Its the same way in american jazz. Many jazz players couldnt repeat a solo verbatum even if you put a gun to their head.
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