Hello All,
If there is a proper location for this specific discussion, please allow yourself to show me the way, my apologize if there is already a thread for this matter.
My intention is to simply receive feedback while I work through #BASSBUZZ’'s Modules again. Such As, I am currently practicing the Mode 9 Lessons 1 - 3 and very much enjoying myself again. This lesson covers the B Minor Scale for solo and rhythm.
Let me tell you, the 1/4… 1/4… 1/8…1/8…1/4…Whole… was so difficult to comprehend at first, I struggled like crazy. However, after about 15 minutes or so, the slow workout twice, nailed that rhythmic framework in the higher register. Stoked!!!
What was fascinating and beneficial was the different sounds throughout the B Minor Scale. The tones of the sharps began to sound Minor to me and the natural notes were clear from practicing basic Major Scale Notes. I rely on the Major Scale across the entire fretboard as a warm exercise.
So In Closing, please add your two cents from Module 9. Curious as to how you approach this solo action in B Minor.
It’s been awhile since I took the course, but somewhere along the line Josh talks about shapes for the different scales. There’s a shape for the Major scale, and one for the minor scale, etc. The shapes are portable, meaning they apply to any key. These are very beneficial when you’re playing so you don’t have to think about the mathematics of where everything is.
With that said, I don’t want to minimize the importance of understanding the scales, but this method is a very handy device.
Yes @PamPurrs, these shapes are portable for sure. Way back when, like last summer, my big break through was transposing the C Minor Scale to the C Minor Pentatonic pattern. Talk About Pure Righteousness
I am currently turning it up with the Arpeggio Reggae with minor triads. Talk about fun and rather entertaining.
Reworking the minor scale in Module 9 Lesson 4. For my warm up; Started on the C of the A String and played a slow and controlled Major Scale starting with my second finger on the fret hand. After that, sliding to my 1st finger on the C#, played a C# Minor Scale. Back To The Major n the next fret, then the Minor, and so on until I reached the 12th fret.
The warm up was very slow and passed on the Metronome playing in the background. I wanted to hit each fret, focus on each clear note, and plucking with alliterative fingers with my right hand. Solid Warm Up
Then, I struggled with keeping time. The forth bar had a 1 drop and I came in on the boom overtime that I wasn’t suppose to. Those drummers would hate me for sure.
Did just OK with the slow workout, much better at medium, and then sort of lost it in the fast work out. So I camped out at the medium and found my reggae vibe. Oh Baby
So today ( @PamPurrs & @itsratso & Everyone Else Stopping By ) I began working on Module 15 Lesson 1. Like WoW, a simple A minor pentatonic, thought the slow work out was up my alley. Practiced that for about 7-10 minutes and felt pretty good about it.
Moved towards the medium work out and damn it. My notes became sloppy as all get out. When I camped out on Root > ROOT ROOT > Octave, could hold that beat. When I started with the Root , any two notes in the pentatonic, Octave, my fretting fingers fell apart. My rhythm is zero!!
@travis.thepadre.reed pardon me for sounding corny, but practice makes perfect. Your brain and your muscle memory will catch on eventually. Practice it before you go to bed; your brain turns into a supercomputer while you’re asleep and when you wake up the next morning you will nail it.
There’s nothing more I can say.
Like the others said, it is all about practicing and keeping at it. What I do (often, but still not often enough) is to switch on a metronome (say to about 120 bpm) and just play the one of every bar. It doesn’t even matter what you fret, it could be a dead string, as long as you focus on the rhythm and timing and your plucking. Then, hit the one and the three (of the bar). After a while, go for every quarter note in the bar. Don’t go too fast and notice/feel whether you follow the pulse of the metronome (or not). If the metronome is too boring, use a drum pattern (but don’t let yourself get carried away by the drummer too soon )
Yeah, this does not sound like a whole lot of fun, but, again, it’s the long game you should be interested in here!
PS: eventually, of course, you can expand on what you play and start playing eighth notes, triplets, dotted quarter notes, and so forth… just don’t do that right away if you feel not secure about your timing.
EDIT: well, whaddayaknow, this just showed up on No Treble:
This was everything that no one ever focused on in every stage of my musical career… except on bandstands, when the drummer would just look at me with a big raised eyebrow (best case scenario) or the evil eye (bad case scenario) or flying drumstick to the head (worst case scenario).
Thank You @joergkutter and my metronome hovers around 80bpm at this point. I dig the drum pattern, just lose my rhythm/connection after about 6 or 8 bars. My focus just simply drifts off.
Today was a Johnny Cash day. I am in Module 11 Lesson 1 and working with Roots and 5ths.
Question; How do I count / find the 5th when its above the Root note?? In the lesson, our Root is on the D String 4th fret but the 5th is one string above the Root. Little confused as why its not the 5th fret of the G String for the Root 5th Combo.
But on the positive, enjoyed the mute action of the string / song dynamic. You all have a fantastic evening and I appreciate the feedback.
@travis.thepadre.reed
Here’s the rule on Root - 5th. This applies no matter what the root note is or what string you’re playing.
Root + up 1 string + up 2 frets = 5th above.
Root + down 1 string = 5th below.
Example: C on the 3rd fret of the A string:
Fifth (g) is 5th fret of the D string. Fifth below (g) is 3rd fret of the E string. This works no matter where you are on the fret board.
@joergkutter Oh Man,
The little green dots are perfect
I was good with the quarter notes
Stumbled with the 8th notes and completely lost on the 16th notes. Well, not lost, just unable to keep track. Thanx for the link!!!
Thank you very much for writing that out because reading it this way makes so much sense to me. However, in Module 11 Lesson 1 Johnny Cash, the entire 12 bar ( only 11 bar ) blues in all done on the 4th ( multiple strings ) fret throughout the workout. Thats how I became confused. Josh talks about the D String ( Root ) and finding the 5th but I did not comprehend the logic.
If this is something really basic then I apologize for wasting your time. Again, I have appreciated you continuing to correspond with me and for your clarifications.
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