Returning to improvisation

Though the last couple of weeks I’ve headed towards composition and chords, it’s important to maintain and even build upon already acquired skills.

Last night, while playing the E major scale all over the fretboard, the concept of improvising suddenly became more clear. I begun by playing three or four notes randomly selected notes (however, all part of the same scale) in what I can only describe as a repetitive, circular pattern – over and over again, until this pattern was well acquainted with my ears.

While doing this, a mental image of a light traveling in a circuit formed in my mind. Eventually, I would try to break away from it, yet, return at the same time (this, reflected in the mental image as well as which notes I played and how I played them). I don’t know if there is a proper term for this technique as I’ve never come across it before but I can’t imagine no one else having ever used it before.

The mental picture of a circuit in my mind really helped me build on my improvised playing, giving it direction and keeping it all sounding cohesive and purposeful but not mind-numbingly repetitive. The basic pattern I begun with was the fundamental idea or theme that everything else on top would relate to. Before this, my “improvising” could more closely be described as simply moving up and down a scale.

Just a thought worth keeping in mind.

Remembering scales and chords

Earlier today, as I was fiddling around on the guitar something suddenly hit me. I saw a fretboard pattern emerge which I had previously never noticed.

What became apparent was a very simply way to play the chords of any major scale.

Using the major F scale as an example, begin on the first fret of the sixth string. The next two scale steps are two frets up, then another two frets up (giving us F, G and A). For the rest of the scale, move back to the first fret of the fifth string. Move up two frets, four times for each remaining scale step (giving us Bb, C, D and E). The starting point determines the scale.

Using this easy-to-remember outline, you can put together major and minor chords that sound cohesive with one another, allowing you to either learn the overall mood of a scale or even create a simple song.

Seeing sounds as colours

As expressed in previous posts, I am taking a new direction with my playing and focusing on composition. The biggest problem I’ve encountered so far is not being able to make the guitar sing. It’s a frustration similar to finally getting your first car but being without a licence to drive it.

Last night, however, I moved one step forward. I thought of a colour and tried to create sounds that matched that colour. For example, I thought of green and tried to play what I thought sounded calm and gentle, like nature. Black is another example. With black in mind, a dark, menacing, marching chord strumming pattern arose.

When I struck a note or chord that didn’t seem to fit in, I simply made sure not to strike it again.

While I won’t be painting vivid, colourful masterpieces through the guitar tomorrow, one step at a time, I feel I’m moving in the right direction.

Storytelling with sound

As a writer, you’re taught to develop your own voice – a fixed personality or identity to express through written word. In music, I am finding it is much the same.

Therein lies the dilemma I wish to overcome; I don’t know how to speak through music. If, for example, I wanted to tell a story of mystery and intrigue through the guitar, I would not know how to do just that. I think that’s what composing is all about.

Each note, chord, scale – any sound you can create – possesses a feeling. For instance, the chords A minor and E minor are sad and downtrodden whilst D and G chords are uplifting. On the other hand, the C minor scale, to me, sounds suspenseful with an eastern influence.

The tricky part is connecting (composing) a larger series of sounds together to form a story, just like a writer.

A new direction

This week we took a new course away from solos and towards composition. We started by picking a song (Jason Mraz’s “You and I Both), which Dan and I respectively listened to over Youtube before beginning our analysis.

The advice given to me on locating which key a song is set in was to play all notes on any particular string (we used the 6th, the one closest to your head and shoulders). Eventually, you will hit a note that fits perfectly with the song, one that does not sound like it is out of place or unresolved. When you find this note, it will be the key of which the song is in.

The sound of silence

For all the benefits the computer and internet have brought into the family home, the pairing unfortunately brings a great deal of distraction. This is particularly true when playing guitar.

To become any good at guitar demands hard work, focus and dedication. With a computer – especially one connected to the internet – at an arms length away, those last two requirements will more than likely be affected.

Sure, it’s easier to play along to an MP3 file which allows you skip through songs at the click of a mouse. However, as I often find, playing while near a computer greatly hampers my progress. Oftentimes, when I’m sitting near the PC with my guitar intending to practice, before I even realise, I would be browsing around aimlessly on YouTube or Wikipedia.

To overcome this, I play in our spare room, away from the lure of electronic devices. If you don’t have a spare room, any quiet place will do (that means, away from the TV too) as it will allow you to concentrate more on your playing. You’ll notice a lot more nuances, which you may not have otherwise noticed, when there are absolutely no distractions around.

Playing honestly

I first begun playing guitar to play my favourite songs. I didn’t care to be the next Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix or John Frusciante, I just wanted to play their licks.

Eventually, I grew tired of what felt like guitar karaoke. Whenever anyone asked if I could play guitar, I always felt I was being partly dishonest. Sure, I could follow tabs but I certainly could not write, craft or create anything entirely new. I felt one level above a Guitar Hero player.

This week I decided to do something about it: I’m going to focus on learning scales. From what I understand, this is one of the fundamentals of learning music. However, if you started off self-taught like I did, this lesson would have been inexplicably overlooked; a move tantamount to beginning a jigsaw puzzle without first looking at the picture on the box.

For the longest time, I had no idea what scales were. (If you, like me, were afraid to ask, they are the building blocks of music – a series of notes which fit nicely with one another).

Thus, I am going to start with the one I am already familiar with; the E scale, which consists of E, F#, G#, A, B, C# and D. With these building blocks, I have made it a goal to eventually write a song and answer with complete honesty the next time someone asks if I can play guitar.

Timing of a different kind

This week, the advantages of the online lesson paid off once again.

Half an hour before the lesson was to commence, I was all set up, ready to go. I put this free time to use by going over the past week’s homework – refreshing my memory and warming up. The great part is I could do this for as long as possible, as loud as I wanted, without having to worry about missing a moment of class. When Dan was ready, I would receive the call over Skype.

Participating in lessons from home, I’ve found, is more comfortable. It may be nitpicking but I just feel more relaxed playing guitar in the chair I play in every other day of the week. I’m also more attuned to the sound of my own amp than any other, which often throw me off. All these factors, I believe helped me perform better in class, cutting down on the number of mistakes made as well as time spent covering old ground.

Once the lesson was over, I didn’t have to pack up and head for my car. Thankfully too, as today was rather cold.

Instead, I just turned off Skype and continued practicing what I had just learnt so as to keep it fresh in my mind. Next week, I am told we will attempt to learn something entirely new over cyberspace and I am excited to see how smoothly everything goes.

Pick and choose

Having primarily focused on soloing for much of the past fortnight, this week I begun experimenting with classical and hybrid picking.

Its a far cry from overdriven, distorted riffs but it has presented an interesting contrast. A simple finger picked melody can grab just as much attention as a ripping solo.

Regardless of what sort of playing you want to pursue, I believe it’s always a good idea to expose yourself, to try out as many different genres as possible. Paying attention to more styles can really open up and develop your own way of playing – unexpectedly, you may find new tricks that can be applied to your individual style which may not have otherwise recognised.

In the meantime, I have been experimenting using hybrid picking to play distorted solos; who would’ve thought?

Check yourself

There are a number of ways to ensure your playing is up to scratch but none more effective than recording yourself and listening back.

I remember the first time I did this – only a few months after I had begun playing. I considered myself a decent player given the short amount of experience I had. I also remember embarrassingly cringing after listening to the playback – what’s worse is there wasn’t even anyone else around and I was still embarrassed.

Though without that rude awakening, I wouldn’t have realised what I really needed to improve upon; after all, to my ears alone, I thought I was doing pretty well at that point.

Today, I’m still finding the technique comes in handy – there are some errors you just don’t notice while you’re playing that only become apparent once you stop and listen.

Some players record themselves with old tape players which is quick, simple and efficient. However, it would not surprise me if many of you young aspiring musicians have never even owned a tape. I use the microphone on my computer. The best part about that is I can share my (better) recordings with supportive friends and family who only want to here more.