This board is for you

Rich Guest 0 post 15-Apr-2008 12:55 PM	Welcome to our new discussion board! It's been too long since we had a discussion board and it's time for you to be able to ask questions, get answers and help others with their questions by your replies and comments too. I look forward to your questions and getting some other moderators to assist you as well. Watch for them!
ChrisDowning 2 post s 27-Apr-2008 6:45 AM	Just to reinforce Rich's comments here - this discussion board in it's former life was really useful to many players; whatever their level. We were able to cover a wide area of discussion. As Rich is very generous about the facility, we discussed all sorts of approaches to playing and learning; like methods, players, styles, techniques; just about anything and everything - without at the end having to push a product or a service (too many discussion boards like that out there already). We fully intend to make this as interactive as we can and with moderators covering different time zones this should work pretty well. Give it a try.
Progrock 2 post s 27-Apr-2008 3:24 PM	I have a question about diminished arpeggios. I know of course you can use them with the diminshed chords but diatonically I could play them over the five chord and couldn't I play it over the two chord also? How do you guys use diminshed arpeggios over the diatonic chords in key?
ChrisDowning 3 post s 30-Apr-2008 6:35 AM	Not too sure I fully understand what you mean about using diminished chords; over what?.....do you mean the harmonized scale of chords? ---------- I get paid for what I add - not how much I spent on the equipment.
Progrock 3 post s 30-Apr-2008 7:37 AM	Lets say the good old c maj chords. Cmaj,dm,em,fmaj,Gmaj,Am,Bdim. I know I could play the G# dim arp. over the Gmaj chord since it's could be looked at as G7b9. Couldn't I also play it over the Dm? It has the 1 and b3. It would also have the b5 and 6(13)which would sound like it needs to resolve but if I played the full diminished scale it would also have the 5 and b7 which I could resolve these notes to anyways right? Am I on the right track? Do you use it over the II- chord?
Eric E 7 post s 3-May-2008 8:00 AM	Hi Don, You're asking a good question. I don’t use diminished lines over the ii chord, but you certainly can. It will apply a b5 to the minor chord which may or may not sound good. It probably depends on the context of what you're doing. It can certainly sound outside--which might be good for what you're going for. In a minor ii-V progression it will sound more appropriate. (ie dmin7b5 to G7b9 to Cmin). For my own use I like to use some kind of minor line matching the ii chord then get more outside on the V chord. This kind of creates the tension just on the V chord. It sounds like you already know the theory behind how the chord funtions: I think of diminished chords as functioning like a dominant chord. In a diatonic chord progression it contains the leading tone, which establishes tonality (leads to the I chord--which is basically what our V chord's function is too). Like you mentioned seeing the diminished shape as a 7b9 sub for a dominant chord. That’s primarily what I do with diminished chords too (play them over a 7th chord to bring out the altered tones). I think if you like the sound of the diminished lines over a ii chord though, then you should experiment with them and see how it sounds to you. I personally like to hear players move a little outside the diatonic tones and this might add nicely to that. --Eric
Progrock 4 post s 4-May-2008 10:19 AM	Hey Eric, How did you know it was me? I hope the family is going good! I don't know if I mentioned it before but the owner of the store I teach at met you before. His name is Jonathan Kehew. He said he went to some type of repair class at that Luther in Clinton named Neri and you were there also. I forget how your name came up but I thought it was kind of neat you both met before. Yea, I get absorbed into trying to figure all possibilities of everything. It's good because it opens up more interesting sounds but I go overboard with it sometimes. I have to force myself to not overanylze sometimes and just play. This one wasn't to bad but I do get over analytical sometimes. Like you said I should experiment. If it works it does.If it doesn't it doesn't period. Thanks, Don
Eric E 9 post s 5-May-2008 6:38 PM	Hey Don, Yeah, I thought it was you. I think you might have signed one of your posts earlier so I figured it was you. Yes, we're all doing well thanks. Hope all is going well for you too. I do remeber meeting Johnathan. Tell him I say hello when you get a chance. That was a fun class. Paul is a very good luthier (he's worked on a few of my guitars). Where is Johnathan's store? I can't remember what part of CT he's from. I teach at Daddy's in West Hartford, stop in and say hi if you're in the area. Also, if you're in West Hartford on Thursday May 22. Check out Dave Dana at Szechuan Tokyo restaurant. He's an amazing player. Keep experimenting with the sounds you like. That's what sets players apart from others. You're creativity is unique and you may discover some cool ideas just by simply trying to apply different lines and ideas (a little outside the box). --Eric
Progrock 5 post s 8-May-2008 12:01 PM	I told him you said hi. He said to make sure I do the same. He agreed that it was a fun class. He said if you were ever interested in doing a clinic or something to let him know. Jonathan's store is in Old Saybrook. It's called Corner music. It's focus is on teaching but he's getting more and more stuff in. The guitars are more low end to mid-ranged guitars. Stuff that's perfect for most of the students that come in. If you want to check out his website it's corner-music.com I didn't get a chance to study with him but I got to see him play at the conservatory. Dave and Joe Carter along with a bass player did three or so songs. He sounded pretty good. Of course Joe was ripping it up as usual. I'd like to take some more lessons with him sometime.Talk to you later! Don Last Edited on 8-May-2008 12:07 PM
Eric E 10 post s 13-May-2008 6:36 PM	Hey Don, Is Jonathan’s shop anywhere near where Jr.’s Music used to be? I used to play at the Paperback Café every week there in Old Saybrook. I think Jr.’s moved to Clinton a few years ago, but I haven’t been to the new shop. There’s a really nice shop in Guilford or Branford (acousticmusic.org). I know there is another name that everyone calls it, but that’s their name on the internet. I’ve played some acoustic shows with Brian, one of the owners. I’d love to do a workshop at Corner Music some time. Its hard to get music stores to do those things, but I think they can pay off for the students and the store too. They are a lot of fun to do. I had forgotten that you got to see Joe and Dave play before. That’s great. They are both really good. Joe is teaching at Fairfield or U of Bridgeport now and it’s just Dave at the Conservatory for guitar (maybe Dave Giardina too). Have you been working with a teacher lately? There are a few serious fusion and rock/jazz players around. Frank Varela is a smokin’ player up near me in Vernon and Chris Morrison is down near Shelton. Both are amazing and very modern sounding. Once in awhile Joe Beck is available to do some lessons. He’s near Southbury. I’ve been going back though the solos in my Guitar College Jazz books lately and analyzing the solos. I’m working on things like turnarounds and II-V lines and trying to apply them to other tunes. There’s really so much material in the Cookin’ solos and the Blue Bossa solos from Jazz I and III. I’ve gone back to the solos from Autumn Leaves and Georgia this week also (from Jazz II). It’s funny, when I first worked on that material, I learned it just to get it done and move on to the next lesson. Now I find myself going back to them because there are some really good modern sounding licks and ideas there and I want to go back and incorporate more of it into my playing. Those lines can really be applied to later tunes like Coltrane tunes and Miles tunes as well (and they sound great). --Eric
Progrock 6 post s 19-May-2008 7:36 PM	Yea, I think it was near Jonathans place. We got a few students that came from there. He is located on main st across from the fire station. I havn't been studying with anybody latly but I would like to. There is a guy that is the music director for caruso music in new london that I would like to take lessons from. He plays alot of classical and some Satriani,Vai,Steve Morse type playing. I would like to get a little better on my shred type techiques and I always wanted to learn classical. He does also play some jazz so if I want to do some of that it's also there. Eventually I'll get around to contacting him. So much going on right now.
Progrock 7 post s 11-Jul-2008 3:30 PM	I need some opinions. I'm thinking of creating a course for some of my students. It would be a hard rock/metal course with I think 3 levels. I at first wanted to create all the material myself but I'm quickly figuring out this will take some time. For the time being I was thinking of using a series that is currently out there that I have been using with my students already. That would be the basic curriculum. In addition to that I would organize my lesson plans and create some new ones to compliment each level. I would also have required songs for each level that use techniques we are currently working on. Each level would have a Rhythm book,lead book,theory along with technique or exercise lessons that I came up with and the required songs for that level. I would make tests they would have to pass to get to the next level. I havn't decided yet but I was considering giving diploma's at the end of each level. I'm not sure yet though. I would explain that the program is for students that want to get serious and are willing to put in the practice time. My thought is they might like the idea of having a program and a direction they are going in instead of just a plain lesson working a little on this and a little on that.Any thoughts or idea's?
Al 7 post s 16-Jul-2008 1:43 AM	Hey Prog, I've been doing a couple of things that have really produced some positive results for students. First I record students regularly with backing track. I have an Apple Macbook which comes with Garageband and iTunes. I will drag backing track into Garageband and connect the student's guitar into my Macbook with a M-Audio Firewire interface. I can easily mix down a recording from Garageband into iTunes into mp3 format. The students really love it. There own improvement does more for their esteem than any amount of encouragement that I give them. Second is that I video record all lessons with a copy going to a student, I end up reviewing student progress and how I taught or what I said. This is the single best reason that I have improved as a teacher. I've caught golden moments of teaching and times when I could have said something better. Not only do they see how much better that they get over time, but the same applies to me. I personally don't do any testing, my experience is that the music school approach does not work in general because not everyone is THAT serious. I would rather that they learn by sheer repetition but have fun accomplishing their goals. I have had more students when lessons are more fun and less like school, but who knows, perhaps you have had better results than I have. Anyway, some ideas for thought. Last Edited on 16-Jul-2008 1:48 AM
Eric E 14 post s 16-Jul-2008 10:22 AM	Hey Progrock, I think you have a great idea. I think it's usually more productive when I have an organized approach with students. The only thing that I have run up against is that some stundets aren't ready for consistent practice, so you'll find some students eager to work with this method and others who struggle from week to week to apply the lessons. Also, Al I like your high tech approach. I have thought of trying to bring my lap top to lessons, to jam with Band In a Box and have some way to record some things, but I haven't done it yet. --Eric E.
Progrock 8 post s 19-Jul-2008 5:57 PM	Hey guys, Thanks for responding! I've been going through things and getting a collective feel from different people like you guys and also some of my students. What I've come up with is trashing the idea of diploma's exept for possible the little ones which all they have to do basically is be there. I will still have the programs but the students will take as long as they need to get through them. I'll also leave wiggle room to make each students program a little different. I just want them to get a sense of following a path to get to there goals. I don't want students to get overwhelmed and quit on me. I also like the idea of recording. I've been thinking of doing this at home for awhile now. I have to just get my butt going and do it. I don't have a laptop but I do have a portable 8 track digital recorder. I'm sure I can work with that for the music store I also work out of. Not ideal but better than nothing. I have mentioned it to a couple of students and they seem pretty game for it. It has many benifits for the student but one benifit for me is that it would fill up a lesson or maybe two each month. Alot of the time I find they need the extra time to absorb the material I give them anyways. Last Edited on 19-Jul-2008 6:02 PM

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