[Demonstration]
Okay, let us look some ways to build scales. I like to use tetra chords.
Now, a tetra chord is not a chord. It is the first four note of the scale. There are five possible tetra chords you can build. The first tetra chord is major.
[Demonstration]
Next Minor,
[Demonstration]
Phrygian,
[Demonstration]
Diminished,
[Demonstration]
And Augmented.
[Demonstration]
All of the conventional jazz scales that are used can be built by combining two these five tetra chords.
Let me show you what I mean. Just a Major scale, a Major scale turns out to be two Major Tetra chords whole step apart.
[Demonstration]
Using tetra chords to build scales is useful in two ways.
Number one, of you break a scale down into its components, it is a lot easier to visualize.
Number two, it is easier to hear in the same scales if you think it of couple of tetra chords stocked together.
Let us look at some other scales. A Dorian scale, a Dorian scale is two Minor Tetra Chords separated by a whole step.
[Demonstration]
A Phrygian scale is two Phrygian tetra chords.
[Demonstration]
A dominant 7 scale is tetra chord and a minor tetra chord separated by a whole step.
[Demonstration]
A dominant 7 # 4 scale is augmented and a Minor Tetra Chord separated by a half step this time.
[Demonstration]
Do you remember how I said that thinking of a scale that has a couple of tetra chords help you purely sing it. I said that because singing is very important. You are absolutely have to do it.
Ultimately if you do not sing the harmonic components you use, your playing would not have emotional content. And you can start easy.
For example, just learn to sing a Dorian scale.
[Demonstration]
And here, we sing those two minor tetra chords there.
[Demonstration]
And then, you can proceed on, just improvising over that scale.
[Demonstration]
Then, you might proceed onto improvising over a chord progression like a blues say for example.
[Demonstration]
Another thing you can do if you do not play the piano or you do not have the access to one. Just use one of the many play along CD’s that are out and you just sing a chorus and play a chorus. Do that over and over.
Here is another exercise, try and sing something and then play it on your instrument. Play the exact same phrase.
[Demonstration]
Remember, if you can sing something that means you can hear it and if you can hear it, that means it is internalized and it is part of your natural expression.
If you do not hear the stuff you improvise, then what you are doing is just so much intellectual just playing. It doesn’t matter how experienced you are or how much you know.
Singing is still the most important thing you can do to make yourself a player.
Okay, we are done with this session. If I were you, I would use this video just like you would with a reference book or a text book or something.
Go back and forth through it, study at the various settings, make it very easy to play in different things.
If you have questions contact us at our website at www.masterjazznow.com and with any luck, I will talk to you soon.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services