Chord meditations

(6 posts)

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  1. Quintricacy
    Member

    I've been working with this recently. Put a chord into a sequencer or a loop station and then improvise with it with no real time. I find the results much better than shedding through scales and positions and it's a much more musical way of practicing said scales. At the moment i'm going through the melodic minor sound world as I'm not the strongest with any of the modes within this scale, and trying to get through lydian sharp 9 too. I also try and close my eyes for the whole time and really let my ear guide me, and after some time it all starts falling under my fingers and some interesting patterns start to come out.

    Has anyone else tried something similar?

    • Posted 1 year ago
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  2. Matt
    Member

    Yeah! i love the sequencer that is on my boss delay. it's only five seconds long max, but i do exactly what you said: close my eyes and improvise. I also find using the Vol. 21 (aebersold) tracks that have random root movement helpful as i try to improvise with only my ear.
    I also like the sequencing for hearing notes (ie upper structures) and i sing them to try to internalize them
    what sequencer do you hve?

    • Posted 1 year ago
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  3. docbop
    Member

    Better yet loop a short chord sequence so you can practice getting into and out of the chord.

    • Posted 1 year ago
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  4. Floatingbridge
    Member

    YES!!!!
    I do this. I got an ( iPhone ) app called sruti box. It's a drone box that people use in Indian music to practice you can set intervals ( a range of 12 tones is provided ) and the timbre is really soft and inviting - like a Rhodes .
    With the loop station I'll play random triads , with a sense of pulse ( not necessarily bound to meter), I generally keep to lower registers ( knowing I'm going to accompany my self ), trying to keep it simple but varied and cohesive.
    I'll do what you're talking about- close my eyes and fish for things. Dealing with things like voice leading a motif or just trying to deal with things without having to jump to a more familiar location when a change passes. As an old teacher said " do one thing everywhere , do everything in one place".
    Sometimes I'll put my loop in reverse this changes the timbre ( as the overtones approach in reverse ) so as to make a contrasting tone with the normal guitar and to also avoid remembering any of the changes. This is super fun and it feels like honest playing and improvising.

    • Posted 1 year ago
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  5. Quintricacy
    Member

    Thanks for the replies. Some interesting stuff in here that I will definitely try. @Matt: I use Logic and program in the chords usually with a Rhodes patch.

    • Posted 1 year ago
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  6. JorgeRubiales
    Member

    Hey Quintricacy, nice post here!

    My teacher uses garage band with some loops, and records or sequences some kind of drone or rythm base (upright bass, guitar, wathever) and then improvises on top of that with one mode. I've just caught him doing it before I get to the class, so I don't know what's his routine, but from what I know he keeps for about an hour doing that in one mode, and he has maybe 2 or 3 modes for the day, always going in fourths (lets say C, F and Bb melodic minor).

    • Posted 1 year ago
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