Re: What is enough theory for amateur musicians?
Bert Ligon ( BLigon@mozart.music.sc.edu )
Tue, 10 Dec 1996 12:59:02 -0500
>Mr. Lawson G stone talks about guide tones as:
>
>"Anyhow, guide tones typically refer to the 3rd and 7th
>of a chord. They tell you if it's minor or major, and whether or not
>it's a dominant type chord or a major7 type chord. I had gotten a
>suggestion off of Emily Remler's video that one way to begin soloing is
>to try to hit a guide tone of each chord on beat one of each measure. In
>the intervening space, she suggested using blue scale phrases, or even
>just to experiment with anything, but using the guide tones to stay on
>the changes. She suggested it as a learning tool."
>
>In my very humble opinion, if the accomanipment players are doing their job,
>they are playing the guide tones enogh so the listener knows where things are.
>(hopefully) So if you just stick within the chord change that is happening,
>no matter how wierd or sparce you are, you should sound ok. Therefore, I am
>saying that even thinking about the guide tones is a way to ruin your mind.
>
>If you only have guitar and bass or guitar alone, a few well placed strums
>will do the job. I believe that Wes Montgomery played that way, among others.
>
>The pianist's left hand also works as well in a piano trio.
>
> hava nice day,
> jules
I think the job of harmonic clarity rests with the soloist. The job of time
keeping is also the job of the soloist. I have heard too many improvisors
who are depending on the drummer to keep the time and the pianist to keep
the harmony figuring they could do what they want over the top. With many
great solos (and I'll reference them if necessary) you could take away the
accompaniment and a listener would still know where the soloist was with
regard to the time, form and harmonic structure. That would be one of my
goals as an improvisor and is one of my goals as a jazz educator.
_______________________________________
Bert Ligon
Director of Jazz Studies
_______________________________________
School of Music
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208
Voice: (803) 777-6565
Fax: (803) 777-6508
bligon@mozart.sc.edu
_______________________________________