2017年9月25日 星期一

Techniques From Songs - 如何在吉他上熟練一個樂句(Steely Dan - Josie)


如何在吉他上熟練一個句子,其實並不是只是將一個樂句重複演奏到滾瓜爛熟而已。之所以會這麼說是因為,吉他上同一個音可以在很多不同位置演奏出來,各何況還有不同的八度。

所以,假如想要真的將一個句子拿下來,得要試著在各個不同的位置演奏出一樣的句子。而更進一步的,想要能夠比較自由地運用的話,還得要了解這個句子在背景和弦之下的選音,不然就會只是重複一套會發出聲音的手指動作,不知道該用在什麼狀況。

因此,我將從Steely Dan的Josie中挑選了一個簡短的兩小節樂句,試著演示一次假若我想要將一個樂句拿下來,會怎麼練習。

首先,這是我選擇的樂句。

相對於背景的Em7和弦,這個句子基本上是由E小調音階與經過音組合,分別是E小調的b7, b7, 6, 7, b3, 1。
在吉他上音階常見的系統是分成五個跟七個指型,我自己比較熟悉的是分成五個的CAGED系統,所以接下來,我將會在這五個型都重複一次這個樂句。

照著這樣演練的話,樂句會相對比較能夠被掌握住。其實真的要拿下來,還會需要練習在不同調中演奏,並且一直試著在各種場合使用出來,但這個部分這次就先不討論。我會在影片尾段放著Em7的Backing Loop,希望大家可以試試在不同指型、把為演奏看看這個句子。

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We cannot just keep repeating a lick until we remember it to really master it. Because there are so many different position for just one note, not even mention that there are different octaves.

So, to really learn a lick, we have to play it in different positions. Furthermore, if we want to be able to use it freely, we have to analyze it with the backing chord. Or it will only be a  repeating hand movement that makes sound, which we don't know where to use it.  

In here, I choose a two bars lick form Josie by Steely Dan to demonstrate what I would do to really learn a lick.

First, this is the lick I choose.
When analyze it with Em7 chord comping, it is basically formed by a E minor scale with passing notes.  These notes areb7, b7, 6, 7, b3, 1 of E minor scale.
Scale systems of guitar usually divide the neck into 5 or 7 patterns. Because I am more familiar with the CAGED system, which divides it into 5 patterns, I will play the lick in every one of those 5 patterns.

You are more likely to really get the lick on your hand through this way. To master it, you still have to practice it in different key and keep using it in different situations, but let's stop at here for now. I will loop the Em7 backing in the end, so try to do this yourself!

2017年9月18日 星期一

Steely Dan - Josie (EG Solo Cover)



Steely Dan是我非常喜歡的一個團體,而其成員之一Walter Becker在兩週前過世了。雖然以目前市場上的音樂來說,他們的音樂資訊量可能有點大,但我還是誠心地跟各位推薦這個團體的音樂,同時在這裡跟大家一起試著從他在Josie的獨奏中學習一些音樂上的可能性。

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Steely Dan is one go my favorite musicians. Walter Becker, one of the founder of Steely Dan, passed in two weeks ago. Although, compares to the music nowadays, their music contains a little too rich informations, I still strongly recommend there music to you. And in here let's try to learn some possibility form his solo work in Josie.

2017年9月11日 星期一

Vijay Iyer Sextet - Nope



前一陣子剛好開始看ECM唱片相關的介紹時,就聽到了這首歌,相當巧。

這首歌一開始鋪陳時的氣氛雖然有點不安定,但其實滿明亮的,接著在一串緊繃音程的堆疊之後,帶著laid-back感的鼓突然加入,帶來非常Groovy的律動感。

非常帥,有這麼帥的開頭,大概很難不喜歡這首歌了。

整首曲子樂器間的對話非常豐富,層次的堆疊感覺也精心設計過,讓曲子一路挺進到結束都沒有冷場,而且感覺還在持續地開展。非常值得細細地欣賞!

以上就是這次的內容,我們下次再見!
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I ran into this song when I started to look at some information about ECM. What a coincidence.

The atmosphere in Intro is basically bright though mixed a little unstable feel. But some really tensioned notes started to stack up, release with a cool riff and laid-back feel drum groove. 

This is too cool! It is just too cool to not like this song with this kind of intro. 

Through out this song, the conversations between instruments are really rich and layered elaborately, which makes it exciting all the way to the end and still expanding.

This is a song worth to listen to! Strongly recommend.


2017年9月4日 星期一

Techniques From Songs - Minor Pentatonic Riff In Major Song (Phum Viphurit - Long Gone)



This time in Techniques form Songs, we are going to look at minor pentatonic riff in a major song. Our example is Long Gone by Phum Viphurit.

This song is in G major and the main riff sounds like this.

The main riff is basically in G major and it feels like he is playing B minor pentatonic shape in mind. Although I cannot really prove that, it is actually a concept that widely used. We can use minor pentatonic scales of 2nd, 3rd, and 6th degree from the key center to come up a riff for the song. 

In here, we can use A minor pentatonic, B minor pentatonic, and E minor pentatonic to create a rill in this G major song. You can write out all the notes of these minor pentatonic scales, and you will find that all the note are in G major. 

In the video, I will shift to A and E minor Pentatonic scale, and use similar rhythm and fingering to fill in the same progression. 

I will keep the backing loops for a while, try this concept yourself!

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這次Techniques From Songs要討論在大調歌曲中的使用小調五聲音階的循環樂句。我們使用的例子Phum Viphurit的Long Gone

這首歌是G大調,其主要的循環樂句挺起來大約像這樣。
這個句子的音都在G大調中,但感覺他是想著B小調五聲音階的形狀在演奏的。雖然我無法證實這一點,但這其實是很常見的手法。我們可以用一首歌調性中心的2、3、6級的小調五聲音階來為這首歌想一個樂句。

在這首歌,我們可以使用A小調五聲音階、B小調五聲音階、和E小調五聲音階,來為這首G大調的曲子想一個樂句。假如你寫出這些小調五聲音階的組成音的話,你會發現他們其實都包含在G大調音階內。

在影片中,我會移動到A小調五聲音階與E小調五聲音階,並使用類似的節奏與指法來在一樣的和弦進行中填入樂句。

示範完後,會循環一段和弦進行,請也自己試試這個概念吧!