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COFFEE TALK SHED #4 (DOMINANT DANCER) VIDEO MASTERCLASS
by Hristo Vitchev
This short Video Masterclass series is meant to illustrate and cover in detail how I like to practice and work on developing different melodic and harmonic ideas on the guitar. Think of it as an informal session where over a cup of coffee we get to discuss very unique and interesting approaches to harmony, melody, theory, improvisation and technique.
In Episode 4 I present a fun way to augment our Dominant chordal vocabulary especially when playing over one chord vamps, intros, outros and modal sections of tunes. The concept consists of mapping out all mode positions of a key with the vertical set of available "quartal voicings" (using the interval of a 4th as the construction mechanism) within each mode position and using these as contrasting chordal textures (clusters) against a basic reference voicing for the V7 chord in the respective key (tonal center).
The way in which I will lay out the different concepts in this series is designed with the idea in mind that such material could be internalized and easily assimilated within 20 to 30 minutes. These sessions will be short, creative, fun and to the point!
Materials Included:
Coffee Talk Shed #4 (Dominant Dancer) study (PDF file - TAB and Standard Notation).
40 mins. HD "Video Masterclass."
Phrase Ideas HD Video.
Backing Track.
HARMONIC METHENYISMS (MODAL INTRODUCTIONS)
by Hristo Vitchev
In this harmonic series I will be exploring the many different chordal styles and approaches of the great guitarist Pat Metheny.
As the title suggests (Modal Introductions) these are small harmonic compositions that are ideal in building ideas on different ways in which we can use harmony as a sonic texture that can help us set up moods and transport us through different emotional dimensions when crafting intros and outros on songs.
The study consists of 3 "harmonic passages" that have been inspired by a particular style of chordal playing that Metheny has utilized over the years.
Passage #1 is inspired by Metheny's approach of minor modal intros and outros especially on tunes like A.C. Jobim's - "How Insensitive." The usage of quintal voicings and movable inner voices of harmonic clusters is a main focus here.
Passage #2 is inspired by Metheny's chordal approach when playing very lyrical ballads and it is inspired by the harmonic stylings of the song "Message to a Friend." The main focus here is a substitution of a major tonic chord for a half-diminished harmony a triton away that is very particular in the way that Metheny creates intricate bass motion and clever chord-inversion passages even over very simple harmonic changes.
Passage #3 is inspired by Metheny's approach on movable intervals in the inner voices of a harmony while using the bass and soprano note as a pedal-point, as well as the syncopation in the rhythmic approach to this style of chordal playing . This harmonic exploration is inspired by the intro of the song "Phase Dance."
Materials Included:
HARMONIC METHENYISMS - "Modal Introductions" study (PDF file - TAB and Standard Notation).
25 mins. "HD" Video Masterclass.
