Category: Improvisation
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Obfuscation through Pedanticism
Ever find yourself in a conversation with some people who suddenly switch to another language to talk to each other? While certainly a bit rude, there are a couple reasons why they might have done this: They may be more fluent in that language, perhaps needing to get…
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Why Improvisation Matters
If you don’t play jazz, blues, or some other type of music that involves spontaneous playing, you might wonder what purpose there is in learning to improvise. Sure, “jazzheads” can sit around listening to John Coltrane or some other historic figure, but how can…
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Symmetrical Scales – Geometry in Music
In the previous article, we examined seven-note scales, arguably the most “familiar” sounds in tonal music. Since 7 doesn’t divide evenly into 12, these scales can’t be symmetrical, meaning they don’t repeat an interval sequence. (except at the octave, of course) Today,…
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How Many Scales Are There, Really?
One thing my students often ask about is “scales” and which ones to learn. In an effort to clarify this, here are some permutational ways to look at this question. Keep in mind, I’m not really talking about which ones are…
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What About Jam Sessions?
One of the most common methods of networking for musicians is to go to jam sessions. These gatherings are often not what they appear, and often caution is advised…
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The 3 Forces in Art: Part I
I should say, “The three forces that, when in balance, make what I think of as art,” but it is a title, that’s a bit cumbersome. In this series, we will explore these forces, and how we can utilize them to create work that “works.” It does seem odd that many things come in threes:…
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Origami: How “Folding” Makes Melody
Most elements of art exist somewhere in a continuum between order and chaos. Both of these extremes lead to a feeling of meaninglessness in the work. A completely predictable pattern seems mindless and automatic, and complete randomness seems incomprehensible and without information.
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The Tyranny of the Click Track
Like many musicians, over the decades I have worked very hard on my “time” and accuracy, seeking to play “perfect” time. There are legends of virtuoso studio drummers listening to a metronome, leaving, walking around the block, and returning without losing a beat. What is perfect…
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Music Production Story Time
In The Not-So-Distant Future (la la la) (In this play, Randy will be crustily portraying the role of Grandpa) Kids: “Grandpa, tell us again about the days before Auto-Tune!” Grandpa: “Well, I know it’s hard to imagine, but there were these people called singers who could stand in front of an audience or a microphone…
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Triads Over Bass Part II: Add 11
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In our last lesson, We discussed the use of major triads superimposed various intervals above a bass note. Adding tones to these triads can make these voicings even richer. One of many ways to enhance these triads is to add the 11th or perfect 4th to the triads. Not to be confused with sus4 chords,…