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Original Post By:
Gerald Ross
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Date: 1/18/2012 4:51:09 PM |
Lesson #2 video is now online and ready for viewing. In this lesson we explore the chords to the bridge of the rhythm changes we learned in lesson #1.
Fun, easy and best of all...free! Take a look and leave a nice comment. I like nice comments.
http://ukesessions.com/ |
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Posted By:
Queequegowitz
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Date: 1/20/2012 6:59:02 PM |
| Excellent!
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Posted By:
Boswell
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Date: 1/21/2012 3:44:20 PM
(Updated: 1/21/2012 4:13:54 PM)
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I wonder why the C#dim is a substitute for the vi chord (the Am)?
C# is comprised of C#, E, and G. (Diminished chords have a R, m3, and dim5.)
But, C# is the major third of an A chord, whereas an Am chord needs a natural C.
I'm curious enough to ask for somebody to explain why this sharp diminished chord works in lieu of a vi chord, in easy terms?
I've been waiting patiently for this second lesson detailing the bridge, Gerald! I do a lot of ice-creamy songs that employ a vi ii V7 I progression, along with this bridge. I'm hoping to incorporate a few of these voice-leading ideas into my instrumental breaks.
(I've a final thought to add for anyone who's new, and who sings as well as strums. I'm a singer, myself, and I often like to hear open strings from first-position chords ringing out as accompaniment to my voice. Perhaps this is where the musical approach of a vocalist departs, slightly, from an instrumentalist. So, I'd encourage my fellow singers to continue to learn first position chords for their songs while they're singing, and then jump into Gerald's closed position jazz chords for instrumental breaks. The more ways you can express a song with your voice and your uke, the better, I say.)
Thanks, Gerald, for teaching me, and making me think about it, too.
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Posted By:
Gerald Ross
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Date: 1/21/2012 4:18:44 PM |
I use open stringed chords all the time. Each song is different and requires a different approach.
You could play "This Land Is Your Land" with these chords. C9, F9, C#9 substituting for the open C, F and G but it would just be an academic exercise at that point.
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Posted By:
Boswell
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Date: 1/22/2012 7:28:09 AM |
I meant no offense, Gerald!
I've been noodling through your chords from both lessons. I really dig the sound created by your use of voice leading.
The ending you play, but don't diagram or explain (other than to say it's a C C7 F F# G C progression), is intriguing. I've been trying to sort it out, but I can't quite figure out what how to play that F# chord. I guess I'll figure it out, eventually.
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Posted By:
Gerald Ross
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Date: 1/22/2012 8:04:20 AM |
No offense taken Jimmy - you're my pal.
F#? easy... make an open string F7 chord and move the entire shape up one fret towards the bridge - don't play the first string.
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Posted By:
Boswell
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Date: 1/22/2012 3:06:57 PM |
Thanks, Gerald.
Now that I've found a moment to play with it again, I like using a 2323 for the F#, which would make it another diminished chord.
I still like someone to explain to me why a C#dim is a suitable substitution for an Am, when none of the notes in that 3434 chord, A# E G C# (from the top down), occur in an Am chord.
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Posted By:
CurtSheller
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Date: 1/23/2012 11:43:16 AM
(Updated: 1/23/2012 1:03:31 PM)
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C#dim7 is the same as A7b9/C# which is a sub for A7 which is a Sub for Am7 which is a sub for Am. A VI7 for a VI. Same root different chord type. More detailed explanation below.
The C#dim7 is what is called a disguised secondary dominant chord. It's a substitute for A7b9/C# which are the same notes as C#dim7 and would be a sub for the Am, Am7, the VI chord. The A7 is a V of II, A7 to Dm7, a common sub for the VI in a I VI II V progression. The basic progression is a I VI II V (C Am Dm G). Jazz players with use subs to "jazz" it up. Sometimes going pretty far out. Em7 Eb7 Dm7 Db7 would be a sub for C Am Dm G. When the subs get pretty far out all players have to agree on the the chords progressions. If you did Cmaj7 Am9 Dm11 G13 for C Am Dm G you wouldn't have to tell other players, it would work.
If A7b9/C# was indicated, chances are the b9 would be ignore by most players and they would play a straight A7 ignoring the C# slash chord indication for the bass note of the chord. So, to get a better chance of having the voicing of the chord you want played you write C#dim7 and have a way better chance of getting the ascending bass line they want C, C#, D. The C#dim7 is an enharmonic equivalent for A7b9/C#.
The ukulele in the reentrant tuning doen't have much of, or any bass notes to speak of. But, if using voice leading in your chords you'll get a nice line inside the chords.
Voice leading at it's simplest is keeping common chord tones (notes) between chords the same and move non-common chords tones to the closest chord tone of the next chord. This creates really smooth chord movement. Als, means you need to know a lot of chord voicings to have this work.
All of the above is the process called Harmonic Analysis, that includes identifying the root movement and harmonic function of chords. Knowing how a chord functions in a song or progression allows you to select appropriate scales for solos and chord substitutions. You're not stuck with what's on the paper and it takes the mystery out of where all these wacky chords are coming from. Even allows you to spot bad notation. I've seen cases where publishers and writers actually make the progression's notation more complex because they don't understand how chords work together. Al lot of times it's to avoid slash notation, but makes it hared to play.
(edits to fix typos)
This is what I have in the footer of my site. My fingers do their own sort of improv when typing.
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This sit has ben profesionaly red. awl tpyos aree free and no aditonal chrge.
Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
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Posted By:
Boswell
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Date: 1/23/2012 3:58:05 PM |
Thanks, Curt.
I dinka gifured yewd bee teh won two tros tihs uot fro em.
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Posted By:
UkeJon
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Date: 1/23/2012 6:04:10 PM |
| Cool, cool, cool, GR. As for all of them snappy flat nine, diminished thirteen, augmented eleven thingy chords....well, I don't know....
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Posted By:
Neil A
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Date: 1/23/2012 11:25:39 PM |
Great videos, Gerald. Your teaching style is as relaxed and clear as your playing.
But I am interested to know how you finger those 7th chords without a barre. I've replayed that bit over multiple times and I can't decipher which fingertip goes where.
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Posted By:
Gerald Ross
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Date: 1/24/2012 8:48:17 AM |
Hi Neil,
Thanks for the good words.
For example: to form the C7 (3430) I would use my index finger on the 4th string, my ring finger on the 3rd and middle finger on the 2nd. I wouldn't play the 1st string - this can easily be done if you pluck (pinch) strings 2,3 and 4 at the same time as opposed to strumming. If you strum - just try to avoid the 1st string.
Make sense?
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Posted By:
Neil A
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Date: 1/25/2012 2:14:14 AM |
Makes perfect sense, Gerald.
If I had listened closer I should have realized you were not playing the first string when you demonstrated the fingertip option. In fact, I am quite accustomed to playing just those 3 strings with that fingering, and softly blocking the first string with a fleshy part of my index finger so it doesn't sound with a strum. And the transition to the 9th chord is also a familiar move to me. And yes, it is easier that way than from the barre chord.
However, when I've noodled around with those chords I always thought I was playing diminished triads and minor 6's instead of dom7th and dom9th chords. I have recently begun to realize from studying steel guitar that a rootless 7th chord is a stack of minor thirds just like a diminished triad and the same chord shape will generate either a partial 7th or a diminished chord depending on its context.(e.g. the three note rootless E7 has the same three notes, G#-B-D, as a G# diminished triad, right?) Much like the relation between 6th chords and minor 7ths. But now I also see that a 9th chord without its root is also the same as a minor 6 with a different root. Of course you know all this, but writing this out should help me retain this new concept.
And also from examining lap steel chords it looks like a minor triad can be used as a rootless M7 or a rootless m7b5 chord. This knowledge, of course, is probably most useful for playing a steel guitar where you can be lucky to find 3 notes of many chords that can all lie under a straight bar. I find this little aha moment of mine to be an example of how skills gained on one instrument can be applied to quite a different instrument, as was discussed in another recent thread.
Also, I have gained an appreciation of the fact that a 4-stringed ukulele has a larger catalog of possible and often more complete chords than can be available on even an 8 string non pedal steel in common tunings. I guess, in some ways, less can be more.
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Posted By:
CurtSheller
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Date: 1/25/2012 12:44:15 PM
(Updated: 1/25/2012 10:03:18 PM)
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Without the root in a chord, a chord has many of potential names and functions.
The "color tones" - the thirds, sevenths, sixths and upper partials or extensions of chords do more to determine the chord quality than roots and fifths (except for diminished and augmented chords).
The uke has a lot a capability in just four strings. Amazing instrument that can be taken to any level.
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