Pathways To Baroque Improvisation: Part III

This in-depth look at Baroque style improvisation was recorded live with participants. Steve’s teaching approach and structure is similar to his other MMC videos with addition to short questions sprinkled throughout the classes.

• Super/sub George Van Eps concepts of movement within chord forms,
• Independent linear melodies in 2 and 3 voices,
• Use of appoggiatura,
• Pedal points,
• Important cycles to create structured progressions while improvising counterpoint,
• Contrary motion devices,
• Popular song progressions that work great as Baroque-style improv vehicles,
• Harmonized scales,
• Enclosures (targeting essential tones using upper and lower neighbor tones)
• “Gradual chords” (building chords via single note lines with sustained tones on adjacent strings)
• 10th intervals with inner line motion, soprano voice motion and bass motion,
• Layering 10th intervals to create larger chords,
• Call and response textures,
• IV V I progressions in all keys exercises,
• Inner line motion techniques
• Descending chromatic bass lines with soprano lines outlining the inferred chords
• Call and response counterpoint using sustained notes,
• Interval alternation concept to attain contrary motion,
• Figured bass techniques,
• Ornamentation and slurring techniques.

Three progressions in which to base the improvisational techniques, in both common time and 3/4, are the bulk of the PDF materials for the class. The other 2 PDF’s are must-know chord forms for both 6 and 7 string guitar with a focus on open-voiced triads and contrary motion counterpoint cadences. Each class runs approximately 90 minutes and 22 pages of PDF material are included in all 5 parts.

Here is the approximate class by class breakdown for individual classes:

Part 3: Jerome Kern’s composition “Yesterdays” used as a basis for creating counterpoint along with accompanying PDF. Contrary motion authentic cadences using 2 voices, inner line concepts using 3 voices, contrary motion cadences with sustained upper pedal, “gradual chords” (building chords via single note lines with sustained tones on adjacent strings,) arpeggiated bass against contrary motion soprano voice, super/sub concept as an inner line, staggering the lines in counterpoint (delayed entrances.)

Running time: 79 minutes