Description
Single Note Series Includes:
Composing and Improvising Strong Melodies Class Content | Steve Herberman
Creating memorable melodies can be challenging, especially in the midst of an improvised solo. In this class we’ll examine a wide array of great melodies and see what makes them eminently sing-able and memorable. The makings of a great melody involve the balancing of the three elements of music: harmony, rhythm and melody. By studying a wide variety of melodies of the master American popular song composers and jazz improvisers, I’ll illustrate the concepts behind what make these phrases work. Once these devices are explored they can translate into the creation of consistently strong and swinging melodies. Concepts will include: weaving guide tone lines into a melody, melodic and rhythmic repetition, scale and arpeggio usage, line contours, rhythmic displacement, phrase length considerations, how to build lines that swing, creating lines from chord extensions and melodic embellishment. Also I’ll demonstrate chord visualization as an aid to see the melodic/harmonic connection on the guitar fingerboard. Using existing melodies as a springboard for your improvisations can be invaluable and there will be written examples of all of these as well as video demonstrations. Get ready for a fun and meaningful study of melody.
View clips from this class
| Composing and Improvising Strong Melodies | |||
| Composing and Improvising Strong Melodies | 01:39:00 | ||
Melodic Embellishment 1 Class Content | Steve Herberman
Wes Montgomery, Johnny Hodges, Ben Webster, and Louis Armstrong were true masters of the art of melodic embellishment. In this class we’ll look at the techniques utilized by these jazz greats and others who excelled at melodic invention on the popular songs of the day.
Developing strong skills in melodic embellishment is one of the most important ways to truly connect with a song. It is also very effective as a springboard for improvisation while still maintaining the essence of the song. Topics that will be addressed will be guide tone lines, countermelodies, leading improvised lines into melody notes or chord tones, approach note patterns with target tones and upper and lower neighbor tones, ornamentation, “musical asides”, rhythmic displacement, and more. Common standard tunes will be used with pages of written examples outlining different types of melodic embellishment principles. Many of the techniques discussed in the class are also applicable to improvised single note soloing where target tones or goal notes are employed. At the end of the class these principles will be demonstrated in a polyphonic manner using 2 and 3 note structures where melodic embellishment meets modern harmony.
| Melodic Embellishment 1 | |||
| Melodic Embellishment 1 | 01:31:00 | ||
| Will You Still Be Mine? – Soundslice | 00:01:52 | ||
Guide Tone Lines: Soloing on a “Bird” Blues Class Content | Steve Herberman
Guide Tones lines can be the missing link for many improvisers when soloing over chord changes. Knowing the chord tones of each chord and their possible chord scales are only part of the equation. Using the Charlie Parker tune “Blues For Alice” we’ll explore the many benefits achieved from the study and practice of guide tone lines for both soloing and comping.
This in-depth class comes with 12 pages of material written in standard notation that accompany the 90 minute video. Each guide tone line (both ascending and descending) is followed by notated solo choruses and/or excerpts that illustrate each line. Various lines are mixed together to create endless possibilities outlining several approaches: Voice-leading triads and 7th chords and upper chordal extensions and voice-leading intervals through a progression.
Other highlights of the class include:
Rhythmic approaches to soloing with guide tones
Bebop phrasing
Guide tone lines on turnarounds
Mixing common tones with guide tone lines
Balancing phrases off one another
The use of sequences and repetition
If you’ve wanted your solo phrases to have a more logical flow then manipulating the guide tone lines can give you that needed structure. Solo lines become more sound benefitting from an important compositional approach used by the great composers and songwriters. Good line architecture can greatly strengthen one’s soloing abilities. This class offers an enjoyable look at guide tone lines focused on an interesting variation of the 12 bar blues.
View a clips from Steve’s class
| Guide Tone Lines: Soloing on a "Bird" Blues | |||
| Guide Tone Lines: Soloing on a "Bird" Blues | 01:27:00 | ||
Jazz Line Construction Class Content | Steve Herberman
In TAB and standard notation 22 pages of written material
This eye-opening 98 min. class quickly gets to the root of problems many players have with constructing strong lines that really “nail” the chord changes. A step by step process is outlined in great detail with five written studies along with a Wes Montgomery transcribed solo of Airegin (TAB included) with analysis of this great solo.
By following the course it will make it easier to play longer lines that arrive at target notes at just the right times. Some guitarists tend to rely on short, stunted lines and others may limit their range to the upper three strings. Another common problem is soloing in one position much of the time or having difficulty transitioning from one position to another. The directional studies included with this class make good practice of using the entire range of the instrument, breaking the guitarist out of habitual patterns when soloing. Lines will have better balance and purpose with fewer “run-on sentences.”
With target notes in mind along with scales and arpeggios readily available in all 5 position from any degree, voice leading the lines is the next step outlined in the class. It’s a step that some guitarists don’t get around to practicing and can be extremely valuable!
On certain tunes guitarists may play either mostly from a scale approach or from an arpeggio approach. Jazz Line Construction will have the player utilize both scales and arpeggios sometimes within the same phrase. Striking a good balance with target notes in the right places and adding rhythmic variation, the solo can both swing and sing. The solo examples included with the class employ guide tone lines, approach note patterns, delayed resolutions, anticipations, sequences, hemiolas, bebop scales, and other useful compositional devices. If you have trouble conceiving those convincing single note lines you hear by your favorite players, than this class may be for you! By following this step by step approach you will be on the path to playing solid and swinging single note lines.
| Jazz Line Construction | |||
| Jazz Line Construction | 01:38:00 | ||
Blues-Part I – Call and Response Class Content | Steve Herberman
The call and response concept is the foundation of the Blues and in this Master Class for all instruments this important concept is examined in-depth. As part of many of the examples there is space for YOU to improvise!
Some of the exercises in this class are appropriate for solo guitar and many are perfect to play with a bassist and with a group. Issues such as phrasing, dynamics and articulation are discussed along with the following devices: “Verbatim” repetition and fingerings on different octaves, repetition at different pitch levels, keeping track of target tones, improvising in the spaces between chordal hits, mixing single note lines with octaves, 3rd and 6th intervals, and block chords. There are also contrapuntal examples pedals against 8th note and triplet-based lines and some incorporation of tritone-based comping below melodic lines.
Give your blues playing a sense of structure, direction and clarity and get the “big band in your hand” sound together!
- Running time, 110 Minutes
- 16 pages of written examples in standard notation and TAB
| Blues-Part I - Call and Response | |||
| Blues-Part I – Call and Response | 01:50:00 | ||
II-V-I Motivic Phrases Class Content | Steve Herberman
This six part Master Class utilizes some useful tricks in aiding the guitarist in devising their own motivic II-V-I single note lines. Not only will the lines have a solid structure but the dominant sevenths will contain some spicy altered sounds.
The best part about these concepts is that they are relatively simple to apply to the guitar fingerboard.
The six parts are broken down into using the following scales over II-V-I’s in a structured manner:
Real melodic minor scales, Dorian scales, Minor 6 pentatonic (Coltrane pentatonic) scales, Bebop Dorian scales, Minor 6/diminished (Barry Harris scales) and Harmonic Major scales used over minor II-V-1’s.
The examples are played over a backing track and thoroughly analyzed. Different keys are used to get the player into all positions of the fingerboard.
Check out this fun Master Class on single note line II-V-I lines getting these concepts firmly in your mind and fingers. Your soloing will be filled with some new motivic and exciting altered lines.
- 12 pages of PDF examples including TAB and standard notation
- 95 min. running time
| II-V-I Motivic Phrases | |||
| II-V-I Motivic Phrases | 01:36:00 | ||
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