Nice improv/interval/theory explanation

[SunnyDee]

New video from David Wallimann talks though his thought process and how he uses knowledge of intervals and basic theory for improvisation/soloing. Lets guitarists get a good feel for the kind of theory that is useful to them, emphasizes knowing the intervals of the fretboard over memorized scale shapes, develops the ear and musicality, as well as an awareness of rhythm. Really first rate teaching, imo.



Notice how he never names the notes (not that I heard) and he doesn't use memorized scale shapes, but he refers to knowing the interval shapes on the fretboard. This is the way I've found most useful, too. I noticed that he also refers to the actual interval that is a perfect 5th (7 semitones), 2 frets over, not the scale degree above the "root" that people often refer to as a 5th but that is aurally a 4th, 5 semitones.

[rick-slo]

Intervals recognition is key and you can do it quickly enough to stay in tempo. Some scale practice helps to hit the intended intervals when moving across different strings. "Missed" notes (non key notes) consider leading tones .

[SunnyDee]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

"Missed" notes (non key notes) consider leading tones .

Leading tones, that's good.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by SunnyDee

I noticed that he also refers to the actual interval that is a perfect 5th (7 semitones), 2 frets over, not the scale degree above the "root" that people often refer to as a 5th but that is aurally a 4th, 5 semitones.

Not sure what you mean by that. I've not heard or seen anyone refer to a 5 fret interval as a "5th". "5 frets" or "5th fret up", yes, but not just "5th" on its own.

Anyway - yes, that's a great lesson, although I hate it when these guys use so much distortion (and reverb), right from the start.
His thought process is exactly the same as mine, and it's worth saying it does take some time for the ear to get good enough to recognise the basics: the "sound of open string chords"; the ability to sing a major 2nd in your head (the "happy birthday interval) to know if that will fit better than a minor 2nd.
This is why playing along with recordings (of any kind) is such good ear training: you get it wrong for a long time, but eventually you spot those things: you realise that most guitar music uses the easy guitar keys, which feature plenty of open strings (in the scales if not all the chords). And the note E is in all those scales.

He went right down in my estimation, though, when he starts talking about modes (aaaargh!) - there is really no need for that. All he has to say is that perfect 5hs are more common than b5s - in ANY scale. It doesn't matter what mode (or key) the music is in. All that matters is that, whatever note you find that fits, another note a P5 above (or below) is likely to fit too. Modes are irrelevant (as they usually are).

Otherwise, good stuff, and it's really good to have someone go through their thought process step by step.

[SunnyDee]

Originally Posted by SunnyDee

I noticed that he also refers to the actual interval that is a perfect 5th (7 semitones), 2 frets over, not the scale degree above the "root" that people often refer to as a 5th but that is aurally a 4th, 5 semitones.

Originally Posted by JonPR

Not sure what you mean by that. I've not heard or seen anyone refer to a 5 fret interval as a "5th". "5 frets" or "5th fret up", yes, but not just "5th" on its own.

Of course, 5 frets is not a 5th, no one said that. I'm not sure how you got that. But, anyway, there was a discussion on the forum earlier in regard to learning the fretboard. There is sometimes confusion about the 5th of a scale and the aural interval of a 4th vs a 5th that you see/hear when learning the fretboard.

"The C on the 5th string fret 3 and the G on the 6th string fret 3 are, I think, 5 semitones apart, that's a perfect 4th (C is the 4th of G). On the other hand, the C on the 5th string fret 3 and the G on the 4th string fret 5 are 7 semitones apart. That's a 5th. Those intervals will sound different and it's not just because the 5th string G is higher, it's because they are different intervals. ...We are playing G2 to C3 (5 semitones). On the other interval, the 5th, it is C3 to G3 (7 semitones). Imagine if you were doing ear training and listening to harmonic or melodic intervals. You would hear two different intervals."

[rick-slo]

That's diatonic interval (eight of them) versus chromatic interval (twelve of them) counting. Keep to the diatonic
scale notes and fourth and fifth notes of the scale will be what is called perfect intervals. However I'd chuck using
the term perfect and would just name them fourths and fifths and then of course flattened (diminished) or sharpened
(augmented) fourths and fifths as the case may be when using non scale notes.

[SunnyDee]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

That's diatonic interval (eight of them) versus chromatic interval (twelve of them) counting.

Yes, the discussion was in regard to absolute fretboard architecture in standard tuning. Outside a scale, how to finger the interval between any two notes, if you want to make an interval of a 5th - 7 semitones.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by SunnyDee

Yes, the discussion was in regard to absolute fretboard architecture in standard tuning. Outside a scale, how to finger the interval between any two notes, if you want to make an interval of a 5th - 7 semitones.

What I find interesting and of immediate use regarding standard tuning with the fourth-fourth-fourth-third-fourth intervals are such relationships as:
dominant seventh interval between strings 6 and 4 and between strings 5 and 3 and that the lower string is often the root note
3x333x (Gm7)
3x343x (G7)
x3x343 (Cm7)
x3x353 (C7)
On the last one increase the interval a half step between string 5 and 3 for a major seventh x3x453 (Cmaj7)

or grab a x1x231 and know it's a Bbmaj7, etc

[SunnyDee]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

What I find interesting and of immediate use regarding standard tuning with the fourth-fourth-fourth-third-fourth intervals are such relationships as:
dominant seventh interval between strings 6 and 4 and between strings 5 and 3 and that the lower string is often the root note
3x333x (Gm7)
3x343x (G7)
x3x343 (Cm7)
x3x353 (C7)
On the last one increase the interval a half step between string 5 and 3 for a major seventh x3x453 (Cmaj7)

or grab a x1x231 and know it's a Bbmaj7, etc

Yes, very useful relationships.

[s0cks]

Originally Posted by SunnyDee

Notice how he never names the notes (not that I heard) and he doesn't use memorized scale shapes.

Except he does... He says that his muscle memory takes over after he's figured out enough notes that work. And that's only going to come from practicing scale shapes and improv within those shapes.

This is good for lead guitar, but I don't know how useful it is for solo acoustic. I'm experimenting with some scale shapes. Early days yet though. There's so much one can learn on guitar it can be overwhelming.

[SunnyDee]

Originally Posted by s0cks

Except he does... He says that his muscle memory takes over after he's figured out enough notes that work. And that's only going to come from practicing scale shapes and improv within those shapes.

This is good for lead guitar, but I don't know how useful it is for solo acoustic. I'm experimenting with some scale shapes. Early days yet though. There's so much one can learn on guitar it can be overwhelming.

You're right. I think I meant that he didn't just start soloing using a scale, staying in a box, rather he used intervals to create a melody, but, honestly, I don't quite remember now what I meant.