Author: Jan

Je suis cool.

Piano day (1h 30m)

  • Harmonising the C major scale with modes & studying the MATH behind the modes
    • All major modes for the key of C harmonised with 7th chords (Ionian thru Locrian): LH plays 7th chord, RH plays intervals: 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, octave and back
    • All major modes for the key of D
    • Same for E, F and G — and then I ran out of time :)

Observations

That’s such a cool exercise! Along the way I also found some cool maths that help recall the number of b’s or #’s for each key in each mode more quickly. For example, if you pick a major scale, take a flat 6 of it and run a scale from that b6 in reverse parallel to your major scale (starting on the same note), you will get all the references for your modes. E. g. for the key of D:

D E F# G A B (flat 6: Bb) C#

Bb scale running in reverse starting on D against the mode order (derived from C Major scale) starting on Ionian:

D (Ionian) — D

D (Dorian) — C: C major has no accidentals, so has D Dorian

D (Phrygian) — Bb: Bb major has bb, so has D Phryigan

D (Lydian) — A: A major has ###, so has D Lydian

D (Mixo) — G — G major has #, so has D Mixolydian

D (Aeol) — F — you got the idea

D (Locrian) — Eb

Of course it’s better to just use the mode formula, like, Dorian has b3 and b7 and therefore D Dorian is… er… Right, no accidentals at all, lol. But sometimes this way feels a bit quicker for me, but then again I’m just terrible at math!

Bass day (1h 30m)

  • Chord tones (Phil Mann) — 40m
    • Diminished triads in all inversions around the cycle, spelling the notes out loud (40bpm), silently (60bpm)
    • Major and minor triads in all inversions around the cycle at 80bpm without stopping, only saying the root
  • Break
  • Walking bass lines (Scott Devine) — 50m
    • Partido Alto (Latin pattern from George Lopez & David Keif book) over Autumn Leaves in D-
    • Recap ii — V — I lines in G-, over Autumn Leaves in G-
    • Ghost notes exercise

Observations

Latin patterns are a ton of fun! You can take one and play it over a jazz standard that and it will make it sound completely different. Also it’s just so much fun to play (not only to a backing track, but also to a raw clave).

Piano day (1h 30m)

  • Blues pentatonic scale in RH over 12-bar blues chord progression in LH: C-, F-, Bb-, D#-, G#- — 30m
    • 1 — 6, 1 — 5, 1 — 4, 1 — 3
    • 2-octave scale | 1-octave scale 8va | % | 1st pattern | % | 2-octave scale backwards
  • ii — V — I’s in major keys in shell voicings (7-3-5 — 3-7-9 — 7-3-5) through the cycle of 4th  (Dan Haerle, skill 40) — 40m
    • Slowly without click
    • With click at 80bpm quarters
  • Scales — 20m
    • All Phrygian scales around the circle of 5ths starting on E at 82bpm
    • All Dorian scales around the circle of 5ths starting on D at 82bpm

Observations

Applying Rich Brown’s idea from yesterday’s Q & A where he showed how he makes pentatonic scale practice less boring by playing interesting patterns, like doubling up some notes or playing additional scale degrees. It works! Otherwise taking 12-bar blues around the whole cycle could be pretty boring!

Bass day (1h 40m)

  • Chord tones (Phil Mann) — 1h
    • Major triads in all inversions through the cycle (44bpm calling the notes / 80bpm silently)
    • Minor triads in all inversions through the cycle (same)
    • Diminished triads: in root inversion (74bpm), in 1st and 2nd (without click)
  • Break
  • Walking bass lines (Scott Devine) — 40m
    • Bossa & Samba over Autumn Leaves in G-
    • Recap ii — V — I lines in G-, apply to Autumn Leaves in G-
    • R — 3 — P5 + chromatics + some ii — V — I patterns over new track (All Of Me by Gerald Marks)

Observations

ii — V — I patterns do really work! (Even when played not exactly over ii — V — I progression, they still do because of the very stable sound of it — well, assuming you’re not playing them to some crazy modulation). Also, talking about cycle of 4ths, here’s the Normal Human Version™ of it for diminished arpeggios practice (if you, like me, try to avoid double flats and weird things like Cb or Fb):

Cº | Fº | A#º | D#º | G#º | C#º | F#º | Bº | Eº | Aº | Dº | Gº

For minor I do play Bb- and Eb-, but that’s it for flat keys. Sorry Mr Wooten!

Piano day

  • Mostly rehearsing my material

Additional evening practice (40m)

  • Blues pentatonic scale in RH over 12-bar blues chord progression in LH: C-, F-, Bb-, D#-, G#-
    • 1 — 6, 1 — 5, 1 — 4, 1 — 3
    • Intervals
    • Improvisation

Observations

If you didn’t really have time for standard routine in the normal practice time (morning for me) — making up for it later, even for 20-30m, is super helpful, because it allows for continuous progress, without skipping a day.