Scott 68

Chung plays Bruch

Archive link

Dec. 20, 2005 at 8:19 PM

Comments (10) | Archive link

Dec. 17, 2005 at 10:38 PM

I decided to get my 7 yr old nephew a violin for christmas, except one of my friends lost her job and they are threatening to shut her gas off - so I suppose I will be spending my money on helping my good friend. I wanted to get a new amp too because the jazz gig is starting to happen and Im going to need to make my instrument louder to be heard over drums, that and I love the chorus sound with reverb that an amp can provide. It is good for people to want things but Im pefectly happy with what I have now, somehow I have learned to live with less and be happy.

Ive been writing new music and Im really enjoying that. Last week I did some jamming with my guitar friend Kevin: I show him the chords then play over them on violin. We even did a little recording and I remeber saying to him "Im just trying to be me". The thing is I can focus on becoming a great performer but what I really want is to write my own music and find my own voice, its incredibly difficult and frustrating to have so many things come out that arent satisfying but finally Im starting to get some good ideas. The thing about me is Im trying to study as much music as I can harminically - so that when I write music it will be more robust. Lately I have been developing a chord voicing for a major 13 #11 cord just as an example, other new chords i have been experimenting with are a7+5 and d min 6/9...

Expanding scale practice > lately I have been discussing improv ideas with triads, I would like to encourage people to try triads that arent in 3rds, my friend Ron calls these intervallic sructures, just pick a voicing that isnt in 3rds - just experminet until you have something that sounds good then take that shape and secuence it modally. Another idea is play a scale with 3 notes then 6 for example 123123456 234234567 345345678 when you play this at a high speed it has a neat sound and since you are playing an odd number of notes - the beat lands in strange places when youre trying to play over 4/4 (I got the idea for that from the late improv master shawn lane)

The problem with legato > I would like to write about a quote regarding improv, it is my opinion that allan holdsworth is the most innovative soloist around on any instrument (he actually plays violin on the iou cd) one of the things he was talking about is that the tendency with legato is to play too many notes in 1 direction and I find that to be true. The thing to do is to develop some legato ideas that move in different directions. If you are interested in hearing some wickedly innovative improv you can check out allan on jean luc ponty's "enigmatic ocean" or his live cd called "then". You can check out allan's website at therealallanholdsworth.com

That and someone recently turned me on to a refreshing new acoustic guitarist called kaki king, i like her music alot and it sort of reminds me of something Michael Hedges would have done if he were still alive. Her music is relaxing and has become inspirational to me. You can check her out at KakiKing.com

Now if youll excuse me, Im suddenly having a craving for some corn

cheers \_/
Scott
(computer programmer, muggle violinist, compulsive doughnut eater, music slave, virtuoso guitarist, servant of the muses, reasonably sound harmonic advise, etc)

Comments (4) | Archive link

How to play "Autumn Leaves"

Trivia question time, what does the first 3 notes of the middle movement of the brahms concerto start with? If your thinking "major triad" your right. As you can see triads are an extremely useful melodic tool.

So anyways, based on my last several blogs, if you have followed my suggestions, you already know the power of triads. Using the example of the jazz classic "Autumn Leaves" what you have is a melody sequenced therough a progression moving in 4ths starting with

a min
d 13
g maj
c maj
f# min7 b5 (diminished)
b 7
e min

this is the first half of autumn leaves, the last time I suggested playing triads starting on e min and moving it up in 4ths (see previous blog). You can do this then finish with a descending e min scale, e blues will work well also. You should now be able to play through the first half of autumn leaves.

For recordings I could like to suggest the Bill Evans CD portrait in jazz or the miles davis cd something else, I hope that gives some of you some improvising ideas.

For dad Im goin to get the Fournier dvd playing the Schumann and Saint Seaens concertos, what a wonderful cellist he was!

I need to get something for my nephew. Does anyone know what to get a 7 yr ol boy for christmas?

Comments (2) | Archive link

Triads and the cycle of 4ths

Its been so cold lately but today some nice warm weather. Im so thankful to be in good health and have such nice weather. Just happy to be here really. Lately Ive been playing music with 2 different people and its alot of fun.

Last week Ron and I played Autumn Leaves and I started playing triad patterns in 4ths. For example Amin to D13 to Gmaj I play triads in 4ths starting with Emin imposed over Amin like this

Gmaj scale
G A B C D E F#

triads in 3rds moving in 4ths
E G B
A C E
D F# A
G B D

etc

Try it out!

Comments (1) | Archive link

Nov. 10, 2005 at 12:13 AM

Just found a John Coltane cd/book that has Niama with all the backing tracks so all you have to do is play over it, this is going to be fun. Ill also get the Miles Davis cd/book, I love playing Blue in Green and Nardis especially, probably the jazz tunes I play best. Four is a great one to play over also.

That and Im starting to mess around with Dvorak and Brahms concertos a little.

All of the jazz rehearsals I did in public with my friend ron paid off, Im up to 20 students now and I love it!

Maybe Ill be recording some of my originals soon, my goal is to have 4 hours or more of really good original music. Its a blessing to have someone else how can play really well interpret my music.

Things are good I feel so thankful to have a steady job and be in good health. I seem to appreciate people who make me laugh now more than ever, I think watching Conan O'Brien helps me keep a happy and health attitude about life. Lately Ive been on a health food kick, salad and chicken soup with lentels and broccoli are starting to become a staple of my diet. The older I get the more important it is to eat the right thing and geesh Im almost over the hill but Im having fun and thats what matters. I hope everone else is too.

Comments (2) | Archive link

Triad superimposing and inversions

A few improv ideas for you...

I have a new friend - my tape recorder. Lately Ive been recording chords onto tape with the guitar and playing over them on violin.

The most basic melodic and fundamental device for me is the triad. Triads are easy to form, just take the root 3rd and 5th and there you go. Here is all the triads for a min

scale
a b c d e f g a

triads
a c e
b d f
c e g
d f a
e g b
f a c
g b d

One thing I like doing is playing chords on top of chords, for example when playing over a minor chord, Ill play a major arpeggio up a minor third and similarly with major chords, ill play a minor chord up a major 3rd. You can do the same thing with other chord tones, just build a arpeggio off the 5th 7th 9th 11th 13th... what ever you want.

Ive also been building polytonal arpeggios as well for example d minor in one octave then B major in the second octave.

Keep in mind when youre playing over a chord, you can always take another note of that cord and stack the other notes on top

...for example a min is
a b c d e f g a

a minor 7 chord is
a c e g

you can invert this chord as
c e g a
e g a c
g a c e

More creative ideas...

you dont have to harmonize the scale in 3rds you can try 4ths or even some other pattern
a b c d e f g a

4ths would be
a d g b

Ok there you go - next time Ill probably discuss chord scales - try them out and let me know how it goes!

cheers
scott (muggle violinist)
visit my webpage

Archive link

saxophone violin

I recently had a violin birthday, it has been 3 years since I first started to study violin with a teacher so if I had started violin when I was 5 I would now be 8. I remember thinking if they show me how to play a 2 octave g major scale correctly, I sould be able top play bach, the money ran out so I was not able to take lessons for very long. I remember the bow used to bounce all the time and the intonation was awful. Now I can play 4 movements of solo Bach sonatas, not very well but when I take lessons again i'll already know where the notes are.

So anyways most of you know I have recently become involved with a really knowledgeable jazz musician, his name is Ron and he plays clairinet, tenor sax, flute, piano and bass. Ron studied at the Berklee School of music and last night he told me he used to play in an ensemble with Branfrd Marsalis when he was at Berklee.

Everytime we play togather we play a different piece every time, its really fun and interesting to try to play over different chord changes and there is always something different to play. We are writig music ad soon will start recording, the first 2 chords of the new tune I want to record are A maj7#5 to E maj7(#11). Maybe Ill have some recordings for you soon? Very recetly Ron said we may be able to form a full blown band instead of just a duet like we have been doing. Im really excited about recording with a full band again.

I recently met someone else who plays guitar and has a digital recorder. I plan on showing him the tunes and then play the melodies on violin so everyhing Im learning from Ron I can convert to violin.

Here are links to a few of the pieces we are playing, you should try some of these:

A Lotus on Irish Streams - some people have been asking about a violin guitar duet on the discussion board - this one should fit the bill nicely. This is a gorgeous melody written by guitarist John McLaughlin that appears on tyhe first Mahavishnu recording

Blue In Green - a real jazz classic written by Miles Davis that appears on the famed Kind of Blue cd, this is one of the first jazz tunes I started to learn on my own about 10 years ago

Afro Blue - we could play this for 30 minutes, a great tue to really stretch out on and play exteded improv. This is on the live at birdland cd by John Coltrane

Naima - a wonderful ballad written by john coltrane that would come across great on the violin, you can hear this on his imoratal cd, giant steps

Very Early - a tune by bill evans, my favorite jazz pianist - I absolutely love this man's sound

Waltz For Debby - another tune by bill evans - the harmonic movement on this is extremely unique - you will never find anything else with this progression

My Foolish Heart - an gorgeous standard with intensely rich harmony - bill evans used to love playing this

stay tuned...

cheers
scott (muggle violinist)
visit my webpage

Comments (1) | Archive link

Oct. 27, 2005 at 9:44 PM

cheers
scott (muggle violinist)
visit my webpage

Comments (1) | Archive link

Aug. 30, 2005 at 12:34 AM

Ahh the return of football season and monday night football and with football comes my famous chausson chili, I like my chili with beef beans and potatoes and of course no chili can be eaten without a cold beer... I also recently got a 1 cent check, should i cash it?

Hey I just found out the Michael Rabin 6 cd set was just reissued, most of you know he was my favorite violinist - the virtuosity of heifetz and the lush singing tone of oistrakh. Im telling you now - run - dont walk to the store and get this now. For those of you interested, please feel free to visit my Rabin club I started about 5 years ago. Make sure to check out the phtos sections, many interesting photos there and not just of Mr Rabin...

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/michaelrabin/

Wedensday I will be performing at the shelter in Schiller Park located in in German Village with my friend Ron. I usually study jazz piano with ron but he wants to go out to the park and make some noise, so it will be just me with my nylon stringed acoustic guitar and him with his selmer tenor saxophone. I have always admired they way saxophone players are able to freely improvise - and playing with ron Im learning alot. I always look forward to going to ron's house. German Village is a gorgeous suburb near downtown with a real old fationed charm: brick streets and some real vintage buildings reminicent of old time germany. Every time I pass the stained glass factory on the way I remember going there as a child with all the interesting colored glass mosaics displaying in the front window have always been a delight to see. So if anyone happens to be in german village wednesday morning, you may see me playing jazz guitar with a saxophone blaring. Ive always loved violin piano and guitar but ive always loved thet tone of the saxophone. Most of you alreay know from reading my past blog entries that ron graduated from The Berklee School of Music and he is very knowledgeable about playing jazz. It is always exciting and fun to be playing with someone else you can learn from.

Recently I was watching one of my favorite tv shows called house. It is a story about a doctor that is arrogant but is really good at his job and saves lives when it becomes a life or death situation. Anyways the last episode was a woman who already had 2 miscarriages trying to give birth and died giving birth the third time. It hit me how fragile life is and what a miracle it is to be alive. Then this week everyone is talking about the hurrican in New Orleans and I started to think about the hundreds of thousands that dien in the tsunami disaster. I also started to think about the war and I cant help but to think of how thankful I am for what i have. I just wanted to say that. Despite all that went wrong with my career Im really thakful just to be here. Enough words for now.

cheers
scott (muggle violinist)
visit my webpage

Comments (3) | Archive link