Friday, May 31, 2013

Jam Tracks for the Modes of G

Here are seven jam tracks in the seven modes of G. Click on mode name to open a jam track at Youtube.

G Ionian (Major)
Scale tones - G A B C D E F# G
Chords used - C/G and D/G


A Dorian
Scale tones -  A B C D E F# G A
Chords used - C/A and D/A


B Phrygian
Scale tones - B C D E F# G A B
Chords used - C/B and D/B

C Lydian
Scale tones - C D E F# G A B C
Chords used - C/C and D/C

D Mixolydian
Scale tones - D E F# G A B C D
Chords used - C/D and D/D

E Aeolian (Minor)
Scale tones - E F# G A B C D E
Chords used - C/E and D/E

F# Locrian
Scale tones - F# G A B C D E F#
Chords used - C/F# and D/F#

Cool Site - Fretboard Heatmaps

Select a band/artist to see what frets they gravitate towards at Fretboard Heatmaps.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Cool Tool - The High-Strung Guitar (revisited)


This, so far, is my most popular Youtube video. Also referred to as a Nashville-tuned guitar or "Poor Man's" 12-string, the High-Strung guitar is very fun tool for recording or writing. Basically you string the guitar up with the high six strings from a 12-string set. On my Larivee Parlor guitar I use half of an Elixir 12-string light set. It's still tuned, EADGBE, so you can play it just like a regular guitar, but the bottom four strings are tuned up an octave. You can do this to any guitar, but would I use a cheaper, back-up instrument just to be safe, and you are going to want to leave it tuned that way for ever, trust me. Even basic open chords sound magical on this axe. Seventh chords especially sound very piano like, because the tunings allows for very tight voicings, something that would be very difficult on a normally tuned guitar.

You won't find any one marketing high-strung string sets, although I will talk to Elixir about this, but if just buy an Elixir 12-string Set, you can split it up into two sets, a high strung set and a normal light set.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

The Wrecking Crew - MacArthur Park - Richard Harris

Released May 11th 1968, 45 years ago today.


The epic seven plus minute song features the best musicians in LA at the time, including but not limited to Tommy Tedesco, Hal Blaine, Al Casey, Larry Knechtel and the young writer Jimmy Webb.