Today during our rehearsals, although I now understood what I had to do I still couldn’t get it right when it came to how fast the solos were played by the guitarist in Living Colour and how many flavour tones had to be hit if I wanted it to sound somewhat like the original.
Over half term I need list to the song as much as possible to get the rhythm and feel down, and then I need to focus on when to pause and let others go. I also need to be able to point out to others to not step on my toes or each others when it comes to our fiddly bits, because it frustrates me as it needs to be perfect for the song to flow properly.
For the rest of the day I worked on my stylistic analysis within my notebook, where I am planning it all out for me then to put it all together on my blog after all the other tasks I have to do, especially before our trip to Solent University after half term!
Explain the stylistic elements required to improvise musical passages over a 12 bar blues chord progression.
Within a 12 bar blues progression features a call and response between the vocalist and guitarist in my case. Another feature would have to be the swung feel on the drums which are played within 12/8. Instead of using regular sticks, brushes are used instead to give it that blues feel, just like the original. We are also in a minor key to give it that gritty feel, all of the chords the guitarist would be minors in our progression. The walking bass line also helps to brings everything together so it flows smoothly. Here are two musicians who I have taken inspiration from whilst playing through the 12 bar blues, they are B.B King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. When it comes to call and response there phrases when responding to the singer are deep and meaningful but also simple whilst sounding complex based off their own styles.
Write the chord progression and/or structure of the section of the piece that you improvised on below.
List the scales/technical exercises that you used in your improvisation.
During this improvisation I tend to use all minor chords through out the progression as we in a minor key (A Minor). I also use the pentatonic minor and the blues scale to come up with new phrases that fit when it comes to responding to the singer. I have taken inspiration from David Gilmour, B.B King and Stevie Ray Vaughan when it comes to the sounds and licks I come up with.
Analysis in detail how you used the scales/technical exercises listed above, to improvise musical passages over a 12 bar blues chord progression.
I mainly rely upon the blues scale and minor pentatonic, I stick within one octave at the moment as going into a higher one doesn’t sound right at the moment trying to work it in to the song doesn’t quite fit. I tend to play around the different chords each time round based upon the singers part. Mimicking the vocalist through call and response portrays my ability whilst playing through a 12 bar blues progression also as it takes skill and patience to figure out where they’re going next.
Ellie Thornton Music 