I've been a Stick player for almost two weeks:

1) Practice the bass and melody scales that I know, in every key (warm up).
2) Practice minor, major, and 7th chords in as many keys as I have time for.
3) Practice new rudiments.
4) Practice sight reading.
5) Free jam/compose.
6) Work on my "jamming band's" songs.

All the scales and chords, as well as the suggested rudiments, come from Emmett and Greg's stick books. I also practice a couple of exercises by Bob Culbertson that are available on YouTube.

I'd like to get a cover song to try, but I don't have a lot of sheet music at the moment.

I can usually get through most of this each day......it was much easier over holiday break, though!

Chris

Hi Chris,

One of the most important scales you can practice is the harmonic minor scale. Refer to the Stick Book, page 6-10 for three different fingerings.

Thanks so much for the tip, Greg. It's great that you offer encouragement and quick tips on here, and it is very much appreciated. I feel that I will have to get some lessons from you here at some point soon - possibly aiming for focusing on some jazz/classical standards.

I had not gone over the harmonic minor scale in great detail yet, covering only what I knew on the melody side. I am still mapping/feeling out the bass side, following your book, and so I will be sure to focus in on the harmonic minor scale there.

Chris

Provocateur asks....why is it called Harmonic minor?

Cheers, Chris,

The book offers two contexts for the scale, soloing over the first two chords of a ii-V-i progression, and also to accompany the Spanish paso doble progression of two major chords a half step apart. For the fist you use the Harmonic minor of the tonic, for the second you use the Harmonic minor of the 4th. (A for an EMajor/FMajor progression.)

It's important to have this one in your muscle memory because of the expanded interval (1 1/2 steps) between the 6th and 7th degrees of the scale.

My lesson schedule just got a lot busier, but I'm sure we could work out a good time for you if you're interested.

Steve, I've heard lots of explanations and there are several on wikipedia, etc, but I'd love to hear yours.

Otto M Leaves

Simply put.
in the key of A pure minor we have the same notes as its relative C Major.
A minor is A B C D E F G
Based on this scale the fifth chord would be E G B (E minor)
It sounds okay resolving to the tonic A minor. But E major (E G#B)
resolves better to A minor because the G# leads to the A. Try it and listen
Thus E major to A minor sounds "harmonically" better. The G# makes the thusly named harmonic minor
A B C D E F G# (#7)
hope that makes sense
Steve A

It does Steve, nice explanation. For clarity, I would just add that the reason it sounds better is because leaving the key creates tension, which is resolved by returning to it.

Bach is the first master of this aspect of harmony, no question.

Thanks again, Greg.
Ah, yes, the context is very important for me, seeing as how my memory of all things music theory has faded a bit since high school. The Harmonic minor definitely gets into the flavor of what I really like to hear and play, in general. (I know the Spanish feel, for example - great sound.) I am familiar with the 6-7th degree stretch - I'm sure this is a good rudiment to go over (and over) again. Good stuff!

I was thinking about the Feb-Mar timeframe for lessons. The start of this year is hectic and I am waiting on things to get to a steady state. I'll definitely keep in contact as the timeframe gets closer (and as my muscles develop).

Thanks Steve,
I probably had my music theory teacher telling me about this way back when, and I had completely forgotten about it. I will certainly give this a try. Very much appreciated! -Chris

Hi Chris, You're very welcome. When you get to that interval, don't stretch, shift. Unless you're playing more than one note at a time with that hand you should keep it relaxed, not stretched out, all the time.

For lessons, a week's notice is usually all I need to make things work. See you on skype.