我的結他雜記: 買了好結他

Even though I planned to save enough money for an expensive archtop, I couldn't resist the temptation to buy a Godin 5th Avenue when it was on sale (~$450) during Thanksgiving. It's an acoustic guitar without pickup and tone control. The guitar actually sounded ideal for acoustic blues, which I'm learning a bit. 

我的結他雜記: 要買好結他

欲望真的停不了，不過想法有點改變。那是因為一張舊照片，當中有一支是向（有錢）同學借來的結他，起碼廿年歷史，上拍賣網找找，估計值US$1000有多，相信除通脹後這支結他多少也升了值。對我的啟發是，還是多儲點錢買支好少少的結他，至低限度也保值，說不定還會升值！

目前目標是老字號中檔貨色like a Gibson ES-137:
http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/ES/Gibson-Custom/ES-137-Classic.aspx

$2000 for a big brand name. It's 1 pound lighter than a Les Paul too. It's comfortable to hold (I mean the body is not huge) and the neck is comfortable to press. I also like the jazzy sound from the neck pickup. And it's not heavy. Very practical. Just wish it's more "pretty" You know, those big hollow-body archtop with tail piece look classier.

The Fender Japan Telecaster Thinline is another of my target:
http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/tn72g-ftmh.html
Gold pickguard on white body with f-hole. Not cheesy but classy!

我的結他雜記: 購買結他欲望停不了

I found out my Steinberger Spirit got some buzz when I played barre chord for the Berklee assignments. I'm not sure if I'm pressing the fretboard with the right pressure. I think it has more to do with the low E and A strings. In fact, even if I play single notes on these 2 strings, I need to be careful. Cannot press too hard and pick too hard or it will buzz. Fortunately, the buzz is not that noticeable when I record my playing for homeworks using the Korg Pandora. I like the Pandora a lot BTW. 

Anyway, seems like I have an excuse to buy a new guitar. Looked at these 2:

http://jazztimes.com/articles/15300-peavey-jf-1-exp-guitar

http://www.musicradar.com/gear/all/guitars/electric/6-string-semi-acoustic/5th-avenue-cw-kingpin-295806/review

The former is about $350 after tax while the latter is about $1000. Basically, they model after Gibson ES-335 and ES-125.

ES-335 is played by both jazz, blues or even rock guitarist. According to that review, it's good with distortion. Feedback is not a problem.

ES-125 looks more like a jazz guitar. 

好想買支正宗jazz archtop，但人生好似又點都要買支ES335 style既結他，果支Peavey係cheap野，可以慳d錢。

About buying guitar, I think if I ever visit Japan, I'll check out those vintage (70s) Japanese copy of American guitar. Ibanez and Tokai copied quite a bit of Gibson, including ES335 and ES175 back then and they were of high quality. 聽講東京御茶之水有好多二手樂器店：
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_645e03fb0100gxxw.html

To fly the guitar back home, this might be useful:

http://paulblow.tripod.com/fly_with_guitar.html

 

我的結他雜記: Dorian and Mixolydian

These are 2 very common scales (actually modes) mentioned in jazz tutorials.

There are 7 modes from a major scale. Let's say C major:

C Ionian mode (same as C major scale): C D E F G A B

D Dorian mode: D E F G A B C

G Mixolydian mode: G A B C D E F

The most common jazz chord progression is ii-V-I. So, in C major, they are

C maj 7

D min 7

G dom 7

I was often taught to improvise by playing C major (or Ionian) notes over the Cmaj7 chord

D Dorian over Dmin7 and G Mixolydian over G7.

But I was also taught to look at ii-V-I progression and the key it belongs to as a whole. Just play notes from C major over all 3. In fact, D Dorian has the same notes as C major. G Mixolydian too.

Yet another thing I learned is that playing D Dorian doesn't require learning another fingering. Just use C major fingering but start on the 2nd note instead. To play G Mixolydian, starts on the 5th note. 

On the other hand, Berklee DOES teach different fingering for Dorian and Mixolydian. To play a C Dorian, you simply change 1 of the 5 C Major fingering by lowering the 3rd and 7th. And A Mixolydian is almost the same as A Major except you lower the 7th

Back to the topic of playing jazzy, there are a few things:

1) plays 7th chord. So, if you see a I chord, play maj7 instead of maj. Play min7 for a ii chord and dominant 7th for a V chord.

2) solo over the chord tones including the 7th and sometimes plays half step below or above these chord tones.

3) swing the 1/8 notes.

4) Use our old friend the minor pentatonic scale (and blues scale). It could be played over many chord types:

http://www.jazzguitar.be/major_guitar_chords.html

http://www.jazzguitar.be/minor_guitar_chords.html

This is Your Brain on Music

想讀這本書已有一段日子，當初在Ferry Building的書店看到，就覺得人腦如何處理音樂是一個複雜而有趣的題材，不過之後一直沒有去找來看，直至兩個月前到圖書館才借下來。一讀就讀了兩個月，畢竟該書性質上接近普及科學讀物多於消閒小品，不是太容易消化。作者Dan Levitin的背景也值得一提，現時他是在大學從事神經科學研究的教授，以前他卻是一位音樂人兼錄音師！
本書前半部主要介紹音樂理論及其物理性質，後半部才是「戲肉」。首先，學玩音樂究竟先天（遺傳）影響有多大？其實本書也沒有肯定的答案，簡單來說是有；但後天亦當然重要，據研究要成為專家，一萬小時的練習少不了。這個一萬小時法則不只限於音樂，其他範疇如象棋也適用。俗語有云：台上一分鐘，台下十年功；可見中國人一向就有這個看法。
作者又提到，學音樂需要腦神經作出新的連接，在廿歲左右這個過程會大幅轉緩。音樂討論區常常有人發帖問成年人能否由零開始學音樂，很少回覆會大潑冷水，不過發帖人總要有心理準備學得慢及難學得好吧。幸好這幾代受過現代教育的人，多多少少在學校上過幾年音樂科，總不至於由零開始。
最後一章是全書高潮：探討玩音樂的能力在遺傳優勢的關係，即是影響音樂玩得好的基因是否較大機會被遺傳。再換一個角度看，就是音樂玩得好會否幫助吸引異性與之交配，你說這個是不是很重要？記得友人「神醫」曾撰文介紹美女的遺傳學理論，指出男人之所以熱切追求具備某些特徵的女性（即公認的美女），全因為那些特徵（例如對稱的面孔，豐滿的臀部）顯示該女性身體健康，繁殖下一代的能力强，因此是「播種」的理想對象！這本書的作者認為女性喜歡玩音樂的男性也是類似，除了引用達爾文支持的見解，也列出多個原因：自古以來音樂和舞蹈有密切關係，同樣需要節奏感强，而古人的舞步往往反映狩獵等求存技能的動作。至於較為近代的情況，是玩音樂屬有閒（錢及時間）階級的玩意，當然亦是女性「接種」的理想對象。我想補充一點個人見解：古人玩音樂往往自製樂器，亦突顯靈活的頭腦及雙手。該書還引用以下研究：給在排卵期（易受孕）的女性選擇以下兩種男士之一：音樂能力高但由於運氣差而貧窮者，及音樂能力低但由於運氣好而富有者；她們傾向前者，和在排卵期以外明顯不同。這個夠說服力吧！

我的結他雜記: Berklee Scale/Chord 101

顧家輝伍樂誠陳輝揚係Berklee College of Music讀過。我將會成為佢地校友，sort of。Berklee's online college is offering 爵士結他證書課程，共五個courses，盛惠~US$6400。雖然超貴（五個course合共60星期教學，人地大師網上 教jazz guitar都係US$60三個月咋）但係人生苦短，仲有命都係唔好咁計較，同埋我覺得人地鼎鼎大名，編製出黎既課程同練習方法點都有番咁上下卦。It teaches by showing class materials (words, pre-recorded video/audio and some flash animation) on their website and organized their contents lesson-by-lesson, also grading weekly assignments. The only interactive part is online chat session. 最緊要係，俾左咁多錢，會有心機做佢既練習，就算幾悶都會。其實除番即係一個星期每科一百美金，揾有料結他導師單對單教一個鐘都唔平得幾多。學音樂除非自學否則都係高消費喇。 

咁今個學期我學緊Chord 101同Scale 101。前者教major/minor/sus/aug/dim/dominant 7th等等triad同chord，仲有inversion，以前我買既書都有講，不過一直無心機記同練。我一向無乜掃chord，轉chord甚慢，做功課逼住死練，都有幫助既。今次真係學到野，佢有解釋barre chord點解係咁㩒，而家識得以前彈jazz tab死練果d chord其實係乜chord(dominant 9th, min7b5等等)。

Scale 101對我黎講易dd，因為都係教5隻major scale fingering，同以前練既大同小異；major scale(5 different fingerings)同minor pentatonic(2 fingerings)彈左咁多年，總算有d底。其餘果d major pentatonic, minor blues, dorian, mixolydian, harmonic minor, melodic minor，真係記到儍，唯有當防止老人痴呆囉。以前聽人講彈jazz improvisation，要12個key既以上任何一個scale，可以在條頸任何一處開始彈（仲要識得由中間既音開始，唔係次次都root）呢個境界就係呢個班既目標。我諗都急唔黎，希望日子有功啦。

每個星期每堂要做兩份功課，即係錄音上載俾老師評核。功課多數係跟tab彈，死練都OK，我會好似得個樣既歌星咁逐段錄，剪接技巧已經純熟。而且instructor俾分幾鬆手， 過關唔成問題。so far轉chord唔夠快，彈單音唔夠legato，後者正在努力改善，基本上都係左手手指唔好咁快攞起，但變左甩少少beat(墮後)，不過d同學話墮 後少少好過d音斷下斷下喎。

睇番同班同學，自我介紹有 website有錄左佢地彈既野，彈結他既水平已經好高，真係professional，我諗佢地係想補番d theory，同埋follow下個structure，第時開班授徒可以參考添！

我的結他雜記: Korg Pandora

I've bought the Pandora Mini. The amp modelling effect on the Pandora Mini was just ok. When I listened to it through headphone directly or thru my bass amp, it sounded kinda jazzy. But when I recorded it, it sounded kinda crappy (especially on chords) I actually used that external USB soundcard for recording since the Mini doesn't do it. I'm thinking about returning it and buy the "regular" Pandora instead. The regular Pandora is a USB soundcard itself and has more backing rhythms, also the ability to "cancel" the bass track for practicing bass.

我的結他雜記: Jimmy Bruno and Robert Conti

講返練野，舊年在網上學，跟呢位大師：
http://www.jimmybruno.com/school.php
http://jbguitarworkshop.com/sampleLessons.cfm

佢已經將彈jazz guitar簡化左好多，入門教major scale同arpeggio，就可以即興solo，我都係覺得太難。即興彈得好唔似jazz。

今個月轉左軚跟呢位（DVD）：
http://www.robertconti.com/free-jazz-guitar-video-lessons
佢仲簡單，寫晒TAB出黎，拍埋DVD教你逐個bar彈，好似小學生咁教。佢既理念就係，學即興之前唔好諗太多，尤其係理論。乜都係假，不如彈下人地即興果時彈既lines，做個基礎將來有得抄。本來我好抗拒咁學，但諗下諗下我都覺得有道理，最繄要係啱我程度。好似讀熟唐詩三百首卦。其實d單音唔係太難㩒，但係夾啱拍子都唔易。聽住background
track rhythm guitar黎夾，成日都會甩到唔知去左邊。