Monday, July 29, 2013

The new Yellowjackets bassist

I listen to jazz radio a lot. Usually the DJ plays a bunch of tunes and then introduces all players/groups of them. I wasn't listening carefully the other day but I did enjoy one of the tunes and I heard it was a new one from Yellowjackets. The DJ also mentioned a few players' name including one with the last name Pastorius. I didn't realize they are "connected" at that time until I went to the Solo Bass Night 5 concert, which was promoted by Bass Player. The promoter mentioned the next one they are going to would be Yellowjackets at Yoshi's, featuring Felix Pastorius on bass. All bass players know that Jaco Pastorius is the all-time greatest jazz/fusion bassist. However, I didn't know he has a son, Felix, who also plays jazz bass. I listened to the new Yellowjackets CD and also went to the show because I'm very impressed. (BTW, Felix joined the Yellowjackets as a replacement of long-time member Jimmy Haslip, who was interviewed by JazzTime for their article on the demise of smooth jazz that I mentioned before) I actually don't hear too much "smoothness" in the new CDs and at the concert. Another thing it got me thinking is: what is it like to have such a famous parent, the greatest ever on his/her instrument, and also playing the same instrument? Another one come to my mind immediately was Ravi Coltrane. It's easy to see that on one hand having a famous last name help one gets connected but on the other hand it must have brought an immense amount of pressure as well. I am very curious how they deal with it. I always wonder whether having a member in the family that is a great musician helps one's own playing or not. (In the case of Felix Pastorius, his father died when he was 5 so I supposed he has to figure out his father's stuff via records and video like everybody else) This interview with him was a really good read.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

我的結他雜記: Pentatonic licks

Every guitarist knows how to play the A minor (same as C major) pentatonic scales. So every guitarist could play some sort of solo lines using that famous "box" fingering. Here is a good article from Guitar Player that explains how to apply the pentatonic scales against different chords, other fingering and example licks. It's a must-read!

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

我的結他雜記: Berklee Jazz Guitar Professional Certificate

 花了差不多兩年時間及六千多美元(已加價至七千),終於完成了總共五堂的Berklee Jazz Guitar Professional Certificate。相信網友最有興趣知道的是:到底值不值?實在不容易答,尤其是在花了六千多元以後。就個人而言,原先期望學完之後可以在band stand上看著lead sheet就能即興,現在發現是不切實際的期望。事實上,近期我的練習焦點和Berklee Jazz 101/201所教的有點背道而馳:除了major scale(Jimmy Bruno的5 shapes),我並沒有花太多時間練其他scale,諸如bebop, pentatonic, harmonic/melodic minor及其modes;Berklee導師建議從唱片學licks,我目前則主力「死背」Robert Conti/Sid Jacobs/Joseph Alexander教材的licks and phrases。 頗為肯定的是,Berklee所授的基礎長遠來說是用得著的。有理論解釋,licks也易記一點;我在練熟licks之後,下一步(幾年後吧)也打算多練一些Berklee教的scales。

今天的我遇到兩年前的我,我可能會說:這五堂所學到的音樂及結他知識終身受用,可謂無價。為交功課而狂練的練習曲(chord伴奏,chord melody,爵士作品head及transcribed solo)及「預作扮即興」solo,都令我技術增進不少。不過,如果負擔不來,也有很多其他更便宜的渠道學到這些知識,練到這些技術,只是沒有這麼「一條龍」吧。又或者採用折衷辦法: 只上一堂Jazz 201,201基本上重温大部份Jazz 101的東西,如果對ii-V-I chord progression及一般scales/modes已有認識,Jazz 201應該跟得上;就算沒有,即管先死記死練一個學期,反正教材在一年內可以慢慢重温,到時才攪清楚究竟亦可。

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

我的結他雜記: Berklee Chord 201 and Jazz 201

一年前寫了一點Berklee上堂後感,原來頗有網友賞面賜讀。如今又上多兩堂(Chord 201,Jazz 201),也想再和大家分享一下。

Chord 201在三個月前完成,很慚愧,已忘記一大半。最深刻印象的課題如下:
- Chord 101教過triad,是大家熟悉彈鄰近三條弦那一種,更準確來說是closed triad;open triad是最低及最高音分得更開,彈鄰近三條弦就不行了,所以難度高一點,但做出一種開揚的聲音,值得練習和使用。有時為爵士standard編chord melody,不需全用四個音的chord,可試試用三個音的open triad。
- Chord 101已教過inversions,而Chord 201除了重温、加強練習還有應用。Chord 201其中一個重點課題是編chord melody,如果melody的音是chord tone的話,只需直接彈以該音為最高音那個chord inversion即可。即使melody的音不是chord tone,先找出最鄰近但較低音的chord tone及以該chord tone為最高音那個chord inversion,然後應用以下替代公式:Two replaces one, four replaces three, and six replaces five.
舉例:C大調的曲,chord是G7,melody音是E,E最鄰近較低的chord tone是D(5th of G7),彈drop 2 G7的話選以下這個inversion: 3 b7 R 5 (B F G D),再由E代替D(Six replaces five),彈B F G E的chord。
當然,除了maj7/min7/dom7這三種由major scale衍生的chords之外,Chord 201還教了眾多其他scales較少見的chords。
- Chord 201亦有和伴奏相關的課題,一個重要的概念是voice leading,指的是由甲chord轉乙chord時,從乙chord各個inversion中,選擇一個使用鄰近甲chord tones的,聽起來就順暢得多。
另一個導師常提及的概念是chord scale,例如C大調彈G7,Cmaj7及Dmin7等等就是來自同一chord scale,也就是所謂harmonized scale。當一首歌長期(幾個bar)用同一chord時,只彈該chord以至inversions覺單調,可以彈chord scale其他chord,該堂有不少示範曲可作參考。
最後想提的也是伴奏使用的Basic Brazilian Rhythm Patterns,那是用手指彈的。該課亦附有一些用手指彈的練習,對平常只用pick的學生相當有用(當然,對我這個常用手指彈的也十分有用)

至於Jazz 201,心態和Jazz 101有點不同,因為已改變急於求成的想法,不再期望在上畢該課後就能即興自如;正如老師所強調,他教的是學習練習爵士的方法,對我們的期望是「畢業」後有能力自行探索。Chord 201, Jazz 101/201都時常提及color及tension這些概念,至今總算有少少得著:老師說爵士即興就像畫畫,調色盤在面前,爵士樂手就像畫家使用不同顏色配搭創造作品。Chord Scale Theory入面每個chord有多種對應的scale,就是不同可供使用的顏色;明白到這一點,就不用太心急全部練熟,就算只得一兩種顏色,也不是不能畫畫,只是單調一點而已;總之要有個起點,其他顏色可慢慢加入調色盤。之前相當困惑的是:每種chord都有個「大家庭」,例如major有major7(#11), major7(#5), minor有m7b5, m6, m9b5, dominant更有7(#11), 7b9b13, 7b9, 7#5, 7alt...等等,連用甚麼scale也記不來,更遑論彈!還有一些令我大惑不解的概念:implied harmony和secondary dominant,即是見到某chord,不彈對應的scale,而彈對應另一個chord的scale,暗示另一個chord;我完全不懂如何運用。原來以上幾樣,需要融會貫通;讀過其他教材(如Sid Jacobs的Mel Bay's Complete Book Jazz Guitar: Lines & Phrases, Joseph Alexander的25 Major ii-V-I licks),尤其是看過Robert Conti在他DVD中的示範,茅塞頓開!他的示範如下:伴奏的彈unaltered chord(如min7或dom7),他彈的是對應altered chord(如min7b5或7alt)的licks,完全無問題(反之亦然)。其實altered就是添加tension,靠這些key以外的音,也就是所謂"outside notes"吧。音樂不外乎就是加tension然後resolution(到I chord, 用chord tones)

其實Jazz 201不折不扣是Jazz 101的延續,所教的均建基於101已學過的scales及概念,例如101教過harmonic minor的5th mode(即Mixolydian b9b13),201除此之外另加melodic minor的幾個modes: Lydian b7, Locrian #2, 及常用於dom7th chord的altered scale. 101教過dominant bebop scale, 201就教了major及dominant b9b13 bebop scale, 除了無結他手不識的minor pentatonic, 201教了major b6及dominant 7 pentatonic.101教過的Diminished scale, 201再深入探討,並提供一些常用lick/pattern的例子,這一課的內容和Robert Conti及Sid Jacobs所教相若,印證爵士教材大體上萬變不離其宗。其餘幾堂則是建基於這些知識以上,分析幾個非一般ii-V-I 的chord progressions,例如Rhythm change,及the Coltrane matrix(即採用John Coltrane名作Giant Steps的progression之曲子)提起Coltrane這位爵士史上影響極深的巨匠,201除了剖析在Giant Step progression的即興手法外,也借另一首Coltrane名作Moment's Notice探討Coltrane的風格;201探討的還有殿堂級結他手Wes Montgomery的風格。最後介紹以ECM公司旗下音樂人(如Pat Metheny)及其作品為佼佼者的現代爵士風格,教了一些在slash chord即興的手法。想成為一個全面的爵士結他手,以上所講的都值得鑽研一番,幾年的時間是少不了。