Improvisation in A minor
Here’s me noodling away to entertain myself! One of the great things about being able to play the guitar is that you can always enjoy creating some nice music for yourself, and indeed for others too! This piece is based around A minor, using the open A, D and E strings to create a bass pedal tone. Its important to be able to control the pick and move quickly from string to string, and you will observe that I use a floating hand technique to achieve this! This technique, combined with some scale and arpeggio knowledge, allows one to come up with solo pieces that sound rich and full! At least I think so, but have a listen, and you can form your own opinion!
Guitar School at the Samford Markets
I have been setting up a stall at the Samford Markets recently. I play a few tunes, and invite people along for a jam. I’ll also put some strings on for you – I have a limited range of strings available that can get you playing again! So drop by and say hi – and sit in for a jam or play a song together! That’s the great thing about music, it’s ability to bring people together! I am also available to talk about how we might work with lessons! Next markets is on Saturday 10th April, from 7am to 12noon! At the St Paul’s Anglican church grounds, in Samford.
Arrangements for COVID lockdown – March 2021
We have had a snap COVID lockdown here in Brisbane, which means that in-person lessons won’t be happening this week. Apologies to all affected! I will be offering to reschedule all lessons affected this week to times within the school holiday period, in the two weeks following Easter. Most students I have heard from so far are taking up this offer to reschedule – thank you – that really helps me and helps you too!
For those who can’t reschedule, I am offering a Zoom lesson this week. This will enable us to keep in touch and keep your tuition moving ahead.
If neither of the above options work for you, I will be able to credit this weeks lesson against next term’s fees.
I have emailed or texted all students, if you haven’t heard from me directly, please get in touch as it means my email has gone astray!
Thanks to all my students and their parents for their understanding and consideration, as we work together to keep everyone safe and well.
Sculpting tone with flesh harmonics
Here’s a video lesson on how you can shape your tone by flesh harmonics. By allowing the flesh of your thumb or finger to also touch the string when you pick a note, you can access new dimensions of tone. Good tone starts with the instrument and your technique!
We’ll be discussing this at the “Talking about the Blues” workshop on Tuesday 12th January, at The Gap.
Summer Teaching Term
This year I am trialling a summer teaching term for those who may want to continue with lessons over the December January break. This will be on Wednesday at the Samford studio, on 16/12, 23/12, 13/1 and 20/1 and Tuesday 5/1.
You can book for all five dates, or just one or two. For current students who pay by the term, or others who book all five lessons, the cost will be the term rate per lesson. ($32.50)
Available times start at 3:30pm through to 7pm. So email or trxt if you’d like to book in!
Or Phone 0408854077
Lessons reccomence in person
Now that the COVID situation is easing in Queensland, lessons have recommenced in person at both The Gap and Samford Studios. I am very happy to be seeing everyone in person again. We will be meeting COVID management obligations in both studios, which means that
- We will be sitting 1.5m apart
- 4 square metres of space per person (This will mean that the Samford Studio will accomodate only one student at a time)
- Hand sanitiser will be available for use before and after lessons
- I will be regularly disinfecting surfaces
- I will not be handling students books or instruments unless absolutely necessary.
- I will no longer be providing picks for student use. You will need to bring your own plectrum.
This will mean some slight changes to the way we do the lesson, including switching to electronic notes where practical.
Thanks for your understanding and patience.
Regards,
Rob Reeves
Practice Track – E minor Pentatonic
You can never have enough of the E minor pentatonic scale. So here is another practice track, built around an E boogie power chord. There is just one chord! The organ comes in over the top with an E7 #9, while the bass line features sliding or bending between minor and major third. So hit those bends in your solo, especially the minor third!
Practice Track – D7
Here is a practice track for practicing your myxolidian mode. Seventh chords occur as the chord built on the 5th degree of the major scale, and usually resolve to the Tonic chord, or the 1 chord of the major key. However in the blues and modal tunes, their may be no such resolution. There may be a change to another 7th chord. Or as in this track, there is just one chord the whole way. Notice how interest is built by having a melodic rhythm backing that varies.
The track is built on the D7 chord. So use the myxolidian mode of the G major scale. Or in other words, a D major scale with a flattened 7th. And listen to the next bass track as well, if you want to hear my ideas for soloing!
Here is the track without a bass line for the bass players. Listen to the other track too, with my Bass line, and see if you can copy aspects of it!
G minor Practice Track
Here is a practice track for guitar players in the key of G minor. Its a G minor groove built around a Gm7 chord. Perfect for jamming away on a G minor pentatonic scale. For a different flavour, try a G dorian (Dorian mode of F major) or a G natural minor.
Here is the same track minus the bass line, and with a lead guitar part, especially for Bass players to jam away on. Try coming up with your own bass lines. Also see if you can hear my bass line from the track above, and reproduce it. The chromatically desending organ line that comes around periodically sounds extra good if you double that on the bass.