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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!

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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.

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Practice Track A minor Funk

Use this practice track for polishing up your A minor chops. You can use A minor pentatonic, A natural minor, or A Dorian (Dorian mode of G major). There’s just one chord, Am7, with an occasional change up. See if you can figure out the chords in the change up. It shouldn’t affect your scale for soloing too much, although there is D chord which has a F sharp in it, so the A dorian would be better suited than the A natural minor over the change up. The A minor pentatonic has neither an F or F sharp, so isn’t affected.

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Rob Plays at the Mount Nebo Winter Ball

Rob will be playing a folk rock set at the upcoming Mount Nebo Winter Ball. Starting at 8pm, the 45 minute set will feature Rob’s new band, with Llew Strutt on Bass, and Michael Sax on Drums. The set will feature all original tunes, with plenty of opportunities for improvisation in a rock trio setting. Originally billed as Rob Reeves and the Misfits, we will have to come up with another name, as there is already a band called the Misfits! The ball will be held on Saturday Night, 23rd July, at the Mount Nebo Hall in View St, Mount Nebo. It is a fund raiser for the local residents’ association, so come along and have a great night! See the face book page below for more details!

Facebook event details

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Practice Track: G minor groove

This practice track is suitable for intermediate guitar players interested in rock, funk and blues grooves, and is especially good for practicing the G minor pentatonic scale. A distinctive feature of blues and blues derived styles is the use of the bend: try to get some bends happening on the b3rd (Bb), the 4th (C) and b7th (F). Use your ear and bend till it sounds good! There are just two chords, Gm7 and C9:Two Bars Gm7 and 2 bars C9Here is the practice track, with just drums and guitar. Use it for practicing lead guitar or bass.

Gm7-C9_groove_Rhythm Guitar_Drums

After playing with the above track, try the following track, which adds a bass line. How does this change what you play?

Gm7-C9_groove_Bass_Rhythm Guitar_Drums

Finally you may care to listen to the following version, which adds a lead guitar riff. Practice playing in the ‘gaps’ left by the riff, or try to play the riff or a harmony line. The riff drops away after 16 bars, leaving you 16 bars to play on your own, then comes back for16 bars. Once again, how does this change what you play?

Gm7-C9_groove_Riff_Bass_Rhythm Guitar_Drums

Have fun!

Rob