Holiday Hiatus; Past Chord du Jour Jam Sessions

Chord du Jour will take a three-week break for the winter holiday season.  We will return on Monday, January 4th, with Jam Sessions in F#/Gb.  In the meanwhile, here are the past six weeks' worth of Chord du Jour Jam Sessions, in convenient .ZIP files, in case you missed any of them (right-click and 'save target/link as'):

101 in C
102 in G
103 in D
104 in A
105 in E
106 in B

In the meanwhile, have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday(s), and Happy New Year (whichever you celebrate and all of the above).  We'll work on those missing Backtracks in E and B, and we'll jam with you all in the new year!  Here's to 2010!

Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

Podcast subscribers: If these jam session notes look jumbled, please visit http://www.chorddujour.com - Thanks!

Jam Session 106l with Bm Bsus2 G; F#m; G; A (Guitar, Drums)

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 106l:

• Both Jon and Ryan play guitar;
• The Pro Tools plug-in Digidesign Strike provides the drum beat;
• The only program that can use Strike is Pro Tools, but it comes in many flavors, such as HD, LE, and M-Powered.
• In any case, the chords are Bm Bsus2 G; F#m; G; A:

Jam Session 106k with Bm A E (Guitar, Drums)

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 106k:

• Both Jon and Ryan play guitar;
• The Pro Tools plug-in Digidesign Strike provides the drum beat;
• The only program that uses Strike is Pro Tools, but it comes in many flavors, such as HD, LE, and M-Powered.
• Pro tools HD is really expensive.
• Ryan uses an EBow near the end of the jam session.
  
• In any case, the chords are Bm A E, in 6/8 time (one two three, four two three):

Jam Session 106j with B5 D5 A5 B5 D5 E5 (Guitar, Drums)

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 106j:

• Both Jon and Ryan play guitar;
• The Pro Tools plug-in Digidesign Strike provides the drum beat;
• The only program that uses Strike is Pro Tools, but it comes in many flavors, such as HD, LE, and M-Powered.
• For Pro Tools M-Powered, you need to buy the software (about $250) and a hardware interface (from a large qualified variety) separately.  Interfaces run from about $100 to thousands of dollars.  USB interfaces are usually less expensive than FireWire interfaces.  Having used both types, we recommend FireWire.  You can also use some PCI interfaces, but you must install those directly into your desktop tower.
  
• In any case, the chords are B5 D5 A5 B5 D5 E5:

Jam Session 106i with B E B G B E D F# (Guitar, Drums)

 

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 106i:

• Both Jon and Ryan play guitar;
• The Pro Tools plug-in Digidesign Strike provides the drum beat;
• The only program that uses Strike is Pro Tools, but it comes in many flavors, such as HD, LE, and M-Powered.
• Pro Tools LE for music production can be as "inexpensive" (if around $300 fits that description) as purchasing a Digidesign Mbox 2 Mini (USB interface) to more option-filled hardware like Digidesign Digi 003 Workstation (FireWire)...and beyond?
  
• In any case, the chords are B E B G B E D F#.
• Ryan goes back and forth between the B Mixolydian mode and the B blues scale (both above), depending on the chord (or not!).  For example:  Mixolydian (B E B) Blues (G) Mixolydian (B E) Blues (D F#).
  

Jam Session 106h with Bm D/F# A G (Guitar, Drums)

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 106h:

• Both Jon and Ryan play guitar;
• The Pro Tools plug-in Digidesign Strike provides the drum beat;
• The chords are Bm, D/F#, A, and G:
  

Sneak Peek Sunday: B

This week, Jon and Ryan jam in B (major, minor, modes, whatever), with two guitars and MIDI keyboard-controlled drums (Digidesign Strike), for another week of Chord du Jour Jam Sessions!  Be sure to subscribe with your favorite podcatcher for this mp3 podcast!

Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

Podcast subscribers: If these jam session notes look jumbled, please visit http://www.chorddujour.com - Thanks!

Missing Chord du Jour Backtracks?

Usually (obviously not this week!), we at Chord du Jour pick a jam session from the week at hand, and we re-record the chord progression without our hosts (usually Ryan!) talking over the playing. We usually make these a full-band recording, and we hope these Chord du Jour Backtracks become part of your jam-to-learn music habits.

Here are the past few Backtracks together in a convenient .ZIP file:

Chord du Jour Backtracks (right-click and 'save target/link as')

We'll record, mix, and master the next Backtrack in E out as soon as possible!

Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

Podcast subscribers: If these jam session notes look jumbled, please visit http://www.chorddujour.com - Thanks!

Jam Session 105l with Em D A (Guitar, Drums)

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 105l:

• We're playing these chords in 6/8 time (one two three, four two three...):
  

    Em                     D       A

e |-0-------------------|--2-------0---------|---------------------|
B |-0-------------------|--3-------2---------|---------------------|
G |-0-------------------|--2-------2---------|---------------------|
D |-2-------------------|--0-------2---------|---------------------|
A |-2-------------------|----------0---------|---------------------|
E |-0-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

Jam Session 105k with E F#m A B (Guitar, Drums)

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 105k:

• Jon and Ryan laugh a lot at the beginning, trying to say the following chord progression:
  

    E                     F#m                  A 

e |-0-------------------|-2------------------|-0-------------------|
B |-0-------------------|-2------------------|-2-------------------|
G |-1-------------------|-2------------------|-2-------------------|
D |-2-------------------|-4------------------|-2-------------------|
A |-2-------------------|-4------------------|-0-------------------|
E |-0-------------------|-2------------------|---------------------|

    B

e |-2-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
B |-4-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
G |-4-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D |-4-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A |-2-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
E |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

Jam Session 105j with E Esus2 B A (Guitar, Drums)

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 105j:

    E   Esus2 E            E   Esus2 E         E   Esus2 E

e |-7--7--7---7---------|--------------------|---------------------|
B |-9--9--7---9---------|--------------------|---------------------|
G |-9--9--9---9---------|--------------------|---------------------|
D |-9--9--9---9---------|--------------------|---------------------|
A |-7--7--7---7---------|--------------------|---------------------|
E |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

    B      A 

e |-7------5------------|--------------------|---------------------|
B |-7------5------------|--------------------|---------------------|
G |-8------6------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D |-9------7------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A |-9------7------------|--------------------|---------------------|
E |-7------5------------|--------------------|---------------------|

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

Jam Session 105i with Em G D C Em G D A (Guitar, Drums)

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 105i:

    Em                    G                    D

e |-0-------------------|-3------------------|-2-------------------|
B |-0-------------------|-3------------------|-3-------------------|
G |-0-------------------|-0------------------|-2-------------------|
D |-2-------------------|-0------------------|-0-------------------|
A |-2-------------------|-2------------------|---------------------|
E |-0-------------------|-3------------------|---------------------|

    C                     Em                   G

e |-0-------------------|-0------------------|-3-------------------|
B |-1-------------------|-0------------------|-3-------------------|
G |-0-------------------|-0------------------|-0-------------------|
D |-2-------------------|-2------------------|-0-------------------|
A |-3-------------------|-2------------------|-2-------------------|
E |---------------------|-0------------------|-3-------------------|

    D                     A                    

e |-2-------------------|-0------------------|---------------------|
B |-3-------------------|-2------------------|---------------------|
G |-2-------------------|-2------------------|---------------------|
D |-0-------------------|-2------------------|---------------------|
A |---------------------|-0------------------|---------------------|
E |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

Jam Session 105h with E5 A5 D5 C5 B5 (Guitar, Drums)

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 105h:

    E5    A5              D5     C5    B5   

e |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
B |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
G |-9-------------------|-7------------------|---------------------|
D |-9-----7-------------|-7------10----9-----|---------------------|
A |-7-----7-------------|-5------10----9-----|---------------------|
E |-------5-------------|--------8-----7-----|---------------------|

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

Sneak Peek Sunday: E

This week, Jon and Ryan jam in E (major, minor, modes, whatever), with guitar and MIDI keyboard-controlled drums (Digidesign Strike), for another week of Chord du Jour Jam Sessions!  Be sure to subscribe with your favorite podcatcher for this mp3 podcast!

Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

Podcast subscribers: If these jam session notes look jumbled, please visit http://www.chorddujour.com - Thanks!

Backtrack 104k in A

This week's giveaway is a re-recording of Jam Session 104k, without your Jam Session hosts talking over the music. Along with the piano and guitar, we've also added drums, bass, and Ebowed guitar to the mix. The full band comes in during the last minute of the backtrack.



Like Jam Session 104k, the chords of this Backtrack are Am F C E:  Tickle the ivories, strum along, groove accordingly, create melodies (and/or solo licks) over the chords, and learn more by playing more!

Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

Podcast subscribers: If these jam session notes look jumbled, please visit http://www.chorddujour.com and look up Backtrack 104k - Thanks!

Jam Session 104l with Am G D (Piano, Guitar)

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 104l:

• A lot of the (electric-)acoustic sounds from these jam sessions are from an electric guitar going through an acoustic simulator effect.  This is sort of effect can be found in standalone stompboxes, multi-effects pedals, and software plug-ins.
• The chord progression is Am G D.

  

Those chords work well underneath melodies, lead-lines, and other improvisations in the G major scale:

Jam Session 104k with Am F C E (Piano, Guitar)

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 104k:

• We are playing in the key of A minor.
• We are using familiar chords in C because A minor is the relative minor of C major.
  
• C Major:  C D E F G A B C (the white keys on a piano).
• A Minor:  A B C D E F G A (same keys).
• At one point in the jam session, Jon plays with an EBow, instead of a guitar pick, to magnetically 'bow' the guitar string he's playing.  It's a nifty effect.
  
• The chord progression is Am F C E.  The E major (E G# B) technically comes from the use of the A harmonic minor scale (A B C D E F G# A), but it just sounds good, in any case.
  

   

Jam Session 104j with A G D A; C D A (Piano, Guitar)

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 104j:

• This is another guitar and piano/keyboard/MIDI controller combo.
• In Pro Tools, we use the Grand Piano (or was it Xpand?) plug-in.  In any case, it comes with the program.
  
• There are other piano plug-ins available commercially for RTAS workstations (like Pro Tools), as well as AU (Apple Logic), and VSTi (other).
• On the Web, there are several VSTi plugins for free.
• If you want to use VSTi plug-ins in RTAS or AU software, use a wrapper like FXpansion's plug-in wrapper.
  

For much of the jam session, here are the piano chords used:

   

At one point, a C chord is introduced in the jam session:

Jam Session 104i, 12-Bar Blues in A (Piano, Guitar)

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 104i:

We're playing the 12-bar blues in A, a simplified version of it, so that we're playing -

• Four bars of A
• Two bars of D
• Two bars of A
• One bar of E
• One bar of D
• Two bars of A
• Start over again!

I like to have a blues-swing mentality, 12/8 while playing the 12-bar blues:  "One and a two and a three and a four and a..." but a straight 4/4 count:  "One two three four..." or "One and two and three and four and..." could work just fine.

At one point in the jam session, the piano player does some embellishments on his right hand so that the major chords turn into 7th chords:

 

 

The guitar player solos/improvises in A blues, which is a minor scale, but it works over the major chords in the 12-bar blues in A.  Maybe we're culturally wired to appreciate the bluesy dissonance caused by clashing major and minor thirds (C# and C, respectively) in A.