NEW! Jam Session 205n + E Major Pentatonic Scale (Guitar)

The Scale of the Day is E major pentatonic for guitar:

Chords for Jam Session 205n:  E A E B A



Jam Session Notes

Guitar

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

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

Bass

     E                     A                    E
G  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D  |----6--9--/11--9-----|--------------------|----6--9--/11-9------|
A  |-7-------------------|----4--7--/9--7-----|-7-------------------|
E  |---------------------|-5------------------|---------------------|

     B         A
G  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A  |----6--9------4--7---|--------------------|---------------------|
E  |-7---------5---------|--------------------|---------------------|

Jam Session Serving Suggestions:  Try adding some reverb to spice up your sound.  You can use a particularly echo-ey room (like the bathroom), the spring reverb of an amplifier, reverb emulation software, or a good ol' stompbox.



Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

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

E5 Chord (Guitar) + Jam Session 107i

The Chord of the Day is another voicing of the E5 power chord for the guitar:

Chords for Jam Session 107i:  F#5 F5 E5 B5 C#5 E5



Jam Session Notes:  This Jam Session is a rerun from January.

Guitar

    F#5   F5 E5           B5      C#5  E5
E |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
B |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
G |-11-11-10-9----------|-4-------6----9-----|---------------------|
D |---------------------|-4-------6----9-----|---------------------|
A |-9--9--8--7----------|-2-------4----7-----|---------------------|
E |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

Bass

     F#5   F5 E5           B5      C#5  E5
G  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A  |---------------------|-2--2----4----7--7--|---------------------|
E  |-2--2--1--0----------|--------------------|---------------------|

Jam Session Serving Suggestions:  Guitar effects boxes with expression pedals - like the wah-wah and the Whammy - are awesome.



Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

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

NEW! Jam Session 205m + E5 Chord (Guitar)

The Chord of the Day is the E5 power chord for guitar:

Chords for Jam Session 205m:  E5 C5 D5



Jam Session Notes

Guitar

     E5                    C5       D5
E  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
B  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
G  |---------------------|-5--------7---------|---------------------|
D  |-2-------------------|-5--------7---------|---------------------|
A  |-2-------------------|-3--------5---------|---------------------|
E  |-0-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

Jam Session Serving Suggestions:  Ryan (guitar on the left speaker) uses a few effects while fiddling around during this Jam Session - flanger and octave, to name a couple.  Try 'em out at your local guitar store, if you haven't already.



Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

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

NEW! Jam Session 204o + A Minor Scale (Piano)

The Scale of the Day is A minor for piano:

Chords for Jam Session 204o:  Am G F G; C Dm



Jam Session Notes:  Ryan plays piano virtual instrument with a MIDI keyboard; Jon plays violin virtual instrument on a MIDI keyboard.

Am chord = A C E notes
G chord = G B D notes
F chord = F A C notes
C chord = C E G notes
Dm chord = D F A notes

Jam Session Serving Suggestions:  You can use a MIDI controller (and digital audio workstation) or synthesizer to play any number of instruments, or you can get the real thing.  Either way...have fun!



Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

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

Am Chord (Piano) + Backtrack 104k

The Chord of the Day is A minor for piano:

Chords for Backtrack 104k:  Am F C E



Jam Session Notes:  This is a repeat of Backtrack 104k, with the original Backtrack notes here and related Jam Session 104k notes here.

Guitar

     Am                    F                    C

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

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

Bass

     Am                    F                    C

G  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A  |---------------------|--------------------|-3-------------------|
E  |-5-------------------|-1------------------|---------------------|

     E
G  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
E  |-0-------------------|--------------------|---------------------| 

Jam Session Serving Suggestions:

At the last minute of the Backtrack, some Ebowed guitar kicks in.  We use the EBow from time to time, and it truly is a nifty effect.



Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

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

NEW! Jam Session 204n + Am Chord (Guitar)

The Chord of the Day is the A minor barre chord for guitar:

Chords for Jam Session 204n:  Am F C G



Jam Session Notes

Guitar  - Other than some rhythmic and melodic embellishments, it's just the same four chords over and over again.

     Am                    F                    C
E  |-5-------------------|-1------------------|-3-------------------|
B  |-5-------------------|-1------------------|-5-------------------|
G  |-5-------------------|-2------------------|-5-------------------|
D  |-7-------------------|-3------------------|-5-------------------|
A  |-7-------------------|-3------------------|-3-------------------|
E  |-5-------------------|-1------------------|---------------------|

     G
E  |-3-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
B  |-3-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
G  |-4-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D  |-5-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A  |-5-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
E  |-3-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

Jam Session Serving Suggestions:

While it might not be the most efficient way to learn music, jamming with others - in our opinion - is one of the most effective and enjoyable ways to learn.  If you can't find someone to jam with, you can always jam with us (through our Jam Sessions), or jam with your favorite bands.  Just hit play on your favorite boom box and play along.  If you really want to be in the mix, you can buy a harware- or software-based practice tool.



Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

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

A5 Chord (Guitar) + Backtrack 103l

The Chord of the Day is another voicing of the A5 power chord for guitar:

Chords for Backtrack 103l:  Dm F5 A5



Jam Session Notes:  This is a rerun of Backtrack 103l.  You can find the original Backtrack blog entry here, and the show notes for Jam Session 103l here.

Guitar is in Dropped D Tuning

     Dm for three bars     F5        A5
E  |-5-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
B  |-6-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
G  |-7-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D  |-7-------------------|-3---------7--------|---------------------|
A  |-5-------------------|-3---------7--------|---------------------|
D  |-0-------------------|-3---------7--------|---------------------|

Bass is also in Dropped D Tuning

     Dm for three bars     F5        A5
G  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A  |-5-----8-5-----------|--------------------|---------------------|
D  |---0-0-----0---------|-3-3-3-----7-7-7----|---------------------|

Jam Session Serving Suggestions:

As showcased in the embedded Backtrack, distortion pedals for bass are also cool.



Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

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

NEW! Jam Session 204m + A5 Chord (Guitar)

The Chord of the Day is the A5 power chord for guitar:

Chords for Jam Session 204m:  G5 A5 C5 D5 G5 A5



Jam Session Notes

Guitar

     G5 A5 C5 D5 G5 A5    First time           Second time A5 Ab5 G5
E  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
B  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
G  |-------5-/-7---------|--------------------|---------------------|
D  |-5-/-7-5-/-7-5-/-7---|-7--7--7--7---------|-7--7--7--7--7--6--5-|
A  |-5-/-7-3-/-5-5-/-7---|-7--7--7--7---------|-7--7--7--7--7--6--5-|
E  |-3-/-5-------3-/-5---|-5--5--5--5---------|-5--5--5--5--5--4--3-|

Bass

     G5 A5 C5 D5 G5 A5    First time           Second time A5 Ab5 G5
G  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D  |---------------------|------5-7-------5-7-|---------------------|
A  |-------3--5----------|-5-7-------5-7------|---------------------|
E  |-3--5--------3--5----|--------------------|-5-----------5--4--3-|

Jam Session Serving Suggestions:

Distortion pedals are cool (and so is overdriving your amp).



Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

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

NEW! Jam Session 203o + Dm Chord (Piano)

The Chord of the Day is D minor for piano:

Chords for Jam Session 203o:  Dm G F; Bb C



Jam Session Notes

Guitar

     Dm                    G        F           Repeat three times

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

     Bb                    C

E  |-1-------------------|-3------------------|---------------------|
B  |-3-------------------|-5------------------|---------------------|
G  |-3-------------------|-5------------------|---------------------|
D  |-3-------------------|-5------------------|---------------------|
A  |-1-------------------|-3------------------|---------------------|
E  |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------| 

Jam Session Serving Suggestions:  MIDI controllers come in all sorts of sizes (number of keys), features (knobs and buttons), and feel (non-weighted, semi-weighted, and weighted keys)...and of course, price.  If you have a price limit on a MIDI controller, we recommend you consider the aforementioned factors in this order:  Feel, size, then features.



Feel.  If you want to play your controller like a piano, go for weighted keys.  Semi-weighted will also do just fine.  Non-weighted keys are better used to trigger sounds and not so much for that piano feel.

Size.  It's always good to have a couple of octaves ready for playing.  If you are stuck with about (or less than) two octaves of keys, you'll have to press the octave buttons quite a bit, which brings us to...

Features.  These are usually knobs, sliders, faders, and other buttons on the MIDI controller.  You can use related software to program these to have full control over your MIDI performance.  If you like programming your controller with short cuts, go for the one with lots of bells and whistles.  If you'd rather use a software GUI for control, go for the simpler controllers.  Or somewhere in between.

There are also MIDI controllers that don't look like piano keyboards, but that is another discussion for another time...

Tweet to us @DeRamosMusic!

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