B Aeolian (Guitar)

Notes:  B C# D E F# G A B

    B Aeolian
E |-----------------------|-------------------------|-7--9--10------|
B |-----------------------|--------------7--8--10---|---------------|
G |-----------------------|--------7--9-------------|---------------|
D |---------------------7-|-9--11-------------------|---------------|
A |-----------7--9--10----|-------------------------|---------------|
E |-7--9--10--------------|-------------------------|---------------|

Compare with the B minor scale:  B C# D E F# G A B

The minor scale and the Aeolian mode have the same notes!

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E Chord (Piano)

E is the root note, G# is the major 3rd, and B is the perfect 5th.

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E Mixolydian (Guitar)

Notes:  E F# G# A B C# D E

    E Mixolydian
E |----------------------------|----------------------------|-12-14-16|
B |----------------------------|-----------------12--14--15-|---------|
G |----------------------------|---------13--14-------------|---------|
D |-------------------------12-|-14--16---------------------|---------|
A |-------------12--14--16-----|----------------------------|---------|
E |-12--14--16-----------------|----------------------------|---------|

Compare with A major:  A B C# D E F# G# A

Compare with E major:  E F# G# A B C# D# E

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Jam Session Rewind: 205m -- Heavy Space Rock Shuffle!

Jam Session 205m (5:26; see original show notes) was fun to record.  In this podcast, my brother and I were essentially one of those blues-rock bands without a bass player.  Good times.



Stay tuned for next week's Jam Session Rewind, and yes, new Jam Sessions are on their way!

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F# Minor Pentatonic ("E Mixolydian" Position, Guitar)

Notes:  E F# A B C# E

    E
E |-----------------------|------------------------|-12--14---------|
B |-----------------------|-------------12--14-----|----------------|
G |-----------------------|-----11--14-------------|----------------|
D |-----------------11----|-14---------------------|----------------|
A |---------12--14--------|------------------------|----------------|
E |-12--14----------------|------------------------|----------------|

Compare with F# minor pentatonic:  F# A B C# E F#

Compare with E Mixolydian:  E F# G# A B C# D E

Compare with E major:  E F# G# A B C# D# E

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E Dorian (Guitar)

Notes:  E F# G A B C# D E

    E Dorian
E |----------------------------|----------------------------|-12-14-|
B |----------------------------|-----------------12--14--15-|-------|
G |----------------------------|-----11--12--14-------------|-------|
D |---------------------11--12-|-14-------------------------|-------|
A |-------------12--14---------|----------------------------|-------|
E |-12--14--15-----------------|----------------------------|-------|

Compare with D major:   D E F# G A B C# D

Compare with B minor:  B C# D E F# G A B

Compare with E minor:  E F# G A B C D E

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A Chord (Piano)

A is the root note, C# is the major 3rd, and E is the perfect 5th.

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A Ionian (Guitar)

This is the A major scale:  A B C# D E F# G# A

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

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Jam Session Rewind: 104k, or the Grand Dramatic Chord Progression

The four chords of Jam Session 104k (8:52; see original show notes) need to be incorporated into a song.  The progression -- Am-F-C-E -- has that epic feel, like the overly-used Am-F-C-G chord progression, but instead of ending with G, we end with E major.  With the E major chord (E, G#, and B notes), we shift from the A natural minor scale (Aeolian mode:  A B C D E F G A) to the somewhat more dramatic A harmonic minor scale (A B C D E F G# A).



I rerecorded the four chords with some more guitars, as well as bass and drums that kick in around 4:44; this recording is Backtrack 104k (5:41; see show notes):



As for using Am-F-C-E (or equivalent in another key) in a song, I've tried.  I've placed it in so many arrangements that it's bound to stick sooner or later.  We'll be back with another Jam Session Rewind next week, but we'll have lots of Chord du Jour between now and then.

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A Major Pentatonic, or F# Minor Pentatonic ("A Ionian" Position, Guitar)

Notes:  A B C# E F# A

    A
E |---------------------|---------------------|-5--7--9--12--14-----|
B |---------------------|----------5--7-------|---------------------|
G |---------------------|----4--6-------------|---------------------|
D |-------------4-------|-7-------------------|---------------------|
A |-------4--7----------|---------------------|---------------------|
E |-5--7----------------|---------------------|---------------------|

Compare:

F# minor pentatonic:  F# A B C# E F#

A Ionian mode (major scale):  A B C# D E F# G# A

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A Mixolydian (Guitar)

Notes:  A B C# D E F# G A

    A Mixolydian
E |---------------------|---------------------|-5--7--9-------------|
B |---------------------|-------------5--7--8-|---------------------|
G |---------------------|----4--6--7----------|---------------------|
D |----------------4--5-|-7-------------------|---------------------|
A |-------4--5--7-------|---------------------|---------------------|
E |-5--7----------------|---------------------|---------------------|

Compare with the D major scale:  D E F# G A B C# D

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D Chord (Piano)

D is the root note, F# is the major 3rd, and A is the perfect 5th.

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D Lydian (Guitar)

Notes:  D E F# G# A B C# D

Compare with the A major scale (Ionian):  A B C# D E F# G# A

    D Lydian
E |--------------------------|-----------------------9-|-10--12--14-|
B |--------------------------|------------9--10--12----|------------|
G |--------------------------|-----9--11---------------|------------|
D |--------------------9--11-|-12----------------------|------------|
A |---------9--11--12--------|-------------------------|------------|
E |-10--12-------------------|-------------------------|------------|

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Jam Session Rewind: 103l, or the Song That Almost Was

Jam Session 103l (8:09; see original show notes) almost became a song.  Well, it can still be one, but its development has been put on hold for a while.  Let's start from the beginning:

My brother Jon came up with the simple-yet-dramatic, waltzy chord progression.  I translated the chord progression as a effects-laden riff on the bass.



I decided to rerecord the progression with some drums, and so it became Backtrack 103l (5:44; see show notes).



We added a couple of newer progressions (for the chorus and bridge) and some lyrics -- a complete song was pretty much good to go by January of 2010.  I guess I had second thoughts with the overall flow of the song, the pacing, the melody, etc., so this D minor song has been put on hold for a long while now.

As you can see, because we never finished the song, there is no MP3 example for this blog.  We'll get around to it, eventually.

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G Minor Pentatonic ("D Phrygian" Position, Guitar)

Notes:  D F G Bb C D, which is really...

...G minor pentatonic:  G Bb C D F G

    D
E |--------------------|----------------------|-10--13--15----------|
B |--------------------|-------------11--13---|---------------------|
G |--------------------|-----10--12-----------|---------------------|
D |-----------------10-|-12-------------------|---------------------|
A |---------10--13-----|----------------------|---------------------|
E |-10--13-------------|----------------------|---------------------|

Compare with G minor (Aeolian):  G A Bb C D Eb F G

Compare with D Phrygian:  D Eb F G A Bb C D

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Inspiration: "You're My Best Friend"

This Queen song is one of the few songs in existence that makes every cell in my body indescribably happy, but it has to be the original A Night at the Opera album mix (not the reissue bonus track remix).  According to some sources (okay, Wikipedia), bass player John Deacon wrote "You're My Best Friend" while teaching himself how to play the electric piano.

Anyhow, if you know how to play the Dm, C, G/B, Am, D, F, G, E, Fm, and slight variations of the aforementioned chords (7ths, maj7ths, 6ths, etc.), then you can play a reasonable cover rendition.  You can look up the specific chord progressions using Google, or you can purchase some sheet music.

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D Ionian (Guitar)

This is just the D major scale:  D E F# G A B C# D

    Db Ionian
E |--------------------------|------------------------9-|-10--12--14-|
B |--------------------------|----------------10--12----|------------|
G |--------------------------|-----9--11--12------------|------------|
D |--------------------9--11-|-12-----------------------|------------|
A |---------9--10--12--------|--------------------------|------------|
E |-10--12-------------------|--------------------------|------------|

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Gm Chord (Piano)

G is the root note, Bb is the minor third, and D is the perfect fifth.

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G Locrian (Guitar)

Notes:  G Ab Bb C Db Eb F G

    G Locrian
E |---------------------|---------------------|-3--4--6------------|
B |---------------------|----------------4--6-|--------------------|
G |---------------------|-------3--5--6-------|--------------------|
D |-------------------3-|-5--6----------------|--------------------|
A |----------3--4--6----|---------------------|--------------------|
E |-3--4--6-------------|---------------------|--------------------|

Compare with the Ab major scale:  Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab

Compare with the Gdim chord:  G Bb Db

Compare with the Eb7 chord:  Eb G Bb Db

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Jam Session Rewind: 202o

Jam Session 202o (12:26; see original show notes) was a very fun Jam Session to record.  My brother Jon and I used two different alternate guitar tunings, and the drums played a sweet shuffle.  This podcast also features some very messy blues slide playing by yours truly.

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Inspiration: "Venus"

If anything else, learn from the intensity of this performance by John Coltrane (sax, bells) and Rashid Ali (drums).  Feel it.  Be it.  Do it.

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G Minor Pentatonic ("G Aeolian" Position, Guitar)

Notes:  G Bb C D F G (compare with the G minor scale/Aeolian mode:  G A Bb C D Eb F G)

    Gm
E |---------------------|--------------------|-3--6--8--10--13--15--|
B |---------------------|----------3--6------|----------------------|
G |---------------------|----3--5------------|----------------------|
D |-------------3-------|-5------------------|----------------------|
A |-------3--5----------|--------------------|----------------------|
E |-3--6----------------|--------------------|----------------------|

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