I gained many lessons and experiences from playing in a rock band in Athens, GA. In a town full of great musicians, most of whom I knew at the time, one in particular had a profound impression of my musicianship. In the video below you will see my friend and former band mate David Cardello. He now lives in Arizona but when we lived just a few houses away he gave me free lessons on music theory, playing styles, and beyond. No he just has to do it via the internet for he is busy in Arizona trying to solve our countries energy crisis.
If a friend offers to teach you a skill, don’t hesitate. The more skills we posses the better off we are. In this particular case it was a skill of music appreciation and healthy practice habits. Thanks Dave. Keep delving.
I have always loved to listen to the music composers like Satie and Debussy. Playing their compositions on one mandolin is a whole other story. Here I attempt to play Claire De Lune by Claude Debussy.
The tune when played right is haunting and beautiful. I am constantly trying to tweak my arrangement to pay the song it’s due. One day I will have a flawless rendition to play, until then this is where I am. Feel free to comment, ask questions, or send me your version of some minimalistic classical music arranged for one mandolin.
This is the first of many videos and lessons that will help players at the beginning stages of learning to play mandolin. Up until recently “Jake’s Mandolin Tricks,” has focused on intermediate to advanced players. As a way to remind myself to get back to the basics as well as to share lessons that are more accessible I have started Jake’s lessons for beginners.
These lessons will have a specific playlist in on my you tube channel. Enjoy.
This week Ted Eschliman author of, “Getting into Jazz Mandolin,” used a video of mine as an example of chord economy and chord inversions. I’d like to thank the people of Jazzmando.com for featuring me in their weekly tip column. It is surreal being on the other side of the lesson, although it drove home I must continue spending time in the woodshed. Off I go.
This is a variation of something I first heard the late great Jethro Burns play. If Jethro were still around he would remind us he was only late to gigs, and rarely on time for anything else. His humor and stage presence could almost hold a candle to his amazing playing. Although holding a candle while playing sure does make it hard.
On a more serious note, Jethro Burns’ brilliant sense of time shined through in his playing as well as in his infectious sense of humor. Telling jokes that get genuine gut-busting laughter is closely related to playing and evoking other emotions through one’s musical instrument. Both are dependent on fractions of a second. A great joke is timed perfectly as is a great solo.
Today seemed as good a day as any to pay homage to my favorite mandolin player and 6th favorite stand up comedian. With the help of Mel Bay and Ken Eidson, Jethro shared tons of knowledge about his revolutionary approach to mandolin. Jesse McReynolds might have spent more time cross-picking his mandolin, but this time I am emulating Jethro. I find the lick sounds good on jazzier numbers, for example I play it in the stop time of the standard “After You’ve Gone,” in…you guessed it, C major.
I find this lick sounds best over C, Cmaj7, C6, Am, Am7, G7, and even F and Dm7. Each application will have a different tonal flavor. This is a loose copy of Jethro’s, make your own copy of mine in the video, and you got yourself an original run you came up with all by yourself.
Tab and notation will be posted in the future. Ask questions if you got em. Enjoy. To quote Jethro’s friend and guitar legend Chet Atkins, “It’s easy you see, if you practice.”
I play once through the Miles Davis tune, “All Blues,” in the video below. “Kind of Blue,” being one of my favorite albums I often find my fingers trying to emulate it’s sounds. Thanks to the archives at Mel Bay some of my favorite album’s signature sounds have become tactile. A small dose of music theory is in my video details on my youtube channel. This video is a strong boost for any mandolins wishing to go where the grass is blue and beyond.
Chord charts of modal jazz songs are often simple, while the actual comping can be as intricate as one makes it. “All Blues,” has a moderate tempo and begins with 4 bars of G7. Here is my opportunity to emulate the tasteful piano playing of Bill Evans. Evans claimed to have avoided playing the tonic during the recording session. I call this style “sparse chord comping.”
Bill Evans musical genius knew no bounds, in that at any given time he knew the predetermined boundaries. Call it the “less is more,” approach or the, “law of reversed effort.” Established musical rules are heeded, themes are developed, and boundaries are pushed without them toppling over. His playing speaks for itself. For the musician, the understanding of modes can be one of the keys to unlocking this seductive style of playing.
Modes will be explained in full detail at a later date, for it is a lesson in and of it’s own. The basic theory is in playing through the major scale beginning on different scale degrees. If you were to play a C major scale starting on the 2nd scale degree, (D), up to D in the next octave, you are playing in the Dorian mode. If your fingers know the major scale through two octaves, your fingers also know the seven modes.
If I were to examine my lead playing over bars of G7 in, “All Blues,” I might tend to pick notes in G mixolydian, (Same notes as C major scale.) Or a Fmaj scale. For the dissonant, gypsy sound I love I might play something that fits into a C harmonic minor scale. Keep in mind…More important than following scale names is following one’s ear.
For the C7 passage I might use a four-finger closed position (FFCP) of the Bb major scale. Starting with my second finger on the G-string 3rd fret. The options are almost endless once you master your FFCP’s.
The FFCP method has helped my playing tremendously. It seems that visual learners like myself benefit instantly from viewing, then playing the FFCP’s! Horn keys like Eb and Bb no longer give me any trouble. Transposing solos is a cake walk. F and Bb, are now my favorite keys to solo in.
“Getting into Jazz Mandolin.” and Jazzmando.com are resources that have made mandolin playing much more enjoyable for me. They will do the same for you… and oh yeah, you will sound all the better as well.
Questions, comments encouraged.
More info on jazz, theory, modes, and fun to come. Remember, if it sounds good to you, someone else will like it too.
I’d like to take this post to thank the folks who came out to the Tin Roof for the Sailing to Denver show last night. Having a good crowd with open ears is a great thing that should not be taken for granted. Caled from No Parachute was nice enough to play with us again. We really enjoyed playing four tunes by The Band in an attempt to pay homage to the great Levon Helm. Levon and the rest of The Band has been an inspiration to all the members of our band as well as countless other music lovers.
I stumbled upon justinguitar.com today while I was looking for some jazz guitar licks to play on my new hollow body Ibanez. Three hours later I just got done with the Tour De France that is. You have to see it to believe it. If you get as much out of it as I did, (in only one day,) do the right thing and donate. Justin has mastered many styles of guitar, and provides accurate chord charts and videos for playing songs as well as advice on composition and practice.
I must go work on my instructional material, I have lots to do before I can be on par with resources like Justin’s. In the near future mandolin player’s will have a home where they can lose an afternoon in practice. Stay posted and keep posting comments and questions. Till then check out Justin Sandercoe’s site.