New lessons

[MiguelParticipant]

Hi Rick
This forum is quite calm…
One quick question : what is the frequency which you publish new lessons ?
Thx in advance
Miguel

[Rick StoneKeymaster]

Yes, you are correct. It’s a pretty new site. We launched in January, but there were some issues so I didn’t really push with the marketing. We got feedback from our users and worked the bugs out. Now we’re beginning to get more interest and I’m here in the studio this summer working on material. As things get rolling, I expect to be publishing new lessons weekly. Each lesson will be consisting of a series of videos with associated pdfs and play-alongs as well as embedded Soundslice notation. Take a look at the ATTYA lesson and that should give you a good idea of our ideal lesson structure (we’re transcribing the solo choruses right now, so they should be up soon). Thanks.

[Rick StoneKeymaster]

Oops, I should have included the URL. Here it is https://www.jazzguitarlessons.com/attya/

[MiguelParticipant]

Yes, ATTYA is very well structured, and lots to learn from that one.
A bit out off topic but i really liked the Boss Notes concept. Could you point me somewhere or something that could help me understand better this concept.In other words how can i find boss notes for ex in Autumn Leaves? What are the main notes to look for?
Thanks again for your help

[Rick StoneKeymaster]

Miguel,

Yes, “Autumn Leaves” is great tune to study the Boss Notes concept on (it’s one of the examples I always give in private lessons and I do have plans to make a video on that one). Boss Notes are pretty similar to Guide Tones in that they are often (but not always) 3rds and/or 7ths of the chords. Notice in Autumn Leaves that each phrase is series of pickup notes leading into a long note falling on beat “one”? THAT’s the Boss-Note. So in the key of G minor, the Boss-Notes form a descending line; “Eb, D, C, Bb” for the first 8 bars, and then “Eb, D, C, G” for the second 8. Then at bar 17 the line ascends “A, Bb, C, D” and the last 8-bars goes back to the descending line “Eb, D, C, G” (notice that although it’s a different melody, the last 8-bars use the same Boss-Notes as the 2nd 8-bars). So although “Autumn Leaves” harmonic structure is AABC, the Boss-Notes are actually following an AABA structure).

[MiguelParticipant]

Thank you, that helped a lot, going to try it.

[MiguelParticipant]

Hi Rick
I have transposed those to Em, i got this, C,B,A,G – C,B,A,E – F#,G.A.B – C,B,A,E

i have those down all over the fretboard, what would be the next logic step to start soloing over Autumn leaves ?

Thx Miguel

[Rick StoneKeymaster]

Miguel,

Sorry for the slow response, I didn’t see your message till just now. I’ll be posting some more videos on “Autumn Leaves” soon, but meanwhile, here are some things you can try.

I’d recommend starting out by playing melodies based on the Boss-Notes. Use them as a skeleton for generating new ideas over the changes. You can try starting melodic lines on them (or playing lines that lead into and end on them). Or just incorporate them into your lines by surrounding them with other notes.

You can also look at some of the things I did with the ATTYA studies as a model. Try the first-3-notes of the scale from the root of each chord, then 5-notes, then triads, seventh-chords, etc.

I should note that it’s very important to sing these things as you’re learning them, so that you’re developing a very close relationship between what you play and what you hear.

I also encourage you to listen to a version (or versions) of the tune that you like and copy some ideas. Again, see if you can hum or sing them first, then play them on the guitar. Start out with baby steps, little four-bar phrases, then eight-bars, etc.

Ultimately, jazz improvisor play what they hear, so take your time. It may seem like a slow process, but as your ear gets stronger, playing becomes easier and more natural.

Thanks!
~ Rick

• This reply was modified 9 years, 9 months ago by  Rick Stone.

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