IMPROVISATION METHOD BASED ON A SET OF CHORDS AND MELODIC LINES BRIDGING THE HIGHEST NOTES OF EACH OF THEM. APPLICATION WITH STRUMMING WITH CUATRO, CAVAQUINHO, UKULELE , HARMONICA VIOLIN, WINDS ETC
The application idea is that when the chord is realized with a voicing on the highest 4 (or all 4) strings , we create melodic lines on the highest string bridging the highest notes of two succesive chords. Because of a inherent phenomenon of the human sound perception , when we are strumming and chaning the chords with in-between such melodic lines, the musical perception clearaly heres a melody, which is that of the highest notes. If it was not the highest notes the melodic lines would be more often lost in listening in the strumming.
Such chord-bridging melodic lines use a last small part of the previous chord duration and a small initial part of the new chord duration.
Alternatevily for single instrument improvisation as in post 292 such chord-bridging melodic lines may use as duration an independent duration that no chord is playing.
During the rest ofthe time there is strumming of the chord or a achord arpeggio or variations of small melodic themes inside the chord by intervals of 3rd or 4th/5th. Thus melodic-harmonic variaonions. While when bridging two succesive chords there may be melodic themes variations by intervals of 2nd 3rd or 4th/5th (thus chromatic-melodic-harmonic).
This technique utilizes the simplicity of the information of the set of chord and translates it it to a simple information about the partition of the types of variations of simple melodic themes with the time placement and duration of the chords.
With this technique we may create simplicial counter-melodies parallel to melody.
Such chord-bridging melodic lines use a last small part of the previous chord duration and a small initial part of the new chord duration.
Alternatevily for single instrument improvisation as in post 292 such chord-bridging melodic lines may use as duration an independent duration that no chord is playing.
During the rest ofthe time there is strumming of the chord or a achord arpeggio or variations of small melodic themes inside the chord by intervals of 3rd or 4th/5th. Thus melodic-harmonic variaonions. While when bridging two succesive chords there may be melodic themes variations by intervals of 2nd 3rd or 4th/5th (thus chromatic-melodic-harmonic).
This technique utilizes the simplicity of the information of the set of chord and translates it it to a simple information about the partition of the types of variations of simple melodic themes with the time placement and duration of the chords.
With this technique we may create simplicial counter-melodies parallel to melody.
It applies verty easily when utilizing a chromatic harmonica (see post 274), but also a violin (especially marked at a particular diatonic scale, so that we can identify chord-triad shapes on it after a convenient tuning) and finally also on a diatonic wind.
E.g. Herman Gamboa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YruFQVExmb0&t=131s
HERE ARE MORE IDEAS
MY PERSONAL APPROACH:
My personal approach to similar type of improvisation is as follows
HARDWARE IDEAS
1) INSTRUMENT I utilize a 4-strings instrument instead of 3-stringsm although sometimes a 3-strings too. Of course I may use a 6-string instrument.
2) STARTING SCALE I chose a basic scale, usually the natural defoult scale of the instruent which is marked on its fretboard.
3) The TUNINGS are preferably overtones cuatro tunings thus cavaco cuatro or Swedish troll fiddle tuning. But I can also use the venezuala cuatro or ukulele (guitar tuning of 4 highest strings)
4) CHROMATIC TONALITY
Although I chose a diatonic scale, that is from 7 notes I involve also some or all of the 5 blue notes that result to all 12-notes of the musical universe. This is usually done in chords by convrting major to minor and vice versa E.g. a stanard chromatic extension ofthe chords of the diatonic scale is 3M instead of 3m and 7M instead of 7d. But also the minors 6m can become 6M when resolving to 2m and also the 3m to 3M when resolving to 6m, and the 2m to 2M7 when resolving to 5M.
For the next steps I will enlarge more in the subsequents paragraphs
CHORD-BASED IDEAS
5) I improvise on major-minor lternations of HARMONIC CYCLES
with bridging the chords small melodic themes too.
6) I improvise on major-minor lternations of CHROMATIC CYCLES (like Andaluzian cycle)
with bridging the chords small melodic themes too.
7) I improvise on ISOMORPHIC CYCLES OF CHORDS (X1-X2-X3etc) with (Y1-Y2-Y3 etc) Most often of chromatic sequences that are melodic or harmonic isomorphic . I bridge them with small melodic themes too.
8) 2-VOICES AMBIGUITY REVEALED
I ascend or descend a mode of the scale with 2-voices simulteneous notes intervals of 3rds. The ambiguity of them is that they can be part of a minor or dimished chord (sad feeling) or a major chord (happy feeling). So 1st I play the 2-voice interval andthen I reveal it as major ot minor chord depending on the mood and to if I am ascending or descending.
MELODIC THEMES BASE IDEAS
9) "WALKING THROUGH PARTS OF A TOWN", FLUID-CHORD-TRIADS or 2-VOICE ACCOMPANYING OF MELODY.
This idea is very old idea in ancient folk music before the era of classical music when complicated melodies where accompanied by power chords that are essentially 2-voices chords. It is an idea also similar to the previous at 10) except that instead of alternating standard 3-voices chords with melodic themes, we are struming or arpeggiating on a single triad which is not standard major or minor and so that it is constantly changing at each note of the melodic themes so that the 2 lower notes are rather stable and are used as 2-voice chord which accomnies the 3rd note which is changing faster and is usually the higher.
10) "TRAVELING AMONG AND WITHIN TOWNS"
This is a generic type of improvisation where I improvise "randomnly" with melodic themes that are translated , inverted and mutated mainly within the diatonic scale, but at their standing notes (melodic centers) I apply arpegiation or struming of the close local major or minor/diminishd chord which fits to the melody at that time. The choices are only 2-3 at each time. Here the metaphor for the melodic themes is traveling and the metaphor for chords is "town"
My personal approach to similar type of improvisation is as follows
HARDWARE IDEAS
1) INSTRUMENT I utilize a 4-strings instrument instead of 3-stringsm although sometimes a 3-strings too. Of course I may use a 6-string instrument.
2) STARTING SCALE I chose a basic scale, usually the natural defoult scale of the instruent which is marked on its fretboard.
3) The TUNINGS are preferably overtones cuatro tunings thus cavaco cuatro or Swedish troll fiddle tuning. But I can also use the venezuala cuatro or ukulele (guitar tuning of 4 highest strings)
4) CHROMATIC TONALITY
Although I chose a diatonic scale, that is from 7 notes I involve also some or all of the 5 blue notes that result to all 12-notes of the musical universe. This is usually done in chords by convrting major to minor and vice versa E.g. a stanard chromatic extension ofthe chords of the diatonic scale is 3M instead of 3m and 7M instead of 7d. But also the minors 6m can become 6M when resolving to 2m and also the 3m to 3M when resolving to 6m, and the 2m to 2M7 when resolving to 5M.
For the next steps I will enlarge more in the subsequents paragraphs
CHORD-BASED IDEAS
5) I improvise on major-minor lternations of HARMONIC CYCLES
with bridging the chords small melodic themes too.
6) I improvise on major-minor lternations of CHROMATIC CYCLES (like Andaluzian cycle)
with bridging the chords small melodic themes too.
7) I improvise on ISOMORPHIC CYCLES OF CHORDS (X1-X2-X3etc) with (Y1-Y2-Y3 etc) Most often of chromatic sequences that are melodic or harmonic isomorphic . I bridge them with small melodic themes too.
8) 2-VOICES AMBIGUITY REVEALED
I ascend or descend a mode of the scale with 2-voices simulteneous notes intervals of 3rds. The ambiguity of them is that they can be part of a minor or dimished chord (sad feeling) or a major chord (happy feeling). So 1st I play the 2-voice interval andthen I reveal it as major ot minor chord depending on the mood and to if I am ascending or descending.
MELODIC THEMES BASE IDEAS
9) "WALKING THROUGH PARTS OF A TOWN", FLUID-CHORD-TRIADS or 2-VOICE ACCOMPANYING OF MELODY.
This idea is very old idea in ancient folk music before the era of classical music when complicated melodies where accompanied by power chords that are essentially 2-voices chords. It is an idea also similar to the previous at 10) except that instead of alternating standard 3-voices chords with melodic themes, we are struming or arpeggiating on a single triad which is not standard major or minor and so that it is constantly changing at each note of the melodic themes so that the 2 lower notes are rather stable and are used as 2-voice chord which accomnies the 3rd note which is changing faster and is usually the higher.
10) "TRAVELING AMONG AND WITHIN TOWNS"
This is a generic type of improvisation where I improvise "randomnly" with melodic themes that are translated , inverted and mutated mainly within the diatonic scale, but at their standing notes (melodic centers) I apply arpegiation or struming of the close local major or minor/diminishd chord which fits to the melody at that time. The choices are only 2-3 at each time. Here the metaphor for the melodic themes is traveling and the metaphor for chords is "town"
11) OVERTONES VERTICAL GATES
This applies especially well in overtones tunings and of course on the full 6-string 1st overtones tuning. I improvise horizontally with melodies and at the standing note a cross-over vertically at the local overtones "gate" which is of course an extended overtones arpeggio of a major or minor chord.
This applies especially well in overtones tunings and of course on the full 6-string 1st overtones tuning. I improvise horizontally with melodies and at the standing note a cross-over vertically at the local overtones "gate" which is of course an extended overtones arpeggio of a major or minor chord.
