Re: [Harp-L] Making the Move to Chromatic

[Bob Cohen <bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

***Standard disclaimer. All information is shared with humility and based on my own incomplete understanding of musical theory.  There's an open invitation for those who know better to correct my mistakes, so I can learn too.***

On Sep 21, 2011, at 10:31 AM, John F. Potts wrote:

> melodies without much difficulty.  BUT, being able to solo and improvise on the chrom is a different and much more difficult challenge.

This is where a traditional approach to studying the instrument comes into play.  The ability to genuinely improvise (not recycling other people's licks) comes from two things, 1. Understanding how music works (intuitively or through formal training), 2. knowing your instrument cold and 3. your own personal creativity.

> The bandleader who is insisting I learn chrom (and who has a Masters in Music) tells me that learning scales isn't the most effective way to learn to improvise.  

All by itself, it's not.  You also need to play arpeggios and interval exercises and modes and rhythmic exercises and practice hours a day for a long time to get fluent enough to improv at will.

> According to him, learning the arpeggios of the chords to each tune is the foundation for effective improvisation.

That depends on your approach to improv.

> Since i play no other instruments and since one can't "build" chords on a diatonic, my knowledge of chord structures is less than fluent,  

Building chords is a matter of knowing the intervals; (e.g., 1, 3, 5th, 7th) and note names.

==================
SCALE DEGREES OF C
------------------
C D E F G A B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

====================
CHORD INTERVALS OF C
--------------------
C D E F G A B C
1   3   5   7

If you think about scale degrees instead of note names, all the scales work the same. Just the note names change. Which means you build Arpeggios for any key.

==================
SCALE DEGREES OF F
------------------
F G A Bb C D E F
1 2 3 4  5 6 7 8

====================
CHORD INTERVALS OF F
--------------------
F G A Bb C D E F
1   3    5   7 

And so on.

Above just outlines how chords work  There are all sorts of Arpeggios based on the scale (major, minor, etc.), mode, chord quality, etc.

Knowing this stuff is music.  And it all applies to diatonic as well. In fact you can play triads (1, 3, 5) up and down the diatonic. 

> And I haven't been able to find any books with tab for arpeggios.  I've been advised to use books with music for sax or flute.  

Sax charts will confuse you because the harmonica is tuned to Concert C.  Saxes are tuned to Bb or Eb.  That means you'd have to transpose to C or you'll be playing notes other than the ones you think.

> Maybe there's a better way to go about it.

Check out Jamey Abersold's books.  Volume 1 HOW TO PLAY JAZZ AND IMPROVISE is a great start. He's written a whole library full of method books.  You might also want to check out the blues books (fewer changes) and the book on II V7 I progressions. If you go that route remember to use  the Concert Key progressions not the Bb and Eb charts, they're for the horns.

Your instrument and improvising are life long studies. There's no final destination but the grave.  Good luck.  Work Hard. And remember it's called "playing" music.

Bob