About the Book
A continuation of Volume One, "New York Guitar Method Volume Two" covers the use of approach notes to create melodic lines in both a traditional and contemporary setting. Each chapter presents a different method of using this classic technique. The chord voicings for all chords contained on the upper four strings of the guitar are also covered, giving a guitarist the voicings commonly used in all styles of music. The following Chords are covered: Major7, Minor7, Dominant7, Minor7b5, Diminished7, Dominant7sus4, MinorMajor7, Major7#5, Major7#11, Dominant7#5, Dominant7#11, Major6, Minor6, Major79, Minor9, Dominant9, Dominant9sus4, Minor7b5add9, Diminished7add9, MinorMajor79, Major7#59, Major76, Minor11, and Dominant9. The following Arpeggios are covered: Major7, Minor7, Dominant7, Minor7b5, Dominant7sus4, MinorMajor7, Major7#5, and Dominant7#5.The following applications of Approach Notes are covered: Chromatic figures, Diatonic figures, Chord Tones on Beats 1 and 3, Chord Tones on a 2 5 1 Progression, Chord Tones on Every Beat, Tensions, Superimpositions, Reharmonization, Major Scale, Bebop Scales, Chord Tones, Off the Beat, Modal Sequencing, Delayed Resolution, Approaching Approach Notes, Compound Approaches, Intervallic Approaches, Intervallic Structure 027 by Chord, Intervallic Structure 027 by Key, Intervallic Structure 013 by Chord, and Intervallic Structure 013 by Key.
There is a companion volume "New York Guitar Method Ensemble Book Two" which applies the information learned in this book along with other sight reading exercises. Equipped with the musical foundation of these two books, the guitarist will gain a deep understanding and mastery of contemporary music. "The New York Guitar Method" is used at New York University and is a prerequisite for entering New York University's Summer Guitar Intensive Program.How To Use This Book - Volume two of this series of books concentrates on approach notes and the chord found on the upper four strings of the guitar. This book should be used in combination with the "New York Guitar Method Ensemble Book Two" in order to gain the most benefit. The methods presented in this book is extremely different from what is usually taught in an advanced guitar learning environment. The idea behind this approach is to present you with a concept of improvisation and then show you techniques that can be extracted from this concept to form traditional and non-traditional melodies. You could achieve the same results by transcribing hundreds of jazz solos and learning them in all keys.
I should mention that I recommend transcribing solos in addition to studying from this book so that you can develop a better jazz feel and understand how this technique has been applied by various artists throughout the history of music.The technical assignment for approach notes found in this book is probably one of the biggest undertakings you will ever attempt. Basically I'm asking you to learn nine arpeggios in twelve keys in four positions. I'm then asking you to take each of the twelve approach note figures and put them into these arpeggios one at a time in all four inversions and in all keys. This process usually takes students three to six months to complete. What you gain from this is a profound knowledge of the guitar fretboard and the mental awareness needed to play approach note oriented melodic lines in a natural fashion. You should expect to start to improvise this way usually within one year of completing the exercise. Since approach notes type lines are the backbone of jazz melodies this ability is crucial in understanding what other musicians are doing and to be able to play these types of melodies with confidence.As previously mentioned the two subjects covered in this book are extremely difficult to master on the guitar.
Approach note type melodies are very tricky to execute on the guitar, let alone learning all the inversions of every chord on the upper four strings of the guitar. It's a life long pursuit. I've presented both of these subjects in a logical fashion and they can be practiced as presented but here's an alternative that I often give to my students in order to facilitate rapid improvement. For approach notes I often have students first learn all nine chord arpeggios in all keys before attempting the approach note exercises. I would suggest making flash cards of the nine chord types along with cards for all keys and another stack for the 4 inversions of the seventh chords. This will help simulate how an instructor would randomly ask you to play any particular arpeggio in a lesson environment. As you have learned from book one of this series there are thirteen seventh chord types.We are limiting our study to nine because of the large amount of information that you need to practice. I would spend at least a few weeks on the arpeggios before adding in the approaches. Once you feel confident with the arpeggios start adding in the approaches.
I would try to complete one approach note through all keys in one week. This usually doesn't happen right away but after you have done a few approaches you will find that through diligent practice each week you can complete one approach through all keys. For the chords you could progress through the book as shown learning all the chords Cycle 5 but I often have students first learn the Major, Minor and Dominant and Minor seventh flat five seventh chords and then immediately apply them to jazz standards. This can be done in a few ways.I usually tell the student to start with a progression like 'Confirmation'. I would begin by starting on with one inversion of the Major Seventh Chord and then trying to play the rest of the chords in approximately the same position on the guitar fretboard. I would also recommend practicing the chords where you are moving the voicings either up or down the neck so you can see the linear movement. After you can gain some proficiency with this I would start to add tensions into the chords. Start by adding ninths to each chord and continue from there until you have learned all chord types.
Table of Contents:
About the Author Foreword Chapter One Major769 Exercise Minor611 Exercise Dominant7#9 Exercise Dominant9sus4 Chords C Rhythm Changes Major7 Arpeggios Assignment Approach Notes Assignment Uses of Approach Notes Ear Training Two Notes Chapter Two Major76 Exercise Minor67 Exercise Dominant7#913 Exercise 69 Chords F Rhythm Changes Minor7 Arpeggios Assignment Ear Training Two Notes Chapter Three Major76#11 Exercise Minor11 Exercise Dominant913 Exercise Minor69 Chords D Minor Blues Dominant7 Arpeggios Assignment Ear Training Three Notes Chapter Four Majoradd9 Exercise Minor769 Exercise Dominant9b13 Exercise Dominant7#9 Chords Bb Minor Blues Minor7b5 Arpeggios Assignment Ear Training Three Notes Chapter Five Major769#11 Exercise Minor769 Exercise Dominant7b913 Exercise Dominant7b9 Chords G Blues Dominant7sus4 Arpeggios Assignment Ear Training Three Notes Chapter Six Dominant7b9b13 Exercise Major76 Chords Ab Rhythm Changes MinorMajor7 Arpeggios Assignment Ear Training Three Notes Chapter Seven Dominant7#9b13 Exercise Minor911 Chords F Minor Blues Diminished7 Arpeggios Assignment Ear Training Three Notes Chapter Eight Dominant9#11 Exercise Dominant13 Chords Bb Rhythm Changes Dominant7#5 Arpeggios Assignment Ear Training Three Notes Chapter Nine Dominant7b9#11 Exercise Major769 Chords G Rhythm Changes Major7#5 Arpeggios Assignment Ear Training Three Notes Chapter Ten Dominant7#9#11 Exercise Minor11 Chords E Minor Blues Major7#5 Arpeggios Assignment Ear Training Four Notes Chapter Eleven Dominant7#1113 Exercise Dominant7b13 Chords Eb Rhythm Changes Approaching Approaches Ear Training Four Notes Chapter Twelve Dominant7#11b13 Exercise Dominant7b13 Chords Db Rhythm Changes Approaches using superimposition Ear Training Four Notes Chapter Thirteen Dominant13sus4 Exercise Minor6911 Chords A Minor Blues Approaches using reharminization Ear Training Four Notes Chapter Fourteen Dominant7sus4b13 Exercise Dominant913 Chords C Blues Approaches to Scales Ear Training Four Notes Chapter Fifteen Dominant9sus413 Exercise Dominant69#11 Chords Gb Rhythm Changes Approaches to Modal Sequencing Ear Training Four Notes Chapter Sixteen Dominant9sus4b13 Exercise Minor611 Chords G Minor Blues Delayed Resolution of Approaches Ear Training Four Notes Chapter Seventeen Dominant7sus4b913 Exercise Dominant9b13 Chords D Rhythm Changes Constant Structure Approaches Ear Training Five Notes Chapter Eighteen Dominant7sus4#913 Exercise Majoradd9 Chords A Rhythm Changes Approaches from Above Ear Training Five Notes Chapter Nineteen Dominant7sus4b9b13 Exercise Minor67 Chords Eb Minor Blues Compound Approaches Ear Training Five Notes Chapter Twenty Dominant7sus4#9b13 Exercise Dominant7b913 Chords D Blues Intervallic Approaches Ear Training Five Notes
About the Author :
Bruce Arnold (born 1955 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA) is an author, composer, educator and guitarist residing in New York City. His explorations into the applications of 20th century classical theory in contemporary forms such as Rock and Jazz has created a unique compositional and improvisational sound. As a guest artist Arnold has toured Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Japan, Mexico, Russia and the United States.His performance and recording activities include work with a wide array of styles. He has played with such diverse musicians as Stuart Hamm, Peter Erskine, Joe Pass, Joe Lovano, Lennie Pickett, Randy Brecker, Stanley Clarke, the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Absolute Ensemble under the baton of Kristjan Jarvi.Bruce Arnold's recording credits include over twenty five CDs and DVDs (on Muse-eek Records, MelBay Recordings, Truefire and other labels), ranging from the standard jazz repertoire to free improvisation to the reinterpretations of classical music with the ensemble Spooky Actions. His compositions are published by Muse Eek Publishing, and MelBay Productions.Mr. Arnold's theoretical works have explored the use of Pitch Class Set Theory within a improvisational setting. He is also written more than 60 music instruction books covering Guitar Pedagogy, Ear Training and Time Studies. He is the director of guitar studies at New York University and Princeton University as well as the creator of the New York University Summer Guitar Intensive He has taught at New England Conservatory of Music, Dartmouth College, Berklee College of Music, New School University, and City College of New York.
