SHAUN’S CREATIVE ROCK
Shaun Baxter brings us his final Creative Rock article and it’s all about Compound Intervals.
ABILITY RATING
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TThis month concludes his recent series on using a variety of interval types within a Mixolydian blues-rock context. his current series of lessons has been devoted to employing different intervals within the Mixolydian scale. In this final instalment, we look at another study that combines simple (within one octave) and compound (beyond one octave) intervals.
Before we look at the solo it would make sense to revise the various concepts covered up until this point.
Basically, an interval is the distance between two notes. Diagram 1 provides useful
information on the distance between a pair of notes within any mode of the Major scale (like Mixolydian). Each chosen interval will change as it moves through a scale. In other words, it adapts when shifted diatonically. In A Mixolydian, the interval of a scale 4th from an F# note is a perfect 4th (five semitones , F#-B), whereas the interval of a scale 4th from a G note is an augmented 4th (six semitones from G-C#). So B is four scale notes up from F#, and C# is four scale notes up from G.
With experience, you will start to recognise the cause and effect of using each intervaltype which will help you to play with more control over both melody and mood. • Seconds, 3rds, 6ths, 10ths and 13ths =
soft and melodic
• Fourths, 5ths, 11ths and 12ths = hard
and angular
• Sevenths, 9ths and 14ths = dissonant
and quirky
• Octaves and 15ths = consonant
and sweet
Most players use ‘steps’ (intervals of a Minor 3rd or smaller) rather than ‘leaps’ (intervals of a Major 3rd or greater) when they improvise. The wide leaps when playing compound intervals create lines that sound quite wacky.
They also lend themselves to producing counterpoint as there is an inherent ‘call and response’ quality between the low notes and high ones. Also, because the distance between two notes is so large, it can present considerable technical problems when trying to play certain ideas at speed; so, apart from alternate picking, techniques like sweep picking, hybrid picking, legato and tapping are all very useful.
This month’s transcription shows the technical solutions that I used for each challenge; however, where, for example, hybrid picking is shown, you may prefer to use alternate picking if that is where your strength lies. The main thing is that you need to find a working compromise between physical ease and producing a pleasing musical result (sonically and tonally). Are the dynamics even? Are the notes in time? Is each note in tune? Does the chosen technical approach allow you to play with expression? Sometimes you may find that you just need to bite the bullet and set the time aside to build up a particular approach if it yields the best results.
Regarding the backing track drummers would tend to write out the drum part in 6/8; however, for ease of reading on guitar, I have stuck to 4/4, viewing the bass drum pattern as a quarter-note triplet rhythm. If your rhythm reading isn’t great, don’t worry about it: just read the tab and use your ears.
[ After 21 years Shaun has decided to take a back seat from his magazine work. So this will be his final Creative Rock. Shaun has been a brilliant member of the GT family and we wish him all the best; look forward to Jazz Metal II in the near future, and perhaps the occasional one-off lesson for GT].
NEXT MONTH Stuart Ryan is back with a brand new video series on Celtic fingerpicking
On the recording, I used a moderately distorted guitar tone with the amp set on crunch. Because I used single-coils, I added a bit of front-end gain and compression using a distortion/gain pedal. Generally, for rockorientated playing, ideas are either played on the neck pickup (for, say, fast picking) or bridge pickup (when using harmonics, etc).
TRACK RECORD Swedish guitarist Per Nilsson is a founder member of progressive metal band Scar Symmetry. As someone who deputised for Fredrik Thordendal during his break from Meshuggah, Per is well-acquainted with the concept of using riffs that feature dissonant-sounding double-stops using 2nd intervals. Eric Johnson is another player that uses extended or compound intervals.