Some thoughts on "understanding progressions"

lectroshave

Greetings from No. California. And a first time poster. I'm jazzed on the forum here and all the great people so into their music! I've just spent the last week working through my first Campilongo lesson "understanding Progressions" and just wanted to share a few thoughts. I am very stoked about the concepts in the voice leading lesson using the 2 5 1 6 progression with a pedal tone (each scale degree from the key) on top and here is why. I started pursuing the six string after gigging around on fender bass for around twenty five years or so. Just wanted to comp and ring out cool chords through changes and go from there. After a couple years of self educating with a lot of books and stuff (watch out for Ted Green. his book "Chord Chemistry" is like the Necronomicon, BTW. )I got some real and immediate traction from "understanding progressions" and have rewrote it in number form and placed it first page in my book of practice routines which I transpose to a new key every Mon. going through all 12 keys every 12 weeks. There's a bunch of fun to be had recording the whole series and using that track to practice all the arpeggios from the parent scale (I've been pulling in the five "wrong" notes from the key into the arpeggios, using them to slam into the "right" notes, all the sudden it it becomes like music and not some dreaded scales and modes. a good time can also be had in going down the chart of 2 5 1 6 's I.E all the Dm's all the G7's etc.. and playing the major scale all the way through each chord in that way! and don't forget about root 5 and root 6 chord scales. lots a fun slipping in some Dim chords between the diatoncs b2,b3 etc... If some blathering is noticeable here, I'm a little amped up on two cups of coffee and a great guitar week after a month or so of a dry and arid musical rut and uninspired finger wiggling (on the guitar). Maybe better to annoy and bore people on this forum than my long suffering friends and coworkers. Anyhoo, gotta go and get ready for a bass gig in a winery this afternoon. Please forgive me if I have wasted your time.

Thanks Jim for the great lesson and sharing your gifts!
Regards, Scott in California

tonyw

Welcome Scott!

This lesson was a real eye-opener for me and helped some things click in my brain. Jim's lessons in general have been very inspiring to me (& others) and it sounds like you are having the same experience, hope you continue finding inspiration.

Tony

lectroshave

Thanks for the reply Tony
I want to really dig into progressions before moving on to Freddie G then maybe Django.
Seems a good way to build up the skills and start getting thrown out of auditions less frequently!

JimCampilongo

Thank you Scott and Tony... your posts were inspiring. All the best-Jim

tonyw

For what it's worth, it seems as though Progressions, Freddie Green Style, & Arpeggios as Exercises are three lessons that are not too bad for running through concurrently. For me, they helped a lot of dots get connected, of course, I also have a habit of trying to take on too much at once.

JimCampilongo

Thanks Tony - This advice is very helpful to all.

NerdDiamond

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but, I've wondering about the Freddie Green rhythm lesson. Would anyone be able to shed some light on it?

lectroshave

thanks Tony . I'm just about to add freddie green onto my plate. also wondering if the stella lesson is stella by starlight or something other than that.

CJG

Hi NerdDiamond, hope the playing is going well! FYI - Freddie Green is a multiple-tiered lesson that teaches various Freddy Green inspired chord progressions. This lesson was my earliest introduction to "jazz" chords and opened my eyes to some really great jazz swing rhythm playing. The lesson shows you over a half dozen progressions along with a cool "walk up" pattern that is easy to apply to the various progressions. This is a perfect lesson for anyone who is looking to expand their chord vocabulary and to develop a feel for Freddie Green style playing. As a side note, I go back to this lesson time and time again for inspiration and ideas for creating my own jazz progressions. Great lesson!

CJG

Hi lectroshave, the Stella lesson is a tune called Lipton Tea that appears on Jims album Live at Du Nord. While its one of Jims original pieces the song contains an abbreviated Stella by Starlight. This lesson teaches some really beautiful chord progressions and a bunch of fantastic melodic, flowing lead lines.

lectroshave

Thnks CJG
Its kinda hard to choose what lesson to take on next with so many great choices.just after my first two a girlfriend said my playing has noticeably jumped to the next level!

CJG

Yes, I know exactly what you are talking about Lectroshave. Fr

CJG

From the sound of your first post I can tell that these lessons have really grabbed you. I think there are a whole lot of us on the forum who feel the same way. Just curious, what have you taken so far and what do you have your eye on? Would like to hear where you are headed and will gladly share my two cents on what u may want to pick up.

lectroshave

I just spent the last two weeks on Progressions and Freddie G. I'm looking forward to
Jango and blues stuff also.Hell, I'd like to eat up all these lessons for that matter.

lectroshave

starting to really enjoy the flowing harmonies in the the freddie g lessons

JimCampilongo

Great to read your post Lectro .... That lesson can really open your ears and shed light on the fingerboard.