adding the third note

as i am getting back into playing songs, i am relearning the art of playing improvised solo pieces. as before, it is surprising to notice how much is created by simply playing a song's bassline and melody. even without changing notes, you can improvise through timing, dynamics and changing rhythm (try playing all the 4/4 songs you know as 3/4.......). to hear the way in which the two lines together capture the essence of a piece, learn this transcription of the jazz standard FOOTPRINTS.

in order to move beyond the interplay of two lines, it's not necessary to start thinking in terms of playing chords. just add a third note to the melody and bass. you can add these now and then; there is no need to fill everything up. also, a note can remain static even if bass or melody move.

in your choice of these notes you can really start to develop your signature sound. for some, adding a third or sixth below the melody sounds best, while for others, seconds and sevenths do the trick (think john scofield). fourths and fifths add another flavour to the song.  that's why i did not add anything to the bassline and melody of footprints - this is the area where you make your own choices.


of course, mixing intervals is where true playing (in the sense of forgetting the rules and enjoying the game) starts, and where you actually start playing a third line. but during practicing, its good to stay some time with only one or two intervals in order to get to know their sound as well as the associated fingerings.

no comment

for the past week i have been listening to live in tokyo from BRAD MEHLDAU - i am not going to try to describe or analyse this music; just passing on a touch of the sublime 

white belt

as many players have done before, i named the guitar i play. it's called WHITE BELT. in my defense, i can only say that i have owned several other guitars before, and this is the first one where i felt i couldn't resist.

i won't dive into (male) psychology (i wonder if there are any female players naming their instruments....), i just want to share these pictures and tell you about a great little book that was the inspiration for this name.

 ZEN GUITAR is written by philip toshio sudo, and it contains short chapters on practicing and playing the guitar, drawing on zen philosophy. a central idea is to play from beginner's mind, not hampered by any expectations that come from previous learning and experiences. this doesn't mean that you shouldn't practice, but rather that you practice in such a way that what you learn enables you better to express yourself. if the black belt is a symbol for mastering techniques, the white belt stands for this beginner's mind. this guitar in a way helps me to get there because it asks me to look at familiar things in a new way.

TEF files

under USEFUL LINKS i have added a zip folder containing TEF files for all the tabs in the lesson material. if you use the TEF viewer, this allows you to hear each of the tabs! i find this to be better than posting audio files because you can follow (and pause!) the tab while listening.

outre mer

as much as i want to move beyond copying other players, i have to admit that it is immensely satisfying to be able to play something that, when you first hear and see it, seems to be beyond reach.

take a look at this video from charlie hunter playing with the band garage a trois. at 1.45 the theme starts. i had to listen to it a number of times but i think this tab captures the basic riff quite well.

if you try this one on, make sure to build it up really slowly. rushing to fast tempos isn't going to improve your playing in the long run. play it slowly (starting your metronome at 60) with good tone, and slowly increase speed as you get the hang of it.

in my experience, it should become an almost automatic thing; this signals that you're ready to experiment with improvised lines inbetween.

what's in a name

you may wonder what the name of my blog stands for. 'common pool' refers to a resource that can be used by anyone, such as the air we all breathe; there is no one owning that, or able to limit access to it. i like that idea when it comes to learning material for playing the guitar. while unlimited access is problematic for some resources (such as people using clean air for emitting toxic substances) it is great when it comes to information of this kind.

the main reason for using this name is that i would like others to join in not only swimming in this pool, but also adding water to it (or providing some nice chairs along the side). if you have any material you want me to post, or link to, just send me a message.

now i will be looking at some stuff from mbira players (the african thumb piano); i have the idea that this might be good material for the eightstring.....

re-introducing the common pool

after several years, i am ready to pick up the eightstring guitar again and bring my playing to the next level! as before, i like to share what i learn with others and this time i've chosen a blog as a way of communication.

for those who have no clue what i am talking about: the eightstring guitar i refer to is the fanned fret type developed by guitarist charlie hunter and builder ralph novak. it combines three bass strings with five guitar strings, giving enormous flexibility for musical expression.

to enable others to make use of what i learned along the way i developed a website, which got its great looks through the involvement of sander borghuis. you find a lot of stuff there which has been there for over four years (in the links list to the right you find a pdf you can download which contains all texts & practice material).

for those that learn about this for the first time: enjoy!!! - for those that know about this and are still into playing the eightstring: be prepared for some new stuff soon!!