Re: New Standard Tuning stuff

[Douglas Baldwin <coyotelk@optonline.net>]

Janosch wrote:

> But now two questions:
> How to work on scales? The fingerings that came into my mind were:
> Major scale:
> D| 12-14-15-17 etc.
> G| 12-14-16-17
> C| 12-14-16-17

It took me a few minutes before I decoded what you meant here. The letter 
to
the left is the string, and this is a C major scale in a kind of tablature,
correct? If so, this is a good start.

> Minor scale:
> D|12-13-15-17 etc.
> G|12-13-15-17
> C|12-14-15-17

Likewise, a good start.

> These are playable but especially the Major scale needs a lot of
> stretching. Any better way here?

Nope. The best instruction I received re. organizing scales in NST was from
Tony Geballe, who suggested that I visualize a tetrachord on each string.
Expect to play four notes on each string.
Let M = the interval of a major second, or two frets
Let m = the interval of a minor second, or one fret
The first four notes of a major scale would be defined by M-M-m - the root
note, then a Major second to the next note, a Major second to the next 
note,
and a minor second to the next note. Then move to the next higher string,
begin on the appropriate note, and etc. etc. Following this, the pattern of
a major scale across the first five strings would look like this:

E| m - M - M
A| M - m - M
D| M - m- M
G| M - M - m
C| M - M - m

M - M - m was called a "major" tetrachord;
M - m - M was called a "minor" tetrachord;
m - M - M was called a "phrygian" tetrachord;
and sooner or later, as you organize your major scales and their modes,
you'll come across M - M - M - M (stretch city!) which we called a "lydian"
tetrachord.

A good first goal is to begin with C major in twelfth position, then work
down the neck backwards through the modes (B locrian 11th position, A
aeolian 9th position, etc.).


> And second question: What to play? Own stuff of course, but maybe there
> is a bit of reportoire for the NST. I thought about trying out some
> cello stuff, maybe some etudes could be helpful to practice the
stretching.

Cello books are great if you swing that way. Scalar etudes are generic to 
my
ears: try intervallic scalar patterns like 1-3-2-4-3-5-4-6, then
1-4-2-5-3-6-4-7, then 1-5-2-6-3-7-4-8 etc. Then try three-note permutations
like 1-2-3-2-3-4-3-4-5-4-5-6 etc. The challenge in arranging these scalar
patterns is to make them musical: start and ascend to the first octave, 
then
ascend and descend, returning to the root, then ascend/descend through two
octaves, etc. End on a strong beat. Turn around in a pleasing manner. Use
different rhythmic patterns, not just continuous 16th notes. Pretty soon
you'll be writing your own Inventions and Symphonias!

One of my favorite memories of Guitar Craft was sitting by a fireside with
Ralph Gorga and a bunch of others playing old Motown and Beatles tunes off
the top of our heads. In any tuning, there's a lot of work involved, and
there's a lot of play. Do both.
Douglas Baldwin, coyote-at-large
www.thecoyote.org
coyotelk@optonline.net

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic
hallway where pimps and thieves run free and good men die like dogs. 
There's
also a negative side."
--- Hunter S. Thompson