Blues Guitar Solo – Blue Noize Contest Entry
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Easy Classical Guitar – Greensleeves
By · CommentsWe’re going to harmonize an existing melody. Let’s take the tune Greensleeves (aka What Child is This?)
Here are the chords and melody in the key of Am. The melody moves around a bit on the neck so it will accommodate the notes we add later. Note that some measures have 3 quarter notes and some have dotted quarter/eighth/quarter. We can vary this rhythm as desired, since it might be harder to do with added notes being played at the same time, which we’ll do next.
Some chords last for two measures which is quite long so we will add a few chords to spice things up. One common technique is to replace a major chord with it’s relative minor and vice versa. So for Am we can add the C major chord (relative major). And for G we can add Em (relative minor) to the second measure instead of playing the same chord twice.
In measure 6 and 7 instead of Am, we use F and Dm. The F is used to approach the E major chord and we use the Dm as well since it is the relative minor of F.
The first stage is to add bass notes to the first beat of each measure based on the current chord as in the first 8 or so bars. Then we add more notes to connect these notes together We also add some counterpoint such as in measures 14 and 19. Later on in measures 18 we add more bass notes (these are just chord tones of the current chord, sometimes 3rds or fifths). Here’s the result:
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We could take this further if we want to. Try doing this in another key for example somewhere else on the neck. As you play the melody think of the chords and the moving bass lines. We can also add a 3rd note to the chord.
Easy Classical Guitar
By · CommentsSome of the main challenges when learning classical guitar are all the rules, restrictions and incredibly difficult pieces to play, plus having to buy a nylon string guitar and foot stool, grow and maintain our fingernails, rest strokes, free strokes, and etudes. Add to that all the intimidation of the genre and it’s no wonder most guitarists give up! While putting in the tremendous effort is very worthwhile, most of us simply don’t have the time required to put in the required practice.
So how about getting back to the fun of playing classical guitar music? That is my goal with this post and others. So I have posted a relatively easy classical guitar version of JS Bach’s Minuet in G. It has the melody and a bass note to accompany it.
Learn how to play JS Bach’s Minuet in G arranged for you in a way that is easy to play on an electric guitar. No complex moving bass lines and other issues. Your thumb plays the bass and your index/middle finger play the melody however you’d like to finger it (alternate index and middle if you wish).
The music also shows the chords so you can understand the chord progression. You can listen to Minuet in G here:
Here’s the full sheet music:
Easy Classical Guitar – Minuet In G
This is a free lesson but if this lesson has touched you in some way you can donate what you feel in your heart. Suggested donation is $4.99. 10% of your generous donation will go to Music for a Cure Charity for kids with critical illness.
If you’re so inclined, look at the chords and see the chord progression and cadences (hint lots of I, IV and V in key of G start). You will rarely see any chords or analysis of Bach’s pieces so this can remove some of the fear and intimidation of the genre when you see how basic the chord progressions are! Transpose it to other keys. We can also use this basic structure to expand upon or for classical improvisation, adding more bass notes for example or using the chord progression but making up our own melody.
Harmonizing a Melody
By · CommentsAn amazingly effective way to get started improvising is to harmonize a given melody (or use this in your compositions). By that I mean finding the right chord to fit the chord progression that gives you each melody note in the upper voice (ie. the highest note in the chord is the melody note).
Since most songs use a combination of minor and major chords we will start with those. In the following PDF, I have provided a series of minor and major chords in various inversions. Each chord has a chord tone as the highest note which will be our melody note (non-chord tones as melody notes to come later).
We use A minor as an example of a minor chord and E major as an example of a major chord. For other minor chords you just shift the shape up or down the neck. When you play each inversion, be aware of what the melody note is (name of note, whether it’s the root, third, fifth) and what the other 2 notes are (name of note and whether root, third, fifth).
Later we will discuss Dominant and Diminished chords but let’s start simple for now. Here’s the Melody Notes with Chords PDF.
Harmonizing a Melody with Chords
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The first four measures are the inversions of A minor. Play these ascending and descending. Each chord has a melody note on top, which is a chord tone so our melodies will consist of just chord tones for now. The second four measures are for the E major chord. These shapes can be moved up or down the neck to play any other minor or major chord – this is key!
Next on the second line in the PDF we have a melody with chords. Try and find the appropriate chord from the list in the first line which has that melody note as the highest note of the chord. Do this for each melody note. Then be able to play the melody in time and smoothly moving from chord to chord. Congratulations you’ve played your first chord melody!
If you need to look at the answer you can see it below. Please don’t look at this before you try it yourself. The work to find each chord is the critical skill you need to learn to do classical improvisation!
Work this out in other keys. Just transpose the chords (simple i V progression) to another key. Determine what interval each melody note is in relation to the chord. In our example melody we have 5th (E is 5th of Am), root, major 3rd, root, minor 3rd, major third, root.
Also we can use the same chord progression but alter the melody. You might be surprised how many songs use the same series of chord progressions.
Hopefully by now you can appreciate the incredible power of this type of approach!
This is a free lesson but if this lesson has touched you in some way you can donate what you feel in your heart. Suggested donation is $4.99. 10% of your generous donation will go to Music for a Cure Charity for kids with critical illness.
