After "The Principles",the metronome is the most important
practice tool you can use.
Used as shown in " The Principles", it will increase your rate of progress faster than anything
else. Click
below for further info:
Why must I use a metronome?
What type
should I get? |
These lessons
are based on this book........ 
Ultimate
Folk Guitar Song Collection
Bass Runs: Key of A minor, 4/4 time
"Hudson River Steamboat", p. 52
Hear a midi file of the song...
Fast
Melody Fast
Melody Slow
Accompaniment Fast
Accompaniment Slow
General:
Okay, another boat song, but
at least we are in fresh water for a change!
The first half of the song is in A minor, using
the harmonic form of the minor scale with the raised 7th degree, in this
key, G#. The second half goes into the relative major key of C. This is a
good practical illustration of the very important concept of Relative Major
and Minor keys. It is "easy", musically speaking, to go from one to another.
Notice how the first part uses the Principal
Chords, or 1, 4 and 5 of A minor. Then, notice how the second half uses the
1, 4 and 5 of C major.
| Measure |
Notes |
| 1 |
Make
sure 1 is ready for the F note AS you play the G with 3.
|
| |
For the D
minor, use the 4th finger on the 2nd string note instead of the 3rd. If
you have trouble with this, your 4th finger is not properly developed.
(see Walking Exercises)
For the E7, try this alternative form. Try
to keep the 4 in place from the D minor if you can. If you can't, only
lift it slightly during the change, and keep it relaxed and close. It is
playing the same note in both chords.
You should know this form of the E7
anyway, but the reason to use it here is that the bass is using the D on
the open 4th string, and it sounds nice if you have it go to the E one
whole step above, instead of down the octave to the low E on the 6th
string, as you must if you use the E7 Mel has given you.
However, that choice will certainly do
as well, so learn this if you feel like having a little "vertical
growth"! |
| 8 |
Notice the
melody note you must sing here, the note C. It is highly "dissonant" to
the chord, meaning, it is not a note that is in the chord, and creates a
"clashing" effect. It then resolves into a chord tone, the note B, which
relieves the tension created by the C note dissonance.
This "tension-release" principle is one
of the foundations of Western Music (and I don't mean country western!).
Practice singing this note over this chord until you are comfortable
with the tension it produces.
The tension effect is pronounced,
because the dissonance occurs on a strong beat, beat number 1. |
| 9 to end |
The rest of
the song is using the usual alternate bass and bass run techniques.
|
Make sure you learn to play the melody as
well!
top |