duke robillard . swinging the blues . need help and advice on lesson plan

[mikcaren]

Hi -- Duke and I are getting ready to film a series of online guitar lessons focused on teaching swing / jazzy blues to a player that is more familiar with traditional blues guitar. The lessons will end up being in a format similar to the blues series we did with Duke here (both video and animated tab):

http://www.redoakmusic.com/online-gu...r-lessons.html

What we're interested in is people's thoughts on the lesson plan and if we should add, subtract or make sure to include any key areas. Here's the outline Duke has put together.

Thanks so much for the help!

Mike

Lesson 1 --- "Swinging the Blues" playing 4/4 chord style in a swing blues progression. Key points 1. chord inversions 2. right hand strum technique 3. turnaround variations

Lesson 2 --- adding in and playing around passing chords to embellish harmonic interest for tension and feeling. Key points 1. choosing which passing chords to use and when. 2. why you are adding passing chords. 3. interesting riffs that go with various passing chords.

Lesson 3 --- Riffing the blues within a jazz context. key points 1. what is riffing? 2 riffing to enhance the groove of a jazz/blues tune 3. learning to establish a real swing groove by riffing.

Lesson 4 --- Playing a good melodic blues solo. key points 1. Retaining the feeling of the blues while playing a jazzy solo 2. How to emotionally charge up a solo by combining jazzy phrases with bluesy riffs 3. adding chromatic lines within jazz/blues for interesting effects.

Lesson 4 --- Comping chords and adding chords and double stops to your solo for spice. Key points, 1. comping to accent the rhythm behind a vocalist or soloist 2. Adding chords into your solos to break up single lines and enhance harmony. 3. playing double stops in solos and comping

Lesson 5 --- learning a basic swing progression. key points 1. tin pan alley song progressions - What are they? 2. How the blues and swing progressions are related 3. learning the 32 bar A A B A song form.

Lesson 6 --- Learning to mix the minor pentatonic blues scale with major scale for melodic lines in 32 bar song forms. 1. Learn and practice a major scale swing riff 2 learning a simple swing solo based on what we have learned with swinging the blues 3. combing elements of blues scales and major scale riffs to improvise 32 bar song forms.

Lesson 7 --- The B section or bridge. key points 1. understanding the form and getting familiar with the concept of a bridge. 2. Making the transition from the A section to the bridge. 3 What does a bridge do and how do I approach it?

Lesson 8 --- Making a swinging solo. 1. Telling a story by building your solo in intensity 2. Combining riffs, blues based licks major scale runs double stops and chords to make an interesting solo 3. Building a solo to a logical or emotional conclusion

[Bluesbuff]

This sound really cool as is!!!!

[derekd]

I agree, I would buy based on what you have written. The only things that came to mind was theme development, call and response and shout type approaches to soloing in jazz blues.

[littlemoon]

I-vi-ii-V's in swing blues.

[stevel]

Originally Posted by mikcaren

Hi -- Duke and I are getting ready to film a series of online guitar lessons focused on teaching swing / jazzy blues to a player that is more familiar with traditional blues guitar. The lessons will end up being in a format similar to the blues series we did with Duke here (both video and animated tab):

http://www.redoakmusic.com/online-gu...r-lessons.html

I agree with others that it's really good as is.

It appears that we're learning Blues form, then how to deal with that, and then learning 32 Bar form, and how to deal with that.

For my money, I think I'd rather see a lesson - after the basics - on Forms in general. 8, 12, 16 bar blues, and 32 bar song form and how they all relate.

*then* move on to embellishing progressions, creating good solo lines, etc.

But who am I to argue with the Duke!

You'll post the link when it's ready, I assume :-)

Cheers,
Steve

[mikcaren]

Originally Posted by shihanderek

I agree, I would buy based on what you have written. The only things that came to mind was theme development, call and response and shout type approaches to soloing in jazz blues.

Hi Shihanderek --- great suggestion --- thank you.

[fish78]

As a adjunct, you should have the student's LISTEN to a bunch of gospel music...its where the feel comes from. Just a thought from a beginning player, but huge fan of this style...

[mikcaren]

Originally Posted by stevel

I agree with others that it's really good as is.

It appears that we're learning Blues form, then how to deal with that, and then learning 32 Bar form, and how to deal with that.

For my money, I think I'd rather see a lesson - after the basics - on Forms in general. 8, 12, 16 bar blues, and 32 bar song form and how they all relate.

*then* move on to embellishing progressions, creating good solo lines, etc.

But who am I to argue with the Duke!

You'll post the link when it's ready, I assume :-)

Cheers,
Steve

Hi Steve --- great suggestion to talk about forms and how they relate. I know I would like to learn about that!

Mike

[K-man]

Looks good to me.

Maybe a module on developing lines that outline the changes?

[fr8_trane]

I'm definitely interested in this style.

How about playing straight 8th lines over swing feel and vice versa. That always catches my ear.

[susudio]

Originally Posted by mikcaren

Hi -- Duke and I are getting ready to film a series of online guitar lessons focused on teaching swing / jazzy blues to a player that is more familiar with traditional blues guitar. The lessons will end up being in a format similar to the blues series we did with Duke here (both video and animated tab):

http://www.redoakmusic.com/online-gu...r-lessons.html

What we're interested in is people's thoughts on the lesson plan and if we should add, subtract or make sure to include any key areas. Here's the outline Duke has put together.

Thanks so much for the help!

Mike

Lesson 1 --- "Swinging the Blues" playing 4/4 chord style in a swing blues progression. Key points 1. chord inversions 2. right hand strum technique 3. turnaround variations

Lesson 2 --- adding in and playing around passing chords to embellish harmonic interest for tension and feeling. Key points 1. choosing which passing chords to use and when. 2. why you are adding passing chords. 3. interesting riffs that go with various passing chords.

Lesson 3 --- Riffing the blues within a jazz context. key points 1. what is riffing? 2 riffing to enhance the groove of a jazz/blues tune 3. learning to establish a real swing groove by riffing.

Lesson 4 --- Playing a good melodic blues solo. key points 1. Retaining the feeling of the blues while playing a jazzy solo 2. How to emotionally charge up a solo by combining jazzy phrases with bluesy riffs 3. adding chromatic lines within jazz/blues for interesting effects.

Lesson 4 --- Comping chords and adding chords and double stops to your solo for spice. Key points, 1. comping to accent the rhythm behind a vocalist or soloist 2. Adding chords into your solos to break up single lines and enhance harmony. 3. playing double stops in solos and comping

Lesson 5 --- learning a basic swing progression. key points 1. tin pan alley song progressions - What are they? 2. How the blues and swing progressions are related 3. learning the 32 bar A A B A song form.

Lesson 6 --- Learning to mix the minor pentatonic blues scale with major scale for melodic lines in 32 bar song forms. 1. Learn and practice a major scale swing riff 2 learning a simple swing solo based on what we have learned with swinging the blues 3. combing elements of blues scales and major scale riffs to improvise 32 bar song forms.

Lesson 7 --- The B section or bridge. key points 1. understanding the form and getting familiar with the concept of a bridge. 2. Making the transition from the A section to the bridge. 3 What does a bridge do and how do I approach it?

Lesson 8 --- Making a swinging solo. 1. Telling a story by building your solo in intensity 2. Combining riffs, blues based licks major scale runs double stops and chords to make an interesting solo 3. Building a solo to a logical or emotional conclusion

Mike, you should visit the West Coast Blues thread in the Sound Hound Lounge and ask for input there. Many knowledgeable players in that group. Good luck..

[JonR]

I agree with the others it looks really good as it is. (I may steal some of these ideas for planning my own lessons... )

I assume lesson 1 or 2 will touch on the concept of guide tones?
(The role of 3rds and 7ths in jazz chord changes and passing chords; playing a chord sequence using only 3rds and 7ths; etc)

This is before you get to soloing, of course, but reveals what "voice-leading" is all about (the kind of thing you don't really get in non-jazz blues), which can contribute to good melodic lines too.

[ando]

hi mike, how 'bout a section maybe within the framework of chord usage of duke's use of 3 note freddie green type comping, which he is a master of..
i know when i was learning duke's tunes on 'swing', getting these type voicings down were the key.....just a thought...

[AaeCee]

Originally Posted by Bluesbuff

This sound really cool as is!!!!

+1! I'll buy it as soon as it's available. BTW, cool project.....I'm a big fan of Duke.

[mikcaren]

Originally Posted by fish78

As a adjunct, you should have the student's LISTEN to a bunch of gospel music...its where the feel comes from. Just a thought from a beginning player, but huge fan of this style...

Agreed. I hope to do a series on this style as well in the future ... as I'm a big fan of it as it allows a player to convey a lot of deep emotion ... without necessarily having to to be fast etc.. Thanks for the thought!