Surfing With the Hungarian

This tune utilizes the A major, minor, and Hungarian minor scales.  This performance has a few rough spots, but the overall quality of the composition is well captured.  I used my BOSS RC-2 Loop Station for the background parts.  The influences for this piece include Ted Nugent (Hibernation), Dick Dale and the Del Tones (anything off of King of the Surf Guitar), and Joe Satriani (I'm not worthy, but I tried).

Happy Halloween!

I recorded the underlying "spook alley" music onto my BOSS loop pedal a few years ago.  Don't ask me to explain what's going on with it.  Just a lot of dissonances stacked on top of each other.  I used my Eric Johnson Stratocaster and a Vox amp with vibrato and reverb set about half way.

The piece is hypnotic and repetitive, but I justify the length of the recording because various voices from the dead tell some tales along the way.  I played these over the top of the BOSS recording today:

1) A slide applied to the strings of my strat close to the bridge provides a spine-tingling chime.

2) A 1/4 size classical guitar with only two very detuned strings on it provides the woes of a damned soul.

3) Pick scrapes near the bridge of my strat provide a laughing ghost.

4) The whammy bar randomly attacked on open strings provides another tale from a miserable shade.

It's all kind of corny, but there are some really striking moments in it all, and it is pretty dreary music if you keep listening to it.  You get mesmerized by the plaintive howling...

Night Thoughts

I've been playing with this chord progression for the last few evenings:

|: EM7 | EM7 | Em/M7 | Em/M7 | C#dim | C#dim | C#dim | C#dim :|
|: G#7 | G#7 | G#7| G#7| C#m9 | C#m9 | C#m9 | C#m9 :| Gdim | Gdim | Gdim | Gdim :|

I'm not sure if the chords are exactly functioning the way I've described them, for there are many ways to think about the chords in the progression, but what I've written gives an approximation.  I played the first eight measures over an E pedal tone.

For the solos, I thought about the first eight bars as chords within G# harmonic minor (Ab made the chords harder to name), the first chord suggesting the sixth mode, the second chord suggesting some sort of hybrid of the sixth mode, and the third chord suggesting the seventh mode.  At times, I thought of the third chord as an inverted A7.  I used the G# Phrygian Dominant scale for the G#7, the C# pentatonic minor for the C#m9, and the Locrian #2 scale for the Gdim.

I used the Boss RC-2 Loop Station for the chords, my Eric Johnson stratocaster, my VOX amplifier, and all fingers for my picking attack.

I'm very happy with the mood of the piece and with the inventiveness of the solos.  These are my nocturnal meditations, my contemplations of Nyx for these last few nights.  Al Di Meola was definitely an influence on this one.

Sassdrudge Blues

This is a 12 bar blues piece that I've toyed with for a few years.  The I chord riff is based on a unique approach to the E blues scale.  The IV chord is based on the A Hungarian minor scale.  The V chord is based on the B blues scale.  The big bend at the end of the turnaround was influenced by Tony Iommi.

I prerecorded the main riff and the drum machine on my Boss RC-2 loop station.  I played slide leads over the top of the loop on my Stratocaster.  I tried to capture a sassy, plaintive, vocal-like quality with the slide.

Obituary of the Nations

Here's a groove I've been playing around with.  It's based in B harmonic minor modes.  I used my Walden Natura and BOSS RC-2 loop station for this recording.  The first time through, I let the pre-recorded loop play.  I soloed over it during the second and third loops.  There's a lot of drama in the music.  The solos have some throw away moments, but there are some great moments as well.  Hey, my time and my resources are limited, and if I don't put out imperfect material, I'll never get a record of my musical vision out there.

Another Man Done Gone

Here's my arrangement of a chain gang classic.  I took the lyrics and chords from a book by Pete Seeger called The Bells of Rhymney.  The A minor pentatonic riff I wrote for it is a nice groove.  The solo is simple and tasty, perhaps influenced by Billy Gibbons.

This recording was made in 2006.  I used my Walden Natura.  The vocals and rhythm guitar were recorded on one track.  The guitar solo was overdubbed in one take.

An Augmented Mood

I wrote this piece around the time I moved from Seattle to Utah.  I was in my early twenties.  As I mentioned in another post, I enjoy using the jazz minor modes in funk music.  This was my first composition to do so.  The Bb augmented chord which makes up the third mode of the G jazz minor scale is emphasized in the main riff, as are the two modes built off of the E and F# -7b5 chords.  The solos take place over the C and D dominant chords.  There is a section that features a series of dominant 7ths in a II7-V7-I7 type progression.  These chords briefly take the piece outside of G jazz minor.

I made this recording using my Eric Johnson Stratocaster.  The amp is my Vox 15-watt.  The chords and bass were prerecorded on my BOSS RC-2 loop station.  Some of the leads were worked out previous to the recording, while others are improvised.

Descents Into Sapphire Vales

I wrote and recorded this piece back in 2006.  It features a series of descending major seventh and suspended chords, followed by riffs and solos over major seventh chord progressions.  After repeating this pattern twice, a solo over a dominant seventh chord enters.  Finally, the original cycle is repeated.  There is some beautiful improv here, and the descending chords make up one of the most unique  progressions I've written.  I'm not sure which of my influences to attribute it to.  I used my Walden Natura DC550CE for the recording.

An Angry Blues Jam

This is just me blowing off some steam a few months back.  The rhythm part is a simple 12-bar blues that I pre-recorded on my Boss RC-2 Loop Station.

Spanish Dirge

I wrote Spanish Dirge many years ago.  I usually play it as an introduction to a longer flamenco piece, but I also like it as a stand alone number.  The music definitely expresses a contemplative dance with death.

For this recording, I used my Walden Natura Acoustic.  The pickup inside the guitar is loose, and you can hear it bouncing around when I use vibrato.  I tried playing it to a metronome, but I had a hard time getting the fermatas right, and I preferred the freer interpretation.

Funksylvania

I don't know when I wrote Funksylvania.  It's a jam that I've tinkered with for many years.  Explaining it will be more complicated than the blues and major mode pieces I've posted so far have been.

Some of my favorite scales for funk music are the modes of the jazz minor scale.  The jazz minor scale is a synthetic scale, which means it is derived from the traditional major scale by altering one note by a half-step.  This one alteration creates drastic differences in the character of the chords spelled out by the scale.

When the rules of creating tertian chords are applied to the traditional G major scale and its modes--G(do) A(re) B(mi) C(fa) D(sol) E(la) F#(ti) G(do)--most of the chords that result are very stable, commonly used, consonant chords: GMaj7, Amin7, Bmin7, CMaj7, D7, Emin7, F#-7b5.

When the rules of creating tertian chords are applied to the jazz minor scale and its modes--G A Bb C D E F# G--the chords that result are filled with commotion and dissonance:  Gmin7b5, Amin7, Bbmaj7#5, C7, D7, Emin7b5, F#min7b5.  The dissonant tritones in these chords, and the lack of any stable resolution of them, are perfect for colorful jazz-funk music.

Funksylvania can be divided into three repeating sections.  The first section begins with a funky riff based on the E Locrian ♮2 mode of the jazz minor scale.  The second section contains ascending power chords formed from the various flat, natural, and sharp fifths that appear in the jazz minor scale.  After repeating these two sections a couple of times, Funksylvania shifts into a funky vamp that climbs from C7, to D7, to Emin7b5, to F#minb5.  After the vamp climaxes, the whole piece returns to the first section.  Tasty chords and riffs formed from the jazz minor modes are peppered over the top of all three sections.  The form may be repeated as often as desired.

An improvised solo begins the first time the funk vamp of section three is played.  This section allows for improvised melodies based on the exotic Lydian Dominant, Mixolydian b6, Locrian ♮2, and Super Locrian modes.  The solo continues over the repeating form until the soloist decides to be done.  All of the jazz minor modes are given a chance to sing.

If this all sounds a bit complicated to some of my non-musician readers, that's because it is.  But don't worry--as a listening experience, Funksylvania offers easy, tasty, funky goodness with some unexpected but pleasant melodic and harmonic twists.

I recorded this version with my Eric Johnson Signature Stratocaster.  I used a Vox AC15 amplifier.  I prerecorded all guitar parts on my BOSS RC-2 Loop Station, except for the improvised solo beginning at 1:12, which is played over the top of the looped recording.  The  BOSS pedal also provided the prerecorded drums.

Just Moseyin'

This piece is a simple 12-bar blues in E.  The main 12-bar verse was written in one sitting a few weeks ago.  The solo that I take the third time through the 12-bar form was written last night.

The whole song uses the E blues scale.  I emphasize the Bb 'blue note' often.  The hardest thing about the piece is the little vibrato placed on sustained notes in the melody.  I usually got it in this recording, but I miss it a few times.

The main influence on this composition was probably Howlin' Wolf's "Spoonful."  I used my Walden Natura DC550CE for this recording.

The Renaissance Man

I wrote this piece many years ago.  I think it was influenced by Black Sabbath's Embryo, but I didn't notice the influence until sometime after I composed it.

The piece is in C major and alternates between two pedal tones.  First, I use A as a pedal tone.  The C major scale is then heard in the Aeolian mode.  Then, I switch to the E pedal tone.  The C major scale is  then hear in the Phrygian mode.

I recorded several versions.  All of them had flaws.  I'm quickly learning that recordings are merciless about small errors that would go unnoticed by most listeners at a live performance.  I don't have the luxury of time to be picky.  I chose the recording that captured the feeling I want for the piece, though it wasn't necessarily the best executed.  I used my Walden Natura DC550CE for the recording.

Baal's Brand

Ever since he first appeared in early blues recordings by artists like Clara Smith, Charlie Patton, and Robert Johnson, Satan has been a character in blues and rock music.  Baal's Brand is my take on the sold soul blues.  The lyrics were born while contemplating my personal addictions.  They were also influenced by descriptions of slavery in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

I bear Baal's brand deep in my chest

I bear Baal's brand deep in my chest

And he works me to the bone

He won't give me no rest

He keeps me tied down to that old ball and chain

He keeps me tied down to that old ball and chain

And when I don't mind him

Blood flows down like rain

They tell me that he owns my soul

They tell me that he owns my soul

And he tells me that

He will never let me go.

For this recording, I play slide in standard tuning on my Walden Natura.  The key is G and the 12 bar blues form is followed throughout.  The performance has some minor flaws, but I liked the feel of this take best, so I'm posting it.  The pictures in the video come from Wikipedia pages about Baal and Satan.

I bear Baal's brand deep in my chest

I bear Baal's brand deep in my chest

He works me to the bone

He will not let me rest

He ties me down with a strong chain

He ties me down with a strong chain

And when I don't mind him

My blood flows down like rain

They tell me that he owns my soul

They tell me that he owns my soul

And he says he will not

Let me escape his fold.

I've Got Major Blues

I wrote this piece back in 2006.  It's a typical twelve-bar blues in G, and the boogie riff is commonly played by guitarists, but I added some variations, especially during the solo, and a twist.  Instead of climbing up to the usual flatted seventh, I went to a major seventh.  This gives a very mellow, stable feel to each of the chords.

I recorded the piece in 2006 during two sessions in a small Utah studio.  I laid down the rhythm part during the first session.  I composed the melody and the solos the next day by improvising over the recorded rhythm track, and then I overdubbed them the next night.  I used my Walden Natura DC550CE acoustic-electric guitar.

The Magnificat

About 15 years ago, I started composing a cycle of instrumental guitar pieces about the life of Jesus.  I never finished the whole cycle, but I did finish several of the pieces.  This one was written while contemplating Mary's Magnificat prayer from Luke 1:46-55.  This recording was made about 10 years ago in a friend's basement studio.  I used a cheap Ibanez acoustic.

Magnificat Movie by Stan from Stan Szczesny on Vimeo.