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Topic: Approach to Inversions |
Rick Myrland
From:
New Orleans
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Posted 30 Jul 2008 10:26 am |
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I understand the essential nature of using an inversion, but who can shed some light on selecting which inversion to pick? Is there a theory or "best practices" approach as to wether you pick 10-8-6 or the 6-5-4?
Along this line, I just received Buddy Emmons E9 Vocabulary chart and CD (a great compliment to the Mel Bay Chord Chart) and, for example, to play a Maj. 6th 5 frets up you activate the "e" KL which lowers 8 and 4; doesn't this mean you actually HAVE to include these strings in your inversion or you won't have a Maj 6th? Seems to me if you are going for a particular chord and a string is raised or lowered by a pedal or KL then that must be included in the inversion in order to achieve that chord. |
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John Steele
From:
Renfrew, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 30 Jul 2008 10:55 am
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I'd say the most important thing to consider about different inversions is: which note is on top ?
The note on top will sing out as the main or melody note, and the notes underneath will just help to harmonically support it. That's the main consideration for me.
-John |
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John McClung
From:
Olympia WA, USA
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Posted 30 Jul 2008 8:37 pm
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What Mr. Steele said, exactly!
_________________
E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net |
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Scott Swartz
From:
St. Louis, MO
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Posted 31 Jul 2008 7:16 am
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This is something I have been thinking about a lot, different inversions and which notes end up sounding like the melody and which supporting harmony.
I find that its not only which is the highest note, for instance if I am using the intervals on strings 5 and 8 (on E9) and moving the note on string 8 more actively with pedal and lever moves than the note on string 5 I hear the melody on the lower string and the upper tone as harmony. Maybe its all in my head, or maybe the note that is moving more is the one perceived as melody.
Or the simple AB stomp scale on 3 and 5 up and down the neck. Which is melody, which is harmony? Does it define itself by the chords and bass line it is played over?
The volume of each voice matters also I guess.
Of course its even more complex with triad or four note chords.
Does anyone know of steel instruction that addresses this specifically?
I suppose there are piano or string arranging books that discuss this in detail.
_________________
Scott Swartz
Steeltronics - Steel Guitar Pickups
www.steeltronics.com |
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Andrew Roblin
From:
Various places
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Posted 1 Aug 2008 4:42 am
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These questions concern "harmony and voice leading," a subject taught in college-level music programs. There are many good textbooks.
Here are my opinions:
* The most prominent voices in any chord tend to be the lowest and highest. If you move to those notes in a nice way, you can get away with a lot on the inner voices.
* There are exceptions. Sometimes an inner voice carries the melody. Much depends on how the musician plays the notes and how the listener perceives them. As Scott says, the most active voice tends to sound like the melody.
* College-level courses are based on the harmonic practices of JS Bach. Bach prized smooth voice-leading and avoid parallel 5ths and octaves, which can sound clumsy or crude harmonically.
* Today, though, many musicians like to use parallel 5ths and octaves--heavy metal guitarists, for instance. Generally, if you want to sound smooth and sophisticated, it helps to follow Bach's rules. If you want to sound hard-edged, break the rules.
* Harmony and voice-leading is worth studying. It will help your playing and listening. |
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 1 Aug 2008 5:26 am
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| Quote: |
| Along this line, I just received Buddy Emmons E9 Vocabulary chart and CD (a great compliment to the Mel Bay Chord Chart) and, for example, to play a Maj. 6th 5 frets up you activate the "e" KL which lowers 8 and 4; doesn't this mean you actually HAVE to include these strings in your inversion or you won't have a Maj 6th? Seems to me if you are going for a particular chord and a string is raised or lowered by a pedal or KL then that must be included in the inversion in order to achieve that chord |
Chords don't contain levers,pedals or strings - they contain notes so you gotta know what notes make up a chord - only then can you know what to leave out. What pedals and levers used to get them is incidental. To express a Maj6 chord in a given context you could use as little a 2 notes(the 3rd and the 6th)if one of those notes happens to be the melody at that moment or if someone else is playing the melody. And if there's a bass player defining the root it can help you distill the elements of your chord even more. Lots of times the 5th and the root are completely disposable. One of the most powerful was to express a 13th chord for instance is 7 on the bottom,3rd in the middle and 6th on top - no root,no 5th. No,I'd say that most of the time you wouldn't want to play the whole technical chord - it's often too bulky.That has really sunk in for me by taking up mandolin where you only have 4 strings to play whatever you're gonna play. |
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