Just love it! How you start the video saying: “just a quick one about that chord I played last time” and then you set of entire pieces of theory as well as practical execution and application of melodic minor and m6 and maj6 diminished scales. You are the most generous YT teacher I know. Depending on what level the viewer has, it can be a lot to digest, but they’re almost all reference video’s for life. Really people, become patreons with Alex, you will not regret it, or at least buy him a coffee.
Only recently discovered your channel but there’s such a wealth of material that’s right up my alley. I shall be spending a lot of time absorbing this. Thanks Alex. I foresee a first Patreon subscription for me
The bebop minor scale harmonization stuff is so cool. I understand it in concept but internalizing it all so that it's right under my fingers is very daunting.
Be patient with yourself learning this stuff. I've been working with these Barry Harris, eight note scale harmonization off and on for several years and it still feels like I've barely scratched the surface.
Just got side tracked watching a jazz guy , Noel Johnson , doing a lesson on shopan , which is the furthest thing from my wheel house. Red wine made me adventurous , but half way through he mentioned Barry Harris and I knew I’d recently heard that name from one of your vids. Anyway , just thought I’d join the irrelevant dots , couldn’t help myself, but like you , Noel Johnson seemed liked such a proficient knowledgeable modest player with similar tastes🤷🏻 Just putin’ it out there 😉
Whew! A mini universe in12 minutes. I probably spent 90 minutes just trying to process this lesson. Knockout rendition of " I Surrender Dear"! Great for my old brain. What should I prepare for my first Zoom lesson?
Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed this one! You don’t necessarily need to prepare anything in particular, but if there’s a certain piece (whether one of mine or your own doesn’t matter at all), that you can play me, that’d help me to see where you’re at 👍🏻
Where should I start… all that crazy stuff, bottomless knowledge, love it as much as it scares me ! I definitely have to think about this melodic minor plus 5#… Your skills are very impressive to me, I wonder how long, and hard must have been your path to reach this. And we all know it’s just a beginning, even for you. A friend of mine was laughing at me about my thoughts about buying a Tele, cause you can’t play jazz with it ! Well, another beautiful evidence. Jazz is not a only gear stuff, for sure. Your lessons make me humble, as humble I’m sure you are. Well, talking too much, let’s have a look at this only two chords harmonization… Thank you Alex 🙏
You’re absolutely right my friend, never stop learning! I’m constantly striving to improve and learn new concepts and sounds.. it’s what keeps things fresh! It does take a lot of practice for sure, but it’s so worthwhile of course. Thanks again for commenting buddy 🙏🏻
I think I noticed another application for this when messing around with it. If you're thinking of the m6 as a iv chord, then you can use it as a min ii chord as well. So in a minor i - iv - V in F, Bbm6 would be the four chord, but in a minor ii - V - i in F, you could also use Bbm6 voicings as a substitute for the Gm7b5. The min iv chord and the ii m7b5 are linked together. Is that right? So whenever you're playing a minor ii - V - i you play the minor iv chord instead of the ii, and it gives you all those m6 voicings.
Great comment Alex and yes, that is absolutely right! In fact, it’s one of my main tactics for playing over a minor ii-V-i .. I think iv V i instead. It’s a how I believe Django saw it too and is where I first picked it up from. Spotting these relationships is a profound thing and opens up so many doors.. to further extrapolate, you could now assume that you can play the iv melodic minor scale over the iim7b5 chord 😎
I just discovered your videos. Fantastic playing! I've ordered a few transcriptions from your site and look forward to working through them. Any chance you teach online lessons?
Thank you so much Patrick, I really appreciate the support and am so glad you’re enjoying the content. I teach guitar for a living and do indeed do online lessons over Skype. If you’re interested in booking a session in, drop me an email at; contact@alexfarranguitar.com Thanks again buddy 🙏🏻
Alex - I like your content and presentation. I stumbled across you because of the XTS String Bending Competition (your video was brilliant - very delicate bending with lots of emotion). My question is - is your material presented in any way to take a somewhat beginner to jazz through some of this more advanced material? Do you teach this? Jack
Hi Jack, thank you for your kind words my friend! I would say my RUclips lessons so far have been tailored more to intermediate jazz musicians. I do teach privately though and take a lot of pride in presenting things in an easy to digest way for absolute beginners too. Harder to condense that stuff into a RUclips video though. Thanks again, Alex 🙏🏻🍻
Anything you don’t know.🥷? I think all I can take from those beautiful minor jazz blues concepts for the time being is just to try and clean and crisp. You and Jason Loughlin ( country , western swing guy) seem to be in a precise, clean playing league of your own. Inspiring on its own Practice slow , learn clean. Thanks
Lot's of videos out there on the Barry Harris concept, yours being one of the best if not the best. I would like to see someone do a video (preferably you) using this concept in a straight ahead blues using dominant harmony. Is is just as simple as using the m6/dim shapes, except your root is just the 4 of your m6/dim root? Example, playing your Em6/dim shapes but using an A root. Have I answered my own question or is there another approach?
@@AlexFarranGuitar After another hour of crunching your comment (30 seconds of Alex is half a day for me, on average): shouldn't that be a flat9 (Db) in that rootless C9 to be equal to an Em6 (E-G-B-Db)? And would it then function as dominant (V7), or as (temporal) tonal centre (I)? Em6 is also a rootless A7, which might be what @dylanthomas389 is asking about. With dominant function (V7) that'd point e.g. to a D(7 if bluesy). But in the video here the dim chords seem to get the dominant function. How would that work with a blues? Though... looking at only 3 notes, inside both a m6, a dim and a 7 ('dom') chord you find the same triad: E-G-Db acting as 1-b3-6 in Em6 = 1-b3-bb7 in Edim = 5-b7-3 in A7. So there's a clear overlap between the three, they could all get dominant function. It apparently depends (chromatically!) which 4th note is added to that 'dom' triad for it to function one way or another.
@@sytsew thanks for the comment. I just realised that I mis-spoke in my comment above.. I meant to say that Em7b5 is the same thing as a rootless C9. (Therefore the minor 6 would be Gm6. But while we’re discussing this, it’s worth noting that we’re dealing with a couple of different things here. So first of all, let’s forget about fully diminished chords ie; Edim7 being equivalent to C7(b9) and focus on generating “diatonic” mixolydian dominant sounds.. (that’s what I was referring to in my comment above). In which case, Em7b5 provides the 3, 5, b7 and 9 of our C9 chord. Em7b5 is also a Gm6 3rd inversion.
Just love it! How you start the video saying: “just a quick one about that chord I played last time” and then you set of entire pieces of theory as well as practical execution and application of melodic minor and m6 and maj6 diminished scales. You are the most generous YT teacher I know. Depending on what level the viewer has, it can be a lot to digest, but they’re almost all reference video’s for life. Really people, become patreons with Alex, you will not regret it, or at least buy him a coffee.
Ah my friend, that is such a lovely comment.. makes me very happy indeed to see you getting so much out of the lessons. Thank you 🙏🏻
Hands down the best lesson/theory channel on YT. Really well explained theory behind every lesson. Thanks Alex, I’m gonna sign up for your Patreon!
Thank you so much Matt, I really appreciate that! 🙏🏻
blimey
Beautiful progressions. Thank you Alex.
Thanks for watching! 🙏🏻
It is all a bit over my head, but enjoy listening and absorbing what I can.
Only recently discovered your channel but there’s such a wealth of material that’s right up my alley. I shall be spending a lot of time absorbing this. Thanks Alex. I foresee a first Patreon subscription for me
Thanks for the kind words my friend, I'm so glad you enjoy the lessons! 🙏🏻
The bebop minor scale harmonization stuff is so cool. I understand it in concept but internalizing it all so that it's right under my fingers is very daunting.
It is a deep subject for sure, but just understanding one small element within it and putting it to good use is the way forward 👌🏻
Be patient with yourself learning this stuff. I've been working with these Barry Harris, eight note scale harmonization off and on for several years and it still feels like I've barely scratched the surface.
Alex...so great ...playing gypsy swing ...you can't have enough M6 stuff ....
You are friggin awesome 👌
Ah thanks Bob, you’re very kind! Glad you dig it 🙏🏻🍻
Just got side tracked watching a jazz guy , Noel Johnson , doing a lesson on shopan , which is the furthest thing from my wheel house.
Red wine made me adventurous , but half way through he mentioned Barry Harris and I knew I’d recently heard that name from one of your vids.
Anyway , just thought I’d join the irrelevant dots , couldn’t help myself, but like you , Noel Johnson seemed liked such a proficient knowledgeable modest player with similar tastes🤷🏻
Just putin’ it out there 😉
Thanks for the comment Adam, glad you're doing plenty of exploration! 🙏🏻
Whew! A mini universe in12 minutes. I probably spent 90 minutes just trying to process this lesson. Knockout rendition of " I Surrender Dear"! Great for my old brain.
What should I prepare for my first Zoom lesson?
Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed this one! You don’t necessarily need to prepare anything in particular, but if there’s a certain piece (whether one of mine or your own doesn’t matter at all), that you can play me, that’d help me to see where you’re at 👍🏻
Where should I start… all that crazy stuff, bottomless knowledge, love it as much as it scares me ! I definitely have to think about this melodic minor plus 5#… Your skills are very impressive to me, I wonder how long, and hard must have been your path to reach this. And we all know it’s just a beginning, even for you. A friend of mine was laughing at me about my thoughts about buying a Tele, cause you can’t play jazz with it ! Well, another beautiful evidence. Jazz is not a only gear stuff, for sure. Your lessons make me humble, as humble I’m sure you are. Well, talking too much, let’s have a look at this only two chords harmonization… Thank you Alex 🙏
You’re absolutely right my friend, never stop learning! I’m constantly striving to improve and learn new concepts and sounds.. it’s what keeps things fresh!
It does take a lot of practice for sure, but it’s so worthwhile of course.
Thanks again for commenting buddy 🙏🏻
I think I noticed another application for this when messing around with it. If you're thinking of the m6 as a iv chord, then you can use it as a min ii chord as well. So in a minor i - iv - V in F, Bbm6 would be the four chord, but in a minor ii - V - i in F, you could also use Bbm6 voicings as a substitute for the Gm7b5. The min iv chord and the ii m7b5 are linked together. Is that right? So whenever you're playing a minor ii - V - i you play the minor iv chord instead of the ii, and it gives you all those m6 voicings.
Great comment Alex and yes, that is absolutely right! In fact, it’s one of my main tactics for playing over a minor ii-V-i .. I think iv V i instead. It’s a how I believe Django saw it too and is where I first picked it up from. Spotting these relationships is a profound thing and opens up so many doors.. to further extrapolate, you could now assume that you can play the iv melodic minor scale over the iim7b5 chord 😎
@@AlexFarranGuitar that's awesome! It's amazing how much mileage you can get from one idea! Thanks for the great lesssons!
That's so true my friend! And thanks for the comment 🙏🏻
I just discovered your videos. Fantastic playing! I've ordered a few transcriptions from your site and look forward to working through them. Any chance you teach online lessons?
Thank you so much Patrick, I really appreciate the support and am so glad you’re enjoying the content. I teach guitar for a living and do indeed do online lessons over Skype. If you’re interested in booking a session in, drop me an email at; contact@alexfarranguitar.com
Thanks again buddy 🙏🏻
Alex - I like your content and presentation. I stumbled across you because of the XTS String Bending Competition (your video was brilliant - very delicate bending with lots of emotion). My question is - is your material presented in any way to take a somewhat beginner to jazz through some of this more advanced material? Do you teach this? Jack
Hi Jack, thank you for your kind words my friend! I would say my RUclips lessons so far have been tailored more to intermediate jazz musicians. I do teach privately though and take a lot of pride in presenting things in an easy to digest way for absolute beginners too. Harder to condense that stuff into a RUclips video though. Thanks again, Alex 🙏🏻🍻
As soon as I hear those chords I’m thinking Django Reinhardt.
Definitely very Django-esque in flavour 👌🏻😎
Anything you don’t know.🥷?
I think all I can take from those beautiful minor jazz blues concepts for the time being is just to try and clean and crisp.
You and Jason Loughlin ( country , western swing guy) seem to be in a precise, clean playing league of your own.
Inspiring on its own
Practice slow , learn clean.
Thanks
Wow thank you so much Adam, that’s very kind of you! Happy to be mentioned alongside Jason Loughlin.. he’s a fantastic player. 🙏🏻
Lot's of videos out there on the Barry Harris concept, yours being one of the best if not the best. I would like to see someone do a video (preferably you) using this concept in a straight ahead blues using dominant harmony. Is is just as simple as using the m6/dim shapes, except your root is just the 4 of your m6/dim root? Example, playing your Em6/dim shapes but using an A root. Have I answered my own question or is there another approach?
That’s a cool idea! You’re close with your thinking there. The way in is to understand that Em6 for example, is the same as a rootless C9👌🏻
@@AlexFarranGuitar After another hour of crunching your comment (30 seconds of Alex is half a day for me, on average): shouldn't that be a flat9 (Db) in that rootless C9 to be equal to an Em6 (E-G-B-Db)? And would it then function as dominant (V7), or as (temporal) tonal centre (I)?
Em6 is also a rootless A7, which might be what @dylanthomas389 is asking about. With dominant function (V7) that'd point e.g. to a D(7 if bluesy). But in the video here the dim chords seem to get the dominant function. How would that work with a blues? Though... looking at only 3 notes, inside both a m6, a dim and a 7 ('dom') chord you find the same triad: E-G-Db acting as 1-b3-6 in Em6 = 1-b3-bb7 in Edim = 5-b7-3 in A7. So there's a clear overlap between the three, they could all get dominant function. It apparently depends (chromatically!) which 4th note is added to that 'dom' triad for it to function one way or another.
@@sytsew thanks for the comment. I just realised that I mis-spoke in my comment above.. I meant to say that Em7b5 is the same thing as a rootless C9. (Therefore the minor 6 would be Gm6.
But while we’re discussing this, it’s worth noting that we’re dealing with a couple of different things here. So first of all, let’s forget about fully diminished chords ie; Edim7 being equivalent to C7(b9) and focus on generating “diatonic” mixolydian dominant sounds.. (that’s what I was referring to in my comment above). In which case, Em7b5 provides the 3, 5, b7 and 9 of our C9 chord. Em7b5 is also a Gm6 3rd inversion.