Articles by Thomas “MarloweDK” Risell - Page 5

In this new lesson, we’ll break down the concepts of utilizing triads in expanding your fretboard knowledge and control. We’ll explore triad inversions, different fingerings and using triads as target notes to achieve this goal. The video starts with a demonstration of a solo over a G Major chord. I’m playing a G Major triad. A triad is of course...

This week, I’m kicking off a new lesson focusing on the foundation of music – the major scale. Read over this lesson and then be sure to check out the video for a demonstration. Western music harmony is mostly based on the 7 steps of the major scale, and the chords built on the major scale are very common to...

In my last lesson, we covered the topic of improvising over a minor 7 chord. This time around, we’re going to focus on improvising over a minor key progression. For this lesson, we’ll use this progression: | Am7 | G7 | FMaj7 | FMaj7 Bm7b5 | For this particular progression, you can play the A minor Aeolian/A minor pentatonic scale,...

Today, I’m kicking off a new Practical Theory lesson series, starting with an approach to improvising over a minor 7 chord. In the video below, I demonstrate a solo groove before describing the approach. In jazz, funk, and rock, if a solo section consists of a static minor 7 chord, most often the Dorian minor scale is used. The Dorian...

In this third and final installment of the Practice Tips for Scales series, we continue our look at the Major tetrachord formula to practicing scales. (Be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2). This week, we dive into arpeggios, using consistent patterns to repeat on the upper register of the neck. Once we get comfortable with the pattern,...

This week, we’re continuing where we left off with Part 1 of this series, covering the Major tetrachord formula to practice scales. This week, we expand on the basics by covering various finger patterns and covering the entire neck. As part of this exercise, we’ll also skip notes in the scale, playing in thirds, fourths, fifths, and so on, to...

Practicing scales in a musical way helps keep things interesting. In this lesson, we kick off with some tips for practicing scales by using different intervals, arpeggios and fingerings. We’re also introducing a new approach to looking at the Major scale formula. Normally, we view it as 7 different steps (8, if you count the octave): G A B C...

I recently picked up the GR2 Envelope Filter from 3Leaf Audio and decided to give it a spin in front of the camera. This is a great little pedal that offers a lot of possibilities. For the demo, my set up includes: Bass: Sandberg California JJ Strings: Dunlop Nickel plated Medium gauge 45 -105 Amp: TC Electronic RH450 Cab: TC...

Continuing our series on slap bass, today we’ll combine several of the elements from the first five lessons in this series, and add “octaves” to the mix. FYI, in this lesson, I’m paying a Shergold Modulator bass. If anyone know where to get modules for it, please let me know in the comments below. Check out the entire Slap Bass...

Today, we continue the Slap Bass 101 series, adding the basic “funk/rock scale” – the minor pentatonic, with trills, to what we’ve learned so far. Check out the entire Slap Bass 101 series: Part 1: Slap Bass Introduction Part 2 – Building on the Basics Part 3 – Left Hand Slap & Hammer-Ons Part 4 – Right Hand Pluck/Pop

In this lesson, we’ll build on the concepts in Part 3 and add the right hand pluck/pop. Next time: Funk/Rock Scale Basics! In case you missed them, here are Parts 1-3: Part 1: Slap Bass Introduction Part 2: Building on the Basics Part 3: Left Hand Slap & Hammer-Ons

This week, we continue building on the foundation established in Part 1 (the basics) and Part 2 (building on the basics), and add left hand slap concepts and hammer-ons. Next: Right hand pluck and pop