Harmonic Minor Complete: Part I

Tom Lippincott·
0.0 (0 reviews)
·ADVANCED·Chord Melody·1 lesson
Just as the major scale is the basic “alphabet” used to construct chords and melodies for music in major keys, the harmonic minor scale is the “alphabet” used to build the harmonies of musical compositions in minor keys, which is how the scale gets its name. Because there exist so many alternate scales and harmonies to express minor key sounds, the harmonic minor scale often gets glossed over quickly by aspiring jazz musicians. While the harmonic minor scale doesn’t correspond quite so simply with minor keys the way the major scale does with major keys, familiarity with harmonic minor is an important step in mastering comping and improvising in minor keys. Additionally, the harmonic minor scale contains several “hidden” sounds that can provide fresh, new, and exciting possibilities for both comping and soloing. Part one of Harmonic Minor Complete breaks down the theory and reveals how, why, when, and where to use the scale in its basic form. It also explores the use of the harmonic minor scale to create more esoteric textures and provides a clear explanation of the modes and various techniques to make learning and utilizing them easier. Part two continues the exploration of ways to gain mastery over melodic and harmonic material for harmonic minor on guitar. This class also offers imaginative and exciting ideas for generating new musical sounds with the scale, both for comping/chordal playing and single-note soloing.

Harmonic Minor Complete part 1 covers:

  • Explanation of the structure of the scale
  • Discussion of the seven modes, with suggested uses, names, and typical chord voicings for each
  • Exploration of harmonies to form the basic chords of most minor-key songs, using both triads and seventh chords
  • Use of harmonic minor to define secondary dominant sounds resolving to diatonic minor chords
  • Using various modes to create new and unusual tonal colors
  • System for quickly remembering which mode to use for which sound
  • Suggested scale fingerings, including 7-positions, CAGED, and symmetrical
  • Exploring contrapuntal playing using different intervals within the scale
  • Intervallic patterns for increasing fluency
  • Exploration of diatonic triads in all inversions, all string sets
  • Open triads
  • Voice leading through diatonic cycles with both open and close triads
  • Root position close seventh chords

Course Details

  • 108 minutes in length
  • Includes 23 pages of written examples and exercises
  • Includes backing tracks for musical examples
  • All musical examples from the video are provided in music notation and tablature
  • Each example performance is shown in close-up view and titled and numbered for easy navigation

Course Content

Lessons

  • Harmonic Minor Complete pt I Full Class + Download6488

Reviews & Ratings

0.0
0 reviews
5
0
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
0

No reviews yet. Be the first to review this course!

Related Courses

About the instructor

Tom Lippincott
Eight- and six-string guitarist Tom Lippincott was born in New Jersey and grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but has made South Florida his home since 1988. He has a bachelor's degree in jazz studies from the University of North Texas as well as a master's in jazz performance from the University of Miami. Tom teaches jazz guitar at Florida International University, Miami Dade College, and Broward College. He also teaches lessons in person and online, conducts clinics and workshops, and has jazz guitar courses available through Mike’s Master Classes. As a longtime contributor to the South Florida jazz community, Tom has played and recorded extensively with many of the area’s musicians and bands. He has also performed throughout the world as both sideman and leader and has performed and/or recorded with jazz luminaries John Stowell, Jonathan Kreisberg, Ben Monder, Dave Liebman, Don Friedman, and Ed Schuller. In addition to previous recordings such as his 2000 release Painting the Slow Train Brown, Tom has been featured as a performer and composer recently on David Fernandez’s Land, as well as the upcoming release from Rodolfo Zuniga’s band Surfaces with Strings featuring Camila Meza. Tom has a new album of original compositions, Twenty Years Later, available on his website at tomlippincott.com.