Jason Lyon Music

Category: a) Soloing Scales & Modes

  • How Strange the Change…

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    Jason
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    …from major to minor. I sometimes get “Dear Auntie Jase” emails, and I think it can be useful to post the results of the correspondence (anonymity guaranteed of course). If you have any questions, do contact me and I’ll try to help more than confuse. So you’ve learned your II V I stuff in the…

  • ‘Whoops’ Arithmetic

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    Jason
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    or how to play major 7ths on dominants without getting fired. There’s a point in Miles’ autobiography where he recounts arguing with Charlie Parker. Bird told him you can play any tone on any chord, Miles disagreed and was proven wrong at the gig they went to that very night. On a blues. Miles admitted…

  • Monky Business

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    Some thoughts on whole-tone scales, altered scales and passing tones. Ah, Thelonius Sphere Monk (certainly no square). A very influential composer and performer. He was once described by a hip journo as “the high beast of prebop” (clever Spoonerism or a boozy lunch, you be the judge). Monk was actually an incredibly naturally gifted musician…

  • Hexatonics, My Pretties…

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    Jason
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    This one’s for Elton Mottley, a guitarist (and southpaw, unless he’s flipped his avatar). He recently got in touch to say he didn’t know what a hexatonic was. No shame in that at all. I have a somewhat childish streak to my sense of humour (you might have noticed) and replied to Elton that a hexatonic…

  • Inside, Outside, Leave Me Alone

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    Jason
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    Some Thoughts on Accompanying an Adventurous Soloist. “It is a truth universally acknowledged that accomplished pianoforte accompaniment requires such skills of listening, following, supporting, interacting, suggesting and sometimes even leading, as have been correctly acquired for the purpose of conduct in polite society. Yet what, dear reader, is a humble pianofortist to do, when confronted with the discomforting prospect…

  • To Hanon or not to Hanon?

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    Jason
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    Originally posted on Sonic Octarine: English: Hanon example of studies Nederlands: Voorbeeld oefening Charles-Louis Hanon (Photo credit: Wikipedia) That is the real question… The Virtuoso Pianist , a compilation of 60 exercises by Charles-Louis Hanon, is meant to address the common technical difficulties that stand between an average pianist and a virtuoso. In my opinion…

  • Diminished Responsibility

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    Jason
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    Jazz musicians don’t use the harmonic minor scale, right? Wrong. Of course, everyone would admit there are occasions where the harmonic minor is specifically called for, to evoke a sort of “Eastern promise” sound (a lot of people use it on Nardis and Caravan, for instance). But actually this scale is commonly used in all…

  • Composing Solos – or How to Cheat

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    Jason
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    I have often found it a very useful exercise to sit down and precompose a few choruses of soloing over a tune that’s captured my imagination at the time. It’s pretty obvious to say, really, but improvising is ultimately nothing more or less than instantaneous composition. Since we don’t have the luxury of time when…

  • Are Modes all Greek to You?

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    “Just play the white notes from D to D my dear, that’s the Dorian mode.” “Okay, but isn’t that just Dm7?” “No no no, you’re playing modally.” “Riiiiight. So maestro, what’s the difference?” “Goes back to the Greeks, you silly girl.” “Who are you calling silly in that wig? It’s certainly all ελληνικά to me…”…

  • Bebop Part II – All the Exercises You Can Eat

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    Jason
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    Bebop is ultimately all about being able to play any chromatic tone on any chord. Obviously, if we just play chromatically with free abandon, the harmony goes out the window. Theory dictates that we place strong tones on strong beats to best convey the harmony. The principle is simple – these exercises are designed to…