Theory
how melody and harmony interact
part 1 – basic starting point
1. watch video and make a melody for the “Polly Woddle Doodle” progression in C
2. try same idea in a different key, (by moving the scale to a different fret, or, if you know multiple major scale positions, a different scale shape as well)
more advanced:
3. try same concept with a I and IV progression
4. if you know minor scales, try same concept with a I and V7 in a minor key
5. if you know minor scales, try same concept with I and IV in minor key
even more advanced:
6. build longer progressions (ex: 4 or 8 bars) with multiple diatonic chords, and create written or improvised melodies using same concept
summary and demonstration in a different key
part 2 – contrefacts
contrefact on Blues for Alice
contrefact on Devil on My Shoulder
part 3 – creating modal progressions
- Pick a mode and a key
- Write out notes in scale
- Write notes of the I chord to the 7th (Start on mode, every other for 1, 3, 5, 7)
- Write notes of II chord to the 7th (Start on and build 1, 3, 5, 7)
- Write notes of the VII chord to the 7th (Start on 7 and build 1, 3, 5, 7)
- Name I chord
- Name II chord
- Name VII chord
- Play all 3 chords in this fashion | I | II VII | or | I | % | II | VII | (any time signature or tempo)