Chapter 3 - Scales, arpeggios and easy pieces

17 Pages·2013·1.98 MB·English

Chapter 3: Scales, arpeggios, and easy pieces
Scales
Modern western music is based on a 12-tone scale of consonances and
dissonances divided into equal intervals of tones and semitones: C, C#, D,
D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B.
Major scales are built on a pattern of: tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone,
semitone
C D E F G A B C
The C major scale spans 8 notes (an octave) from lower C to higher C, and is
in the key of C major. The sharps are called accidentals and are not counted
in the scale.
Play the following C scale:
Ensure you alternate the RH fingers i m;
Play the first note C with your 3rd LH finger on the 5th string;
Play notes D, E, F on the 4rth, G, A on 3rd, B,C,D on 2nd, and E,F,G on 1st
strings.
Copyright 2013 Donald J Porter Fretted Music 1
Chapter 3: Scales, arpeggios, and easy pieces
The distance between two notes is called an interval. The intervals of C
major scale from bottom C are as follows:
Unison; 2nd; 3rd; 4rth; 5th; 6th; 7th; Octave
Basic chords consist of triads. A root position triad begins on the 1st degree
of the triad followed by two intervals, each a 3rd apart. So a C chord
comprises C, E and G; a G chord G, B and D.
C Triad G Triad
Root 3rd 5th Root 3rd 5th
The above triads are in root position: they consist of a root (1st), 3rd, and 6th
degree counting up from the root.
Triads can be in root position, first inversion and second inversion. The first
inversion triad begins on its 3rd degree by having its root C raised from the
bottom to the top of the chord, with C now at an interval of a fourth above
G. The second inversion triad begins on the 5th degree by having its 3rd
raised to the top of the chord above C.
Root 1st inv. 2nd inv. Root
Copyright 2013 Donald J Porter Fretted Music 2
Chapter 3: Scales, arpeggios, and easy pieces
Guitar chords are often not in root position but are chord inversions for
ease of playing. Try playing the following 2nd inversions of C and G on the
guitar.
Fernando Sor: Study in C
Study in C by Fernando Sor is based on the C major scale and includes the
above 2nd inversion chords C and G. Pay careful attention to the LH and
RH fingerings. The first note (minim) is played for 2 beats.

See if you can identify the different intervals between notes.
Copyright 2013 Donald J Porter Fretted Music 3
Chapter 3: Scales, arpeggios, and easy pieces
We have studied minims, crotchets and quavers. Semi-quavers or 16th notes
further divide the bar into 4 notes per beat, which can be counted as: 1 e +
a, 2 e + a. Practice playing semi-quavers slowly and evenly on the open G
string. Don’t rush.
A further sub-division of notes is three quavers per beat played as triplets.
Triplets are counted evenly as 1 2 3 or 1 + a.
1 + a 2 + a 3 + a etc ...
ARPEGGIOS
Playing chords as arpeggios is excellent for RH finger development. Play the
C major arpeggios (C and G chords) in free stroke until they become second
nature. Hold your left and fingers down on each chord for the length of a
bar. Play with a light touch.
Copyright 2013 Donald J Porter Fretted Music 4
Chapter 3: Scales, arpeggios, and easy pieces
Prelude in C by Ferninando Carulli is a straightforward p i m arpeggio
exercise. It is worth first playing the arpeggios as chords. In particular, the
new chords are E minor, A minor, D minor, E7, and A7. Both E7 and A7 are
outside the key of C.
Em Am Dm E7 A7
Play the bass line of the Prelude separately before playing the full arpeggios.
Copyright 2013 Donald J Porter Fretted Music 5
Chapter 3: Scales, arpeggios, and easy pieces
This selection from Giuliani’s 120 Right-Hand Studies offer arpeggio
practice with chords. I have modified them slightly (by removing the bottom
G) for ease of playing.
Copyright 2013 Donald J Porter Fretted Music 6
Chapter 3: Scales, arpeggios, and easy pieces
Dotted Notes
A dot added to a note increases the note’s length by one half. So a crotchet
= 2 quavers; a dotted crotchet = 3 quavers. A dotted minim = 3 crotchets.
dotted crotchet = 3 quavers dotted minim = 3 crotchets
The bass notes in this waltz by Carulli are dotted crotchets. The time
signature 3/8 means 3 eighth notes (quavers) per bar to be played faster than
3/4 time. The doubled bass notes indicate two voices to be played as a single
note. Ensure that your i m a fingers continue to alternate in walking fashion
for single notes, while p plays the bass throughout. Repeat each section
once. Play lightly.
Copyright 2013 Donald J Porter Fretted Music 7
Chapter 3: Scales, arpeggios, and easy pieces
This second piece by Carulli is in common (4/4) time, but starts on beat 3.
Count the first 2 beats before beginning on the 3rd.
Copyright 2013 Donald J Porter Fretted Music 8
Chapter 3: Scales, arpeggios, and easy pieces
Twinkle Little Star
We looked at Twinkle Little Star in Chapter 2. This time we are adding the
accompaniment to the tune.
Start by playing the melody and accompaniment separately. Count 1 + 2 +
but do not play on beat 2. The effect is 1 + pause +. An apostrophe (‘) is used
to indicate the 1/2 beat pause.
The RH fingering is p i i throughout.
Copyright 2013 Donald J Porter Fretted Music 9
Chapter 3: Scales, arpeggios, and easy pieces
Now play the two parts together. Give the melody more emphasis so it rings
out above the song by playing the accompaniment more quietly.
Many classical pieces of music use Alberti bass (an alternating bass pattern)
as accompaniment to a melody. Play the following Alberti bass pattern with
alternating p i fingers.
Skip to My Lou
Skip to My Lou employs Alberti bass. Play the alternating p i bass
separately, then add the melody.
Copyright 2013 Donald J Porter Fretted Music 10