VAN EPS, HARMONIC MECHANISMS FOR GUITAR VOLUME 1. Possente edizione di teoria musicale, sugli intervalli, le triadi gli accordi con notazione tradizionale. 329 pagine.
Product Description:
The most in-depth, revolutionary presentation of the harmonic framework of music is applied to the guitar fingerboard ever presented. Leads to total mastery of harmonic and technical aspects of the guitar. The material in this landmark series of 3 massive volumes address virtually every aspect of playing jazz guitar representing the fruits of years of the author's investigation of harmony and fingerboard mobility. This series of books leads to total mastery of the harmonic and technical aspects of the guitar. In notation only.
General Remarks
The Mighty Triads
Reductions
Sixths with Upper Line Motion
The Visual Fingerboard
Chromatic Triads
Super and Sub Series
Chromatics - Triads
Chromatics - Triads - Major & Series
Blockouts
GEORGE VAN EPS ... In Admiration
by Charlie Menees
Rich rewards from this book
were mine considerably before
knowledge began to unfold from
its pages. Title and content were
unknowns as anxiously I awaited
my first opportunity to meet, now
also an author, a musician I had
admired from afar for decades.
The phone jingled and Mel
Bay said George Van Eps was
carfi~ Menees. Jor decodes0jozz
obMrrn; ,.'rirer, reacher, record col. coming to St. Louis to finalize
I«ror, lives in SL Louis, hosrs "Jazz publishing of a guitar book Van
Undo rhe A rrh" every Sarurday
. hronKMOXradio. rhe Voice oJ Eps had written. Would I like
SL Louis. lunch, later dinner, with the visitor?
The heart of a veteran music buff and record collector beat
faster at the thought of shaking hands for the first time with a
longtime idol. Anticipation repeated later at a second similar
in itation.
In those two meetings I got better than casually acquainted
with both George Van Eps, the guitarist, and the person. Now
I feel so at ease with this talented, articulate, warm, and gentle
person that I beg permission to henceforth refer to him on most
occasions in these paragraphs, but always respectfully, by his
first name.
I suspected, but now know for sure, that George is more than
the jazz guitarist that prior reading and recordings had mainly
emphasized I discovered that he is no less capable, knowledgeable,
and concerned in classical and other schools of
guitar.
His knowledge and defense of many musics brought realization
that my own limited musical abilities and knowledge are
insufficient qualification for the indepth expert appraisal that
George's writings deserve. Therefore, I unashamedly admit
that some of the judgments, insights, and forecasts, even to
some exact phrases, evolve from discussion with Mel Bay, and
his son Bill.
But before any of that, it is high priority to cite the zeal and
devotion George has devoted to this guitar text writings in the
recent several years. Concert and recording performances
politely turned down, hopefully only temporarily, he had
labored almost exclusively on this and companion volumes to
follo . The overall project has become something of a
mission, the zenith of a dedicated artist-creator's hopes to
bestow a worthy and abiding legacy to the ages. Perhaps "life's
ork" is apt Rest assured that not forgotten for a moment is
the George Van E ps legion of already indelible guitar legacies
e hed on recordings.
Guitar and guitarist are George's constant concerns. Guitar
playing, to him, is never less than an art. Evolving fresh in.
ISinto the guitar and its playing are based, of course, on his
any years of study, creation, and performance. Enhancing
. recurring freshness is unflagging enthusiasm.
George's concepts transcend anyone particular style of
music they are applicable to anyone who has ever played
guitar whether by pick or finger. His text challenges both
diligent work and that enriching type of concentration deed
scribed as·”thinking through." George probably didn't realize
that his writings, to borrow from an old expression, both "light
a candle and "flll the bucket."
These pages encourage regard of the guitar in new light, as
vehicle for harmonic expression rather than just a medium for
concern with chord forms and inversions as block entities.
Ever on surface are the author's hopes that the guitarist will
view each note and voice in every chordal structure as one
independent entity leading to another independent entity,
The text is chromatically oriented, and explores infinite
harmonic possibilities, both factors necessary in developing
the ear that hears the remarkably unusual in chordal movement.
Exposed are growing respect for the guitar, and constant
striving for mastery of what the author feels are the instrument'
s still unattained potentials. Dedication to techniques, he
emphasizes, is the guaranteed path to future guitar creativity
and achievement. Guitarists unaware of the unexplored and
unattained can hopefully be convinced that only years of study
and impervious dedication will open the windows of this
exciting new guitar world.
George's text outlines exceptional and multi-perspective
working knowledge of the guitar fingerboard in all positions.
The guitarist completing this, and succeeding volumes will
have worked arduously up and down the guitar neck through
countless harmonic possibilities, with hands accustomed to
moving in new and independently creative possibilities.
Developed is an extraordinary degree of independence in
both left and right hand, mastery of which will catapult the
guitarist to a lofty level of coordination between the two. The
ultimate, of course, is George's" thinking" approach to guitar
No room therein for routine and redundant ideas of chordal
formations.
A work of this magnitude, from such a virtuoso. Should be
sought by guitarists of countless generations. These timeless
concepts will remain fresh and viable in the twenty-first
century.
George belongs to that famous Van Eps plectrist family that
eminated from Plainfield, New Jersey. Fred Van Eps, the
famous banjoist, headed that remarkable family tha produced
four sons who became leading professional musicians, Bobby,
Fred, John and George.
From banjo, young George switched to guitar. Became best
known to the wide public for stellar work in the bands of Harry
Reser, Smith Ballew, Freddy Martin, Benny Goodman and
Ray Noble, and for work with Paul Weston, Matty Matlock
and many others. For years he was one of Hollywood's top
studio players. Stars with whom he appeared and accompanied
are now super stars in show biz history.
Guitar followers are aware, of course, that George has long
been distinguished as designer of the 7-string guitar-the
added one being a bass string. He performs on this instrument
on several Capitol and Columbia recordings which, though
now out of print, can be located for study in libraries and
private collections. Titles include "My Guitar,” “George Van
Eps and His Seven-String Guitar:' and soliloquy, Contents
reveal several original works preserved as evidence of
George's gifts as composer.
If George Van Eps were not so modest about his truly
remarkable and creative musical talents and accomplishments,
and about his equall impressive abilities to talk with
enviable articulation, humor, honesty and accurancy about his
illustrious guitar chapters in American musical history, I'd like
to do my own book ... about .
FOREWORD
The material in this series of books represents some ofthe
more important findings of my research over the years
conceming harmonics and fingerboard gymnastics.
The playing of keyboard and fingerboard instruments is
highly physical, therefore, knowledge of harmony becomes
quite useless without the mechanical means to produce the
necessary notes-naturally, each depends on the other.
These studies help to build discipline, independent finger
control, multi-thought control, and independent harmonic
chomatic notational selectivity. These, I believe, are the
foremost objectives in order to play an instrument well.
My books contain no single voice studies as such. All of
the studies employ two or more voices, however, single
voices will stand out in most of the various harmonic
structures.
Each book contains some of my concepts and principles
which mayor may not appear to be exactly new to the reader,
but. I believe some of the fresh viewpoints may perhaps add
to one's concepts; my intention being to provide a little food
for thought and add to familiar perspectives, thus showing
some of the various harmonics in a slightly different light.
This material is intended to add to ones present knowledge
It's meant to blend with it, not denounce it, or take its
place, because, all schooling and experience is valuable. In
other words, for those with previous schooling this material
can be supplemental information.
In creating any musical composition, harmony must begin
somewhere, it must go somewhere, and it must end
somewhere; therefore, it is of utmost importance to know
where the voices have been, where they are at the Ir')ment,
where they are going logically, and where they can go by
creative free choice and surprise. This material can help
provide the mental and physical tools for accomplishing this
goal.
Some of the studies may appear to be redundant and
identical at first glance, but careful scrutiny will show that
they are not identical, they are different-bear in mind that
“similar" is not "identical". The study of subtle mechanical
and notational differences is more than just desirable, it is
absolutely necessary. The hands can never be too mechanical,
agile, or well trained-nor can the mind ever know too
much about harmony.
I do not claim that these books, in any way, cover all of the
facets of playing, nor all of the multi-millions of harmonic
possibilities. However, the mechanics, devices, and thought
lines are presented that will enable those who are interested
to pursue them as far as desire and time will allow.
In the many years that I have spent researching and
developing fingerboard gymnastics and harmonic devices of
this nature, I have, quite naturally, delved mainly into the
areas that greatly fascinated me, and my most sincere hope is
that they will be of some interest and benefit to others.
GENERAL REMARKS
The world of harmony is a most gratifying place to
dwell-there is nothing more satisfying than the wonderful
audio pictures that gradually take shape by
manipulating lines of voices within chordal structures.
As Segovia so aptly put it: "The guitar to me is like
looking at a full orchestra through the wrong end of the
binoculars. "
In order to be able to play the guitar well one must be an
athlete; it takes athletic endeavor in the form of a vast variety
of hand and mental gymnastics. This is why the diligent
practice of awkward, difficult, and unusual hand positions,
stretches, formations and finger combinations are of utmost
importance.
The hand must be well-trained to be ready for all attitudes,
and as many different fingering situations as possible.
Practicingjust what lies under the fmgers is not enough-the
ideal is for the hand not to be surprised by the unusual.
The ideal technique must be able to handle the uncomfortable
unusual situations that occur when improvising, within
the limits of the hand, of course.
Physically, exercises have many purposes. Some are
designed to train the hand to walk smoothly on the fingers.
Some are designed to be awkward and difficult, to teach the
hand how to be ready for the nearly impossible. Others are
designed to ftIl the degrees in between. All are necessary- it
is important to keep this in mind.
Of course, one should keep what has been accomplished in
the past, but we must never shy away from the new-the
perhaps uncomfortable areas of more advanced material.
It is understandably human to want to sound good to
ourselves when we practice, and therefore play what we
already know well. However, real advancement comes from
tackling new things; coming to grips with work that is more
advanced, work that is out of reach unless one really tries to
accomplish the seemingly impossible-after all, they're only
impossible for a while.
Progress comes from working with material that
elevates-material that is always a little above and out
of reach.
Acquiring harmonic fingerboard knowledge and technique
is a gradual progressive climb; one must not
expect to jump from first to eighth grade material, for
that is the sure path to disappointment.
About all work material can hope to do is to create an
incentive or desire, whet the appetite for knowledge,
then provide the necessary information and path to
follow for further investigation and experiment.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I wish to thank my daughter Kay (Van Eps) Adikes for her able assistance in preparing this work.
GENERAL REMARKS
The areas of harmonic/mechanical investigation are so
vast that it would take tons of manuscript to show just a small
portion ofthem in detail. Since time and space will not permit
following every facet to any kind of finality, the understanding
of the basic principles and formulas that can provide the
tools for further pursuit seem most important. After the
principles are understood, they can be carried as far as
desired and used in any direction; they can be applied at any
time to any situation in any phase of development. Therefore,
I deemed it necessary to present the basic principles and rules
pertaining to my findings that will make further investigation
possible. I believe enough written material is presented in
these books to establish the thought lines.
I have been known for verbal redundancy for many
years-however, there is a very good reason: through many
years of teaching, I have found that directives, explanations,
rules, warnings, etc. must be repeated periodically over and
over to make absolutely certain that they not only are
understood, but that they become firmly implanted in the
mind-so firmly embedded that they are ever present. They
must become habitual. Particularly in text books, periodic
repetition is necessary because so many people open books
in the middle, the end, or any place.
Fundamentals don't teach one how to compose. Composing
by fundamentals would be by rote, (parrot fashion).
However, they do tell you what not to do.
All laws and rules of music can be warped, twisted,
distorted, and still make sense if the principles are
clearly understood in the first place. As I have said
before, "Luck won't do it, and ignorance can't."
A person cannot be taught to compose. The creative spark
must be there. Taste cannot be taught, it must be there.
Fundamentals don't teach taste-"influence-by-associaon
affects taste, but it does not create it. Listening to, and
analyzing good music of all types, be it classical or jazz, is the
real teacher. In other words, it can rub off.
A painter doesn't paint with a book on the technique of
painting in one hand and a color chart in the other. Writers
learn to write by reading the works of great authors, not books
on how to write. All a teacher can do is provide the necessary
tools and show the student how they work. The teacher can't
be by the student's side constantly to tell him when and where
to use the tools-his judgment, sense of taste, balance, and
proportion must do that.
Music is inspirational in concept, but mechanical in
reproduction. Therefore, mechanisms are necessary to enable
voices to move freely. When the technique level is achieved
that allows voices this freedom, ideas flow like water.
Scales, arpeggio's and exercises are the instrumentalist's
tools. One cannot play without these tools. The knowlectge
and physical dexterity that comes from working with these
tools is absolutely necessary to the instrumentalist; without
the disciplined practice of these tools, one cannot play.
I would like to talk about the word "exercise" for a
moment. An exercise can be quite long or very short; it can
have many forms. A long exercise can embody many notes
and mechanisms, or, it can bejust the reverse and contain just
one or two notes.
Here is a one note example:
Drop the left arm down by your side, relaxed. Now
bring your hand up to the fmgerboard and try to hit any
predetermined note immediately; let's say a "G" on the
third string. As you know now, it is not easy to do; your
average is pretty bad. Now, try it with your eyes closed.
Now, your average is awful. What good is an exercise
like this; what does it do? It helps quite a few basically
important things such as judgment of distance, orientation
and the general feeling for the instrument.
It is impossible to play anything without using parts of
scales, because all melodic/harmonic lines come from the
chromatic scale, and since the chromatic scale is an exercise,
this "exercise" produces all music.
A young man once told me that "he didn't wanno play
scales or exercises." I just told him that he might try
concentrating on "watching grass grow" for he could not play
music, ever.
All scales and arpeggios are exercises-but not all
exercises are scales and arpeggios.
Going back and forth from "C" to "B" repeatedly is
exercising. Playing a B seventh chord to E major repeatedly
becomes an exercise. They are very basic examples but they
are exercises.
What I'm leading up to is this: make exercises out of all
musical situations by taking one or two steps of any scale,
arepggio, or progression, and repeat them over and over until
they are very smooth. Then go on to the next step and repeat
the process. Select a scale that contains many notes and
gradually eliminate notes until down to just a few. In other
words, reduce these stations down to their smallest part.
Practice them forward· and backward, inside out, upside
down, outside in, etc. Apply this format to all ofthis material,
no matter how simple or complicated the form.
Take all studies apart note by note to analyze them. Select
sections of different variations and blend them together to
make other variations etc. Compound them as far as possible.
Don't just run scales up and down, break up the regular
continuity by skipping some of the intervals to make short
and long arpeggios out ofthem. Skip intervals and insert them
some place else. Change the order by rearranging the stations
of the scales. Work with them using as many different
variations as possible. Here are just a few suggestions for
scale patterns:
1-2-8-1-3-8-1-4-8-etc. 1-7-8-2-7-8-3-7-
8-etc. 7-8-1-6- 7-1- 5-6-1-etc.
1-2-7-8-1-2-3-7-8-1-2-3-4-7-8-etc. 1-3-2-
4-3-5-etc. 1-4-2-5-3-6-et<:.
TRY CONTRARY MOTION:
1-8-2-7-3-6-4-5-5-4-6-3-7-2-8-1-etc.
These are just a few of the vast possibilities. This kind
of work helps one's judgment of distance. It is good
practice gymnastically also...
Italiano
English
