What is going on here?

[Bellycaster]

I posted this clip on another thread about Envelope Filters but liked this guy's playing so much that I keep trying to take ideas from him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8LimZlI6gQ

What I am refering to comes in around 5:57 he plays an arpeggiated run and then some noodling in what sounds like G or C Major(or a mode of), then he ends up going into an Ab(D,F,B) Dim7 arp.

What I would like to know is how he ends up in that Dim7 arp, what is his thinking? Because there are no chords behind his playing and I can't read his mind it's hard to guess what he is doing, plus he is obviously well clued up on theory, more than I.

I would like to include some variation like that, the Dim7 arp comes right at you from out of the blue. Would the chord prog, if there was one be going to a Dim7 chord at that point of the solo?

Any help much appreciated

[Dulcetjones]

I have no theory based answer but I can tell you that when I get in the mood to noodle with no constraints I take the opportunity to just run with it and enjoy the freedom of not having to think about chord progressions, scales, timing or anything. I have recorded some of these sessions and found that I can't make heads or tails of what I did and why but now and then I'll hear something I like and I'll actually have to learn it by ear if I want to use it. I've read that this is a valid way to glean ideas for original songs because it's the right(creative) side of the brain that's driving when you do this. I often do this with a bass guitar to cook up riffs to base a song on(but on a slower, non-shred level).

[Viz]

He's playing in c# minor at the beginning; then he goes to a minor some way through. At 5:57 he's in A minor, noodlin' away. That's the tonic. Then at 6:07-6:08 he's been twiddling away down to the bottom A (on the bottom E string), and at 6:08 goes one semitone lower, G#. So at this point he's changed chords and is in the key of E major, the dominant of A. Then he just runs up the diminished arpeggio, (just playing 4th and 7th fret on E string, 5th and 8th on A string, 6th and 9th on D string etc.) All that section is therefore in E major, with the flattened 7th and 2nd; Then at the top of the scale, between 6:11 and 6:13, he changes back to the tonic, A minor.

[Bellycaster]

He's playing in c# minor at the beginning; then he goes to a minor some way through. At 5:57 he's in A minor, noodlin' away. That's the tonic. Then at 6:07-6:08 he's been twiddling away down to the bottom A (on the bottom E string), and at 6:08 goes one semitone lower, G#. So at this point he's changed chords and is in the key of E major, the dominant of A. Then he just runs up the diminished arpeggio, (just playing 4th and 7th fret on E string, 5th and 8th on A string, 6th and 9th on D string etc.) All that section is therefore in E major, with the flattened 7th and 2nd; Then at the top of the scale, between 6:11 and 6:13, he changes back to the tonic, A minor.

Thanks Viz, expertly put I might add. Though this is a bit ahead of my theory level at the moment. It's obvious the guy knows exactly what he is playing, he must have tons of experience and judging from his other vids too, he is shit hot.

It still gives me something to learn from though.

[Bellycaster]

I have no theory based answer but I can tell you that when I get in the mood to noodle with no constraints I take the opportunity to just run with it and enjoy the freedom of not having to think about chord progressions, scales, timing or anything. I have recorded some of these sessions and found that I can't make heads or tails of what I did and why but now and then I'll hear something I like and I'll actually have to learn it by ear if I want to use it. I've read that this is a valid way to glean ideas for original songs because it's the right(creative) side of the brain that's driving when you do this. I often do this with a bass guitar to cook up riffs to base a song on(but on a slower, non-shred level).

Thanks mate. It's good to just improvise I admit and I'm sure you are a good enough player to know what you are talking about, but like any player who is half decent, they will still noodle in key and sound the right notes, you know what I mean if you are just playing random notes, it's gonna sound dire more likely than not.

So sometimes I hear something and think "wow, how did he get to that"?

[Viz]

Oooooh my gosh I'm certainly no expert! But this chap plays quite straightforward blues and harmonic minor shapes and licks so they're pretty recognisable if you're a noodler. Plays them nicely mind.

[Bellycaster]

Oooooh my gosh I'm certainly no expert! But this chap plays quite straightforward blues and harmonic minor shapes and licks so they're pretty recognisable if you're a noodler. Plays them nicely mind.

Not a beginner though. You have enough experience to explain the theory and a keen ear to recognise it all, that's what I meant.

Cheers

[Viz]

Ta my good man :-)

[bj]

He's playing in c# minor at the beginning; then he goes to a minor some way through. At 5:57 he's in A minor, noodlin' away. That's the tonic. Then at 6:07-6:08 he's been twiddling away down to the bottom A (on the bottom E string), and at 6:08 goes one semitone lower, G#. So at this point he's changed chords and is in the key of E major, the dominant of A. Then he just runs up the diminished arpeggio, (just playing 4th and 7th fret on E string, 5th and 8th on A string, 6th and 9th on D string etc.) All that section is therefore in E major, with the flattened 7th and 2nd; Then at the top of the scale, between 6:11 and 6:13, he changes back to the tonic, A minor.

Just to clarify, the diminished arpeggio on the E chord at 6:07 is actually Fdim, built on the b9 of an E7b9 chord, which is the V chord of the parent key of Aminor.

[Viz]

Precisely Mr. BJ, thank you. How was the ballet?