Jam Session 104j with A G D A; C D A (Piano, Guitar)

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 104j:

• This is another guitar and piano/keyboard/MIDI controller combo.
• In Pro Tools, we use the Grand Piano (or was it Xpand?) plug-in.  In any case, it comes with the program.
  
• There are other piano plug-ins available commercially for RTAS workstations (like Pro Tools), as well as AU (Apple Logic), and VSTi (other).
• On the Web, there are several VSTi plugins for free.
• If you want to use VSTi plug-ins in RTAS or AU software, use a wrapper like FXpansion's plug-in wrapper.
  

For much of the jam session, here are the piano chords used:

   

At one point, a C chord is introduced in the jam session:

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Jam Session 103l with Dm F5 A5

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 103l:

• Like yesterday, we're in Dropped-D tuning for both guitar (D A D G B E) and bass (D A D G).
• We've added effects to the bass, to give it some heavy fuzz-like distortion.
• We actually used a distortion, followed by auto-wah/envelope filter (with the treble up) to approximate the fuzz.
• We played with the 6/8 fast-waltz mentality (one two three FOUR two three), but 12/8 slow-blues swing could also work in this case.
  

Here's the bass groove tabbed out in 6/8:

    Dm 

G |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A |-5--5--5--8--5-------|-5--5--5--8--5------|-5--5--5--8--5-------|
D |----------------0----|----------------0---|----------------0----|

    F5       A5 

G |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D |-3--3--3--7--7--7----|--------------------|---------------------|

12/8 (twelve eighth notes per measure) would also work:

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Jam Session 103k with D5 G5 F#5 D5 A5 G5

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 103k:

• We're in Dropped-D tuning
• Guitar (low to high):  D A D G B E
• Bass (low to high):  D A D G
• This week is full of distortion sounds, so crank up your amp and/or step on some pedals!
  

Guitar tab:

    D5   G5 F#5 D5 A5 G5  Open Low D with Octaves

e |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
B |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
G |---------------------|-7/-9/11/12/14/16/17|/19------------------|
D |-0-----5\4-0-----7\5-|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x|--x------------------|
A |-0-----5\4-0-----7\5-|-5/-7/-9/10/12/14/15|/17------------------|
D |-0-0-0-5\4-0-0-0-7\5-|-0--0--0--0--0--0--0|--0------------------|

Bass tab:

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Jam Session 103j with D A C G

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 103j:

• Guitar, bass
• Sometimes we mess up, and sometimes it gets good.  It happens. ;-)
• Try some overdrive to warm up your sound.  With a guitar amp, you can just crank up the volume and add a bit of gain, being careful not to fuzz or crunch the distortion sound.
  

Guitar chords tabbed:

    D                     A                    C

e |-2-------------------|-0------------------|-0-------------------|
B |-3-------------------|-2------------------|-1-------------------|
G |-2-------------------|-2------------------|-0-------------------|
D |-0-------------------|-2------------------|-2-------------------|
A |---------------------|-0------------------|-3-------------------|
E |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

    G
e |-3-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
B |-3-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
G |-0-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D |-0-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A |-2-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
E |-3-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

Some bass ideas tabbed:

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Jam Session 103i with D Dmaj7 A G

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 103i:

• This is another guitar and bass combo.  Check out our Chord du Jour Backtracks, which usually feature a full band (guitar, bass, drums, etc).
  
• This is a fast waltz number (6/8) - one two three, FOUR two three... would be the count.
• Ryan plays a Jazz Bass.
  

Here are some of the chords used (and then some?):

Guitar:

    D                     Dmaj7                A

e |-2-------------------|-2------------------|-0-------------------|
B |-3-------------------|-2------------------|-2-------------------|
G |-2-------------------|-2------------------|-2-------------------|
D |-0-------------------|-0------------------|-2-------------------|
A |---------------------|--------------------|-0-------------------|
E |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

    G
e |-3-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
B |-3-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
G |-0-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D |-0-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A |-2-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
E |-3-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

Bass (not what was played in the jam session, but this is just an idea of how notes from the chords can be incorporated):

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Jam Session 103h with D Bm G A

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 103h:

• Jon plays guitar; Ryan plays bass.
• Standard tuning for a four-string bass is like the thickest four of a guitar:  E A D G, but one octave lower.
• For some reason, Jon and Ryan use lipstick mics to record their voices, when these sort of mics are usually used to record instruments, not voices/vocals.
• A 2.0 mm pick is sometimes used during this jam session for the bass.
  

Here are some chords used, in tablature form:

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Jam Session 102l with G5 Bb5 C5; F5

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 102l:

Ryan uses a glass slide for some lead licks. The vocal mics pick up some of the slide noises. Repositioning mics might reduce (but not eliminate) picking up the sound. A noise gate could work. Cranking up the amps so that the mics pick up amp sounds would be a good plan, too. In any case, here's the tab:

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Jam Session 102k with Gm C Bb

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 102k:

Dunlop-brand Tortex picks have a similar feel as Delrin-material picks from other brands.

    Gm                    C        Bb
e |-3-------------------|-8--------6---------|---------------------|
B |-3-------------------|-8--------6---------|---------------------|
G |-3-------------------|-9--------6---------|---------------------|
D |-5-------------------|-10-------8---------|---------------------|
A |-5-------------------|-10-------8---------|---------------------|
E |-3-------------------|-8--------6---------|---------------------|

Here's one prominent lick used during the jam:

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Jam Session 102j with G D Bm C

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 102j:

More rant about mics (fast-forward if you like). Jon and Ryan talk about picks; both use Delrin-material picks, of different thicknesses.

    G       D   Dsus4     Bm       C/E
e |-3-------5-----------|-4----------------------|-----------------|
B |-3-------7-7-8-7-----|-3-3-3-3--5-------------|-----------------|
G |-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-----|-4-4-4-4--5-----5h7h5---|-----------------|
D |-5-5-5-5-7-7-7-7-----|-4-4-4-4--5-5h7-------7-|-----------------|
A |-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-----|-2-2-2-2-/7-------------|-----------------|
E |-3-3-3-3-------------|------------------------|-----------------|

If you don't know how to read guitar tab (as computer text), this section of a Wikipedia article may help.

Let's expand upon yesterday's G major scale grid with this G major scale/Ionian mode road map:

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Jam Session 102i with G D C

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 102i:

Ryan plays a distorted guitar; Jon adds a flanger.  They play in 6/8 time (a count of "one two three, four two three").

    G        D            C
e |-3-----3--2-----2----|-0-----0--0-----0---|---------------------|
B |-3-----3--3-----3----|-1-----1--1-----1---|---------------------|
G |-0-----0--2--2-------|-0--0--0--0--0--0---|---------------------|
D |-0--0-----0--0-------|-2--2-----2--2------|---------------------|
A |-2--2----------------|-3--3-----3--3------|---------------------|
E |-3--3----------------|--------------------|---------------------|

Mix and match the G major scale over the chord progression:

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Jam Session 102h with G F Csus2

Here are some show/lesson/jam session notes for Jam Session 102h:

Jon keeps his guitar with a clean tone, while Ryan uses distortion.  There's some talk about dynamic mics versus condenser mics, but there is still some instrument bleed, in any case.

    G                     F                    Csus2
e |-3-------------------|-1------------------|-3-------------------|
B |-3-------------------|-1------------------|-3-------------------|
G |-4-------------------|-2------------------|-5-------------------|
D |-5-------------------|-3------------------|-5-------------------|
A |-5-------------------|-3------------------|-3-------------------|
E |-3-------------------|-1------------------|---------------------|

    Csus2
e |-3-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
B |-3-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
G |-5-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
D |-5-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
A |-3-------------------|--------------------|---------------------|
E |---------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

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Discover Distortion (Guitar, Beginner)

When I learned how to play the guitar, practice amps didn't have built-in effects or special channels, so how to make that distorted guitar sound eluded me for quite a while. (The Internet was nowhere as big as it is now, no one I knew owned a personal computer, and guitar magazines took it for granted that beginners didn't know basic amp knowledge.) Semi-foolishly, I bought a distortion pedal to get the sound, not realizing I could have distorted my amp for no extra money whatsoever. (On the bright side, stompboxes encourage the development of tap-dancing motor skills while playing the guitar.)

Beginners with amp effects and/or stompboxes, ignore this entry if you want and be happy that you can basically phone-in some decent-sounding distortion/overdrive. I was happy that the stompbox I bought made it easy, while I was still ignorant of what I already had...

Fortunately, my practice amp (only amplifier at the time) had a master volume and a gain knob. Eventually, the secret of amp distortion was revealed to me. (I won't bore you with that story.) Basically, if you have a small, 15-watt transistor combo and want to rock out, keep the master low and crank the gain and the regular volume for some nifty distortion. Max out your electric guitar's volume. Adjust the amp's bass, mid, and treble knobs - and the tone knob and pick-up switch on your guitar - to go from crunchy to creamy, depending on how you want the distortion to sound. Earlier Metallica songs had the mids "scooped out" (the mid knob at zero), so try that if you like.

The point of discovering distortion is this: If you're a beginner and you're a bit frustrated that you can't quite nail the F chord (yet), creating some wonderful cacophony will most likely inspire you to soldier forward. If you have an electric guitar and an amplifier, then discover distortion (if you haven't already). If you have an acoustic, use glass bottle or an aluminum can as a slide. Unfocused slide work is also fun and chaotic. You might discover something new, or you might only annoy those immediately around you. In any case, have fun with the guitar.

It's THE GUITAR for crying out loud!