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Letters to the Editor |
Letters to the Editor by the Mel Bay Web Staff This is dialog between two of our "Steves" to clear up a "thirds-above-the-melody rule" discussion. Steve, Realizing that thirds-above-the-melody rule in bluegrass vocal and instrumental harmonization, why not thirds (and 4ths) below the melody? While thirds above make pleasant listening, thirds below would be less likely to obscure the melody. My ear, and I think this is true of most listeners, tends to pick out the uppermost note in a chord or interval as the melodic note. I love 70's vocal groups like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and Peter, Paul and Mary - but have to admit to occasional frustration when trying to figure out which note is the melody when everyone is singing in parallel thirds. One more favor to ask- could you name a few of your favorite bluegrass vocal groups? I am open to listening to the best of any musical genre, except rap! Reply: Stephen- The 3rds above goes back to bluegrass band tenor singers. It is usually above. If sung lower than the melody it is usually a baratone part so the 3 voices are usually spaced this way. Sometimes a lower voice will sing an octave lower tenor part placing it as you mentioned. Listen to Blue Highway, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Lonesome River, Claire Lynch for starters Bye for now, Steve Kaufman I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of jazz giant, Sal Salvador. Some forty years ago I had the privilege of studying with Sal for 3-4 years at his studio in the Henry Adler Building on Tin Pan Alley, New York City as well as at his studio in Queens. As an endorsee of Gretsch Guitars, Sal graciously invited me to the plant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York and together we ordered my custom Country Club 400. This guitar was since stolen along with my D'Angelico. I was also privileged to be invited to Sal's "Colors In Sound" recording session at Webster Hall in New York City, a day I will never forget. Sal Salvador was a great and knowledgeable player, and one hell of a guy. Sal, you will truly be missed. Stan "T" Bonanno Brooklyn, N.Y. Web site: www.escape.com/~nootrope/guitar E-mail: Gtrman77@aol.com Being receptive to new ideas and different repertoire is essential to becoming a well rounded musician. Specific points of interest in the November issue of "Guitar Sessions" include: the fingerstyle lesson - Paganini is great for theory and technique; Classic guitar - arranging and compositional theory are very important. I cannot stress enough (and I am not an expert by any sense of the word)...the importance of learning to express oneself through the medium of music. Probably a large percentage of guitarists spend their lives in pursuit of "written for guitar" works. What a shame not to be able to write original music, or arrange music originally intended for voice or other instruments - no matter how simple. Anyway, I will get off my soapbox now. My suggestion is to make "Arranging and Compositional Theory" a separate column to offer a springboard for inner creativity. ALL work and NO play makes Jack a dull boy. I think that is why jazz is so intimidating for so many guitarists. It's perceived as too much theory and too much work to learn. When somebody comes up with a fun way to learn jazz through musical examples that inspire the guitarist to continue to learn, then it might change this perception. Then again, this is just the opinion of a frustrated jazz guitar beginner. You guys deserve a standing ovation. Excellent start to the beginning of great things to come! Brad Duggar duggar@gateway.net Hello I am writing to express my support for the Guitar Sessions online magazine. I specifically enjoyed reading the Mark Cosgrove article in this months issue. After reading the article and the tab, I decided to go out and purchase the Mark Cosgrove Good Medicine book. I realize that free online magazines like Guitar Sessions cost money to produce. So I wanted you to know that reading your free magazine, especially since it contained real content and real music, prompted me to go purchase a book which I would not have otherwise bought. Keep up the great work, Brian Return to the top Copyright © 2000 Mel Bay Publications, Inc.
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