minors

[john_the_bass]

my band is in the process of putting together a new song and in it, there is a phrase which goes 4 measures of E and then 4 measures of Em, before repeating the same thing, but in B (ie B then Bm). This is where I display my lack of theory knowledge - I suppose I could stay on the root E and B for those phrases, but what notes can I play to accentuate the minor?

In my head (despite listen to the Beck/Bogert/Appice version of Superstition currently), I can hear that E/C#/B would work to run down to the B (four measures of each), but what works better. No matter what I've tried, I can't get it to sound right.

Any help gratefully received.

[mcgraham]

There are so many things you [i]could[/i] do, but it's ultimately up to you.

If you're looking to accentuate the change from major to minor, then look at what [i]makes[/i] a given chord have a given feel (not just restricted to major or minor). The most important difference is the change from a major 3rd (G# in E) to a minor third (G in Em). So to accentuate the change, accentuate the thirds.

I'll tell you how I'd approach it (just my own approach, coming from a gospel background). If the chord progression was |E ` ` ` | Em ` ` ` | B ` ` ` | Bm ` ` ` | I would (at the simplest level) play E for the first bar, G for the second (thinking of it more as the relative major to Em than anything else), B for the third bar, and D for the fourth (same approach as above). That way you'd accentuate the major to minor changes, you wouldn't stay just on the root, and you'd most importantly have a great resolution from the fourth bar back into the beginning of the progression.

It's very difficult to explain what to do as there's insane numbers of possibilities open to you once you break out of a key. It's best to try and pick up some theory, particularly surrounding majors and minors, and concoct something that you like based on what ideas that opens up to you.

Mark

P.S. Hey if you wanted, why not let us know the sort of feel it is or record a loop of it for us and we could perhaps throw some ideas together for you to have a listen to.

[queenofthedepths]

Well, this might be completely the wrong feel, but what I'd probably play would be the appropriate third and then the root... like this in tab:
[font="Courier New"]G --------------------------------
D --------------------------------
A --------------------------------
E 30030030300300304004004040040040[/font]
And then the equivelant for B - either down if you have a 5-string (so much easier...) or up if you don't!
Or you could just fit the third in on whatever the accented beats are... or play those notes an octave up!

[The Funk]

If you're on Em you know you can play E and the other two notes of the E minor triad (the basic building block of the E minor chord): G (the minor 3rd) and B (the 5th).

The 7th might change from D# when you're on E major to the D when you're on E minor.

So you might want to switch from the D# to the D and the G# to the G.

Just try anything and if it sounds crap don't do it again.

[queenofthedepths]

[quote name='The Funk' post='161230' date='Mar 21 2008, 12:24 AM']Just try anything and if it sounds crap don't do it again[/quote]
+1!!!

[john_the_bass]

yes that all makes perfect sense, thank you!
how i didn't work it out, considering i have played guitar for 15 years and did alright in my music GCSE (mind you, that was 12 years ago).

[DanOwens]

For this I would be really focusing on the modes.

For the major chords you could be playing Ionian, Lydian or Mixolydian (E Maj7, EMaj7#11, E7) and for the minor you could explore Aeolian, Dorian, Phrygian and Locrian (Em, Em13, Emb9, Emin11b5).

Knowing how these are composed (there are LOADS of resources online) can really open up some new sounds to your ears and get those all-important cadences and counter-melodies going (God I don't sound like a bassist sometimes).

Dan