contrapuntal concepts

8/3/2019 Contrapuntal Concepts

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1Contrapuntal Concepts written by Jimmy WybleCopyright Jimmy Wyble 1978 revised 2008 - All Rights Reserved

Contrapuntal ConceptsFor

Electric and Classical GuitaristsBy Jimmy Wyble - Edited by David Oakes

The innite possibilities of our instrument, the guitar, are astounding! No other instrument offers

such a wide variety of styles.

As growing guitarist there are basic challenges: the area of technique, the forever expanding

concept of harmonic awareness, and reading music.

As we progress in our musical environment, we must investigate new sounds, research the works

of other guitarists, and seek new ways and constantly try new ideas. The more challenging and

varied our musical environment, the more we grow in technique, musical expression, harmonic

awareness and style.

Generally, we improvise over chord changes with a single melodic line but the Etudes have the

added component of the second voice. In the two line contrapuntal etudes, there is a fusion of

the two voices.Examples 1 through 24 illustrate designs based on step, whole step scales now known as

diminished scales. There are also exercises based on familiar chord shapes combining voices

within the chord and then moving them in opposite directions.

Our technique must be expanded to a nger-style approach, in order to deal with the two line

contrapuntal etudes.

======================& 44C diminished scale 1/2 step - whole step:

_Half Whole

b b n # bll ll

======================& 44C diminished scale whole step - half step

_Whole

Half

b # # ll ll

Examples 1-4 are based on the diminished scale.

Editors note: The following scales did not appear in Jimmys original text. I have put them in

just for reference. Jimmy has discussed with me the importance of scales that use whole and half

steps as one of the most important sounds in the jazz vocabulary. He felt that as musicians, this

is one sound that we should be very familiar with.


2/12

Contrapuntal Concepts

Contrapuntal Concepts written by Jimmy WybleCopyright Jimmy Wyble 1978 revised 2008 - All Rights Reserved

Fingering explanation: Here we will use standard classical guitar notation:

Numbers around the note heads represent left hand ngering

Circled numbers are the string that the note is played one.

Right hand ngering: p thumb, I index nger, m middle nger, a ring nger.

Example 1: Top line descending whole step, half step. Bottom line up a half step and then down

a minor 3rd. Strict alternation of the right hand ngers (p m , then i a ), This is a very

awkward feeling right hand technique at rst, but with practice becomes a very natural move.

=======================& 441

5

1

b

__

p

m

2

nb

_

i

a

1

_

bp

m

2

n

i

a

_

2

#

6

m

p

b

3

i

a

__b

2

m

p

b

b _

3

a

i

ll ll ll ll

=======================& 442

5

1

b

__

p

m

_

i

a

_

_

m

p

#

i

a

2

6

__#

m

p

n

_i

a

# ___#

p

m

n

b __i

a

ll ll ll ll

=======================& 443

3

6

b __

p

m

2

# ___a

i

3

_#

m

p

2

n

n __i

a

#

3

m

p

_#

2

a

i

_

2

5

nm

p

b

_

1

a

i

ll ll ll ll

Descending half steps, whole-step.

Ascending whole step, half-step:

Editors note: If you come from a classical background, you might be tempted to us the bar or

even a partial bar. Follow the ngerings marked. They might be awkward at rst, but they do

facilitate the technique. Stay with it and you will be rewarded with greater facility.


3/12


Contrapuntal Concepts written by Jimmy Wyble

Copyright Jimmy Wyble 1978 revised 2008 - All Rights Reserved

=======================& 344

4

6

b# ___

p

m

i

__#

p

m

3

#

i

5

_

p

m

i

b

p

m

2

i

4

#

b

p

m

n

i

#

p

m

#

i

ll ll ll ll

=======================& 344a

#2

i

#

4

p

m

n

i

#b

m

p

n

i

3

b5

m

p

i

_

p

m

#

i

__

6

4

#

p

m

n

i

# ___b

m

p

ll ll ll ll

The wide spread intervals are typical of the contrapuntal guitar etudes. Examples 5 and 6

illustrate the technique of keeping one nger down as the remaining ngers move across the

ngerboard.

Pivot on the 3rd nger. The third nger does not release. Observe the differences in the right

======================& 345

5

1

#

_pa

i

45

b _

pm

#

_ia

p

b _

ai

5

#

pa

#i

45

__

pm

#

ia

#p

__

ai

ll ll ll ll

Whole step/half step design supported by ascending minor 3rds in the bass:

Same ngering as #4 played backwards:


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======================& 246

5

1

#

_p

m

3

b

i

4

p

1

b _

i

a

#

b

p

m

2

i

p

b

i

a

#

_p

m

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll

======================& 44

.

7

w___

p p

m

5

1

#

_

i

a

4

_#

p

m

5

# __

i

a

___

p

m

n

__ #

__

i

#

_

p

m

6

2

_

_

3

U.__ .

i

a

p

m

ll ll ll ll

======================& 448

w___p

m

p

5

1

#

_ a

i

4

#

_

m

p

2

6

#__

i

a

# __

n __

m

p

#

i

# ___

m

3

p

5

_ .

U.

i p

ll ll ll ll

======================& # 442

3

#

9

p

m

D7(b5,#5,b9)

b

i

p

i

(#5)

4

3

# p

m

b

i

p

b __i

(b5)(b9)

65

3

__p

m

G

ll ll ll ll

Fingers move across the ngerboard with no pivot and yes, the right hand ngering is correct.

This will take some work!

Variations of the scale. The 1/2 step moves upwards to the high E, descending in whole step

from D to A.

A variation of #7 with some octave displacement. Notice how similar the right and left hand

ngering stayed the same in both examples 7 and 8.

A variation of the whole/half scale imposed on an altered V - I phase:


5/12




======================& # 4410

6

3

b __p

a

D7(b5,b9)

b

i

45

p

m

5

i

a

6

2

n __b

p

m

b __n

i

a

#

__p

m

Gmaj7

ll ll ll ll

====================== 44

3

2

11

p

m

D7(b9)

4

b

i

a

5

_b

p

m

1

#

i

4

3

p

m

5

_

i

a

6

# ___

p

m

2

i

w__

wU

a

p

G6

ll ll ll ll

======================# 44

3

1

_

b12

p

m

A7(b9,#5, b5)

i

2 3

p

m

n

i

4

n

p

m

2

i

b

p

m

__i

5

w__

w

p

m

D

ll ll ll ll

A variation of the whole/half scale imposed on an altered V - I phrase. Notice the contrary mo-

tion of the lines. Find and mark the altered 5ths and 9ths in this phrase.

Analyze for both chord tones and the half/whole movements of the top line. Remember to ob-

serve the right and left hand ngerings. Also, nd the contrary motion in the lines.

Another V - I example this time in the key of D. Notice the upper voice descending in whole

and half steps:


6/12



======================& # 443

2

b

13

p

m

D7(#9.b9)

4

n

#

i

a

5

#

b

p

m

1

_

i

4

3

p

m

5

i

a

6

__

p

m

2

n

i

#ww__

p

a

Gmaj7

ll ll ll ll

====================== 44

14

.

3

b

p

m

_

a

i

___

m

p

2

i

b

m

p

n

a

i

#

m

p

1

_

a

i

2

m

p

======================& # 446

____b

D13(b9)

5

b

D7(b9)

5

G

l

lllll l

lllll l

lllll l

lllll

hand ngering from measure to measure:

In the classical/jazz approach, two lines are extracted from chord stacks using combinations of

voices.

Top line half/whole diminished scale, bottom line is a dim7 arpeggio. The lower line of chord

voicings are a reference showing the harmonic structure that the design it was built from:

Editors note: The following exercises break four note chords up into two - 2 note teams. In

the le A Lesson From Jimmy Wyble, he also shows some other examples of how he breaks

up chords into two note combinations. This is very fundamental to his technique aa well as a

technique that he practices every day. I have also witnessed Jimmy spending time practicing thistechnique with the students at Musicians Institute as well. The temptation to use a bar on these

exercises is great. Dont do it especially on the Bmi7 chord. Remember 4 notes - four ngers in

both the right and left hands.


7/12




======================,

15

5

2

b

Em7(b5)

Dmaj7

# _

C#m7(b5)

_

Bm7

ll ll ll ll

============== 44

5

15a

m

p

4

23

b

i

a

#

m

p

a

i

n# _m

p

a

i

_m

p

a

i

ll ll ll

==============

4

2

15b

p

m

5

3

_

i

a

p

m

# _

i

a

p

m

#

i

a

b

p

m

i

a

ll ll ll

============== 44

4

2

16 b

m

p

5

3

i

a

m

p

#

a

i

m

p

n# _a

i

m

p

_a

i

ll ll ll

==============& #5

17

2

a

p

4

3

b

m

i

a

p

#

m

i

# _

p

a

n

i

m

_

p

a

m

i

ll ll ll

Examples 15a - 15b - 16 and 17 are extracted from the chord progression below. Observe the

ngerings, 4 ngers for 4 notes - no bars:


8/12



=======================& 4418

6

b _

2

p

m

i

p

i

63

__

5

3

#

p

m

4

2

#

i

a

5

b

p

m

_1

a

_

p

m

3

#

i

_U

a

=======================& 44 # b _

E7(b5,b9)

n

___n#

#

A13

b

_

A9(b5)

_ .#

.

. .Dmaj13

l

llllll l

llllll l

llllll l

llllll

=======================&44

6

3

19

_

p

a m

i

5

#

p

n

i

4

p

m

3

2

n

i

4

3

#

.

p

m

n

i

p

5

b

i

n .

p

a

n_i

_ p

6

jb _

i

a

bww__

p

m

=======================& 44 _#Bm7

n _

Bm7(b5)

w# wwb w_E7(

b5, #5, b9)

# w# ww__bwAmaj7(b5)

l

lllll l

lllll l

lllll l

lllll l

lllll

The upper and lower voices are derrived from chord tones to form this line. The lower chords

are for reference and the the rst E7 chord uses George Van Eps technique of barring across the

fret. Learning to play that chord is not the goal of this lesson.

Editors note: The following pages Chords as a source of contrapuntal lines will be shown in

depth in the le called Harmonic Awareness. Some of the following material was also present-

ed in the le A Lesson From Jimmy Wyble as well. Jimmy has used this material quite a bit in

his lectures at Musicians Institute.


9/12




Chords as a source of contrapuntal lines. Exercises 21, 22, 23 and 24 use chord scales.

======================&20

___

Cmaj73

_

4

__

Dm73

4

ll ll ll

======================& _Em7 3

4

_Fmaj7 3

4

ll ll ll

======================& G7 2

3

Am72

3

ll ll ll

============&_

Bm7(b5)

2

3 ll

5th, Root, 3rd, 7th voicing. The 7th moving down the scale with chord tones supporting the

downward motion.


10/12


10 Contrapuntal Concepts written by Jimmy WybleCopyright Jimmy Wyble 1978 revised 2008 - All Rights Reserved

======================&21

5

_Cmaj7 3

4

Dm7 3

4

ll ll ll

======================&

Em7 3

4

_

Fmaj73

4

ll ll ll

======================&4

_

G72

3

__

Am72

3

ll ll ll

============&

__

_Bm7(b5) 2_

3

ll

Root, 5th, 7th, 3rd voicing. The root moving up the scale with chord tones supporting the move-

ment.


11/12


11Contrapuntal Concepts written by Jimmy Wyble


======================&5

22

_

Cmaj7 2

2

5

_Dm7

2

2

ll ll ll

======================&5

_

Em72

_

2

5

___

Fmaj72

_

2

_ll ll ll

======================&5

___

G72

__2

_5

_____Am7

2

__2

__ll ll ll

============&

5

___

___

Bm7(b5) 2

___

2

__ll

Root, 7th, 3rd, 5th voicing. The 5th moving down the scale while the root moves up the scale.


12/12


1 Contrapuntal Concepts written by Jimmy WybleCopyright Jimmy Wyble 1978 revised 2008 - All Rights Reserved

Root, 7th, 9th, 11th voicing. The 11th moves up a half step while the 7th moves down a half step

in each voicing:

======================&

23

1

5

_

Cmaj9(11)

#b _

D11

#n

_

E11(b9)

#_

b

_

Fmaj9(#11)

__

b

ll ll ll

======================&

1

5

___

G11

#___

___Am11

#___b

______

Bmi11(b9)

_____b_

w___w__w_wCmaj9(11)

ll ll

Root, 3rd, 7th, 9th voicing. The 7th moves down a half step while the 3rd moves up a half step

in each voicing:.

======================&24

2

5

_

Cmaj9

b _

Dm9

n#

Emi7(b9)

b

b

n

Fmaj9

b b

ll ll ll

======================&2

4

_

G9

_

_

Am9

# _#

___

Bmi7(b5, b9) b __b_ nw

w__w_wCmaj9

ll ll

Editors note: The concept below is simply to discover sounds as voices move and to get used to

moving different voices. This is fundamental to Jimmy Wybles technique of contrapuntal im-

provisation. It is also to develop the minds ability to see a chord as voices and to move lines in

different directions. Jimmy has spent a lot of time in his lectures at Musicians Institute having

students make these kinds of moves. Some of the chords need to be played with a bar and this is

one of the few times I have ever witnessed Jimmy use a bar in his playing.

contrapuntal concepts

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