Check The Playlists ! The instructional clips are meant to convey basics of improvising counterpoint on the guitar in Baroque fashion and may also address a wide range of topics. My original music is downloadable here : basicsforbaroqueimprovisation.bandcamp.com/
May they inspire a growing interest in deeply exploring and enjoying your time spent with music.
Check video descriptions for more information.
Examples should be treated as building blocks and developed.
I truly hope you find something on the channel that you enjoy!!
This page is dedicated with love and gratitude to the memory of Ted Greene and George Van Eps; the 2 guitarists I have been most inspired by and the 2 teachers from whom I learned the most.
If you are enjoying the content and would like to leave me a tip please see the PayPal link below. Thank you ! May your love of music flourish, grow and bring many years of enjoyment. Best Wishes - John McCain www.paypal.com/paypalme/johncmccain
Takk T! Jeg ga denne litt mer tid til å utvikle meg i skrivingen i morges. Jeg liker slike skiftende progresjoner der det aldri setter seg inn i noe definerbart tonalt hjem. Drømmen min om stykkene er alltid mye mer levende og utvidet enn det jeg klarer å manifestere. Jeg fortsetter å prøve å komme dypere inn i skrivingen!
@@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation Åja, jo kjenner følelsen tror jeg, men du klarer nå å manifestere ganske mye i hvert fall. Det er vel en slags flyktig stadig endrende ide man strekker seg etter, så får man kanskje tak i biter av den, mens andre biter går tapt, men en gjenklang av det "tapte" henger kanskje i gjen i komposisjonen på et vis, som en integrert del av den kreative impulsen som stykket sprang ut av. Fint med solyset som kommer inn og illuminerer hånden.
Beautiful. Left a comment on the note taking video but evidently did not stick. Comment was rather a question. How do you sustain “financially” to have the gift of working with music as a day job? Or is it your primary gig? Basically, teaching pottery for 25 years has worn me out physically and mentally. Not far behind you in age, yet don’t see myself working to retirement, and staying alive for a bit after. Music being my first passion, yet too often on back burner due to “day job”. Thank you, and stay “cool”. Paul.
Thank you Paul ! I like this one too. There is something that feels quite good about synchronizing hands and mind together like this. Hope you're having a good day there. We are in the mid 90s currently so I am indoors !
It is difficult for me to follow you although I sense that making music like this has to be instructive and pedagogical, we will continue learning with you and your peaceful hieroglyphs.
Hi Victor ! I hope you'll take your own notes in your own way. Another way I remember things is just to record a short video featuring the ideas. The point is to not be forgetting or letting good ideas just evaporate once they've been played. Hope this finds you well today ! - John
My opinion is that this is a wonderful way to preserve ideas. I keep a written journal as well. Guitar tab has not been around for that long, but also very useful as a “hieroglyphic”. Tascam field recorder has been my tool as well. But when digital fails, and it has shown to do so, there is always the notebooks with “scores” as a backup. Have fun! 😊
Very nice, I like the strange and melacholic tonality, the more tentative searching, sometimes urgent, parts, and then the more definate passages with use of the "tremolo picking" or what it is called, technique used in requerdos de la alhambra. Very pensive music.
Thank you for listening T ! I generally write and record these pieces within 30 mins to an hour of waking up in the morning. It's the quiet time here and the silence gives me a canvas on which to work. I'm glad you enjoyed this one !
@@tetilatus Lately I am waking very early as I really look forward to writing in the morning. It mostly means finding a few notes that go together and then trying to find things that flow from there. Perhaps your pieces arrive in the same kind of way ?
@@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation Yes, sometimes I make tracks in a manner like that, usually not early in the morning though, rather late at night when I should have already been in bed 😅
Thank you Joe !! I'm enjoying playing the nylon string so much after a few years off. The built in reverb that Yamaha developed helps me tremendously !
Thank you for giving a listen Paul ! I like the feedback as well ! It tends to happen in a certain middle register and with a more forceful attack. When I hear it starting to go I try and let everything coalesce and blend together. It's one of the quite enjoyable aspects of this built in reverb guitar design that Yamaha has.
This perspective from the passage resonates with me. In April when spending the week with Robert Fripp and 133 guitarists from every corner of the world in the Lunlunta Argentina monastery, we started each day with what Robert calls “quiet sitting”. All entered the large chamber in silence, sat down in chairs with hands resting on knees- as the sun rose and birds sang, parrots squawked outside welcoming the sunrise. For 40 plus minutes we sat and contemplated our individual aims for each day. Individuals exited the chamber in silence at around 40 minutes. After each meal we all shared in the large dining hall, silence would also be initiated as gradually the sounds of eating utensils and conversations died down. After about ten minutes of quiet sitting, Robert at the head of the table would initiate conversations of reflections, as well as those of aims for the next phase of the guitar circle experience. When things are rough here, I go back in my mind to those serene moments as well as daydream of our next meeting at the end of next April, this time in a small alpine village outside of Milan, Italy.
That's beautiful Paul ! Lovely that you are able to retreat to that inner place when needed. Thank you sharing this here. It Fills me with Gratitude today
For me this miniature paints the visual of Orestes arriving with his friend Pylades, son of Strophius, who took him from Electra to Strophius. Their plan is to have the tutor announce that Orestes has died in a chariot race, and that two men (really Orestes and Pylades) are arriving shortly to deliver an urn with his remains. I once wrote music for Sophocles’ Electra, performed by a theatre company in Chicago. Used unconventional instruments such as a zither to record it. I still can’t tune the darn thing.
That's a beautiful picture you've painted. I deeply appreciate that deep listening Paul ! Thank you. I've owned several zithers over the years but haven't gotten along with them much. I do now have virtual digital zithers free from Spitfire Audio 🙂 Perhaps you can post the music you wrote for Electra ? I would love to hear it
Hi... Really beautiful, deeply touching lines, playing and sound... If I may ask something... The first part sounds to me like it's revolving a little around a B7 sound (Phrygian maybe...) Is it meant to be 100 percent atonal, and that's my own subjective interpretation... Or maybe atonal lines can be considered so, even if they form a brief, fleeting tonal structure?... I really try to add more of these kind of sounds and lines to my Jazzy-Bluesy guitar improvisations, and I find your channel very inspiring and encouraging, so thank you sincerely... Hagai
Hello Hagai ! Thank you for listening deeply and letting me know. As far as the construction of these lines I don't think in terms of scales or chord types or even pitch names. It's always a matter of setting some pitches in motion ( 1 or 2 or 3 in a row ) and then searching for other pitches and rhythms that seem to flowingly extend the line. I can imagine moving the body around in a big empty space while trying to stay a bit off balance and finding new and surprising ways to remain upright. Catching yourself before you hit the ground. The other image that comes to mind are the mobiles of Alexander Calder where he creates many different shapes and balances them all out against each other. Here is an image of his work : www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/488051 If more diatonic relationships creep in that's ok. It is a bit hard to avoid standard tonal combinations but that is very much part of the fun. I suppose I relate these lines to breaths or to a single spoken phrase or sentence. The words can then be said more slowly or can be separated by gaps of space and silence. These lines can also certainly qualify for outside playing in a jazz context. The saxophonist George Garzone has some beautiful ideas about line construction for a jazz context : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XmQOvB1rLYA.html Let me know if I may be of further assistance. Wishing you all the best in your life and music - John
@@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation Thanks John for your kind, detailed and helpful response... I've read about Garzone's approach some years ago, but it seemed hard to apply in an improvised fashion in real time... But yes, your kind of lines can make great outside lines... In recent years I'm drawn more and more into manifesting the basic life principle of Yin and Yang through my music - So trying to be aware of constant movement between opposing pairs, like soft and loud, a fast and busy line vs a sparse and spacey one, rhythmic variations etc etc (A long list)... And above all - creating tension and release - mainly by trying to superimpose "outside" triads, arpeggios and partial scales etc before resolving the dissonance... I apologize, you surly know far more than me about the subject... :) So yes, learning from your Atonal approaches can hopefully add some beauty and magic when I try to break free from a strictly diatonic improvisation... Thank you again. wishing you too all the best, and I'll keep on visiting your channel frequently... :) (BTW I'm not a native English speaker, so sorry for any unintended mistakes)
@@Hagai779 That all sounds excellent ! I imagine you are involved in reading through the very deep observations held in the I-Ching. One further way to approach tension and release is to concern yourself strictly with phrase length and rhythmic construction. The pitches can be an afterthought and arrived at very intuitively. Perhaps I will try and think of a way to demonstrate this idea in a future video.
So this is how I played it just now in NST with wrong notes from memory. I put a link in comment to visit your channel. ru-vid.comxgFjdyWFnnM?si=HBO5CS0FPwDm2-V8
This is very nice to start a morning with. Thank you, and a good day to You, from overcast Southern California. Forecast to be another how one once the marine layer burns off.
A good day to you as well ! It is looking to be another scorcher here in Maine. Currently heat index of 91 with no breeze. It's been like this for a few weeks. So - I stay in and write and keep the fans going. Hope you are staying cool there !
Heat and humidity no good. Here it’s dry heat so a bit more manageable. Just tried this in NST 5ths tuning and it’s a little trickier, but with a little practice can be done. The last note of each phrase is a little stretch/ jump to the next. For at least a year I have been struggling with my left hand. Some type of peripheral neuropathy the medical community can’t pinpoint. Before this, my left hand was pretty crafty on the guitar/ piano for around 40 some years. It’s been a challenge getting it to cooperate again hence, these exercises are helpful. My day job when working is teaching high school pottery to 170 disengaged/ screen-addicted teenagers. That does not help the hands. But for summer break, this Time spent with music and in my studio helps the state of mind and body.
@@paulauksztulewicz4803 Sorry about your hand. That can't be easy to deal with. I'll be 61 later this year and the physical difficulties are popping up. Very glad to know the exercises help. High School Pottery sounds like it would be a challenge to get through to those students. I know I can't imagine some of the personality traits they are sporting these days. I wonder if in NST the intervals could be wider while staying roughly in the same position. As if taking the mechanism and spreading it out like a tensegrity model.
Thank you Travis ! I really appreciate you letting me know this reached you there. If you'd like more here is the playlist of Miniatures : ru-vid.com/group/PLoLOItWSclTXwju2lLQ7qsMd1zfAi-WXd They will play one after another Wishing you the best my friend - John
Plenty of food for thought.... and it's only the 2nd of these Lessons/Informal Chats! I believe I've touched on some chromatic approaches... but I'm not "there" yet. Your videos should be a massive help for the journey. Much appreciated, as always.
Hi Glenn ! I'm glad to know it was of interest ! I plan on doing more of these chats. Please let me know if there is ever a topic area you'd like to see featured !
@@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation Thanks so much, John! These lessons are very unique, which I appreciate. Lots to think about while exploring the fingerboard in various ways. There's so much on your channel to keep anyone who's interested busy for a very long time. Hope you're enjoying making these as much as I enjoy following them. Take care.
@@glennmichaelthompson4112 I'm so glad you are enjoying these Glenn ! I do enjoy making all the things I share here. It is my hope that players who have a similar level of interest to mine will discover the channel and dig into the playlists. Hope you're feeling better each day !
Hi HaiXiaoXi ! I don't have it written out. I try and demonstrate it clearly and explain the idea so that it's possible to begin playing it from example and listening rather than depending on it being written down. Wishing you the best - John p.s. your channel looks very nice !!
Looks like I picked a good time to look in on things! I'll have to examine these ideas in depth. Some connections aren't really obvious until they are, ya know? Hopefully I don't fall apart again too soon. Hope things are steady-as-she-goes for you.
M !! Hope you're keeping cool there. It has been rather brutal heat here lately. Lots of time to stay inside, write music, and have informal chats. 2 such chats thus far 🙂 ( and a playlist for them ! )
@@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation It's been fairly mild and rainy here, hopefully things cool down for you. Climate chaos has been a not insignificant factor in the whole 'losing my shit' thing. I don't like to bury my head in the sand, but I sort of need to just now I think.
Wow, that is quite intense and strange, sombre and stark feel from the onset with the powerful celloentrance, but also with an eerie beauty in it as the piece unfolds. I get a bit of the feel of a Bergmann movie or someting like that. The string instruments sound quite organic and real, and expressive.
Thank you t ! Well, I do own the 32 film Bergman Box Set and love the feeling of his films 🙂 I'm happy to know you heard it that way. For this String Quartet Miniature I'm using a special sample library rich in detail and spending time programming the articulation, dynamics, and tone color of each note. I played with samplers in the 1980s but never anticipated that I would enjoy working with them so much. They are certainly allowing me to write music and realize sounds that I would otherwise have never known. It's a fun time !
Nice piece, I like the basson and oboe combination, it also lends itself to this kind of music, not just baroque. The music gives a feel of importance and significance to the video of the rocks, or highlights or reveals it perhaps.
Jeg gikk i nærheten av leiligheten min i går og var glad for å finne steinene! Oboen er et instrument jeg alltid har hatt lyst til å spille, men jeg visste også at det var helt upraktisk. Jeg elsker å kunne jobbe med disse doble reed-instrumentene i den digitale verden. Jeg er veldig glad for at du likte denne. Jeg improviserte oboen først og la deretter til de andre instrumentene en etter en. Som en ettertanke, spilte jeg deretter inn hvert instrument som svulmet opp i en tone og en annen der de spilte hver sin 3-toners frase. Disse små delene ble deretter lagdelt for å lage introen og outroen.
Hi Arthur ! That cello / organ sound is something I've been working on for a long time and involves a special pedal by Electro Harmonix called Attack / Decay. That pedal is supposed to sound like tape being played backwards ( which it can do ) but I immediately heard the possibility of modifying the front end of the attack and getting that smooth organ-like or cello-like sound. If you own an Attack Decay Pedal : Taking a look at my current settings : I always have it in Poly mode. Sens at 10 o'clock, H Vol off, Tone at 10 o'clock, Harmonix off, Blend full clockwise, Attack at 9 o'clock, Decay full clockwise. Explore and see what you come up with ! There's also a pedal compressor and a long reverb from the Boss Katana MKII amp. I also use very light strings for separation and expressiveness. ( Ernie Ball Zippy Slinkys .007 - .036 on the Stratocasters and Ernie Ball Extra Slinky .008 - .038 on the Les Pauls, Sire H7, Astroluxe Cadet ) This signal chain makes playing very enjoyable and soothing as I'm not very fond of pick attack and sounding like a guitar in general. I always wish I was an orchestra. Wishing you the best in your musical journey. Let me know if you have further questions or requests for topics, etcetera. - John
@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation @basicsforbaroqueimprovisation Thanks John for such a helpful and detailed reply. I've long been a fan of techniques on guitar using the volume knob or a volume pedal to get that sort of bowed effect. I'll definitely check out the Electro-Harmonix pedal and your settings. Much appreciated and enjoyed the music part of your video too. @basicsforbaroqueimprovisation
Hi John. What an absolutely wonderful lesson! Your playing is beautiful, as always. It'll take a few viewings (at least) to get what I can from this Chat In D Minor. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I'm very grateful for all you're doing for the guitar community. I'm still not playing much because of the injury to my left arm & shoulder. Going to get some prices for physiotherapy today... we'll see if it's worth going in debt for. Take care. -Glenn
Hi Glenn ! Please know you are in my thoughts as you heal. I'm happy to know that this clip reached you there and that it contained something of interest for you. Please keep me posted on your progress !!
@@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation That is so kind of you, John. I was just reading that it takes around 6 months to heal. It's been diagnosed as Acute Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy D... among other things such as calcification, osteoarthritis, bursitis, and other torn muscles, ligaments and tendons. One day at a time. Thanks again, so much.
Hi Paul ! That cello / organ sound is something I've been working on for a long time and involves a special pedal by Electro Harmonix called Attack / Decay. That pedal is supposed to sound like tape being played backwards ( which it can do ) but I immediately heard the possibility of modifying the front end of the attack and getting that smooth organ-like or cello-like sound. If you own an Attack Decay Pedal : Taking a look at my current settings : I always have it in Poly mode. Sens at 10 o'clock, H Vol off, Tone at 10 o'clock, Harmonix off, Blend full clockwise, Attack at 9 o'clock, Decay full clockwise. Explore and see what you come up with ! There's also a pedal compressor and a long reverb from the Boss Katana MKII amp. I also use very light strings for separation and expressiveness. ( Ernie Ball Zippy Slinkys .007 - .036 on the Stratocasters and Ernie Ball Extra Slinky .008 - .038 on the Les Pauls, Sire H7, Astroluxe Cadet ) This signal chain makes playing very enjoyable and soothing as I'm not very fond of pick attack and sounding like a guitar in general. I always wish I was an orchestra. Wishing you the best in your musical journey. Let me know if you have further questions or requests for topics, etcetera. - John
@@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation Thank you. The name is Paul, but that’s okay. I do have a Boss Katana as well as a Digitech Time Bender in my studio so may try it. I use a special gauge of strings and tune to “new standard tuning” of CGDABEG, so may take me a while to figure it out in the 5ths tuning. Wonderful and thorough instructions, thank you.
@@paulauksztulewicz4803 Hi Paul ! ( sorry about that - I changed it ) It will be interesting to see what you come up with in your tuning. Please let me know if you post something ! I subscribed to your channel. Wishing you the best - John
@@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation Thank you! The tuning was developed by Robert Fripp in 1985. I am sure you’re familiar with King Crimson. His technique of picking is all about efficiency hence, those specific triangular Indian rubber (ebonite) plectrums.
Amazing delivery and content. Im often thinking about intervals during improvisation, but not entire chords as you do, and so fluidly. Definitely some gems I will be taking away from this informal chat - thanks John and hope all is well !
Hi 2F ! Thank you for letting me know this one found you there. I do often think of the finite string of 3rds ( C,E,G,B,D,F,A,C with or without accidentals ) and the chords and extensions they yield. I've worked on knowing the many faces of each pitch as it shifts through keys and chords ( C as 1 of C, C as 5th of F, C as b9 of B7, etcetera ) Keep me posted if you find further treasure in your research and development !!
You are truly amazing John... Thank you once again for all the inspiration... 💙🎼🎶🎵🎶 You are aline with the Cosmos... The Carl Sagan of Guitar... 🌌 Wish you a amazing day Maestro... 🙏🏻 Best regards from Korpa Jon...
Great, very soft and angelic! , I like it, has elements of baroque feeling, but romantic also, and more modern, and the synthesis has a unique style to it. Very expressive and devotional feel.
Takk T! Jeg improviserte guttekoret ( 2 høye partier ) til å begynne med og la så til altstemmen og tenorstemmen improvisert i sanntid. Så gikk jeg gjennom og fikset noen steder hvor harmonien ikke fungerte. Morsomt nok synger alle stemmene «Deus Ex Machina»!
Very beautiful! A strange and peculiar musical universe, yet easy to feel at home in. Wonderful instrumentation also, very dynamic and lively music. A grand piece with symphonic qualities in the small scale.
@@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation it’s wonderful to watch your process. You have such a beautiful, sweet, technical style that still encompasses feel ..You are the realdeal Baroque.
Hi Darryn ! Thank you for taking the time to let me know this video reached you there. I hope you'll dig into the Playlists and see if there might be more that could be of interest to you. Wishing you the Best - John www.youtube.com/@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation/playlists
