with Peter Vogl

Select A Lesson 1 - Concepts In Music Lessons 2 - Pivots & Guides 3 - Brutal Technique Drills 4 - Color Chords 5 - Jazz/Blues Chord Progressions 6 - Kemp's Jig - A Classical Ditty 7 - Barcelona - An Apreggio Study Let's Jam CD Lessons

Lesson 1 - Concepts
This first lesson is a more conceptual lesson. The topic is tension and release. Let me explain. When the novice musician begins to learn chords or melodies they may be described as "Pretty chords" or "ugly chords". Perhaps a better way to look at sounds like these is either tense or relaxed. A major or minor chord for instance, could be viewed as a relaxed or passive chord - they don't necessarily lead or go anywhere. There is no tension here. A chord such as a seventh or thirteenth however can create much tension as they need to go somewhere. The dissonance or "ugliness" you here needs to be resolved by moving on to another chord or sound. The tension is resolved by going to another chord or sound that is "expected" by the listener. Tension is almost always resolved in music by playing something expected - something we have heard before.
The most classic example is the V-I chord progression. It's been used since the 1500s to resolve harmonic tension. In jazz the ii-V-I is used much the same way. Tension can also be created other ways. A drummer creates tension by making the listener expect a certain beat-and then changing it or withholding that expected beat. The listener then waits for the resolution. So when you are listening or playing music try not to think in terms of pretty or ugly- think in terms of tension and release. It's what music is all about-matter of fact it pretty much defines life as a whole.

Check out these outstanding products by Peter Vogl:
Rock Guitar Book & Video	Blues Guitar Book & Video	Let's Jam CD	Guitarist's Tablature
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