Creating music in the key of A minor (open
position)
#1) Learn the A minor scale in open position
-----------------------0-1-3-1-0------------------------------------
-----------------0-1-3------------3-1-0-----------------------------
-------------0-2------------------------2-0-------------------------
-------0-2-3--------------------------------3-2-0-------------------
-0-2-3--------------------------------------------3-2-0-----------0-
--------------------------------------------------------3-1-0-1-3---
#2) Learn the chords that belong to the key of A minor:
Am Am9 Dm Em C Cmaj7 Cadd9 F Fadd9 G Bm7b5 E E7(b9)
-0---0---1---0---0--3---0----0-----1---3----3------|--0---0------
-1---1---3---0---1--1---0----3-----1---1----3---3--|--0---0------
-2---4---2---0---0--0---0----0-----2---2----0---2--|--1---1------
-2---2---0---2---2--2---2----2-----3---3----0---3--|--2---3------
-0---0-------2---3--3---3----3--------------2---2--|--2---2------
-------------0------------------------------3------|--0---0------
#3) Learn the A minor harmonic minor scale to use against the E chord
You will notice the E and E7(b9) chord has a note that doesn't belong to the A
minor scale. By changing the scale to accomidate the note of the E chord we have
created the "A Harmonic Minor Scale" Learn to play the scale starting from the E
note and you will really hear the scale as it is intended to sound in Flamenco...
-----------------------------0-1-4-1-0----------------------------------
-----------------------0-1-3------------3-1-0---------------------------
-------------------1-2------------------------2-1-----------------------
-------------0-2-3--------------------------------3-2-0-----------------
-------0-2-3--------------------------------------------3-2-0-----------
-0-1-4--------------------------------------------------------4-1-0-1-4-
#4) Learn the arpeggios that belong to the chords of A minor:
Am Am arpeggio (use picado to play)
-0---|-------------0-5-0-------------------
-1---|-----------1-------1-----------------
-2---|---------2-----------2---------------
-2---|-------2---------------2-------------
-0---|---0-3-------------------3-0---0-----
-----|-----------------------------0-------
Dm Dm arpeggio
-1---|-----------1-5-1---------------------
-3---|---------3-------3-------------------
-2---|-------2-----------2-----------------
-0---|---0-3---------------3-0-------0-----
-----|-------------------------0---0-------
-----|---------------------------1---------
C C arpeggio
-0---|-----------0-3-0---------------------
-1---|---------1-------1-------------------
-0---|-------0-----------0-----------------
-2---|-----2---------------2---------------
-3---|---3-------------------3-------3-----
-----|-------------------------3-0-3-------
Bm7b5 Bm7b5 arpeggio
-----|---------------1---------------------
--3--|-----------0-3---3-0-----------------
--2--|---------2-----------2---------------
--3--|-----0-3---------------3-0-----------
--2--|---2-----------------------2-0---0-2-
-----|-------------------------------1-----
Em Em arpeggio
--0--|---------------0-3-0-----------------
--0--|-------------0-------0---------------
--0--|-----------0-----------0-------------
--2--|---------2---------------2-----------
--2--|-------2-------------------2---------
--0--|---0-3-----------------------3-0-----
E E arpeggio
--0--|---------------0-4-0-----------------
--0--|-------------0-------0---------------
--1--|-----------1-----------1-------------
--2--|---------2---------------2-----------
--2--|-------2-------------------2---------
--0--|---0-4-----------------------4-0-----
F F arpeggio
--1--|---------------1-5-1----------------
--1--|-------------1-------1--------------
--2--|-----------2-----------2------------
--3--|---------3---------------3----------
-(3)-|-------3-------------------3--------
-(1)-|---1-5-----------------------5-1----
G G arpeggio
Now that we have memorized our scales, chords and
arpeggio's. Right?
ok!... To create a great solo or composition we need to combine everything we have
studied so far.
The idea here is to:
#1. Introduce the harmony (play a chord)
#2. Play a note belonging to the harmony - an arpeggio note('s)
#3. Use scale notes to play a melodic idea
#4. Then play the next chord and continue as you did from step #1
I call this guide-line playing. The chords dictate the starting notes and
the scales give you ammunition for creative ideas, improve and phrasing.
This musical example uses the chords and scales belonging to the key of A minor:
Am Dm E7(b9) Am9 Am chord (chord notes and scale idea)
-0---1---0------0-----||-0-----------0000------0-3-1-0---------------
-1---3---0------1-----||-1-----------------1-3---------3-1-0---0-1-3-
-2---2---1------4-----||-2-----------------------------------2-------
-2---0---3------2-----||-2-------------------------------------------
-0-------2------0-----||-0-------------------------------------------
---------0------------||---------------------------------------------
Dm chord (chord notes and scale idea) Am9
---1---------1111----0-1-3-3/5-33-11-00----0-0----0----0-0-0-1-0-----
---3---------------3--------------------33--------1--------------3-1-
---2----------------------------------------------4------------------
-0------------------------------------------------2------------------
------------------------------------------------0--------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------
E7(b9) (chord notes and scale idea) Am arpeggio
----0----------------0-4-1-0---------------------------------5-------
-0--0----------0-1-3---------3-1-0-------0-1-0-------------5---------
----1------1-2---------------------2-1-2-------2---------5-----------
----3--2-3---------------------------------------2-----7-------------
----2----------------------------------------------3-0---------------
----0----------------------------------------------------------------
