Sunday, February 28, 2010

Perpetual Burn by Jason Becker

Entry 4:

This entry is coming in a little late. The reason for that is that I spent a few days in New Jersey recording with this great band I joined. There will be more details about the band later. I had an awesome time in NJ and got to visit "The Stone Pony" which is an incredible events parlor/bar with some great audio engineers. I actually saw this band called "Cycle of Pain" which is lead by the ex-bassist of Black Label Society, J.D. All-in-all a great time.

Today's video further continues into the song "Perpetual Burn" by Jason Becker. This time we start of with a familiar figure of sweeps. The difference is we have modulated to another Key over the course of the song, so far. The key is - drum roll - F#m!

There's actually a bit of a discrepancy as it would really be F# Phrygian, but that's a minor key. Then it shifts to F# Aeolian.

So, we start off with the same shape of sweeps from the very intro, except this time we don't play the third half-diminished/oriental arpeggio, but rather skip to a series of beautiful sequence arpeggios, instead, in the same Key. There is also a bit more of a challenge this time as the sweeps are rapidly interwoven with some quick alternate picking. I think this is one of the funner parts of the song. But who am I kidding I think the whole song is extremely fun.

After a journey through a series of F#m arpeggios, there is a G# Locrian run starting on the 6th (E). Then we have an arpeggio in Bm with some downwards sliding, which is followed by a B Aeolian lick. Then we go into F#m again with a series of three-string arpeggios which are followed by a Dm arpeggio. After this Dm arpeggio there is a modulation into C major but on it's Dorian mode; D. The lick starts on B on the 19th fret of the 1st string and ends on D, on the 12th fret of the 4th string.

That's it for today. This is a bit of a challenging but extremely fun bit. Special attention to the lick in B Aeolian right after the Bm arpeggio.

Perpetual Burn GP5 tabs can be found here:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3J1I8EP6
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Articulo 4:

El articulo de hoy viene con un poco de tardanza. La razon de eso es que pase unos dias en Nueva Jersey grabando con una gran banda a la cual me uni. Habran mas detalles sobre esa banda mas adelante. La pase buenisimo en NJ, incluso fui a "The Stone Pony" que es un local de eventos/bar con ingenieros de sonido increibles. Me toco ver a una banda que se llama Cycle of Pain la cual es liderada por el ex-bajista de Black Label Society, J.D. Todo estuvo bueno.

El video de hoy continua el desarrollo de la cancion "Perpetual Burn" de Jason Becker. Esta vez empezamos con unas figuras conocidas. La diference esta en que hemos modulado a una nueva Llave durante el transcurso de la cancion. La nueva Llave es - redoble de tambores - F#m!

Asi, empezamos con la misma figura de barridos de la introduccion, con la excepcion que esta vez no tocamos el tercer arpegio semi-disminuido/oriental, y en vez saltamos a una serie de arpegios en secuencia, en la misma Llave. Hay un pequeño desafio extra ya que esta vez los barridos estan entrelazados con algo de uñeteo alternado. Me parece que esta es una de las partes mas divertidas de la cancion. Pero a quien engaño... me parece que toda la cancion es divertida.

Despues de un viaje por una serie de arpegios de F#m, hay una corrida en G# Locrio empezando en la sexta nota (E). Despues tenemos un arpegio en Bm con unos deslizes en descenso, lo cual es seguido por un 'lick' en B Eolio. Despues pasamos a F#m de vuelta con una serie de arpegio de tres cuerdas que son seguidos por un arpegio en Dm. Despues de esta arpegio en Dm, tenemos una modulacion a C mayor pero en su modo Dorico; D. Este 'lick' empieza en B en el 19o traste de la 1ra cuerda y termina en D, en el 12vo traste de la 4ta cuerda.

Eso es todo por hoy. Es una seccion un poco desafiante pero muy divertida. Presten atencion especial a el 'lick' en B Eolio justo despues de el arpegio en Bm.

Perpetual Burn GP5 tabs can be found here:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3J1I8EP6

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Perpetual Burn by Jason Becker

Entry 3:

Today's section of this song involves, excitingly, more string skipping, more sweeps and some decorative notes to a F#m arpeggio.

The first part of this section is a string skipped D arpeggio starting on the 10th fret of the 6th string, followed by a 1st inversion D arpeggio starting on the 9th fret of the 5th string. It really grabs my deep attention how Jason chooses very distinct notes to make one arpeggio sound like two distinctly separate ideas. Clearly, this is just a matter of inversions, which procure a minor or major quality depending on the starting note.

Then we have a very melodic Bº7 arpeggio which skips one note once the 1st string is reached in order to jump to the 16th fret (Ab) and then down in that position but this time with a triplet feel, and up two notes again to the Ab but this time on the 3rd string. This resolves to an F#m arpeggio which has a few 9s (G#) in there and then a C#m6 to beautify it and really make a wonderful melody .

The next part is a simple finger twister of fun. That's what I call it.

It starts on F# on the 5th string and follows it with a minor arpeggio of that root. Then begins this back and forth on the first three strings between F#m and Bm. After that we move up a minor 3rd and repeat the same relationships this time with Am and Dm and then after another minor 3rd up we have C, Em, D, C, F#m, C, F#m. All of these are six-note arpeggios on the first three strings.

Since this section only plays once in the song and has a very distinct quality due to the three-string arpeggio ping-pong I've always thought of it as a very memorable part of the song. One of those sections that randomly starts playing in my head.

Perpetual Burn GP5 tabs can be found here:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3J1I8EP6

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Articulo 3:

La seccion de hoy de esta cancion consiste, entuasiasmantemente, de mas saltos de cuerdas, mas barridos y algunas notas decorativos para un simple arpegio en F#m.

La primera parte de esta seccion es un arpegio en D usando salto de cuerdas, empezando en el 10mo traste de la 6ta cuerda, seguido por una 1ra inversion en D empezando en el 9no traste de la 5ta cuerda. Me llama la atencion el profundo detalle que Jason presto para meticulosamente elegir notas que hagan que un arpegio suene de como dos ideas totalmente unicas. Claramente, esto es simplemente un asunto de inversion, las cuales procuran una cualidad mayor o menor dependiendo de la nota de partida.

Despues, tenemos un arpegio en Bº7 muy melodico que salta una nota una vez que llega a la 1ra cuerda en orden de saltar al 16o traste (Ab) y despues bajar en esa posicion pero esta vez con tresillos y de vuelta dos notas en ascenso hasta al Ab esta vez en la 3ra cuerda. Esto resuelve a un arpegio de F#m al cual le añade unos 9s (G#) y despues un C#m6 para embellecerlo y crear una verdaderamente bella melodia.

La siguiente parte es un simple tuerce-dedos de diversion. Asi me gusta llamarle.

Empieza en F# en la 5ta cuerda y sigue esta nota con su arpegio menor. Despues comienza un va y viene en las primeras tres cuerdas entre F#m y Bm. Despues de eso nos movemos una 3ra menor hacia arriba y se repite la misma relacion pero esta vez entre Am y Dm, y despues otro movimiento de 3ra menor hacia arriba donde tenemos C, Em, D, C, F#m, C, F#m. Todos estos arpegios son de seis notas en las primeras tres cuerdas.

Debido a que esta seccion se presenta solo una vez en la cancion y el hecho que tiene una cualidad distintiva debido a los arpegios de tres cuerdas haciendo "ping-pong", siempre he considerado esta seccion bastante memorable. Es de esas melodias que espontaneamente comienzan a sonar en mi cabeza.

Perpetual Burn GP5 tabs can be found here:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3J1I8EP6

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Perpetual Burn by Jason Becker

Entry 2:

Today I've been looking at when the 'hook' melody is introduced. It's surrounded by sliding arpeggios and fast sweep picking. There are some fast alternate picking sections, as well. Particularly hard on this is that there are plenty of jumps, not only vertically but also horizontally across the neck. For example, after the first set of sweeps and runs the hook melody resumes which means jumping from the 4th fret on the 6th string to the 17th fret on the 1st string.

There is lots of string skipping involved, I guess the part that stands out the most is when the A minor arpeggio is highlighted with a root movement, then a 1st inversion (starting on C), then a 2nd inversion (starting on E) and then another root movement right before the long run down A harmonic minor to G#...

I understand that it is very important to get this down slowly first, with every note clear. Albeit in my recording I did not hit every note but alas that is the challenge presenting itself. If every note can be certified going slow, then faster and faster, by the time the actual speed is attempted then the only challenge is in dexterity which can easily be worked with a few hours of practice.

The video is best viewed on Youtube as the right margin gets cut in this post. Maybe it's on some computers only, I'm not sure.

Perpetual Burn GP5 tabs can be found here:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3J1I8EP6

Monday, February 22, 2010

Perpetual Burn by Jason Becker

Entry 1:

I have memorized most if not all the song and am now beginning to practice each part at full speed. It's not an easy task at first, as with any Jason Becker song, since there is a lot of finger twisting, dramatic speeds, chewed-up yet clear notes which I want to get with exactitude.

The sweeps at the very beginning prove exhaustive enough to get with exactitude, but every time I get them perfectly it seems like there is no effort at all. This is common with anything really, once muscle memory sets in.
The challenging bit about them is the third set which is a Am7b5 with a Kokinjoshi flavor to it. Jason knew that the key to amazing shred-based songs was to create warped yet melodic sounds. Sweeping is a great way to do this since it adds a very fluent tone to a otherwise very enigmatic quality.

Perpetual Burn GP5 tabs can be found here:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3J1I8EP6