GUEST COLUMNIST:

AARON ROTEN

Note groupings beyond the sixteenth. Part three: Septuplets


Hello again, Aaron from Super-String-Theory once again. In my last two lessons I wrote about approaches to creating and practicing quintuplet and sextuplet patterns. In this lesson I will continue that same approach in creating septuplet phrases. I have to admit, these patterns can be much more difficult to “feel” than the quintuplet or sextuplet patterns explored earlier, but the payoff is well worth the practice.

In this first example, I will again construct a segment from the notes of C major/ A minor. Keep in mind that these patterns are moveable to other keys and the ideas themselves can be applied to pentatonic, exotic, or synthetic scales as well as various arpeggio patterns.



This next example is a fun one. After playing the same pattern in example one for a couple of measures, to establish the septuplet “feel”, we extend the pattern to create a pretty challenging run. By the way, being that this phrase ends on the E- note, it creates that E Phrygian sound. Try playing this little run over an E minor chord instead of an E minor pentatonic pattern; you'll definitely get peoples attention.



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