Guitar Club Lesson - Atonal : Derek Bailey

[@disappeariancer]

thank you! at first i could not get the music, mostly because free improvisations are not ment to be like a thought out composition, but then some of his harmonic sequences or fragments of his playing captivated me like no other music and i would listen to them on repeat. he is the world that does wonders when you take time to explore it.

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

I posted a new Derek Bailey related video today and created a Playlist in case you might be interested to check it out : studio.kzbin.infoPLoLOItWSclTWAtGNQYhRgsbiqU6lEJNNn/videos

[@acousticexplorer108]

That is the best and simplest explanation of the harmonic series I’ve come across,ever . Nice work

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

Thank you for listening and letting me know ! Much appreciated. Very glad you enjoyed this one. Best Wishes - John

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

I posted a new Derek Bailey related video today and created a Playlist in case you might be interested to check it out : studio.kzbin.infoPLoLOItWSclTWAtGNQYhRgsbiqU6lEJNNn/videos

[@isolateddemon9438]

IT SOUNDS BEAUTIFULLY DARK😀

[@nophonecamera]

This is wonderful! Not a lot of good information online about his playing style. More to practice!

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

I'm so glad you like this. There was so little information back in the early 90s that I had to write to Derek himself for assistance. It's not something everyone gets into so I'm really glad it finds a home with you.

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

I posted a new Derek Bailey related video today and created a Playlist in case you might be interested to check it out : studio.kzbin.infoPLoLOItWSclTWAtGNQYhRgsbiqU6lEJNNn/videos

[@JamesSeaberry]

Hohoho, yeah!!! Cool stuff. I actually bought a vinyl of his in the 70's....still can't grasp it all!

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

It's some wild business !

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

Hi James - I posted a new Derek Bailey related video today and created a Playlist in case you might be interested to check it out : studio.kzbin.infoPLoLOItWSclTWAtGNQYhRgsbiqU6lEJNNn/videos

[@Allan-bu8sk]

Ive been experimenting, somewhat blindly, with harmonics and this has helped me greatly. Many thanks

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

Thanks Allan ! I'm happy this has been a help to you. Please let me know if there are further questions I might be able to assist with. Best Wishes - John

[@karltstraub]

I’ve been meaning to ask you about this stuff for years- I’m so glad you posted this!

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

Thanks for checking it out Karl !

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

Hi Karl - I posted a new Derek Bailey related video today and created a Playlist in case you might be interested to check it out : studio.kzbin.infoPLoLOItWSclTWAtGNQYhRgsbiqU6lEJNNn/videos

[@nnuexperiment]

thank you for this Derek Bailey series! why does the attack sound slow on your guitar in this vid?

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

Thank you for giving a listen ! That slow attack 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 ) Wishing you the best - John

[@nnuexperiment]

Thank you! I must also tell you that the close notes, far octaves Technic I noticed you showing us is very reminiscent on Morton Feldman's guitar piece "possibility for a new electric guitar" I think you would be interested in that!

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

@@nnuexperiment Thank you my friend ! Yes - I am big Feldman fan ! I hope you have the book Give My Regards to Eighth Street 🙂

[@moletrane277]

im very happy someone on youtube is talking about this! im new to guitar but derek bailey is probably my biggest influence right now

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

Hi Mole Trane - thank you for listening and letting me know that this reached you there. I hope you'll have a look at the atonal playlist as there might be other things that could be of interest for you.. Sending you best wishes - John kzbin.info/aero/PLoLOItWSclTUtXAlpbqklSu6xNm_261_c

[@moletrane277]

@@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation will do!

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

I posted a new Derek Bailey related video today and created a Playlist in case you might be interested to check it out : studio.kzbin.infoPLoLOItWSclTWAtGNQYhRgsbiqU6lEJNNn/videos

[@isolateddemon9438]

THANKS FOR SHARING SUCH WONDERFUL CONTENT.

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

I try ! Thank you for listening and letting me know !

[@glennmichaelthompson4112]

Thank you so much for sharing this! I've been listening to Derek Bailey's music since I was a teenager in the 1970's. There's not much information on his approach to playing guitar, so this is very welcome. I'm watching this video about a year after you posted it. Perhaps the timing is good as I've just received a beautiful acoustic archtop guitar, which is what Mr. Bailey used (I think). Thanks to a very generous person I received the archtop as payment for some artwork I'd done. You're lucky to have been in correspondence with Derek Bailey. I'd love to see any other videos on what he shared with you. Thanks again.

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

Hi Glenn ! I hope you've seen these clips from my very old friend Henry Kaiser. He has gone quite deeply into Derek's playing and knew him quite well. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZaTgWSIns2Lq6M & kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5ytpqaVpstlhs0

[@glennmichaelthompson4112]

@@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation Hi John, I've not had a chance, so I'll be sure to check those clips out. Absolutely love Henry Kaiser's playing. It'll be my pleasure to view them. Thanks so much.

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

@@glennmichaelthompson4112 Hi Glenn ! I'll keep trying to find and or create new material related to Derek !

[@glennmichaelthompson4112]

@@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation That would be great. There's not a whole lot available on Derek Bailey's approaches. I'm sure anything you come up with will be a welcome addition to your already prolific and informative videos. There's a LOT to explore on your channel.... I can't keep up! It's truly appreciated. Best regards, always.

[@VincentSteenstraToussaint]

Wow! So cool

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

Hi Vincent ! I'm glad you enjoyed this. Thank you for listening and letting me know. Wishing you the very best - John.

[@mononoaware1960]

Cool lesson, haven’t seen a lot of videos covering free improvisation. I’ve always had a weird relationship with his music. I get what he’s trying to achieve but the sounds he produced… idk. I can’t really form an emotional connection to it, although I keep trying. I love tons of experimental and avant garde music but the free improv thing eludes me sometimes. When King Crimson incorporated aspects of it on Larks Tongues and Starless and Bible Black, it works really well. It goes somewhere and is used to create tension but to me with Derek Bailey it was all tension and no pay off. I really want to like his music and admire that he was trying to do something really radical. My favorite examples of atonality in music are Messiaen and later Debussy (preludes) works. Although very dissonant it all comes together to paint a vivid picture. Maybe one day it will click for me. I have the same problem with Fred Frith’s solo work. Love Henry Cow, Art Bears, Gravity, etc. But the whole solo thing leaves me feeling cold. Maybe if there was some variety to what Derek played I could get into it. I will say the most captivating thing of his I’ve heard so far is his “Pieces for Guitar” album released on the Tzadik label. It has more of a modern classical feel to it that I haven’t heard in any other recordings of his.

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

Hi 仏教 ! Thank you for listening and letting me know. I'm glad you enjoyed this clip. I understand and relate to what you're saying here. One thing I know for certain about Derek Bailey's music is that it was very intentional and nothing was haphazard or random. He had a very specific vocabulary that he had developed and this is what you can hear him exploring time and time again. I've often heard it said that free improvisation is far more fun to play than it is to listen to and I can understand that. Wishing you the best there - John

[@mononoaware1960]

@@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation Oh absolutely! You can definitely tell what he did was intentional, and that’s why I’ve always wanted to get into him. He was a serious jazz guy trying for something completely original, definitely succeeded! Forgot about the album he did with Tony Williams and Bill Laswell “Arcana.” Maybe I’m a fan after all haha.

[@waatchyourhead]

Thanks for sharing this! Curious if you would be willing to share the written tabbed exercises? I learn best with things being written. I would gladly play for them.

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

Hi Zachary - I wish I still had all my papers from decades ago but I don't. I did find this page where the application of Harmonics is discussed : cochranemusic.com/node/189

[@waatchyourhead]

@@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation thank you!

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

@@waatchyourhead and check this videos out : kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZa7nomgqMqif68 & kzbin.info/www/bejne/el6xlIZrlribn68

[@oliver-qw4ku]

if you could share these lessons, i would be just so grateful i would not be able to fully transmit it to you. one of my entrances to the guitar, after i got acquainted with bailey's work in the album, was to watch videos of him playing, i would search the ones where i could see his and the guitar neck, and try to imitate it or, going along with his improvisations. i have been studying his two 'pieces for guitar' for a while, and i would be just so pleased if i could have more notated things like this to study

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

Hi Oliver ! Here is my current playlist of Derek inspired approaches and techniques : kzbin.info/aero/PLoLOItWSclTWAtGNQYhRgsbiqU6lEJNNn I don't have anything notated but encourage you to investigate concepts and ideas. An example : take the harmonic of the 6th String - 7th Fret ( B ) and explore other notes nearby that you could pair with it. Minor 2nds or minor 9ths or Major 7ths can be a good place to start. So, 8th fret of the 4th string A#, or 6th fret of the 1st String A#, or 10th fret of the 4th String C. Do this for the harmonics on all strings and you will already have a very wide vocabulary of sounds available. This is how Derek worked as far as I can tell. He investigated the possibilities offered by the guitar and worked to organize them in a free flowing manner. Wishing you the best ! - John

[@oliver-qw4ku]

thank you so much for these very insightful ideas! i will certainly work on them. thanks a lot!

[@andresceccarelli]

❤

[@basicsforbaroqueimprovisation]

Thank you Andres !