John Abercrombie and Mark Soskin Master Class

On Monday John Abercrombie and Mark Soskin came to UT and presented a master class session. They played two songs in a guitar piano duo and sounded great doing it. Abercrombie’s playing was very melodic as he used fewer notes to say more. While comping Soskin did a great job of following the lead and adjusting his note choice based on what Abercrombie played. Both are quite talented musicians.

Mark Soskin explained how he plays to compliment the harmony when playing rather than use various voicings or trying to overflow the harmony. He also talked about using what you were learning right away so that you can better incorporate it into your playing style. Soskin addressed the importance of hooking-up into the music so that you were always listening to everything being played and responding by going with the flow and complimenting one another.
John Abercrombie discussed how he tries to establish a good overall tone and volume level that will mesh well with the band and sound pleasing. This way the listener can enjoy your sound before the first melody is even completed and the band will have more of a unison feel. Abercrombie said that if he super imposes he will sometimes use pedal point or just stop playing. The goal is to support whatever is being played while not clashing or limiting any of the possibilities of the person soloing.

Abercrombie clarified that he focuses in where the chord is going – the resolution points – rather than getting wrapped up in a single chord because there is always a steady flow of new chords coming. Focusing too much on one chord means that you can get behind as the flow of the song progresses.

He said that he uses licks when he has to but doesn’t play licks for the most part. He also said that although he no longer practices scales or other certain exercises he still practices everyday by playing new songs and testing his weak points such as playing faster material. He also addressed the point that sometimes the less talking about a tune there is the better it can become because it frees of each of the musicians.

It was a great master class and I wish we could have heard Abercrombie and Soskin play with the faculty band or the Murphies.

Last lesson we covered the Dorian mode and I learned how Dorian is the first mode in a group of modes that is based off of the minor scale with the flatted third. Meanwhile, Lydian, Ionion, and Mixolydian are centered more around the major scale (Ionian being the major scale). Playing the modes is fun and is really expanding my note vocabulary as far as knowing what notes can be played.

Jay also showed me how I can keep the same note in the bass of a chord progression while choosing chords based on the modes and how this can be as easy as moving a simple bar chord pattern around.
E.G. playing open E string while doing a major bar chord from the A sting down and moving this pattern on all the notes in the E major scale / whatever mode you are in.
I have a new way of looking at all of my chord shapes and new scales with which to solo over them.

I am continuing my reading exercises that are certainly helping me to learn my neck with speed and accuracy. The breathing exercises help me get centered and focused right before I practice as well.

-Geoff