A question about the way I think of notes...

Flipsnake · #1 10-21-2009, 09:19 PM

When I'm playing, I think of everything in scale degrees related to the root, and not individual notes. Say I play a D maj7 arpeggio. I'd think of the note D, then the 3rd, 5th, and 7th notes in the finger pattern. I don't think of it as D, F#, A, C# (Just typing those notes in required a moment of thought from me).

Is this a bad way to think of things?
Also, any suggestions as to how I should think about notes is welcomed.

chuck3 · #2 10-21-2009, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flipsnake

Is this a bad way to think of things?

No.

M0ses · #3 10-21-2009, 09:37 PM

I do both. I think (hope) that's the best way.

JimmyM · #4 10-21-2009, 09:37 PM

While you shouldn't forget the actual note names, degrees are cool, and the Nashville numbering system is totally based on degrees instead of notes to make it easier to transpose stuff on the fly.

pinkflamingo199 · #5 10-21-2009, 09:53 PM

i use both so yes and no. its really good to know exactly what you are playing so you can tell other players what you are playing that dont have patterns. (sax and such) just be sure you can play arpeggios in anypart of the neck, first, second, third inversions.

JimmyM · #6 10-21-2009, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinkflamingo199

i use both so yes and no. its really good to know exactly what you are playing so you can tell other players what you are playing that dont have patterns. (sax and such) just be sure you can play arpeggios in anypart of the neck, first, second, third inversions.

Don't confuse degrees with patterns. I totally agree with you about patterns, but this is different. All instruments can and do use degrees.

MarkTAW · #7 10-21-2009, 10:43 PM

I'm the same way. The idea is to get the sound in your head on to the bass & the sound in your head isn't an "F#", it's a major third to the D you just played. Though I don't even think that anymore, I just reach for the note & play it.

**Freddels** · #8 10-22-2009, 04:48 AM

You need to do both. You need to know that F# is the major 3rd of a DMajor or D7 chord. It sounds like you're learning patterns and this method will get you only so far.

mambo4 · #9 10-22-2009, 02:49 PM

I think primarily the same way. I'm pretty quick to identify the actual note name, but I'm usually "thinking" in 3rds, 5ths etc.

EADG mx · #10 10-22-2009, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flipsnake

Is this a bad way to think of things?

No, but I wouldn't call it the best way either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flipsnake

I don't think of it as D, F#, A, C# (Just typing those notes in required a moment of thought from me).

I'd consider that a red light.

nothumb · #11 10-22-2009, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EADG mx

No, but I wouldn't call it the best way either.

I'd consider that a red light.

this is super helpful! i guess it would be too much to ask for you to tell him what the best way is, right?

OP, if you are primarily thinking in intervals, the first thing that pops into my mind as a potential stumbling block is that you still want to have in mind where each note fits into the overall scale or some other chords. for instance if you are just thinking "better play the 3rd here" without also 'knowing' that the same note serves as, say, the 5th of the vi chord, you may be missing some pieces in terms of how you think about and write bass lines. (i'm sure you know it while reading this paragraph, but having the multiple functions of the various notes present in your mind all at once is the thing). so i would say being aware of the overall key or keys of the piece and what other functions those notes might serve is important. i find that my spur-of-the-moment thinking tends to include both scale-thinking and interval / chord thinking, once i've settled into the piece anyway. i don't think it's so much about being able to stop mid-riff and say "this is a C sharp!" without looking (i know a lot of great players who don't think that way), it's about being able to think of all the different possible meanings or functions of different notes and combinations of notes.

on top of both of those, i think it's very important (and i have to remind myself) to also think about the bass line as its own melody and rhythmic line and get out of your own head a little bit. if you are a very technical thinker it can be easy to ignore that aspect. sometimes when jamming out on a piece or coming up with ideas it's good to just stop looking at the board, start on the 1 and let your fingers go. that's something i constantly battle - it's only after i've worked through some of my typical thought exercises of intervals and scales and keys that i get really good at finding melodies and counter-melodies and little chromatic bits that i wouldn't otherwise hit on - but that somebody who plays a lead instrument and wasn't trained to worry about voice leading and anchoring the piece and all that crap might go to first. it's very much about recognizing how you think and what your strengths are, and then expanding into areas you're less comfortable. just my 2 cents of course

Chris K · #12 10-23-2009, 01:03 AM

Playing from a lead or chords sheet for me intervals are the natural way. Reading from a notes sheet, I don't think of notes' names either. The dots remain nameless and proceed to the fingers right away. Both processes have become 'automatic', as they should become, IMHO.
Note names only get important for me to explain what I'm doing, or to understand what others are doing. To become theory, you might also say.

#13 10-23-2009, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flipsnake

When I'm playing, I think of everything in scale degrees related to the root, and not individual notes. Say I play a D maj7 arpeggio. I'd think of the note D, then the 3rd, 5th, and 7th notes in the finger pattern. I don't think of it as D, F#, A, C# (Just typing those notes in required a moment of thought from me).

Is this a bad way to think of things?
Also, any suggestions as to how I should think about notes is welcomed.

Sounds fine

I think Wayne Krantz talks about getting to automatically be able to reel of the note names of any formula (like a random selection of chromatic scale degrees) in any key. He gets it so it's pretty instantaneous, but it seems like he learns it parrot fashion so he can access it automatically without having to think.

That's quite advanced stuff though - but I guess if you're into jazz or similar then it all helps.

tomas_almeida · #14 10-24-2009, 05:17 PM

I use the same kind of thinking, I find it to be more immidiate. My teacher told me it's very good to be able to see things this way, but you also be able to remember each note as an individual and not only when related to other. It is not bad, but you shouldn't solely rely on it.