RIFFING PRO, WELCOME!

RuthPower

RANDOM RIFF CHALLENGE #3 for Melodic Riffs is now UP in the course module! ENJOY! 🧡

alexx88

@RuthPower Ok, so this one IS a challenge. Been working on it today. My chord progressions are unconventional, but I wanted to keep #2 & #3 with the sus2/4 in root position. I did it in 2 different progressions.

4-3-2-5 Db Root Cm Root Bbm Root Eb 2nd Inversion

                Db/F/Ab to Bb
                D/G, Eb, C/Eb/G
                Bb/Eb, F, Bb/Db/F
                Bb/Eb/G to Ab  back to Root Db/F/Ab

4-6-5-1 Db 2nd Inversion Fm Root Eb Root Ab 2nd Inversion

              F/Ab/Db to Eb
              G/C, Ab, F/Ab/C
              Eb/Ab, Bb, Eb/G/Bb
              Eb/Ab/C to Db  back to 2nd Inversion Db F/Ab/Db

Hopefully I wrote this all correctly. Husband is on the iMac, so I’m on my iPad. 🤪

I also did another chord progression, not using any specific patterns, but the 1st progression I thought of trying the challenge with was: 4-2-6-5. I like the way it sounds.

                                                                  Db 1st -       F/Ab/Db
                                                                  Bbm  2nd - F/Bb/Db
                                                                  Ab 2nd -     Eb/Ab/C
                                                                  Fm Root -   F/Ab/C

Now back to the song I'm working on by ear. Chris Stapleton's "Cold." So far I have the Verse & Chorus melody, chords, & string notes. I was working on that last night. Haven’t started Rhythmic Riffs yet, or done any more playing with the Melody Riffs. I will. I want to get the bridge & solo for this song, then I’ll take a riff break & come back to making an arrangement.

alexx88

alexx88 What the heck with my chords?... my iPad wants to torture me 🤨

4-2-6-5 in Ab

Db 1st Inversion F/Ab/Db
Bbm 2nd Inversion F/Bb/Db
Ab 2nd Inversion Eb/Ab/C
Fm Root F/Ab/C

RuthPower

Awesome Alexx! By 4-2-6-5 you're referencing the chord progressions yeh? I'm going to challenge you to use Roman numerals with those - it makes it easier to distinguish between scale degrees, fingering & chord progressions – which we all use numbers for! Remember - UPPERCASE for major chords, lowercase for minor chords...
So the chords you've written there (Db, Bbm, Ab, Fm) would be IV, ii, I, vi 😜
Fantastic work writing all of those out - I wouldn't even attempt on my iPad it's so old and slow!
Well done for taking on the CHALLENGE!!! 🧡

RuthPower

RIFF MAGNETS IS OUT NOW!!!
If you're thinking "how dare she, I haven't even finished the last one!" then never fear. I'm just trying to keep up the pace so that we can have all modules released before the RIFF-BANK comes out end of March! Keep on at your own pace - absolutely no need to rush! 😍

celiajoy

Fun, @alexx88 thanks for sharing - I played through your progression, it’s fun to see what different things we come up with.
I did
I, ii, vi, IV

so
Ab in 1st inv
c min in root,
f min in root (left these in root position for the sus 2 and sus 4, rather than voice leading, which would also be fun)
Db in 2nd, mostly because I liked the way the top note jumped in the anticipation/leading riff.

celiajoy

@celiajoy
ha, ok, I think I found a voice leading I like better than what I was doing before - still I, ii, vi, IV
Ab (2nd), c min(1st), f min (root), Db (1st)

alexx88

@RuthPower Roman Numeral Challenge Accepted! I do know that too I’ve had my fair share of theory drilled into me ha ha. I never write the chords positions on the key chart, I usually only say them.

My iPad is a fossil, too. A 2014 iPad Air 😳 Luckily my phone & Mac are a year old.

@celiajoy I like the 2nd one more, too, I really like the way it sounds, & it flows so much better from the Cm to the F.

I’m going to write this one down. I’m also trying to keep a "riff toolbox." Each others ideas will be a great resource for us, in that we will be exposed to things we may never have thought of, & be challenged.

I’m curious as to how an app or program would work for notation. Do you just type in the letter & it does all the staff work? That’s definitely a game changer.

vkisamore

I get lazy about typing roman numerals for chords but will try to start doing so. Just getting ready to go back into the module to do riff magnets. Everyone play it like you mean it!!!
Alexx, I might try some of the chord progressions you chose for your challenge. Should be interesting.

vkisamore

Celia, I'm going to try yours as well.!

alexx88

@vkisamore Give them a try! What progressions have you been working on? I'm a little behind. I was working out a song by ear. I have all the melody & chords. I also did the string riffs & the guitar solo. Now I need to put an arrangement together. This is the song. Chris Stapleton's "Cold." https://youtu.be/fq15HXc6pmw

Planning on starting Rhythmic Riffs & Riff Magnets tomorrow.

vkisamore

I've watched the videos for rhythmic riffs, riff magnets and supportive riffs. Had one go through each of them and now I'm going to go back and become more at ease with some of the more challenging syncopated rhythms, especially the busy and busier gaps. Last week I was just experimenting. I was combining some syncopated bass riffs with some different syncopated melodic riffs, playing with sus chords and anticipation- so I could get the back and forth hand conversation going. Basically did everything using either of the chord progressions Ruth presented. Haven't really messed around with the progressions I said I was going to try. I got sidetracked this week by illness in our household. I will listen to the song you (Alexx)are learning by ear because I'm not familiar with it. I'm going to have to get on the stick with playing piano because in early to late spring we have lots to do here on our mini-farm. I haven't even read or seen what the most recent riff challenge is.

vkisamore

What are the roman numerals for the C, a, e and b chord progression. You notate with an f#, so is it the key of G IV ii,VI,iii. I'm a little confused. or is it a I, vi, iii, vii from the key of c.

vkisamore

Also, some of the turn arounds seem really abrupt to me. I will probably "soften" them.

alexx88

@vkisamore Ugh. I noticed I made a typo. Then I saw the edit & delete. YAY! Thought I fixed it, but both versions are in here. Nay!! So never mind that whole answer. Twice. 🙄 I can delete the 2nd one now, but not the first. So no point in deleting either.

Its the key of G. IV, ii, vi, iii

In the key of C, the vii chord, Bdim is B/D/F.

alexx88

@vkisamore ** This version corrects the typos in the first version above that looks the same . I can edit or delete this version, but not the first two. **. Very frustrating. This is twice now I’ve made typos that are permanent.

Hi Val! Hope all is well with your family! I'm just about to start Rythmic Riffs, so I don't know what example you are referring to, but hope this will help you to answer your question. Not sure how familiar you are with the Keys. Sorry if you already know them, 🙂 but this could be a good reference for someone that doesn't.

In the key of C, the chords are as follows:

I = C ii = Dm iii= Em IV = F V = G vi = Am vii = Bdim

In the key of G, the chords are as follows:

I = G ii = Am iii = Bm IV = C V = D vi = Em vii = F#dim

In each key, all you have to do is go up a whole step from the Root (1-7). Then assign the Roman numeral numbers, instead of 1-7. The big thing of course, is you have to know the notes in each key. 😃

Also, the I,IV, V chords are always major. The ii, iii, vi chords are always minor. The vii chords are always diminished. Just don't confuse the vii chord of a key, with 7th's, M7th's, & m7th's.

RuthPower

@alexx88 thank you so much for your patience in getting those typos right! I've deleted the previous typo posts for you 🙂 Really great explanation of the chords that are diatonic to the major key - this is great for posterity! Just reminder to everyone (and anyone reading later) that this is the diatonic chords for a major key- the diatonic chords to a minor key are different (but you can always compare to the relative major (three half-steps up) if you get stuck figuring those out. Mostly in the Riffing Pro course, we're playing major key chords progressions, so don't have to worry too much.
Good work @vkisamore , I'm super impressed with how much you have done and going back to do everything until it feels comfortable - that is the REAL work where it all pays off, so well done.
You guys are AWESOME! Love how you are sticking with this Riffing Pro course and doing the work - I'm so excited to see the progress at the end compared with when you started! 🤩
P.S I completed creating the BLUES RIFFS and the CHURCH RIFFS collections for the Riff Bank last week and I can't wait for you to dive in later in the month!

alexx88

@RuthPower Thank you SO much Ruth for fixing that!! I love that all these new modules are opening up! Half of me likes it because I’m kicking my butt into gear with one of my current goals toward where I want to be with my piano skills, & the other half says you’re killing me!! lol 😆

celiajoy

“Imagine singing...imagine singing" 😂 I am in the supportive riffs module and I love it - fairly straightforward but helpful. But my favorite part is @RuthPower singing about imagining singing. Not gonna lie, I sometimes get the imagined song stuck in my head for a while after.

alexx88

@celiajoy I did the same exact thing! More than once!

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