morningfield
Verified buyer
05/19/21
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Tonal Freedom: Lead
Liberate Your Soloing with an Unlimited Melodic Palette
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Robbie Calvo
Educator
Genres
About this course
In the Rhythm edition of Tonal Freedom, Robbie Calvo demonstrated how to play, create and analyze chord progressions to identify their “home” – their tonal centers. Here in the Lead edition of Tonal Freedom, you’ll work on improvising over those progressions and taking full melodic advantage of phrasing towards their tonal center resolution points.
”We’ll be improvising over a variety of progressions built from the harmonized major scale, as well as all of the popular modal tonal centers: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, and Aeolian. We’ll take a look at some blues harmony, R&B harmonic structures, an altered funk progression, and a couple of jazzy blues II-V-I and II-bII-I progressions. On completion of this course, you’ll be able to instantly identify a progression’s tonal center and craft compelling melodic solos and improvisations!”
Robbie organized the course into 4 sections preceded by a series of lessons covering various aspects of tonal centers: What are Tonal Centers?, Tonal Centers & Sweet Notes, Tonal Center Freedom, The 3 Types of Tonal Centers, Style & Genre Considerations, Course Materials & Analysis, The 3 Key Principles, Targeting the Tonal Center,. Sustained Notes vs. Choked Notes, and the Question and Answer Approach.
"Having a solid understanding of tonal centers will help you create chord progressions, define and create modal progressions with the correct harmonic structures and also focus your melodic improvisations towards one chord when you solo.
We'll be covering the improvisational aspect of tonal centers in this lead edition of Tonal Freedom, and I'll be using the same chord progressions studied in the rhythm edition so we can tie it all together for a concise, practical approach to tonal center rhythm playing and precise soloing applications.”
Robbie will explain and demonstrate all of the key concepts and approaches along the way. You’ll get standard notation and tabs for each of the licks. Plus, Robbie includes all of the rhythm tracks for you to work with on your own. In addition, you’ll be able to loop or slow down any of the videos so that you can work with the lessons at your own pace.
Grab your guitar and let’s unlock your tonal freedom with Robbie Calvo!
”We’ll be improvising over a variety of progressions built from the harmonized major scale, as well as all of the popular modal tonal centers: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, and Aeolian. We’ll take a look at some blues harmony, R&B harmonic structures, an altered funk progression, and a couple of jazzy blues II-V-I and II-bII-I progressions. On completion of this course, you’ll be able to instantly identify a progression’s tonal center and craft compelling melodic solos and improvisations!”
Robbie organized the course into 4 sections preceded by a series of lessons covering various aspects of tonal centers: What are Tonal Centers?, Tonal Centers & Sweet Notes, Tonal Center Freedom, The 3 Types of Tonal Centers, Style & Genre Considerations, Course Materials & Analysis, The 3 Key Principles, Targeting the Tonal Center,. Sustained Notes vs. Choked Notes, and the Question and Answer Approach.
"Having a solid understanding of tonal centers will help you create chord progressions, define and create modal progressions with the correct harmonic structures and also focus your melodic improvisations towards one chord when you solo.
We'll be covering the improvisational aspect of tonal centers in this lead edition of Tonal Freedom, and I'll be using the same chord progressions studied in the rhythm edition so we can tie it all together for a concise, practical approach to tonal center rhythm playing and precise soloing applications.”
Robbie will explain and demonstrate all of the key concepts and approaches along the way. You’ll get standard notation and tabs for each of the licks. Plus, Robbie includes all of the rhythm tracks for you to work with on your own. In addition, you’ll be able to loop or slow down any of the videos so that you can work with the lessons at your own pace.
Grab your guitar and let’s unlock your tonal freedom with Robbie Calvo!
What you'll learn
- Apply altered dominants in funk and R&B contexts
- Learn to create simple melodic motifs over chord progressions
- Understand how R&B progressions use multiple keys
- Develop awareness of tonal center resolution despite harmonic complexity
- Build foundation for adding complexity to simple R&B progressions
Release date: 01/31/2019 • 2h 19m runtime
Sample lessons
What are Tonal Centers?
Overview
The 3 Types of Tonal Centers
Overview
The 3 Key Principles
Overview
Lydian Major Solo
Overview
What's included
64 lessons • 14 charts • 14 Jam Tracks
Tonal Freedom: Lead Edition
Hi, I'm Robbie Calvo and welcome to Tonal Freedom: Lead. The tonal center of any chord progression is where you hear "home" or the resolution point of that chord progression. This resolution point is the key factor to understanding modality, blues harmony and non-diatonic harmony, and consequently, how to apply your improvised lines.
In this course, we're going to take a close look at how to improvise over a variety of chord progressions, each with their own tonal center resolution point. In fact, all of the progressions in this course are the same as those found in Tonal Freedom: Rhythm and I strongly suggest that you study that course before embarking on this one.
We'll be improvising over a variety of progressions built from the harmonized major scale, with all of the popular modal tonal centers: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian and Aeolian. We'll take a look at some blues harmony, R&B harmonic structures, an altered funk progression and a couple of jazzy blues II-V-I and II-bII-I progressions.
On completion of this course, you'll have built a solid recognition of tonal centers and fully understand why this is so important to your lead guitar playing. This course is the foundation to even greater musical chops!
In this course, we're going to take a close look at how to improvise over a variety of chord progressions, each with their own tonal center resolution point. In fact, all of the progressions in this course are the same as those found in Tonal Freedom: Rhythm and I strongly suggest that you study that course before embarking on this one.
We'll be improvising over a variety of progressions built from the harmonized major scale, with all of the popular modal tonal centers: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian and Aeolian. We'll take a look at some blues harmony, R&B harmonic structures, an altered funk progression and a couple of jazzy blues II-V-I and II-bII-I progressions.
On completion of this course, you'll have built a solid recognition of tonal centers and fully understand why this is so important to your lead guitar playing. This course is the foundation to even greater musical chops!
Working with This Course
I am often asked by my students the best way to work through one of my current courses. My advice has always been to leave your guitar on the guitar stand and literally watch the whole course like a movie. Take notes of the video sections you think are relevant to you and your goals and only work on those sections. If you've watched a course fully, you'll have a complete understanding of what the content offers, an understanding of the concepts presented and you can then cherry pick the items that are of most interest and relevance to focus your full attention on.
Taking this approach will help you to not feel intimidated by the magnitude of the information, get you started at the correct point of information you were looking for...and lift any pressure to complete a whole course!
Taking this approach will help you to not feel intimidated by the magnitude of the information, get you started at the correct point of information you were looking for...and lift any pressure to complete a whole course!
What are Tonal Centers?
Tonal centers are the resolution point or resting place of a chord progression. You'll find throughout your lifetime of studies that nearly every conceivable chord progression will have a tonal center, which means it's an absolute must to study and understand this course.
Typically, the tonal center will be the first chord of the harmonic progression. Why? Well, because if your progression starts at that point, cycles through a series of chords and comes back to the first chord to repeat the same cycle, your ear will hear that chord as the resolution point...start and end. There are exceptions, however, that which we'll discuss throughout the course.
Having a solid understanding of tonal centers in any given chord progression is going to help you understand how to improvise correctly over that progression, too. The 7 modes of the major scale for example are simply just 7 different resolution points within one key. We'll be looking at those 7 resolution points and tonal centers within the major scale.
Outside of the major scale, we have blues and R&B harmonic progressions that sometimes draw their chords from several different keys. Regardless of the chromatic nature of these progressions, you'll still find that there is a tonal center resolution point to those progressions. We'll take a look at several different examples in those genres to illustrate the point and discover varieties within the genres. We'll also take a look at a typical jazz progression to show how even the most complex progressions can be broken down into a series of tonal centers within a longer piece of music.
Typically, the tonal center will be the first chord of the harmonic progression. Why? Well, because if your progression starts at that point, cycles through a series of chords and comes back to the first chord to repeat the same cycle, your ear will hear that chord as the resolution point...start and end. There are exceptions, however, that which we'll discuss throughout the course.
Having a solid understanding of tonal centers in any given chord progression is going to help you understand how to improvise correctly over that progression, too. The 7 modes of the major scale for example are simply just 7 different resolution points within one key. We'll be looking at those 7 resolution points and tonal centers within the major scale.
Outside of the major scale, we have blues and R&B harmonic progressions that sometimes draw their chords from several different keys. Regardless of the chromatic nature of these progressions, you'll still find that there is a tonal center resolution point to those progressions. We'll take a look at several different examples in those genres to illustrate the point and discover varieties within the genres. We'll also take a look at a typical jazz progression to show how even the most complex progressions can be broken down into a series of tonal centers within a longer piece of music.
Tonal Centers & Sweet Notes
Recognizing where a chord progression resolves to is going to give you a harmonic structure and target chord to focus your improvisations upon. The tonal center chord will also contain all of the "sweet notes" and resolution chord tones that you'll want to end your licks and melodic phrases on. I'll be suggesting specific scales, arpeggios and all of the sweet notes in every breakdown section.
Tonal Center Freedom
Having a solid understanding of tonal centers will help you create chord progressions, define and create modal progressions with the correct harmonic structures and also focus your melodic improvisations towards one chord when you solo. We'll be covering the improvisational aspect of tonal centers in this lead edition of Tonal Freedom, and I'll be using the same chord progressions studied in the rhythm edition so we can tie it all together for a concise, practical approach to tonal center rhythm playing and precise soloing applications.
The 3 Types of Tonal Centers
There are 3 main types of tonal centers:
- Diatonic - The chords in a diatonic chord progression are derived from one key and can be major, minor or dominant.
- Chromatic - Progressions derived from a series of different keys, like blues, R&B, etc.
- Temporary - In the case of jazz progressions which typically descend through a series of tonal centers. I call these temporary tonal centers because they will move through a series of tonal centers within one progression or movement before returning to the "master" tonal center of the musical structure.
Style & Genre Considerations
Tonal centers exist in every genre and style of music and this is why it is so important to understand the harmonic and melodic nature of this information. Once you have this power at hand, you'll have the freedom to create and improvise without fear of playing the wrong tones or resolving outside of the tonal center chord and its "sweet note" resolutions.
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Reviews
6 results
PaulJT
09/23/20
It's like a working lunch
Basically, i purchased this course to learn Robbie's cool groovy licks which is the fun part. Then studying how the chords, the lead and the solo tie in together is the tough part hence, it's like a working lunch. However, I have most of Robbie Calvo's courses and kind of expected this. But this is even more advanced.for those who like to delve into more theory. In other words. there's a lot to learn here.
Rob
06/28/20
Great tool here
For some reason, this course was an eye opener for me. I had always targeted chord tones in solos using CAGED...or...used Ionian, Mixolydian, or Aeolian and my ear to navigate solos. But I never considered the tonal center of the progression and applying the appropriate mode. This is so simple, practical, and can take you improv to a whole new level in a very short period of time. And...it does truly give you freedom to sound great on those quick moving progressions when trying to target chords tones is just too much. Great tool for the tool box. Just know when to pull it out and you’re golden!
Bob J.
11/24/19
Tonal Freedom, Lead Edition
This is an extremely challenging course, but I really enjoy it. Robbie Calvo has a very calm and peaceful way of speaking and it really helps me grasp what he is teaching. This course is a WINNER for sure. Great job TrueFire, keep them coming !!
tgronk
03/27/19
Opens Up Your Sound
Just one time through this course and I can feel the difference in my playing. Robbie does a great job of connecting your ears to your soul. I'm reminded of some modal fingerings that I lost touch with - and these aren't hard to remember. Robbie shows us some great examples and then tells us why they work. He's done me a great service with this course and I've grown from it. Take the course, do the work and you'll dig the results.
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