Jerry Cherry | Pitting The Cherry

Hello Cherries! I created a chord progression for improvising. 1 bar each chord. Am7b5, Dm, Gm, Cm, F7, D7, Gm Gm. First thing to do is dissect it to establish what key this is in. We know that it's G minor. A great exercise would be to play around the root notes of each chord. Then play around the 3rd's descending down to the 2nd back to the root. The play around with the 5th's and 7th's. It's really important to be able to play and hear the intervals of each chord. You can also play the G minor pentatonic over this whole progression which is great too. If you can take this chord progression and play it up and down the fretboard and solo over it you're really on the right path of improvising. Check out this video where I dive deep into this progression. Have a great week Everybody 🎸  

Hello Cherries! Modes starting on the same root note are called parallel modes. Instead of using the same seven notes and shifting the starting point, parallel modes alter specific intervals against a standard major scale to create distinct moods. Learning them this way is highly recommended to build ear-training and muscle memory. In this video I play a 3 NPS "Note Per String" Pattern of the G Major Scale. Then I'll take the 2nd note "A" but instead of playing A as the 2nd note of the G Major Scale, I'll shift back to the G instead using the same formula of notes that the A had but now its starting on G. This gives you a whole different sound "G Dorian." This puts you in the key of F because G is the second note of F, like A is the 2nd note of G. This is one of the most confusing, misunderstood topics in music but there's a reason for that. Half of musicians think it's stupid, the other half believe that it's the most important area of...

Hello Cherries! The Harmonic Minor Scale and it's Modes are essential to know! The Harmonic Minor scale (1, 2, flat3, 4, 5, flat6, 7) features a distinct raised 7th degree that creates a powerful leading tone. Its seven modes—such as Phrygian Dominant, Dorian (sharp4), and Ionian (sharp5)—provide distinct, exotic flavors and functional harmonies. There's a very easy way to learn this. All you have to know is the scale itself. All of the modes are inside the scale. They sound different based on what chord is playing underneath. For instance, if you play GmM7 chord and you play this scale you have a G Harmonic Minor scale. If you play a D7 chord and play the same scale your playing a D Phrygian Dominant mode. Same notes, all based on the chord your playing. In this lesson I'm playing the modes in series. Playing them in parallel would be the next lesson. Understanding them in series like this is just as valuable to get an understanding of the intervals and sounds. Enjoy the v...

Hello Cherries! Happy Fathers Day to all you Papa's out there. It's important to know the basics of a minor blues. If you don't know all ready it's the sadder sound of the blues because it's based on minor chords instead of dominant chords. The most important thing to know about playing a minor blues is that it's all about the feel. However, it's good to know about the form, the chords, and scales you can use. A simple minor pentatonic scale works over the full progression. Just like anything you can dive deeper into it. You can play minor 2-5-1's. That's a bit jazzier but if done right it's very bluesy sounding. Please checkout and enjoy the video where I go deep into all of this. Have a great weekend Everybody ❤️  

Hello Cherries! I'm always trying keep my blues playing fresh. You can do that by playing some different progressions. By varying the standard forms, you can instantly change the mood, add tension, or transition into different styles of blues. In this video I play 5 different blues progressions. The 1st one is the most basic that is the foundation of the blues. With each new progression I add one new element. By the time you get to the 5th progression you'll be superimposing chords and hearing sounds that your favorite players make. It's best to take this slow and break it down bar by bar. These new progressions will open up your mind and ears to new improvising ideas. It's easier that you think. Give it a shot. Enjoy the video and have a great week Everybody 🎸😊  

Hello Cherries! What seems like an easy topic can get a little confusing. In the graphs you have a G Major and G Minor pentatonic scale. Both pattern 1. You have 4 more patterns all starting from the G root "parallel pent scales." If you play the G Maj pent pattern 1 starting on the 6th degree and play the same notes within that pattern you have the "E relative min." That's E min pent "pattern 2." The same is true for the G Minor Pentatonic. You can play the same scale from b3rd degree and play the same notes within that pattern you have the "Bb relative maj." That's Bb maj pent "pattern 5." This seems a little tricky but good to understand. What I think is easier and more useful for actually playing is to see both maj and min patterns as part of the CAGED chord shapes. Both shapes of the graphs fit perfectly over it's respective E major or minor shaped G chord. In this video I show easy examples of all of this. "Let...