Guitar Practice
Day and Night Arpeggio Practice
Today, let's work on using arpeggios to outline the chord tones for the A section of Cole Porter's jazz standard "Day and Night"
The A section of Day and Night combines classic iiāVāI harmony with elegant chromatic movement, making it an egood study in voice leading and arpeggio playing. The progression begins with a familiar Dm7ā5āG7āCmaj7 cadence, firmly establishing C major before moving into a series of descending chromatic chords that add color and forward momentum.
A particularly interesting section is the sequence:
FāÆm7ā5 ā Fm7 ā Em7 ā Eādim7
Rather than functioning as a traditional key change, these chords create a smooth chromatic descent, with each chord leading naturally into the next through minimal voice movement. The Eādim7 serves as a passing diminished chord, increasing harmonic tension before resolving back to Dm7, where another iiāVāI progression returns the music to C major.
For guitarists, this progression is an ideal vehicle for practicing chord-tone improvisation. Instead of thinking in terms of one parent scale, try outlining each chord with its arpeggio while connecting to the nearest chord tones as the harmony changes. This approach develops stronger melodic phrasing and highlights the sophisticated harmonic movement that makes this progression so satisfying to play.
News & Notes šļø
- Fender released a Limited Edition Jim Root TelecasterĀ® in Shoreline Gold. Slipknot guitarist Jim Root worked with Fender to create a big-sounding signature Telecaster model that complements his heavy playing style, featuring a 12"-radius fingerboard, EMGĀ® active humbucking pickups, and a sparse control layout.
- Fender added a couple limited edition colors to their Vintera III line of electric guitars - a White Blonde Late '50s StratocasterĀ® and a 3-Color Sunburst Early '60s Custom TelecasterĀ®.
- Fender also announced new Josefina Hand Wound Red Hotā¢ TelecasterĀ® Pickups. Hand-wound in the FenderĀ® Custom Shop by Master Pickup Winder, Josefina Campos, the Red Hotā¢ TelecasterĀ® pickups are overwound for high output. Features an alnico 5 magnet in the bridge position and alnico 2 in the neck.
- šŗ Watch Anderton's Music demo and review the new Fender '62 Deluxe Reissue Amp.
- Martin Guitars announced 000-10E & 000-28 Shawn Mendes signature acoustic guitars. Watch Shawn share the story behind his new signature guitars, inspired by a small-bodied Martin from the 1920s and designed to move from quiet songwriting sessions to the stage: YouTube
- Martin Guitars also announced a new 5-28 Terz model, which is the smallest guitar in their lineup.
- Premiere Guitar posted a new rig rundown video of Marcus King and Drew Smithers.
- Jens Larsen posted a valuable video showing a "Boring" scale exercise that could save you years in your guitar education journey.
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