Let's talk about vamps... and no, I don't mean those nocturnal, pointy-tooth bloodsucker types from Transylvania.
In musical terms, a vamp can be defined as a repeating harmonic or rhythmic sequence, of usually two, four or eight bars. It can be based on a single harmony, a bass riff, or on a series of chord changes.
Vamps are everywhere these days, and have been for a good while. Listen to any contemporary charted pop tune and chances are the bulk of the tune is based on a vamp of some sort. Traditionally, a vamp might function as a song's intro. In our case, it functions as an improvisational vehicle often found at the end of a solo, or at the end of a standard tune, as well.
In musical terms, a vamp can be defined as a repeating harmonic or rhythmic sequence, of usually two, four or eight bars. It can be based on a single harmony, a bass riff, or on a series of chord changes.
Vamps are everywhere these days, and have been for a good while. Listen to any contemporary charted pop tune and chances are the bulk of the tune is based on a vamp of some sort. Traditionally, a vamp might function as a song's intro. In our case, it functions as an improvisational vehicle often found at the end of a solo, or at the end of a standard tune, as well.
Two examples that quickly come to mind are Miles Davis' recording of "If I Were a Bell" (short vamp at the end of each solo) and John Coltrane's version of "But Not For Me" (end of solos, as well as 'Trane's extended vamp at the end of the tune), but there are many others..
The 4-bar exercise shown below is but one way to approach this particular type of vamp. It features an arpeggiated sequence, staggered in triplets as min 9th & min 11th chords. Harmonically, the chord symbols could be spelled out in a few different ways, but this one works fine.
Closer inspection reveals this to be a thinly veiled ii-V-I-VI cadence in F, using upper structures against descending roots (bars #1 thru #3), forming tritone substitutions (in bars #2 & #4), with the last bar (which could also be written as Ab13 no 3rd) functioning as the biii turnaround back to ii (G min9) in the first bar.
The downloadable pdf (link below) presents this exercise in all 12 keys.
The 4-bar exercise shown below is but one way to approach this particular type of vamp. It features an arpeggiated sequence, staggered in triplets as min 9th & min 11th chords. Harmonically, the chord symbols could be spelled out in a few different ways, but this one works fine.
Closer inspection reveals this to be a thinly veiled ii-V-I-VI cadence in F, using upper structures against descending roots (bars #1 thru #3), forming tritone substitutions (in bars #2 & #4), with the last bar (which could also be written as Ab13 no 3rd) functioning as the biii turnaround back to ii (G min9) in the first bar.
The downloadable pdf (link below) presents this exercise in all 12 keys.
Listen
The purpose of this exercise is to hear this particular repeating cadence with extensions, and simultaneously get the shape of these staggered arpeggios under your fingers.
Check it out. Good for your ears! Good for your chops!
B. Stern
Check it out. Good for your ears! Good for your chops!
B. Stern
For a closer look at even more elements of improvisation, the following Shortbooks™
are recommended and available for immediate download.
are recommended and available for immediate download.
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