Playing Techniques

[grooveagent66]

Yes I have

[sschweg]

Hi

My name is Steve Schwegler. I live in the Nashville, TN area. I am a self taught amateur musician with a good grasp of harmonic structure and intervals. I have well practiced ears and can generally write a simple chord chart in real time as a song plays. My main instrument is keyboard but can find my way around on guitar, banjo, and concertina.

I received my 49 4 days ago and am very excited about it. It is the most intuitive instrument I have ever had my hands on. Within minutes of opening the box, I was playing scales and simple chord progressions. I have made some real progress and will probably use it at a gig this coming weekend for some songs.

My question to those who have become proficient is regarding chord fingering. When going from, say the 1 chord to a 6 minor just below it with the right hand, do you find turning your hand counterclockwise or clockwise to work better? Also, do you play all of the minor chords with the right hand with the same hand position or do you find that some are better played the other way around? I hope this make sense. I don't find it to be much of a problem when playing with one hand but when I am playing a bass line in the left hand and comping chords with the right, I find myself getting jammed up when moving right from a 5 chord to a 6 minor chord, for instance.

I have always been a right hand dominate piano player, even though I am left handed. I probably have not been diligent enough with practicing my left hand. On the axis, however, I seem to feel more comfortable with chords in my left hand and bass with my right. I would be interested to hear others experience.

Sorry for the many words and thanks in advance for your comments.

Steve

[xjscott]

Yes, I've experienced that. The rotation thing can be challenging. Some chord progressions and melodies are like playing a game of twister with one's fingers.

I tend to gravitate more towards things that are easier to play, which with scales means modes that would be unusual to play on a standard Halberstadt style keyboard.

It's when I try to play known pieces that the twister makes itself known.

With the duplicate keys being used I think part of the idea is that there is more than one position for a given chord if there are any problems, but I've not really experimented with that much, I usually try to use the position in which the keys are closest.

Overall this is more like a guitar than a piano, so there will be some tricky fingerings.

[sschweg]

patterns.jpg

I think that I have figured out that if you learn these two patterns, you can play any scale in any key. These chromatic patterns stack one on top of the other and alternate from east to west along the line of unison. They repeat to infinity in all directions. To the northeast, southwest, northwest and southeast of the pattern you are in, is the same pattern.

If you start in the key of C, in either pattern and play 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, the other pattern continues in the next octave and then the other and so on.

Here is the cool part, which probably everybody has figured out but me...

If we keep the same pattern and start on the 2 (you don't have to start and end a scale with your index finger, do you?) instead of the 1 and play thru both patterns until you get back to 2, you have a D-Dorian scale. So start and end on 3, E-Phrygian, and so on through all of the scale modes. Move over to make the 1 a D, and start and end on 2, you have an E-Dorian Scale.

Blues Scale? 1, 2.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 6.5 1 and you're in the other pattern.

Pentatonic?

You get the idea.

You guys had probably already figured this out. The patterns overlap on both sides and share notes in common.

For now, this is my approach. Comments are welcome!

Steve

[MusicScienceGuy]

Hi,
Interesting posts!

I had figured out some of this from first principles before my Axis arrived, as posted in A beginner's Axis Keyboard road map. Unfortunately in a blog old postings quickly get buried.

I'd appreciate it if you can tell me where I got things wrong with how the Axis in default mode is played. I've been learning the "other" layout, what I call the folded scale or Wicki-Hayden, and would love to hear more about the Harmonic Table (HT)'s strengths.

In particular these things I'm curious about how it is to play:

1. The melody, which very often is a small part of a scale, or a scale with skipped notes (think of the Do-Ray-Mi song)

2. A running base line, played with the left hand, just a series of notes in a major, minor or seventh cord (e.g. root, third, fifth, repeat).
Ironically on the folded scale and the HT layout having these keys together complicates things; the fingers get jammed tightly.

3. How about Arpeggios

4. A chord progression; learn to play a 1-4-5 progression, the standard rock progression.

5. A simple song like Aura Lee, which has a diminished chord and others.

And here's where the bill comes in: the HT is great for a major/minor chord in root position, ... but how are playing Inversions?

In turn, I'll try to let you know about how the folded scale measures out in the above.

Ken.

[sschweg]

Hi,
Interesting posts!

I had figured out some of this from first principles before my Axis arrived, as posted in A beginner's Axis Keyboard road map. Unfortunately in a blog old postings quickly get buried.

I'd appreciate it if you can tell me where I got things wrong with how the Axis in default mode is played. I've been learning the "other" layout, what I call the folded scale or Wicki-Hayden, and would love to hear more about the Harmonic Table (HT)'s strengths.

I certainly would not say that you have it wrong. It may be me that is wrong. I like having the b3 up and to the left as opposed to stretched out all the way to the right because I think it lends itself to minor chords, scales, etc. It just seems more compact and linear to me.


In particular these things I'm curious about how it is to play:

1. The melody, which very often is a small part of a scale, or a scale with skipped notes (think of the Do-Ray-Mi song)

I'm not sure how to answer this. From either pattern, "Mary had a Little Lamb" is |3212|333 |222 |355 |3212|3333|2232|1 |. Keep in mind that it takes two octaves to play lots of melodies as they fall above and below the root.


2. A running base line, played with the left hand, just a series of notes in a major, minor or seventh cord (e.g. root, third, fifth, repeat).
Ironically on the folded scale and the HT layout having these keys together complicates things; the fingers get jammed tightly.

Try |1-3-5-6.5|1-6.5-5-3|1 in both patterns. In one pattern, you get pretty jammed, in the other, it lays under your hand very nicely.


3. How about Arpeggios

The same is true here. Try both patterns.


4. A chord progression; learn to play a 1-4-5 progression, the standard rock progression.

I hate to keep harping on the patterns but a 1-4-5 progression can be played with the root of the 4 either below the 1 and then the 5 to the left or the right. This makes the 1 the highest chord. You can also go up and over to the 4 in either direction (I find myself going to the right most often) then the 5 is on top of the 1.

5. A simple song like Aura Lee, which has a diminished chord and others.

You mean "love Me Tender" don't you? It has an unusual but simple chord progression...

Verse 1 2 5 1
1 2 5 1
Chorus 1 1dim 4|4min 1
1 2 5 1


And here's where the bill comes in: the HT is great for a major/minor chord in root position, ... but how are playing Inversions?

I find the inversions easier to play than the triads. Try to think of the chords you want to play within the context of the scale notes. Put the pattern that has the 3 and 4 close together on the top of the other pattern and make your home position the root of the top octave. Like this...

scale note chords.jpg

Then think of the chords with the note numbers from the major scale you are playing in. If you want to play a ii chord, it can be 2-4-6 or 4-6-2 or 6-2-4 for example. Here is a quick chart...

Chord Scale Inversions.jpg

I hope this is of some help and that it makes sense. I've got to go to work!

Regards,

Steve

In turn, I'll try to let you know about how the folded scale measures out in the above.

Ken.

[MusicScienceGuy]

Thanks Steve, the above is appreciated.

In summary, it sounds like the axis layout is very playable: a cool instrument.

Ken.

[ross9999]

Here's some stuff I put together to help get my head around the axis, I'd say the key thing for any beginner is to learn the Major scale as far up as the axis goes, because this pattern will give you all other modes.
The first image may seem confusing at first, but it's useful to memorize and will enable you to work out chords and intervals.

[sschweg]

Hi Ross,

Very nice job. It would appear that you are a guitar player. I have come to the opinion that the Axis is much more guitar like than piano like. I have tried playing some of the songs I play on the piano. It's not impossible, and I think I will eventually be able to come closer, but songs which were obviously composed on a guitar seem to fit better.

I hope we will continue this discussion. I would love to see some more in depth technique oriented instruction on the Axis, but we appear to be on our own.

Thanks for the post.

Steve

[jimh54]

If anyone has grooveagent66's diagrams, could you please send them to me as a .zip?
Thanks,