ION INDIE MAGAZINE June 2016, Volume 25 | Page 101
THE
MUSIC MUSE
By Thomas R. Jenney Ph.D.
DOWNTOWN TOMMY’S GUITAR LESSON: Whenever I talk music with younger players or pickers just starting
out, I always stress developing their own style and unique voice on the instrument. Once the foundation is
played with solid theory, the ability to improvise over chord changes and development of muscle memory
and technique--learn to stand out and be different. Play what is unexpected. Experiment with scales not
native to your genre of music to blow the minds of the audience when you perform live. One technique that
works well in that pursuit is the use of diminished runs. From any type of scale formula, my favorite being
hexatonic scales (YouTube has terrific instructional videos for guitar instruction—and soon my column will
contain my own instructional videos each month). Try throwing in four fret interval diminished runs. For
example: On your high E string, beginning four frets behind your current scale position, run up and down the
neck in the finger span of four frets to the 22nd or 24th fret. Naturally, you will not always be in the proper
key, but it won't matter, because the effect is similar to dissonant jazz and is very, very dramatic in framing
and offsetting your improvisation. Practice this set of runs on your G, B, and high E strings, and get ready to
flip out your audiences at every gig. Until next month…practice, practice, practice!
***
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, ION!: Congratulations are indeed in order for Kiki Plesha, Founder and Editor-InChief of ION Indie Magazine. Presiding over the operation of a magazine is an arduous task--of which many
have tried and thrown in the proverbial towel. ION Indie Magazine is thriving and topping itself every month,
with a team of world class journalists and photographers contributing superlative work. I am privileged to
write for ION Indie Magazine, and was fortunate to start from the inaugural issue. Kiki Plesha brings integrity
and hard won experience to the table, and her record of success with the last two years is a testimony to her
acumen as a magazine publisher. Cheers Kiki! And here’s to many, many more phenomenal years in the
business~Tommy!
Editor’s note: The pleasure and honor is mine…besides—you all make me look good!