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Guest Column: Interval Riff Ornamentation
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Interval Riff Ornamentation
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by Randy Ellefson
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Page added in
October, 2005
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About the Author
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Randy Ellefson is an instrumental guitarist with endorsements from Alvarez Guitars,
Peavey, and Morley Pedals, and a Bachelors of Music in classical guitar, Magna Cum
Laude.
His most recent album, "Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid", was independently
released in July 2007. Ellefson is also known for his extensive experience with
tendonitis, which once took away his playing for five years.
Visit Randy's web site for mp3s,
tabs, articles, and videos.
Send comments to Randy Ellefson.
© Randy Ellefson
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In a previous article, "Interval Riff Basics", we looked at and heard examples of
using only two notes, or intervals, for rhythm guitar parts. The two main intervals
are fifth and thirds, with the latter adding more variety and color to your riffs.
Now we'll look at ornamenting these two basic sounds with melody fragments. Doing
so also introduces other intervals, including seconds, fourths and sixths, but each
will be subservient to our core intervals of the third and fifth... at least for
now.
Ornamenting Thirds
There are two types of notes in music: chord tones and non-chord tones. Our
ornamentation will be done with non-chord tones, specifically the one called a
"neighbor tone". A neighbor tone is next to a current chord tone, and is approached
and left in opposite directions. For example, if holding an E minor third (the
notes E and G), and the upper note, G, drop down to F#, and then back up to G, the
F# is a neighbor tone. See Example 1a.
In this case, the F# is a lower neighbor. There is also an upper neighbor, which
would be A. See Example 1b. Listen to this example of thirds ornamented with lower
neighbor tones. Within the example are major thirds, a minor third, and major
seconds, as shown in Example 2.
MP3
Notice how there is a constant eighth-note pulse on the 5th string throughout this
example, and that an interval of one kind or another is only sounded at certain
accents, when both notes are sounded. At that moment, the muting from the right
hand is lifted so the chord can be heard. This brief moment is one reason the
relatively dissonant interval of a major second (E and F#) works. If you were to
sound the major second and let it ring longer, it sounds much more dissonant.
Example 3 and its accompanying mp3 use both lower and upper neighbors to create a
more active line. Of special note is the last measure, where an F# was used because
it is in the key. With the C below it, it creates an augmented fourth, which
usually sounds like it should resolve upward by step to the fifth, which is the case
here. The F# is also a passing tone, not a neighbor tone, and such a motion is
discussed below.
MP3
Ornamenting Fifths
Just like thirds, fifths have both a lower and upper neighbor. The lower neighbor
is usually a perfect fourth, while the upper one can be either a minor or major
sixth, depending on where you are in the key. See Example 4.
MP3
In most of Example 5, the perfect fourth is used, but listen again for the augmented
fourth (the F#) above the C, as expected by the key of E minor. It is possible to
use the perfect fourth above C and introduce an F natural.
Connecting Thirds and Fifths
To connect a third with a fifth above the same root, such as E, another kind of
non-chord tone is used: the passing tone; in this case, a fourth. A passing tone is
approached and left in the same direction. For example, with E on the bottom
continuously, G can pass through A on its way to B, moving from the interval of a
minor third, through a fourth, to a fifth. The opposite direction works equally
well. See Example 6.
Of course, it's not necessary to connect the third and fifth at all. You can simply
alternate.
This final mp3 illustrates a riff connecting thirds and fifths as in Example 7.
MP3
Coda
Adding ornamentation is a good way to introduce melody to your rhythm guitar parts,
but we've only scratched the surface of what can be done. In a future article,
we'll explore counterpoint and see how to write two different lines for one
guitarist to play alone.
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Additional Columns by Randy Ellefson
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- And 5 more in the Guest Columnists series, view the index
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