Paganini

Hello, it's great to be back! I hope you're enjoying the lessons. Well, I just had the opportunity to play with Yngwie Malmsteen again, for the second time. That experience inspired me to show you an excerpt from Paganini's "Caprice #16". I've always been a fan of Paganini. This is one of my favorite pieces. I transcribed it from the violin. I've been playing it for years and it is great for your chops and harmony knowledge.

The Caprice is based on the G Harmonic Minor Scale.(G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F#) The first three bars are all G Harmonic Minor. Notice that at Bar 4 on the second beat we have a G7 Arpeggio.(G, B, D, F).Then we resolve to C minor.(C, Eb, G), which is the 4th chord in G minor. Then we move down to F7 (F, A, C, Eb), resolving to Bb Major (Bb, D, F) in Bar 6.

In Bar 7 we have a pedal point run..Then in Bar 8 we climb down a D7 arpeggio.(D, F#, A, C). We are really moving between two scales here: G Harmonic Minor and the G Minor Scale.(G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F).There's only one note difference between the two scales. This gives us some different chords by simply changing one note. This piece is put together so beautifully -- it lies nicely across the fretboard.

MP3 - Paganini - Slow

MP3 - Paganini - Fast

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Also, don't forget to check out my CD "Full Circle", or for more information on me go to www.mikecampese.com. Have fun!

Mike Campese is an all-around music performer, session artist and teacher competent in many musical styles, electric and acoustic. He has studied at G.I.T. (Honors Graduate), and with Paul Gilbert, Norman Brown, Stanley Jordan, Scott Henderson and Keith Wyatt.

Mike Campese: The Fire Within