Day 12.

Try playing a few chromatic scale segments in several keys, say, C and Bb and A and Eb. Play the positions 1, 3, 4, b5, 5, 6, b7, 7. Then syncopate the 3rd to the 7th position notes, 3, 4, b5, 5, 6, b7, 7, and repeat. Kind of a warm up.

Then switch to playing notes (in those keys) that are chord-based. Say, first the notes in each chord in the sequence of this chord progression in the key of C - C, Em, Dm and G (use a few connecting notes). For example, play the notes C, E, G (the 1st, 3rd and 5th positions in a C major chord), then the notes E, G and B (the 1st, minor 3rd and 5th positions in an Em chord), then the notes D, F and A (the 1st , minor 3rd and 5th positions in a Dm chord) and then the notes G, B and D (the 1st , 3rd and 5th positions in a G major chord). After you've played these four sets of three notes (this would be an example of 'playing through the chord changes') play them again and this time add chromatic connecting notes between the 5th position of each chord-based three bass note sequence and the 1st position of the next three note sequence. For example, from the note G, the 5th position of the C chord, play F# to F to E, the 1st position of the Em chord. And C to C# to D, connecting the 5th position of the Em chord (the note, B) to the 1st position of the Dm chord, the note, D. And connect the 5th position of the Dm chord, the note, A, to the 1st position of the G major chord by playing the note, G#. Or play the two notes, A and G#, repeating the note, A, in keeping with our convention of playing two chromatic connecting notes between the chord-based bass note sequences. And then, play two chromatic connecting notes (what notes would they be?) which lead from the 5th position of the G chord to the 1st position of the C chord, thus completing one cycle or one chord progression.

Definition: sequence: a regular succession of related chords.

This is a good example of what I mean by using connecting notes as well as using chromatic notes.

Try these chords in the key of Bb - Bb, Dm, Cm and F. Key of A - A, C#m, Bm and E. Key of Eb - Eb, Gm, Fm and Bb.

Instead of dealing with notes' names you could also understand this by thinking in terms of positions.

If you really want to go nuts, you could try syncopating the chromatic notes. Of course to do this would require you to set up some kind of rhythm. See the earlier section on 'Counting.' Go crazy: syncopate any of the notes or short segments (two or three notes at a time) of the total number of notes, mixing up groups of downbeat notes and upbeat notes.

Another mix up: mix up or alternate between the playing of chromatic scales and the playing of chord-based bass note sequences of each of the following: key of Bb - the tonic notes Bb, D, C and F (for the chromatic scales) and then the chord-based bass note sequences for the chords Bb, Dm, Cm and F; key of A - the tonic notes A, C, B, and E (for the chromatic scales) and then the chord-based bass note sequences for the chords A, C#m, Bm and E; key of Eb - E, G, F and Bb and then Eb, Gm, Fm and Bb; key of C - C, E, D and G and then C, Em, Dm, G. Then add some chromatic connecting notes to those chord-based bass note sequences. What a trip ! If you can learn to do this you're doing great! Why not go off the d~e~e~p~e~n~d and throw in some syncopation!!!

Definition: progression: a sequence of a number of related chords in a key. How are they related? By harmonic structure. That is, each of the chords has concordant (what's the definition of 'concord'?) notes in it that are common to some of the other chords in the progression - a non-theoretical explanation if I've ever heard one. But simple.

Definition: key: a label for a system on which the notes of a scale are built up, each bearing a definite relation (of half-steps) to the lowest note or tonic.

Definition: key: a musical structure comprising notes which are said to be related in some ways. The key of a song can usually (but not always) be labeled by its basic root note, the keynote, the 1st note or 1st position in the scale. It is called the tonic.

Definition: tonic: the keynote of any scale, the first degree of any key.

Definition: scale: a sequence of notes arranged in order of pitch.

Definition: pitch: the highness or lowness of a sound.

Try to figure out similar material in the keys of, say, D and F#. I'm asking a little more of you here. I'm asking that you move your fingering patterns around to other places on the fret board. I'm also asking you to move groups of fingerings around to other places on the fret board. I'm asking you to transpose. This might be difficult the first time but persevere. It'll expand your musical mind.

End of day 12.