Prelude # 6 from 12 Preludes for Solo Guitar by Ken Hatfield The first thing the observant will notice about Prelude # 6 (at least after the rubato intro) is that it is a samba. But unlike most sambas, which are in 2/4, this one is in 3/4. To perform this prelude correctly you must understand its rhythmic structure and play it with the right...
Read MorePrelude # 5 from 12 Preludes for Solo Guitar by Ken Hatfield
Prelude # 5 from 12 Preludes for Solo Guitar by Ken Hatfield Prelude # 5 is a deeper exploration of concepts I introduced in the guitar tip for Prelude # 2, i.e., the use of a key signature to represent more than the traditional Major/minor tonalities we’ve all been taught to associate with each of the 12 key signatures of the western harmonic...
Read MorePrelude # 4 from 12 Preludes for Solo Guitar by Ken Hatfield
Prelude # 4 from 12 Preludes for Solo Guitar by Ken Hatfield Some of you will recognize that Prelude # 4 is basically a blues, or, more accurately, it is based on the relationships between the three primary tonal centers characteristic of all blues: I, IV & V. Like many of the more sophisticated blues chord progressions that jazz musicians have...
Read MorePrelude # 3 from 12 Preludes for Solo Guitar by Ken Hatfield
Prelude # 3 is one of the shortest and simplest of the 12 preludes in this collection. It is very much in the “unconnected” style (see references and definitions of the three historical prelude styles in previous prelude posts). It is also reminiscent of the preludes of the Baroque era (though more Vivaldi than Bach). And it remains predominantly in the...
Read MorePrelude # 2 from 12 Preludes for Solo Guitar by Ken Hatfield
Prelude # 2 from 12 Preludes for Solo Guitar by Ken Hatfield As I mention in the introduction to 12 Preludes for Solo Guitar, I employ key signatures to illustrate the many different tonalities a given key signature can represent beyond the traditional association with a Major key or its relative minor. Since there are three different diatonic types...
Read MorePrelude # 1 from 12 Preludes For Solo Guitar by Ken Hatfield
Prelude # 1 from 12 Preludes for Solo Guitar by Ken Hatfield The purpose of this blog series, of which this is the first of 12, is to provide additional information regarding the form and content of each of the 12 Preludes I composed and recorded for my upcoming Arthur Circle Music release 12 Preludes For Solo Guitar. This book/CD package contains...
Read More