Lydian Chromatic Concept

distressed_romeo · 04-01-2007, 09:56 PM

I've seen this mentioned in quite a few sources (Mick Goodrick's 'The Advancing Guitarist' for instance) but haven't ever been able to find a proper explanation for how it works. Apparently it's an alternative way of looking at harmony and tonal organisation that was developed by bebop musician George Russell.

Can anyone help shed some light on this?

LilithXShred · 04-02-2007, 12:11 AM

As far as i know the concept takes the lydian scale as the basic scale (not the ionian). Because lydian is more stable when it comes to physics. When playing the notes of the ionian scale in fifths there will be a flat five (tritone, the most unstable intervall, check out pythagoras stuff about harmonics). When doing this with the lydian scale there will only be perfect fives (very stable interval, only the octave is more stable).
But even though the concept is really well thought out the western ears are too used to the ionian sound so it didn't work out.

checl out this site (haven't been there for some time, i actually read about the concept kinda long ago so i don't know if everything is right what i said

)

www.lydianchromaticconcept.com

MetalMike · 04-02-2007, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilithXShred

As far as i know the concept takes the lydian scale as the basic scale (not the ionian). Because lydian is more stable when it comes to physics. When playing the notes of the ionian scale in fifths there will be a flat five (tritone, the most unstable intervall, check out pythagoras stuff about harmonics). When doing this with the ionian scale there will only be perfect fives (very stable interval, only the octave is more stable).
But even though the concept is really well thought out the western ears are too used to the ionian sound so it didn't work out.

checl out this site (haven't been there for some time, i actually read about the concept kinda long ago so i don't know if everything is right what i said

)

www.lydianchromaticconcept.com

This is a very interesting concept.

distressed_romeo · 04-02-2007, 09:35 AM

After reading the content of the website, I was going to order the book off Jazzwise. Then I realised it costs £79...

Drew · 04-02-2007, 12:41 PM

Yeah... Someone was talking about this over at www.satrianiforum.com a few months back. I was intrigued, but not inrigued enough to spend somethng like the $200 it'd cost me to get the book on it.

distressed_romeo · 04-02-2007, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew

Yeah... Someone was talking about this over at www.satrianiforum.com a few months back. I was intrigued, but not inrigued enough to spend somethng like the $200 it'd cost me to get the book on it.

Exactly. I don't even like spending £15 on a theory book unless it's something I'm 100% sure I'll benefit from.

MetalMike · 04-02-2007, 01:49 PM

It's basically a whole new method that the site does not explain well enough to justify purchasing anything. It covers it's basics and I understand how the concept works, but for all you know, you can pick up the books and totally disagree with that concept or it's usage. I'm still a little bit interested, just not enough to consider paying $200.

Drew · 04-02-2007, 01:57 PM

Eh, I'm a big "knowledge is power" sort of guy. If I can buy it for the price of a CD or two and it looks promising, I figure it's worth a shot.

It's when you get to the point where, "let's see, do I want a theory book, or do I want a couple new mics?" that you're out of the impulse-purchase territory.

distressed_romeo · 04-02-2007, 03:20 PM

I've got a few friends doing psychology degrees at the moment, and unfortunately this is the standard for a lot of academic books; there've been quite a few times where they've been told they need to acquire an academic text for a particular module, and end up having to spend £50+ on it...

Mikey D · 04-02-2007, 04:45 PM

My pianist has been seriously studying this concept on his own from the book (yes he paid about £80 for it!) and has talked me through it briefly. It really is a completely different way at looking at how you play over changes and what scales relate to what chords etc.

He even named his myspace after it... http://www.myspace.com/lydianchromatic

I was going to sit down with him this week to understand it more myself, will post any interesting findings on here.

I know they also teach this as a module at the new england conservatoire in NY, that is one of the reasons I am hoping to study for a year over there in my 3 year

I was watching for one on ebay but at £50 thats still a fair bit.

04-01-2007, 09:56 PM	#1
distressed_romeo Bringin' UR Kaos! Join Date: May 2005 Location: Albion Posts: 9,567 Real Name: I have many... Main Seven: C7 Hellraiser Main ERG: Aria bass tuned in fifths Rig: POD v2.0 Thanked: 200	Lydian Chromatic Concept I've seen this mentioned in quite a few sources (Mick Goodrick's 'The Advancing Guitarist' for instance) but haven't ever been able to find a proper explanation for how it works. Apparently it's an alternative way of looking at harmony and tonal organisation that was developed by bebop musician George Russell. Can anyone help shed some light on this? Nothing like a good depressant to chase the blues away! www.soundclick.com/distressed_romeo http://farsideguitars.blogspot.com/

04-02-2007, 12:11 AM	#2
LilithXShred Mah Kitteh doez Coke Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Münster, Germany Posts: 219 Real Name: Björn Main Seven: Hellraiser C-7 BCH Rig: Framus Cobra Thanked: 2	As far as i know the concept takes the lydian scale as the basic scale (not the ionian). Because lydian is more stable when it comes to physics. When playing the notes of the ionian scale in fifths there will be a flat five (tritone, the most unstable intervall, check out pythagoras stuff about harmonics). When doing this with the lydian scale there will only be perfect fives (very stable interval, only the octave is more stable). But even though the concept is really well thought out the western ears are too used to the ionian sound so it didn't work out. checl out this site (haven't been there for some time, i actually read about the concept kinda long ago so i don't know if everything is right what i said ) www.lydianchromaticconcept.com My Mammal Sauce is the best Mammal Sauce Last edited by LilithXShred; 04-02-2007 at 07:52 AM. Reason: woops, wrote ionian instead of lydian... well, it was 4 a.m. XD

04-02-2007, 12:41 PM	#5
Drew Fear the Polo! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 21,333 Real Name: Call me Ahab... Main Seven: 1991 Ibanez UV7PWH Main ERG: Sherman 5-string bass Rig: Mesa Recto-verb 50 Thanked: 141	Yeah... Someone was talking about this over at www.satrianiforum.com a few months back. I was intrigued, but not inrigued enough to spend somethng like the $200 it'd cost me to get the book on it. "...and everything under the sun is in tune, but the sun is eclipsed by the moon." http://www.metalguitarist.org

04-02-2007, 04:45 PM	#10
Mikey D ss.org Regular Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: UK Posts: 85 Thanked: 4	My pianist has been seriously studying this concept on his own from the book (yes he paid about £80 for it!) and has talked me through it briefly. It really is a completely different way at looking at how you play over changes and what scales relate to what chords etc. He even named his myspace after it... http://www.myspace.com/lydianchromatic I was going to sit down with him this week to understand it more myself, will post any interesting findings on here. I know they also teach this as a module at the new england conservatoire in NY, that is one of the reasons I am hoping to study for a year over there in my 3 year I was watching for one on ebay but at £50 thats still a fair bit. My Blog devoted to the 8 string. FREE transcriptions and arrangements

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04-02-2007, 09:35 AM	#4
distressed_romeo Bringin' UR Kaos! Join Date: May 2005 Location: Albion Posts: 9,567 Real Name: I have many... Main Seven: C7 Hellraiser Main ERG: Aria bass tuned in fifths Rig: POD v2.0 Thanked: 200	After reading the content of the website, I was going to order the book off Jazzwise. Then I realised it costs £79...

04-02-2007, 01:49 PM	#7
MetalMike IKILLUWITHMYBALDHEAD Join Date: May 2006 Location: New York Posts: 1,103 Real Name: Mike Main Seven: RG7CST Rig: Peavey JSX Thanked: 7 $MetalMike is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $MetalMike is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $MetalMike is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $MetalMike is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $MetalMike is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $MetalMike is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $MetalMike is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$	It's basically a whole new method that the site does not explain well enough to justify purchasing anything. It covers it's basics and I understand how the concept works, but for all you know, you can pick up the books and totally disagree with that concept or it's usage. I'm still a little bit interested, just not enough to consider paying $200.

04-02-2007, 01:57 PM	#8
Drew Fear the Polo! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 21,333 Real Name: Call me Ahab... Main Seven: 1991 Ibanez UV7PWH Main ERG: Sherman 5-string bass Rig: Mesa Recto-verb 50 Thanked: 141	Eh, I'm a big "knowledge is power" sort of guy. If I can buy it for the price of a CD or two and it looks promising, I figure it's worth a shot. It's when you get to the point where, "let's see, do I want a theory book, or do I want a couple new mics?" that you're out of the impulse-purchase territory.

04-02-2007, 03:20 PM	#9
distressed_romeo Bringin' UR Kaos! Join Date: May 2005 Location: Albion Posts: 9,567 Real Name: I have many... Main Seven: C7 Hellraiser Main ERG: Aria bass tuned in fifths Rig: POD v2.0 Thanked: 200	I've got a few friends doing psychology degrees at the moment, and unfortunately this is the standard for a lot of academic books; there've been quite a few times where they've been told they need to acquire an academic text for a particular module, and end up having to spend £50+ on it...

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