"Fretboard Decoder, Part 2"

Transcript

Page 1. The World On A String presents "Fretboard Decoder." A guitarist's guide to learning melodies by ear. Part 2. An image of two TVs, vertically stacked on a shelf. On the lower TV, Dot is in evening dress, singing into a microphone.

Page 2. Dot peers from around the edge of a large triangle. The triangle is separated into three tiers. From bottom to top respectively, the tiers are labeled "the right notes in the right order," "articulation," and "emotional content." Dot says, "This is the hierarchy of expression."

Page 3. Detailed view of the "right notes in the right order" tier. Dot says, "The bottom tier, the most foundational, is what we've just done. The right notes, in the right order, like dialing a phone." Dot's face is lit up from underneath and there are beep boop sound effects, implying that she is on her phone just below the frame.

Page 4. Detailed view of the "articulation" tier. Dot says, "The next tier up is articulation. Listen carefully for the little touches. Slurs, rhythmic feel, volume dynamics, and so on and so forth." She holds a sign with various notational markings on it, such as bends and slides.

Page 5. Detailed view of the "emotional content" tier. Back to the image of the two TVs, each of which has an image of Dot on it with different facial expressions. She says, "The final tier is emotional content. What is the performer feeling? And how do you capture it?"

Page 6. Page subtitle reads, "Try mimicking vocalists!" Dot stands on the stage in front of a microphone. She says, "It may help you to get away from guitar music, at least for a little while. Besides, they rarely go..." And she sings out a staff of tablature with some appropriately shreddy phrases on it.

Page 7. Pastoral image of Dot sitting on a grassy hill with a pen and notebook. She says, "I hope this brings you and the melodies in your dreams closer together. Thanks for reading!"

Page 8. Back page reads, "Ken plays the guitar and the electric bass. He writes and draws The World On A String, a teaching comic for guitarists." Bottom caption reads, "Artist info. Created by Ken Alleman."

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