The signature vamp — Dm9 to G13

At last, the stage of Week 1. Today you link the two grips into a single vamp and play them. This Dm9 → G13 vamp is the stage you'll stand on for the whole two months ahead. A vamp is a short chord progression you keep repeating, singing and soloing over it — the heart of neosoul as a form. Once you get these two bars into your hands today, from next week you can start layering rhythm and ornaments on top. You firmed up the change yesterday, so today just let it roll along comfortably.

Playing it is very simple. Bar 1 = Dm9, bar 2 = G13 — one chord per bar. Ring it long, like a single whole note, gently at BPM 75. Keep the root light, and feel with your ears the shift of color the 9th and 13th create. From the soft 9th of Dm9 to the warm 13th of G13 — that moment where the color slides over is the highlight of this vamp.

Today, set aside any greed for speed. More than perfect tempo, the feel of the two bars rolling around without a break matters a hundred times more. So first lay the Dm9 grip on the hand, then move on to G13.

▶ Bar 1 is Dm9. Lay the grip on the 5th string 5th fret root.

And bar 2 is G13. Let's carve the two grips into your eye side by side once more. The vamp comes alive when the two hand shapes link like one body.

▶ Bar 2 is G13. Drop to the 6th string 3rd fret root, but the 2nd-string pinky stays.

Now here's the finished vamp with the two bars joined into one. The flow you've drilled into your hands all week is all held in the two bars below. These two bars are this week's result.

▶ BPM 75, gently. Bar 1 Dm9 (5th string 5th fret root), bar 2 G13 (6th string 3rd fret root). Keep the root light and feel the color of the 9th and 13th (yellow) with your ears.

0–10 min · Warm-up BPM 65. Warm your hand by grabbing the two grips in turn. Call back yesterday's feel for the change.

10–20 min · Brain training (drawing the vamp) With the left hand only, silently move Dm9 → G13 slowly. Check with your eyes that the pinky anchor stays held.

20–40 min · Real vamp (BPM 75) Repeat the four-bar vamp below without a break. Watch just one thing: do the two bars connect in a round loop.

▶ BPM 75. Loop Dm9 → G13 twice. Let it roll in one breath from start to finish.

40–50 min · Recording / self-feedback (recommended) Record 30 seconds, then check. Does the Dm9 → G13 vamp roll smoothly from start to finish.

Done when: You can loop the pinned Dm9 → G13 vamp at BPM 75 without a break. (Week 1 complete!)

Here are just the mistakes that show up most as you roll the vamp.

▶ Only the root moves, from the 5th string to the 6th. Remembering where each chord's root sits keeps the vamp from wobbling.

• The vamp keeps breaking. Keeping the pinky anchor between chords connects it naturally.
• It gets messy when the speed rises. Drop the BPM to 60 and win back cleanliness first.
• The two bars aren't the same length. Count 4 beats with your foot to carve the bar's size into your body.
• You can't hear the color. The 9th and 13th (2nd string) must ring clearly for the neosoul color to come out.