Grant Green Smoky Blues

XO Patterns B Y

J O N

F I N N

I HEARD STEVE MORSE PLAY A LICK once that was so cool, I stole the idea and turned it into this exercise. I call it the X pattern because the intervals trace an X on the fretboard and on Ex. 1). As you play this, notice how the paper (E

intervals create two lines that converge into one note before moving apart again. At some point it dawned on me to look for an O pattern. Ex. 2 shows what happens when one note expands into ever widening intervals

Ex. 1

ö ö ö ö ö ö ö ú 44 ö ö ö ö öö # ö öö ö ö ö ú ================== & = 4

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before contracting in on itself again. Ex. 3 illustrates how to turn the concept of expanding and contracting lines into a musical phrase. This passage is demanding because it incorporates both slurs and wide interval jumps. The hammers and pulls will help refine your fretting technique, while the string skipping will put your picking to the test. Strive for a legato sound and keep a constant tempo. g

Ex. 2

ö ö #ö ö ö 44 ö öö öö # öö ö #ö ö ö ö ö ö ú = ================== & 4

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Ex. 3

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Jon Finn teaches at Berklee’s renowned guitar department in Boston. For more info on his group, gigs, and new CD, Wicked, visit www. jonfinn.com.

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Am7

öö ö ö ö ö öö ö ö #ö ö ö ö ö ö ö# ö ö ö ö ö ö ö w # ö 44 ö ö ö ö ö ö öö ö ö ö #ö ö ö ö ö ö ö ö# ö ö ================================= & = ö ö 4

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J A R T I P S

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“I recommend practicing without the guitar. This way, muscular coordination problems are isolated from recall difficulties. Many people confuse the two. They practice for hours, when what they should be doing is stopping to think where they’re going on the fretboard and what they’re going to do there.” —Howard Roberts, Aug. ’67 GP F I N N PH OTO : T E R E S A I Z ZO

L i c k

o f

t h e

M o n t h

L O R D

O F

T H E

P R A N C E

“I CALL THIS ‘TRANE’S ANSWER

much—instead, get lost in the musical con-

pattern on a 7-string’s bottom two strings.

to Michael Flatley,’ writes Harald Schneller,

tent. Break the phrase into pieces, or drop

Go for the brightest possible tone and

of Munich, Germany. “Don’t analyze it too

it an octave and use it as a drone. Try the

have fun.”

g

à 128 ö ö ö b ö ö # ö ö n ö ö b ö ö ö ö(n)ö b ö n ö ö ö ö ö b ö b ö ö ö ö ö ö b ö ö # ö ö n ö ö b ö ö ö ö(n)ö b ö n ö ö ö ö ö b ö b ö ö ä ================================= & = 1

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Send us your candidate for Lick of the Month (preferably notated and on cassette), along with a brief explanation of why it’s cool and how to play it. If we select your offering, you’ll get a funky cus-

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tom T-shirt that’s available only to Lick of the Month club members. Mail your entry to Lick of the Month, Guitar Player, 411 Borel Ave. #100, San Mateo, CA 94402. Include your name, address, and

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phone number. Materials won’t be returned, and please don’t call the office to check the status of your submission. You’ll get your shirt if your lick is chosen.

“His playing was like a beautiful dance—it was so free.” —Eric Johnson on Jimi Hendrix, May ’96www.guitarplayer.com GP

MARCH 2000 GUITAR PLAYER 1 2 9

Superimposed Maj7b5 Arpeggios B Y

P I N O

M A R R O N E

IT’S A CHALLENGE TO CREATE IMPROvised melodies that outline a tune’s chord structure. One way to sketch harmony is to “spell out” chords using arpeggios. If you started playing guitar by jamming over rock and blues vamps as I did, you may find that it takes time to internalize these vertical sounds and shapes. Furthermore, it’s often difficult to create interesting sounds beyond basic four-note, seventh-chord formulas. Superimpositions. A potent technique for

Ex. 1a

enhancing lines is to superimpose arpeggios onto the fundamental harmony. The idea is to extend a four-note chord using tones outside of its 1, 3, 5, and 7 formula. You can get very colorful results by enhancing different chord types with superimposed maj7b5 arpeggios (1, 3, b5, 7). Let’s examine the process. Ex. 1a shows the four notes of an Fmaj7b5 arpeggio—F, A, Cb, E. Ex. 1b shows a threeoctave, Fmaj7b5 arpeggio pattern that has its root on the sixth string. This layout yields a smooth, legato sound. Ex. 1c shows another Fmaj7b5 arpeggio pattern. In this two-octave fingering, the root is on the fifth string. Charting your course. Take a look at the chart on p. 131. It shows what kind of chord types you can enhance with a maj7b5 arpeggio, which chord tone to launch the arpeggio from, and which extensions get emphasized in the process. For example, to superimpose a maj7b5 arpeggio on a minor-7th chord (1, b3, 5, b7), start the arpeggio from the b3.

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====== & ö= ö ö bö 1

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bö ö w ö ö 4 bö ö =============== &4 ö ö =

bö ö ú ö ö 4 bö ö ============== & 4 ö bö ö ö ö = ö b

Fmaj7 5

Take Dm7 (D, F, A, C ): The b3 is F, which means the maj7b5 arpeggio is Fmaj7b5. Or how about Am7 ? Its b3 is C, so you’d arpeggiate a Cmaj7b5. Whatever chord you start with, arpeggiating a maj7b5 from the b3 will emphasize two extensions—the 6 and 9. Play on. The best way to understand any

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A7

b (C # maj7 b 5) ö # ö b ö ö ö ö #ö ö #ö 4 # ö b ö ö # ö ö ö # ö ö # ö ================================ & 4 { ö bö ö ö { #ö ö ö ö bö #ö #ö ö ö ö b

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1 3 0 GUITAR PLAYER MARCH 2000

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www.guitarplayer.com

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PH OTO : C E C I L I A M O L I N A R I

For example, against Dm7, Cb is now spelled B—it’s the same note, but easier to read.) The two ringing phrases in Ex. 4 offers more substitutions: • In bar 1, start on Dm7b5’s b5 to generate a two-octave Abmaj7b5 arpeggio. • In bar 2, start on G7alt’s 3 and arpeggiate Bmaj7b5. • In bars 3 and 4, approach Cm6 the same way you’d approach Cm7: Start on the b3 to generate an Ebmaj7b5 arpeggio. A word about phrasing. As you develop your own maj7b5 phrases, look for fingerings that allow each line to sound musical and ex-

substitution is to work it out on your fretboard. Ex. 2 follows the principles described in the chart. For clarity, we’ll begin with chord types described in the chart and run straight arpeggios. Here are the details: • In bar 1, start on Dm7 ’s b3 to generate a two-octave Fmaj7b5 arpeggio. • In bar 2, start on G7 ’s 3 (the launching point for altered dominant sounds) and arpeggiate Bmaj7b5. • In bar 3, start on Cmaj7 ’s root and arpeggiate Cmaj7b5. • In bar 4, start on A7 ’s 3 and arpeggiate C#maj7b5. (Again, this creates an altered dominant sound.) Okay so far? Substitutions can be tricky, so take this material one step at a time and review often. Turning concepts into music. In Examples 3a and 3b, we put Ex. 2’s maj7b5 arpeggios to work. Both four-bar lines are built from the two-octave patterns we just played. (To keep the lines flowing smoothly on the page, a few notes are spelled enharmonically.

pressive. Often these fingerings will be very different from those in typical guitar methods. To further explore these and other related concepts, search out Joe Diorio’s landmark 21st Century Intervallic Designs. This book contains enough thought-provoking ideas to last several lifetimes. g A Ted Greene alumnus, Pino Marrone has also studied and performed extensively with Joe Diorio. A former instructor at G.I.T. and Grove School of Music, Marrone has played and recorded with Joe Farrell, Alphonso Johnson, Kenny Kirkland, Dianne Reeves, Abra-

TARGET CHORD TYPE :START ARPEGGIO ON :EXAMPLE :

EXTENSIONS :

minor 7

b3

Dm7 = Fmaj7b5

6, 9

dominant 7

b7

G7 = Fmaj7b5

9, 13

altered dom7

3

G7alt = Bmaj7b5

#5, #9

root

Cmaj7 = Cmaj7b5

b5 (or #11)

b5

Em7b5 = Bbmaj7b5

11

major 7 minor7b5

Ex. 3a

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³ ³ ² ³ ² ³ ² ² ³ ³ ³ ²²² ² ² ³ ² ³ Jö ö ö ö Jö b ö ö b ö n ö ö ö # ö ö ú ö ä ä #ö nö ö C ö Î ö ö #ö ú ================================ & öj ö 3 Swing feel = 95

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Ex. 3b Swing feel

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³ ²²² ³³² ³ ³³³² ³ ² ² ² ² ² ²³²³³ ²²² ³ nö ö ö ö ö Jö ö ö ö ö ö ö ö ö b ö b ö ö b ö ö ö ö ö n ö # ö ö ö ö ú ä ö ö ö Î ä # Jö ö C ================================ & 3 3 3 3 3 = 95

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Ex. 4

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b (Bmaj7 b 5) (E b maj7 b5) ³ ²²²³²²² ² ² ³²²²³²²² ³²²²³²² ² ö ö ö ö b n ö ö öö ööööö ö ön ö ö ö ö b ú bb 4 Î ö ö ö ö ö ö ö ö b Î n nö ö nö ö ö 4 ö ================================ & ú. = 125

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“To be creative and spontaneous, you have to live with imperfection.” —John Abercrombie, Nov. ’86 GP

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MARCH 2000 GUITAR PLAYER 1 3 1

Spiky Lydian BACK TRACK B Y

A N D Y

E L L I S

OUR MODAL ODYSSEY—WILL IT NEVER end? Actually, we’re almost there. With this installment, we complete the first phase of our journey into the realm of modes. We began our trek last fall with an overview of the seven major-scale modes and their formulas (Oct. ’99). We then befriended Dorian (Nov. ’99), Mixolydian (Dec. ’99), Phrygian (Jan. ’00), and Aeolian (Feb. ’00). We’ll wrap up our “get acquainted” sessions by peering into Lydian. But that’s only a start: Mastering modes means making music with them. So starting with next issue, we’ll begin improvising over tricky progressions using different modes. In the meantime, review the past five Back Track lessons—they’ll help you make sense of this one. Lydian construction. Unlike the other modes (which, compared to a major scale from the same root, have anywhere from one to five low-

ered tones), Lydian has a raised note. Here’s the formula: To convert a major scale to Lydian, simply raise the scale’s 4th tone by a half-step. For example, apply the #4 formula to a C major scale (C, D, E, F, G, A, B), and voilà—C Lydian: C, D, E, F#, G, A, B. Using this process, you can transform all 12 major scales to Lydian. Within Lydian lies a major-7th arpeggio built from the mode’s root. Ex. 1 illustrates this: Its one-octave C Lydian pattern contains a Cmaj7 arpeggio. First play the Cmaj7 voicing to get its sound in your ears, then follow with C Lydian. As you traverse the mode, listen for Cmaj7’s chord tones—C, E, G, and B. Every Lydian mode shelters a major-7th arpeggio: G Lydian has Gmaj7, Eb Lydian has Ebmaj7, etc. This relationship means that when you see a major-7th chord in a progression, you can improvise melodically over it using a Lydian

Ex. 1

Ex. 2

öö ö ö =========== & ö ö ö ö #ö ö ö ö = Cmaj7

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B b Lydian ö ö # ö ö ö ö ö b ö ö ö(n)ö ö ö ö b ö 44 ö ö ö ö ö ö ö ö ={ ======================= & { ö ö ö# ö ö ö ö bö ö = 69-80

C Lydian

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b B b maj7 öö b öö úú .. úú .. 44 öö úú .. öö b ú ú .. ======================= ={ & { C6/9

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1 3 2 GUITAR PLAYER MARCH 2000

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mode with the same root: See Amaj7, play A Lydian, and so on. Thanks to its #4, Lydian has a spiky sound. At first it may seem strange, especially in comparison to a major scale. Soon, however, Lydian can start sounding perky, and the major scale can sound like it sags in the middle. Judge for yourself: Try the two Lydian fingerings in Ex. 2. The first has its root on the sixth string, the second has its root on the fifth string. Both moveable patterns take their names from the circled roots. At the second position, for example, the first pattern yields G Lydian, while the second pattern produces C Lydian. Getting perky. In Ex. 3, we ascend using a two-octave C Lydian pattern over C6/9 and Cmaj7, and descend with a two-octave Bb Lydian pattern over Bb6/9 and Bbmaj7. The key is that the Lydian patterns in Gtr. 1 contain the respective chord tones for the voicings in Gtr. 2. Record Gtr. 2’s changes, and then practice the ascending and descending Lydian patterns against the chordal accompaniment. Once you can navigate Gtr. 1 as written, cut loose with some improvised Lydian lines. A few pointers: • Be stingy with your notes. Chord tones are consonant and non-chord tones are dissonant, so experiment by carefully varying the mix. • Skip strings—this will generate wide intervals, so your melodies will sound less like scales. • Between C Lydian and Bb Lydian listen for common tones, and try sustaining them across the bar line. • Now focus on the notes that are different between C Lydian and Bb Lydian (B and Bb, F# and F ). Try organizing your melodies to emphasize these half-step differences as you cross the bar line. • Finally, generate your own Lydian patterns by applying the #4 formula to your own favorite major-scale fingerings. Next time, we tackle multi-mode progressions. g All of us—no matter how long we’ve played or how skilled we are—have gaps in our knowledge. Back Track is an ongoing Sessions series designed to fill these holes and inspire musical breakthroughs. Got a topic you’d like to see us address? Send your question to Back Track, c/o Guitar Player, 411 Borel Ave. #100, San Mateo, CA 94402, or e-mail it to [email protected].

www.guitarplayer.com “There are hundreds—perhaps thousands or millions—of valid guitar tones.” —Howard Dumble, Sept. ’85 GP

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Grant Green’s Smoky Blues “YOU HAVE TO BE A BUSINESSman first, and an artist along with it,” the late Grant Green told GP readers in the Jan.

“Listening to Charlie Parker was like hearing a different man play every night.” —Grant Green

’75 issue. “You can’t play something people dislike and stay in business.” Green played a funky blend of jazz, gospel, and blues—often in an organ trio format. His albums with Brother Jack McDuff, Big John Patton, and Larry Young defined the grooving sound of ’60s soul-jazz. This lick—which fits over D9, the I7 chord in a funky D blues—typifies Green’s slinky sound. Most players grab the tenth position when playing blues in D, but here, Green works out of the seventh position. The advantage of working three frets below the blues box is that you can hammer and pull the b5 (Ab) with your 2nd finger. You can be accurate and fast—try it. “I’m not saying you shouldn’t take lessons,” Green stated, “but if you want to play like certain artists, you’ve got to get

Funky blues

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their records and take it off there.” Those wishing to add some Green to their blues should power on Iron City [32 Jazz] and

Grant’s First Stand [Blue Note]. For a review of the latter, see p. 99.

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—ANDY ELLIS

www.guitarplayer.com

MARCH 2000 GUITAR PLAYER 1 3 3