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Pattern-playing in Bebop Scales - not just for

Jazz
Hans Fahling

Picking up where we left off in the first column, “Chromaticism”, and with the foundation
acquired through it, it becomes very easy now to get into some great lines that weave in and out
of those inside chord tones. I want to illustrate this on two examples, which, when developed
patiently over several days of practice, will give you incredible speed and metric control in your
playing. When I have to shed some rock guitar lines, maybe on a studio gig, I tend to fall into
those, and it sounds great. If you really like the result, I can only encourage you to apply the
concept to other chords, such as dominant sevenths and half-diminished shapes.

First, let’
s again take the example of Dm7. Below are two sequences that sound great over this
chord:

1.

2.

Notice how once again the chord tones (boxed in the first example) fall on the downbeats and
the chromatic approach tones on the weaker upbeats.

1. Work this out in a few steps to ensure getting it right and progressively engrained in your
finger movement. First play the arpeggio shape:

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Guitar Lessons - Pattern-playing in Bebop Scales - not just for Jazz http://www.guitarnoise.com/print/guitar/20020419.html

(lower root is on 5th string, 5th position)

2. Then review the chromatic ascending approach from the previous column installment; this
will make it much easier to apply the sequences, so here it is again:

3. Sequence one plays this very approach backwards while keeping the chromatic notes the
same. Players like George Benson really get into these types of lines. When you have that line
up to playing speed (several days of practice, I’
m sure), work on combining it with previously
worked out material such as a D minor (Dorian or Aeolian) or the basic ascending chromatic
approach as shown below:

4. Sequence two uses an eight-note grouping running up the initial chromatic–style line,
starting on every step of the chord. Work this one through the same progressive steps, and
then, for kicks, play it fast with high gain on the signal: A cool rock sound with a different kind
of bite.

Start with just one of the sequences first and work that out until you can do it technically with
ease. Make sure to use alternate picking: Down strokes for chord tones (downbeats) and
upstrokes for the chromatic color tones. When comfortable, create a play-along track to
experiment over, or use any modal jam, jazz of funk, and adjust the arpeggio shape to the key.
The mere fun of this type of line should encourage you to work out this example in all positions
on the neck. That applies also to other types of chords as mentioned in the beginning.

© Copyright 2002 by Hans Fahling. All Rights Reserved.

URL: http://www.guitarnoise.com/guitar/jazz/20020419.html

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