Big Pile o' Sassy

Lick 20
Music by Fareed Haque
Transcribed by Jeff Pouring
= 89
3

Fm
1 2

6
8 7 6
5 8 8
5 6 8 (8)

Copyright © 2016 TrueFire Inc. & Fareed Haque 1/4

All Rights Reserved - International Copyright Secured
 Big Pile o' Sassy
Lick 20

The chromatic movement here is a big part of the slick sound of this lick.
The chromatic notes surround the 6th (of Abmaj7) chromatic from above
and then by step from below. Notice that the ending of these licks always
has a rhythmic element as well as a melodic one. We add the Bb on the end
because it swings to end off of the one: F to Bb played on beats "1 &". Sing
it and you'll see why they call it "bebop" - the notes end off the beat just
like the rhythm in the phrase bebop; "1 &” sounds like "bebop"!

Fareed's Tip #1: ii-Vs and Guide Tones

What you've hopefully begun to notice is how many licks circle around the
3rds and 7ths of the chords. These chord tones are often called guide tones
(and sometimes color tones) since they really are the most important notes
of the chord. The guide tones outline a progression, and are even more
important than the root.

For example, in a blues in C the guide tones outline the chords very clearly.
A blues in C would use the I, IV, and V chords (C7, F7, and G7). The
guide tones of C7 are E (3rd) and Bb (b7th), the guide tones of F7 are Eb
(b7th) and A (3rd), and the guide tones of G7 are F (b7) and B (3rd).

Now all of this sounds a little confusing and wordy and my eyes start to go
out of focus and I start getting sleepy...but wait! Don't think it; see it! Get
your guitar and play the guide tones to C7 on the D and G strings (check
out the block diagrams below). Then slide the same shape down 1 fret
and you'll find yourself on the guide tones of F7. Now go back to C7, and
then slide the same shape up 1 fret and you'll find yourself on the guide
tones of G7.

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 Big Pile o' Sassy
Lick 20

These two notes are often all you really need when comping, and you'll
notice that most of the licks in this course intersect with these guide tones.
So, the guide tones can guide you through any chord progression, and from
them you can build both simple comping voicings as well as base your licks
on and around them. When you hear Grant Green or Wes or George Benson
comping, you'll often find them using just a few notes. Usually these are the
guide tones with occasional extra notes like the 9th, 11th, or 13th
("extensions") added in for spice.

Copyright © 2016 TrueFire Inc. & Fareed Haque 3/4

All Rights Reserved - International Copyright Secured
Big Pile o' Sassy
Lick 20

Copyright © 2016 TrueFire Inc. & Fareed Haque 4/4

All Rights Reserved - International Copyright Secured