Hello there Premier Guitar readers, and welcome to this months ripping
edition of Lethal Guitar with yours truly, Jeff Beasley. Thank you for
logging on and tuning in. This month, we have a special guest: New York City session guitarist, Berklee
College of Music alumnus, major festival and touring guitarist, and
National Guitar Workshop faculty member Aurelien Budynek, born and
raised in Bordeaux, France.
After years of study at CIAM in France,
Aurelien was awarded a scholarship to attend the prestigious Berklee
College of Music in Boston, MA. Since then he’s toured the country
extensively, and is an active faculty member of the National Guitar
Workshop. Aurelian’s approach to guitar is different from the typical
shredder. His ideas on soloing are refreshing and unique. He was cool
enough to offer us some awesome licks and melodic lines that will add
new and interesting colors to our shred lines. These licks cover a
gamut of modes from Lydian, Dorian, and the half-whole (diminished), to
some fantastic poly rhythms. Get ready for a thrill ride into some
truly awesome licks. Off we go…
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Example 1
First we have a triad (with a doubled root) going up and down a whole step (A and G), with a passing chord (Ab or G#, depending on the direction). The roots are the leading notes, with the 3rd and the 5th filling in the gaps. Rhythmically, it's a lot of syncopation, anticipations and change of pace between 8th notes, 16th notes and triplets. I listen to salsa piano players and emulate their "montunos" (pianovamp) on the guitar.
 Download ex1.mp3
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Example 2
The first step is checking out the chords we're using here. They are 4th-based voicings. You can easily go from one chord to the other within a pair by simply pulling off a note.
One important thing is to "disregard" the harmony created by the 3rd and 4th chord voicing (F#maj7), as it is used to create a superimposing harmony, on top of an underlying Dm7 texture.
Rhythmically, we have a 1 beat pattern (four 16th notes) looping around.
Download ex2.mp3
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Example 3
Now let's take that very same pattern and move it over one 16th note. In other words, instead of starting every pattern on the beat, it starts on the second 16th note of the beat to create a very cool "rhythmic unbalance".
Download ex3.mp3
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Example 4
Let's go back to the first pattern, starting on the beat but switch to a triplet pattern. Now the pattern loops around at different spots in the measure (starts on 1, loops around on the second triplet of beat 2, then loops again on the third triplet of beat 3). It takes three full patterns to fill the whole measure and start over again.
Download ex4.mp3
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Example 5
Let's move over that lick so it starts on the second triplet of beat 1. It's all over the place now.
Download ex5.mp3
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Example 6
Now we're getting to the polyrhythmic fun of it. This pattern by itself sounds and feels as a 3/8 (you can count a quick 1-2-3 as you're playing it) but it's superimposed on a 4/4 groove. This time starting one 16th note before beat 1. Because of the polyrhythmic nature of it, the places where the loop regenerates is always gonna be off the beat, either before or after. I'm switching to the F#maj7 voicing on the second 16th note of beat 1, then back to Dmin7 on the fourth 16th note of beat 1 then back to F#maj7 on the fourth 16th note of beat 4, because that's what the 3/8 pattern dictates.
Now we are superimposing a different harmony over Dmin7, as well as a different meter over 4/4.
Download ex6.mp3
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Example 7
Take any three-note-per-string scale pattern or any mode, now instead of playing it up and down, leave out the 3rd note on every string (either going up, or going down). As usual, I would add a bit of syncopation to it and hammer-ons (going up) and pull-offs (going down) add a nice articulation. It sounds in between a scale and an arpeggio. Check out different modes and positions for very cool other-wordly sounds. It's modes like you've never heard before.
Download ex7.mp3
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Example 8
Let's take the concept and apply it to a half-step whole-step diminished scale. The nature of this scale allows you to move it up and down minor thirds (on the guitar, move the position up and down three frets). In this example we're playing a C diminished scale, moved up three frets from its "root box" position, and letting go of the highest note on every string.
Download ex8.mp3 |
Wow! I absolutely love these melodic ideas, especially coupled with the cool poly rhythms. These licks will add a new depth to your soloing in so many areas. The melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic challenges here are more than enough, to breathe new life into your playing and writing. Be sure to check out Aurelien’s band, Stratospheerius, at
stratospheerius.com. See you guys next month here in Lethal Guitar.
©Jeff Beasley 2008
Jeff Beasley
jeff@guitarsource3.com
Jeff Beasley holds B.A. degrees in Music and Classical Guitar. He offers his readers 30 years of experience in studio, teaching and performance. He is on the National Guitar Workshop faculty in Nashville, TN. Jeff's CD "Tiebreaker" is available through CD Baby, Guitar 9, and Jeff's website; GuitarSource3.com. Jeff holds endorsement agreements with Dean, Peavey, DiMarzio, RKS, THD, Ensotec, Robert Keeley, Knucklehead and In Tune.