Learn to land your phrases like Coltrane, Cannonball, and Dexter.
Advanced
Intermediate
• Use rhythmic "push-pull" technique to create momentum.
• Extend your lines with turnaround progressions.
• Build tension with repetitive motifs.
The solo break can often be one of the most exciting moments in a jazz recording. Allow me to set the scene: The band sets up a tune with a light intro. They play through the melody of the tune, all while ramping up in energy and building the audience's anticipation towards an unaccompanied improvisational break where the first soloist will mark their entrance and establish the mood for their first chorus. This break is a test of a soloist's ability to sustain momentum without the accompaniment of a rhythm section. A good solo break can make an audience jump out of their seats, tap their toes, or even laugh. It commands their attention.
Some of the most famous solo breaks are fiery, virtuosic displays of instrumental prowess. Take for example John Coltrane's solo break on "I Love You," from the album Lush Life (1961). Following in the footsteps of Charlie Parker's famous "A Night in Tunisia" solo break, Coltrane plays a robust and perfectly articulated 16th-note phrase that establishes an energetic start to his legendary solo on this tune. (It happens at about 1:09 in the video below.)
John Coltrane - I Love You
The break gives us a taste of Coltrane's command of harmony. The line in question (similar to Ex. 1) outlines an Fmaj7–Am7–D7 harmony. Despite there being no harmonic accompaniment, you can hear the chord changes as clear as day. This is due to the chord tones primarily being placed on strong beats. In the case of a double-time line, strong beats are both downbeats as well as upbeats (the "and" of each beat), while the other subdivisions ("e" and "a") would be weaker beats. You don't always have to place chord tones on strong beats, but if your goal is to coherently spell chord changes, it's a good thing to keep in mind!
The Art of the Solo Break Ex. 1
Pay close attention to the shape (where it goes up and down) of Coltrane's line. Try singing this line—not necessarily with exact pitches, but just try to match the general direction. This will help you internalize melodic ideas for use in your own improvisations, which will put you on the path to creating your own jaw-dropping solo breaks!
Here's a line that I composed over the same implied chord progression (Fmaj7–Amin7–D7) that takes some of my favorite shapes from the Coltrane line (Ex. 2). In this phrase, I'm also conscious of putting a healthy amount of chord tones on strong beats. To further the process of internalizing Coltrane's ideas, I put these shapes alongside things that I typically improvise. Framing new vocabulary with old vocabulary is key to getting transcribed vocabulary to come out in your playing.
The Art of the Solo Break Ex. 2
Ex. 3 is another line using some of Coltrane's shapes over a different chord progression, a IIm7–V7–I in F major:
The Art of the Solo Break Ex. 3
In addition to the melodic and harmonic qualities of a double-time solo break, the line's ending will determine how well you can keep your listeners' attention. Part of what makes Coltrane's break satisfying is that he lands in a way that assures you he's completely in control of the pulse. Not only does his phrase line up right on the first beat of the form, but he also extends his line past the break with an eighth-note triplet figure that gives music an interesting "push-pull" quality. When you're creating your solo break, be mindful of how you're landing, and how the ideas you play after the break relate to what you just played (Ex. 4).
The Art of the Solo Break Ex. 4
Ex. 5 flips the rhythmic skeleton of Coltrane's idea. Now the break is a series of eighth-note triplets, while the line after the break is mainly 16th-notes, reintroducing that "push-pull" quality.
The Art of the Solo Break Ex. 5
Now that we've seen an example of a bebop-oriented solo break, let's explore a more bluesy break that relies heavily on repetition to get a listener to bob their head and tap their toes. Ex. 6 is similar to what Cannonball Adderley plays on "One for Daddy-O" from his album Something Else (1958).
Cannonball Adderley - One for Daddy-O
This line (Ex. 6) begins with a Bb blues-based motif that you'd be likely to hear in a big band shout chorus and ends with a more bebop-oriented figure that (similarly to Coltrane's idea) outlines an implied F7–the V chord.
The Art of the Solo Break Ex. 6
Using the language of the blues in a jazz context is key to creating a musical statement linked to the tradition and rhythmic placement is key to making a blues idea speak. Cannonball's repetitive rhythmic figure not only creates tension, but it also gives a listener something to latch onto. Toward the end of Cannonball's solo break, we feel another example of the "push-pull" which comes from his use of contrasting rhythms: The muscular 16th-note-heavy phrase that begins the break is contrasted with a wispy 16th-note triplet idea that carries us into the form.
Ex. 7 uses a rhythmic skeleton like Cannonball's line. I start with a bluesy idea with a repetitive rhythm (a polyrhythmic group of five 16th-notes over 4/4 time) and break things up with a bebop-derived 16th-note triplet idea that lands squarely on beat 1 of the third measure.
The Art of the Solo Break Ex. 7
Let's take a look at our final type of solo break, which arguably is the most effective in commanding a listener's attention: the quote. Quotes are commonplace in jazz improvisation, with soloists taking something as dense as a bebop melody (or as recognizable as a nursery rhyme) and superimposing it on top of a new set of chord changes. A quote-based solo break is a surefire way to establish a playful (and sometimes humorous) mood for your first solo. The break we'll use for this example is Dexter Gordon on "Three O' Clock in the Morning" from Go (1962). Dexter Gordon is known as one of the greatest tenor saxophonists of all time, with a discography spanning bebop to post-bop, and he's also known as jazz's master of quotes.
Dexter Gordon-Three O'Clock in the Morning
In Gordon's solo break, he quotes "Westminster Quarters," which is the melody Big Ben's bells play to mark every quarter-hour (Ex. 8). This melody is also used as the intro for Gordon's version of the tune in question, as well as for Miles Davis' version of "If I Were a Bell." Gordon's quote is made even more playful by the fact that he doesn't finish the entire melody.
The Art of the Solo Break Ex. 8
Ex. 9 shows what the full quote would sound like. By leaving the melody unfinished, Gordon creates tension that is unresolved, which is a great way to leave your listener on edge. Throughout the course of his masterful solo, Gordon quotes "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," "Poinciana," and "Three Blind Mice," proving that there is no end to his bank of melodies.
The Art of the Solo Break Ex. 9
Ex. 10 uses "Jingle Bells" over "Rhythm" changes, just to show how you can really make anything work if there's enough conviction. There isn't really a recommended list of quotable tunes, it just depends on how well known the given melody is. I've heard soloists quote everything from "Careless Whisper" on a minor blues to "Pop Goes the Weasel" on "Giant Steps," the possibilities are endless!
The Art of the Solo Break Ex. 10
Now that you're familiar with three different types of solo breaks, try composing a couple of your own original breaks on a tune you're familiar with. Keep in mind the melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic characteristics of Coltrane, Adderley, and Gordon's breaks. Once you're able to hear bits and pieces of their vocabulary alongside your own, try your hand at improvising some breaks. You'll be sure to get a reaction out of your listeners!
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Rhett and Zach go granular with Blackberry Smoke leader Charlie Starr on the elements—both real and imagined—that make certain Gibsons stand out from their peers.
In the annals of Gibson Les Paul players, Charlie Starr is an under-the-radar aficionado. Starr’s stable over the course of his career with southern-rock group Blackberry Smoke has been stocked with some of the sharpest old-school LPs on earth, and he’s got a particular predilection for Juniors.
But what sets one Paul apart from another? Starr, Rhett, and Zach go down every rabbithole in their hunt to nail down what makes a particular Gibson great, including misconceptions around P-90s and their relationship to PAFs, Juniors versus Standards, and whether wood and total construction have a big impact on tone. Some players argue that the sound is all in the pickups; tune in to learn why the trio thinks that theory is bunk, right down to the last, least consequential cap.
Plus, find out when Starr thinks Gibson perfected the Les Paul’s neck shape and bridge positioning, how top-wrapping impacts your sound, and a foolproof way to I.D. a legit, vintage PAF. (If it’s original, it’s gonna stink.)
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Our guest columnist’s current pedalboard spices his EXH diet with stomps from Line 6, TC Electronic, Strymon, Fulltone, Ibanez, and Boss.
Ex-B-52s member, composer, and NYC music scene veteran Pat Irwin loves pairing EHX pedals with keyboards—and recollecting good times with his late guitar virtuoso friend.
I’ve got a thing for Electro-Harmonix effects boxes. I’ve got a Crying Tone Wah that’s the coolest, a 16 Second Digital Delay, and a Deluxe Memory Man. All have made their way onto my ambient country band SUSS’s new record, Birds & Beasts. And currently a Big Muff, two Freeze Sound Retainers, and a Mel9 Tape Replay Machine are on my pedalboard. Here’s the thing: I like using them on keyboards.
I remember spending one cold winter night recording keyboards for a track called “Home” that made it onto Promise, the third SUSS album. I was playing a Roland Juno-106 through the Deluxe Memory Man while my bandmate Bob Holmes manipulated the delay and feedback on the pedal in real time. The effect was otherworldly. You can also hear the Crying Tone on SUSS’s “No Man’s Land” and “Train,” on Bandcamp. Sure, the guitars sound great, but those keyboards wouldn’t sound the same without the extra touch of the Crying Tone. I also used it on the B-52s’ “Hallucinating Pluto,” and it went out on the road with us for a while.
One of the first musicians I met when I moved to New York City in the late ’70s was the late, great Robert Quine. Quine and I would talk for hours about guitars, guitarists, and effects. I bought my first Stratocaster from Quine, because he didn’t like the way it looked. I played it on every recording I’ve made since the first Lydia Lunch record, 1980’s Queen Of Siam, and on every show with 8 Eyed Spy, the Raybeats, the B-52s, and my current bands PI Power Trio and SUSS. It was Quine who taught me the power of a good effects pedal and I’ll never forget the sessions for Queen of Siamwith the big band. Quine played everything through his Deluxe Memory Man straight into the recording console, all in one take except for a few touch ups here and there.
Quine and I used to go to Electro-Harmonix on 23rd Street and play through the boxes on display, and they let us pick out what we wanted. It’s where we first saw the 16 Second Digital Delay. That was a life-changer. You could make loops on the fly and reverse them with the flick of a switch. This thing was magical, back then.
“Quine played everything through his Deluxe Memory Man straight into the recording console, all in one take except for a few touch ups."
When I recorded a piece I composed for the choreographer Stephen Petronio and performed it at the Dance Theatre Workshop in Manhattan, I put everything through that 16 Second Digital Delay, including my clarinet. Later, when I recorded the theme for the cartoon Rocko’s Modern Life, I played all of the keyboards through the Deluxe Memory Man. Just when things would get a little too clean, I’d add a little more of the Memory Man.
I’m pretty sure that the first time I saw Devo, Mark Mothersbaugh had some Electro-Harmonix effects boxes taped to his guitar. And I can’t even think of U2 without hearing the Edge and his Deluxe Memory Man. Or seeing Nels Cline for the first time, blowing a hole in the universe with a 16 Second Digital Delay. Bill Frisell had one, too. I remember going into the old Knitting Factory on Houston Street and passing Elliott Sharp. He had just played and I was going in to play. We were both carrying our 16 Second Delays.
Who knows, maybe someone from another generation will make the next “Satisfaction” or “Third Stone from the Sun,” inspired to change the sound of a guitar, keyboard, or even a voice beyond recognition with pedals. If you check out Birds & Beasts, you’ll hear my old—and new—boxes all over it. I know that I won’t ever make a SUSS record or play a SUSS show without them.
Things change, rents go up, records are being made on computers, and who knows how you get your music anymore? But for me, one thing stays the same: the joy of taking a sound and pushing it to a new place, and hearing it go somewhere you could never have imagined without effects pedals.
The legendary Elvis sideman was a pioneer of rockabilly guitar, and his approach to merging blues and country influenced generations of guitar pickers. Here’s how he did it.
Chops: Intermediate
Theory: Beginner
Lesson Overview:
• Craft simple blues-based phrases that lie within the CAGED system.
• Understand how double-stops are used in rockabilly music.
• Improve your Travis picking.
Click here to download a printable PDF of this lesson's notation.
In 2016 we lost one of the most influential guitarists and unsung heroes the world has ever known. The driving force behind Elvis Presley’s first recordings, Winfield Scott “Scotty” Moore III helped shape the sound of rock ’n’ roll and inspire generations of fans. Born in 1931, Scotty caught his big break in 1954 when he was called to do a session with Elvis at Sam Phillip’s Sun Studio in Memphis. History was made that day when Elvis recorded “That’s All Right,” and for about four years, Scotty provided 6-string magic for such Elvis hits as “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” and “Jailhouse Rock.”
A huge Chet Atkins fan, Scotty grew up listening to country and jazz. This blend would have a dramatic impact on his sound, as he would mix Travis picking with some ear-twisting note choices based on chords, rather than using an obvious scalar approach.
I used a thumbpick on the examples in this lesson to sound as authentic as possible. Using a thumbpick on some notes makes them stand out in comparison to those plucked with the remaining fingertips. Ex. 1 is a classic Scotty-type rhythm riff in E that uses some Travis picking. Play the notes on the 6th and 4th strings with your thumb, and use your index and middle fingers for the double-stops on the 3rd and 2nd strings. This is illustrated in the notation: Attack all the up-stemmed notes with your fingers and down-stemmed notes with your thumb.
Click here for Ex. 1
The next example (Ex. 2) reveals one of the more common elements of Scotty’s lead work: double-stops. It makes sense when you consider that Scotty often performed with just a bass player and drummer, so when it came time to play a solo, he needed to create a strong sense of harmony. The first three phrases begin in the “E” shape of the CAGED system before moving down to the “A” shape and returning to the “E” shape. Those last two measures sit squarely in the “E” shape at the 12th position.
Click here for Ex. 2
Ex. 3 returns to Scotty’s Travis-picking influence by outlining an A chord before leading the idea in a new direction with double-stops. The example begins in the “C” shape and resolves in the “E” shape, though this wouldn’t have meant anything to the legendary guitarist. However, his reliance on moving the five basic chord shapes around the neck is undeniable.
In this version of “Hound Dog”—a song originally recorded by Big Mama Thornton—Moore takes a bluesy solo starting at :45.
Click here for Ex. 3
The blues was an essential part of Scotty’s style, and Ex. 4 shows something he might play over the first eight measures of a blues in E. To use the moves in any given key, it’s important to understand how intervals work within a chord. For example, over the E7, I’m approaching the root and 3 (G#) with a half-step slide. With that information, you’re able to transpose this musical shape all over the neck. Approach each double-stop with this method, and you’ll get a lot of mileage out of this rather simple lick.
Click here for Ex. 4
Ex. 5 shows some of Scotty’s single-note ideas, though the phrase still begins with a double-stop on the top two strings to grab the listener’s attention. Measures three and four use a strange collection of notes. Scotty isn’t thinking of a scale here. The phrase begins with a bluesy flourish and a melodic descent to the root. When he gets there, he moves down a half-step to the 7 (an unusual note to play on a dominant chord, but if it sounds good, it is good), and then up again to resolve to the A chord.
Click here for Ex. 5
Scotty was also a big fan of using three-note grips. In Ex. 6, you can see how these ear-grabbing sounds would work over our blues progression. It begins with an E triad in the “D” shape. It’s genuinely amazing how many great chordal licks Scotty could come up with by using just a few chord forms.
Click here for Ex. 6
Ex. 7 is a little trickier, but a great example of how to move from an A chord to an E chord using some double-stops and single notes along with position shifts and sixths. This is very much a country phrase and evidence of the genre’s importance to the rockabilly sound.
Click here for Ex. 7
The final example (Ex. 8) is a longer, 20-measure piece outlining a full progression with Scotty's superb Travis-picking ideas. While this isn’t a column specifically on Travis picking with a collection of exercises to develop that skill, here are a couple of simple tips that should help you navigate this music.
First, focus only on the bass notes. The thumb needs to be automatic. Strive to put no thought into playing the bass part. This takes time but eventually you’ll be free to concentrate on the melody. The last part to absorb is the excellent ending chord. It’s a maj6/9 with the root on top—very common in the rockabilly style.
Click here for Ex. 8
From here it’s easy to hear Scotty’s immense influence on guitardom. It would be well worth your time to go down a rabbit hole of YouTube vids from the CAAS (Chet Atkins Appreciation Society) conference. Nearly every player from that scene owes a debt to Mr. Moore.
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This marks the third signature model from Reverend Guitars for blues virtuoso Greg Koch, joining the revered Gristlemaster and Gristle-90. Each of these guitars, equipped with Fishman’s Greg Koch Signature pickups, embodies the relentless pursuit of tone, delivering inspiration to players who seek to push their own musical boundaries.
The Gristle ST has everything I need to engage in fiendish musical deeds. It has the classic sounds with a second voice to the pickups that adds more girthsome tones, a tremolo system that can take a licking and stay in tune, it’s a gorgeous looking and playing instrument that is just a little bit larger as to not look like a mandolin when played by a larger soul such as myself…I can dig it all! – Greg Koch
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