4 common bebop phrases

[Pete Martin]

Here are 4 videos each containing a common bebop improvising phrase. The lick starts at 4:50 of each video. The first of each vid describes the scale and key each phrase comes from (key of F major, each fits a C7 chord and each is derived from a C dominant bebop scale). The PDF of the music and tab is at the end of this post.










Have fun!!

[Pete Martin]

It will only let me post 3 videos. The 4th lick is here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXZiIN-sf0g

[Grommet]

Thanks Pete! Those are some pretty boppin' phrases.

Scott

[Tate Ferguson]

Wonderful playing, useful licks, excellent teaching!

What I have found most useful, myself, is to learn and memorize a few bebop heads. Now that I've learned "Donna Lee" - readily available in various "real books" - and can play it at a moderately swingin' tempo against a backing track, I find that Charlie Parker-isms just naturally fall under my fingers when it comes time to improvise.

[AlanN]

Yes, Pete. Well-stated, simple and direct advice here. Very great.

Donna Lee - am getting there, based on a faithful transcription in Ab, by Tony Williamson in an old MWN issue. Ugh...just...ugh...

[Tate Ferguson]

AlanN, I feel your pain.

Re playing Donna Lee and similar, I find that hammer-ons and pull-offs are highly useful for playing its many triplet figures.

Anyone who plays this tune and picks each individual note, is a better picker than I.

[Pete Martin]

Cool guys. I remembering spending about 6 months on Donna Lee a bunch of years ago. FINALLY got to where I could play it without thinking about it.

Next up try Confirmation!!

[Teak]

You get great tone out of that old Gibson, Pete. You've proven that one doesn't need a $16k Gilchrist in order to get good tone.

[Pete Martin]

Thanks for the nice words all!

When I play bluegrass or fiddle tunes, I DO use a Gilchrist F5

I prefer the oval hole for Jazz as the notes sustain more and with a less staccato attack. More guitar-like I guess. To my ears, fits the style better, especially the bop stuff. I chose very different notes on the oval than the F5 to take advantage of this.

This 1924 A2 is the nicest oval hole mandolin I've personally played. Just like the Gil, I've built my technique around its unique sound.