Funky Fusion Song - Chasing a Beat

Hi guys! It's nearly Easter and winter is pretty much gone, so it's time for some funky sounds to prepare for the warmer weather! This tutorial is a song of mine from my upcoming album due to be released this year. It's a fusion number with some pretty tricky chord changes for the solo section. I want you guys to use it as an improvisational tool as well a...

Here's the intro section of the tune which is repeated again when the band enters and at the end after the drum solo. This line is created from a hybrid pentatonic scale - B minor Pentatonic with an added 6 (the note G#). This is a very common device used by notable guitarists such as Robben Ford and Wayne Krantz. I use hybrid picking here but feel free to...

Here's the main melody played slowly then at tempo. Check out the fingerings and phrasing. A lot of these notes are played using slides and vibrato which is hard to notate so be sure to check these out in the video. The melody is played over the same chord changes as the main solo section and is built from F#Dorian, A Dorian, E Dorian and G Dorian scales. ...

Okay - onto the tricky bit! My solo was totally improvised over the backing track and I'd like you guys to do the same! If there are enough requests I will transcribe the solo, however, two things spring to mind here. You'll learn a lot more by either transcribing the solo yourself or by making up your own solo over the changes. These are pretty hard change...

Now onto the Riff Section which is played underneath the Drum solo. This is very much influenced by later Greg Howe and Wayne Krantz. Lots of syncopation (off the beat playing) and built from a few different harmonic areas. The main idea is built from an F#m Pentatonic scale with some Dm Pentatonic ideas thrown in too. You'll find that you can build riffs o...

Here's the full backing track. Good luck improvising over the changes!

Here's the backing track slowed down. Good luck improvising over the changes!

Here's a backing track containing an extended solo section to practice improvising over.