Fusion Song - Sleeper

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Instructor: Tom Quayle Level: Advanced Topic: Rhythm Style: Fusion

Excerpt: Hi guys! Today we're going to learn part of a song from my forthcoming debut album. The song is called Sleeper and we're going to start about 3 minutes into the track after the main improvised solo section. The tune moves between four time signatures - 7/8, 5/8 and 4/4 with a couple of 2/4 bars thrown in for good measure! We'll only be playing in 7/8 for t...

Media Length: 2:24

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Instructor: Tom Quayle Level: Advanced Topic: Rhythm Style: Fusion

Excerpt: Here we go then! The first bar of this tune is in 7/8 meaning we have seven 8th notes per bar. After this we're straight into 5/8 in bar two and for the rest of this section. Take note of the common rhythmic theme at the beginning of each bar. This kind of phrasing, using common rhythmic ideas, ties our phrases and melodies together creating a sense of whole...

Media Length: 0:44

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Instructor: Tom Quayle Level: Advanced Topic: Rhythm Style: Fusion

Excerpt: Okay! Now onto the second half of the opening melody. Here we start by doubling the melody in the bass and synth part. Watch out for the long position change slide at the start of bar 11. Bars 14 and 15 involve a very quick economy picked descending line based around a Gminor Pentatonic Scale and an ascending legato line on a G# melodic minor scale. For the...

Media Length: 1:01

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Instructor: Tom Quayle Level: Advanced Topic: Improvising Style: Fusion

Excerpt: So now onto the improvisation section. On the video I improvise a pretty simple solo over this part of the tune. The main things to think about are the time signature and the harmony/chord changes. For the first 8 bars we're improvising in 5/8 and all the chords are in the key of D#major. You can, therefore, simply take the route of playing D#major over the ...

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Instructor: Tom Quayle Level: Advanced Topic: Rhythm Style: Fusion

Excerpt: Originally, this section was composed with the idea of having a drummer soloing over the stabs. However, seeing as how I'm the worlds worst drummer and can't record a good one in my house we'll have to make do with what we've got for now! Sorry about that! Anyway, these stabs shouldn't present too much of a problem. Just a quick note about the way I count t...

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Instructor: Tom Quayle Level: Advanced Topic: Rhythm Style: Fusion

Excerpt: The ending melody is a 'tip of the hat' to Mr. Guthrie Govan and his track 'Waves'. It uses a great number of position shifts and slides combined with some awkward fingerings. The aim here is to produce a smooth, synth-like sound. Try to make all your slides smooth and in time and any legato sections as precise as possible. Phrases like this an be pretty ha...

Media Length: 1:10

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Instructor: Tom Quayle Level: Advanced Topic: Rhythm Style: Fusion

Excerpt: Okay, so here's the backing track for Sleeper. There are 3 bars of 4/4 and then straight into the bar of 7/8. The line you play is doubled so it should be fairly obvious when to come in! Best of luck! Tom

Media Length: 2:31

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Instructor: Tom Quayle Level: Advanced Topic: Improvising Style: Fusion

Excerpt: Hi guys! I've had some requests for a slower version of this backing track to practice with so here it is! I hope this is useful. See you in the next tutorial! Tom

Media Length: 3:37

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Instructor: Tom Quayle Level: Advanced Topic: Rhythm Style: Fusion

Excerpt: Here's the TAB for standard tuning. Some of the fingerings are different to accommodate the top two strings. Feel free to ask if you need help with fingerings. Tom

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