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Soloing in the Style of Mike Stern: Breakdown Part 1

Mike Salow 210 lessons

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In part 1 of the break down I've focused mainly on three licks that happen within the first 12 bars of the solo.

 

#1. The first lick is a simple dissention down the A Dorian scale. The important thing to note here is the phrasing (including the picking pattern).

You can always take something easy like this and make it swing hard with the right phrasing. 

 

#2. The 2nd lick is very common is jazz/bebop. We're tonicizing to the IV(4) chord, which is Dm.

The way we accomplish this is to treat the I(1) chord as the V(5) of IV(4). Which it would be if it were an A7.

One scale to play in this situation is Harmonic Minor of the chord you are tonicizing. So, D harmonic Minor (this could also be called 'A Phrygian dominant' the 5th mode of harmonic minor).

This is usually executed in the bar before the chord change. Either during the complete 4 beats or during the last 2 beats.

 

#3. The third is similar to the first except that we are now in D Dorian (A Aeolian).

Again it is very simple but the key is in the phrasing.

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