The Jazz Sax & Improvisation Blog of Saxophonist Bobby Stern

Inspired from "A Study in Fourths" by Walter Bishop, Jr. - Part 2

1/24/2014

This is the second post dealing with ideas from Walter Bishop, Jr's "A Study in Fourths". It might not be a bad idea to check out Part 1 for some background, including the all informative YouTube vid of Mr. Bishop demonstrating his concepts at the piano.

The link to Part 1 should open in a separate tab, so you can have them side by side for easy access.

The 4 bar line presented here is based on the first bar of ex. 8 on p. 13 of "A Study in Fourths" (a 2 bar phrase), of which both first measures are identical.

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Stowell from John - 4 Melodic Minor Scales as Dominant Subs

1/17/2014

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John Stowell

Actually, your honor, I ain't stole nuthin'! I just borrowed a little bit, which I'm tryin' to return, by way of the Universe!
Hey, I hadn't even heard of Master Guitarist & Educator, John Stowell until a few months ago, when my long time buddy, Prof. Dave King of the University of Music & Performing Arts in Mannheim, Germany (see post from 5/29/2013), took part in one of John's master classes which was given at the school and sent me some video links.

Needless to say, I was intrigued by Stowell's harmonic and scalar concepts; especially his ideas of mixing and integrating modes of Melodic Minor with modes of Major (e.g. C Dorian with Bb Melodic Minor), not necessarily a measure at a time, but fusing them together as one scale.

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Payin' Dues and Playin' Blues with Pentatonic b2's

1/8/2014

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I find this to be an excellent warm-up type exercise and an aid for gaining facility with the Pentatonic b2 scale. The Pentatonic b2, as advertised, is a Major Pentatonic scale with a lowered 2nd degree (in C: C-Db-E-G-A). It can be considered to be derived from the diminished scale, which generates four distinct Penta b2's.

The "soul" of this scale, however, is in its fifth mode, which in C, would start on A (A-C-Db-E-G). Hearing A` as the root then gives us a Maj / min 3rd inherent Blues quality. It can also spell out an A7 #9 (C#-E-G-C, with A in the bass), the "Funk Man's delight".

As a 2 measure exercise, Jerry Bergonzi's formulas (from his book "Vol 2 - Pentatonics" - Advance Music) #5 (ascending) or #1 (descending) are used for the first bar, with the scale moving, in the second measure, back in the opposite direction in diatonic 3rds.

Each 2 bar segment represents one of the 5 pentatonic "modes".

The repeat signs should definitely be put into effect here, as the idea of this exercise is to loop each 2 bar phrase ad infinitum at a tempo that is comfortable, gradually increasing the speed as the phrase becomes part of your nervous system.

This scheme can be used with any pentatonic scale.

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Inspired from "A Study in Fourths" by Walter Bishop, Jr. - Part 2

Stowell from John - 4 Melodic Minor Scales as Dominant Subs

Payin' Dues and Playin' Blues with Pentatonic b2's

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