Friday, May 20, 2011

Satellite - Joe Locke

A video clip Joe sent Ed & I over a year ago with my transcription of the first two choruses. This is one of Joe's practice sessions over Coltrane's tune "Satellite", which is based on the standard "How High The Moon". Joe was incredibly kind to let us share this treasure with you. I also
thought this would be a nice "segue" to Ed's great solo over Coltrane's tune "Giant
Steps", which we posted earlier this month. The connection being that on "Satellite"
Coltrane also used the "three tonic system" as re-harmonization technique. #AllThingsVibraphone #BerkleeMalletsNetwork


Click link below for transcription and analysis.

"Satellite" (Transcription)

Monday, May 2, 2011

Giant Steps Solo

Here's a one chorus solo over Coltrane's Giant Steps. 

The composition is based upon the three tonic system which divides the octave into three equidistant parts. As a start, we can solo only using the three major scales of the three tonal areas of B, G and Eb. Another possibility is to use a major pentatonic scale (1, 2, 3, 5 & 6) a 5th above each of those keys.

This solo uses the major pentatonic scale a 5th above the major chords. (The pentatonic over the Maj chord omits the root and the 4rth, which can be good notes to leave out). 

However, on the V7s and II-7 V7s, I'm using a symmetrical diminished scale (H/W from the root of the Dom7th chord). The Sym Dim scale used over the II-7 V7 may sound a little out but it can create interesting lines in the context of the II-7 V7.  How "out" it sounds depends on the specific notes in the Sym Dim scale that are chosen and emphasized.

Text continues in the downloadable pdf file below:

"Giant Steps" (Written Solo)