S E S S I O N S

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D harmonic minor scale
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2 3
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2 3 3 5
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Bach Invention 8 (D harmonic minor scale w/ octave displacement)
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2 3
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2 3 3 5
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A7 9 Dm7 , A7 9 Dm7 , A7 9 Dm7 ,
Direct resolution Indirect resolution Double chromatic (double indirect)
8 7 7 8 6 8 5 6 7
Em7 5 ,
4
3 3 4
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1 2 3
Em7 5 , Em7 5 ,

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Em7 5 A7 9 Dm7 , ,
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Em7 5 A7 9 Dm7 , ,
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B Y G A R R I S O N F E W E L L
STRONG MELODIC LINES
highlight one chords resolution
to the next. You can build these
lines using this simple voice-lead-
ing technique: Resolve the 7 of
the first chord to the 3 of the next,
andvoilyouve got a firm
foundation on which to build
melodies. Jazz players call these
notes guide tones.
Classic guides. Ex. 1 illustrates
the process with a IIm-V7-Im
progression in D minor. In this
case, D(the b7 of Em7b5) drops
a half-step to C# (the 3 of A7b9),
and then G(the b7 of A7b9) shifts
down a whole-step to F (Dm7s
b3). Record the changes, and then
play the line against them. Do
you hear the momentum gener-
ated by this 7-3 movement?
Ex. 2excerpted from a D
harmonic-minor scaleuses the
same guide tones to connect the
chords. By outlining the harmony,
the guide-tone resolution makes
this simple scale passage sound
melodic.
Notes other than the 7 and 3
can function as guide tones. Ex. 3
begins with a b7-3 resolution, and
then follows A7s b9 (Bb) down a
half-step to Dm7s 5 (A).
Resolutionary forces. There
are three types of guide-tone res-
olutions: direct, indirect, and dou-
ble chromatic (also called double
indirect). Examples 4a, 4b, and 4c
illustrate these resolutions.
Octave displacement is an-
other useful technique for mak-
ing diatonic or scale-derived lines
sound more melodic. Switching
octaves in the middle of a line
yields a large interval jump of a
sixth or seventh. Use this trick
when you want to add drama to
a phrase.
For instance, compare Ex. 5
to Ex. 6. The first is a Dharmonic-
minor scalenot too exciting.
The second is the principle motif
in Bachs Invention No. 8. Octave
displacement makes all the dif-
ference here.
Bird lives. Alto saxophone leg-
end Charlie Parker used these
techniques to create his beauti-
fully structured bop lines. Because
Parker frequently played guide
tones (often resolving with a dou-
ble-chromatic approach), you can
always hear the chord changes in
his improvised melodies. His
spontaneous use of octave dis-
placement added excitement.
Examples 7-10 illustrate ways
Parker would develop a melody

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Em7 5 A7 9 Dm7 , ,
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Ex. 1
Ex. 2
Ex. 4a
Ex. 5 Ex. 6
Ex. 4b Ex. 4c
Ex. 3
Guide-Tone Magic
Send us your candidate for Lick of the Month
(preferably notated and on cassette), along with
a brief explanation of why its cool and how to
play it. If we select your offering, youll get a funky
custom T-shirt thats available only to Lick of the
Month club members. Mail your entry to Lick
of the Month, Guitar Player, 411 Borel Ave. #100,
San Mateo, CA 94402. Include your name, ad-
dress, and phone number. Materials wont be re-
turned, and please dont call the office to check
the status of your submission. Youll get your shirt
if your lick is chosen.

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E
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T W O - B E A T T W A N G I N G
L i c k o f t h e M o n t h
OUR MARCH LICK COMES COURTESY OF BOOMER
Castleman, of Brentwood, Tennessee. He writes, This makes a good
ending for an up-tempo, two-beat tune in the key of E. Pick this four-
bar phrase using your thumb and index fingerthink Jerry Reed.
Notice how the fretted notes are interspersed with ringing,
open strings. For maximum twang, play this lick through a bridge-
position single-coil with a touch of spring reverb. Tremolo adds a
cool, swampy texture. g
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Double chromatic approach
Em7 5 A7 9 Dm7 , ,
8 6 5
7 6
8 5 6 7
1 2 3

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Octave displacement/double chromatic approach

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8 5 6 7

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Indirect resolution
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Em7 5 A7 9 Dm7 , ,
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6 8 7
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Octave displacement/direct resolution
Em7 5 A7 9 Dm7 , ,
8 6 5
7 6
6 5
8 6
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1
4
line. Note: These examples dont
emphasize rhythmic varia-
tionthats a topic for another
lessonso once youre comfort-
able with the melodic ideas, ex-
periment with different rhyth-
mic interpretations. g
Garrison Fewell juggles
touring and teaching at Berklee
College of Music. Hear his intro-
spective lines and round, dusky
tone on A Blue Deeper than the
Blue, Are You Afraid of the
Dark?, and Reflection of a Clear
Moon (all on Accurate, Box
390115, Cambridge, MA 02139).
For info on his book Jazz Im-
provisation, e-mail Fewell at
gfewell@berklee.edu.
Ex. 7
Ex. 9 Ex. 10
Ex. 8
S E S S I O N S
B Y T O B I A S H U R W I T Z

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8va - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
5 5 7 0 0 5
5 7 5 5 0 0 0 5 5 7
5 5 7 0 0 5
5 7 5 5 0 0 0 5 5 7
3
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15ma - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8va - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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7 5 0
7 5 0 7 5 0
7 5 0 7 5 0
7 5 0 7 5 0
7 5 0 7 5 0
7 5 0 7
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3 1
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1
3
The Harmonic Porcupine
HERES A FUN WAY TO COAX AN
array of piercing, octave-displaced har-
monics from your fretboard. Coupled with
high-gain distortion, this technique turns
your guitar into a harmonic porcupine,
ready to punch through any mix.
Drape and slur. Lay your picking-hand
index finger lightly across the 12th fret.
Make sure that your finger is poised direct-
ly above the fret. Now try Ex. 1, which in-
volves hammering notes on the 5th and
7th frets, and pulling off to open strings.
Thanks to your 12th-fret overlay, all those
hammered and pulled notes are instantly
transformed into prickly harmonics. You
can rip into this line any time youre play-
ing in the key of G major or E minor.
One of my pet porcupine phrases, Ex. 2
lets you stretch out a bit and experiment
with call and response.
Up a notch. To produce a similar, but
even higher spray of harmonics, place your
picking-hand index finger across the 19th
fret, and hammer at the 12th and 14th frets
while pulling off to open strings. For
starters, mimic the moves in Ex. 1, then
combine both positions to create new
variations. g
G.I.T. grad Tobias Hurwitz teaches rock
and metal guitar at the National Guitar
Workshop. His book Learn How to Tran-
scribe for Guitar is published by Alfred. For
gig info, free lessons, and audio samples
from Hurwitz solo album, Painted Sky,
visit www.tobiashurwitz.com.
Ex. 1
Ex. 2
TO MAKE MUSICAL SENSE OF
the fretboard, you must understand triads
how theyre built, how they lie on the strings,
and how to use them. The humble three-
note triad is the smallest chordyou can play
(two notes played together are an interval).
Triads are important because they form the
core of larger, more complex chords and
arpeggios.
Triad types. There are four basic triad
types: major, minor, augmented, and dimin-
ished. To form a major triad, pull the root,
3, and 5 from a given major scale, and play
these notes harmonically (pluck them si-
multaneously) or arpeggiate them (pick
each note individually). You can create the
other three types by simply modifying a ma-
jor triad:
Lower the 3 of a major triad, and it be-
comes minor (root, b3, 5).
Raise the 5 of a major triad, and it be-
comes augmented (root, 3, #5).
Lower the 3 and 5 of a major triad, and
it becomes diminished (root, b3, b5).
Inversions. There are several ways to or-
ganize a triads notes. In this lesson, we'll
explore the three simplest arrangements:
root position, 1st inversion, and 2nd inver-
sion. A triad is in root position when the root
is the lowest note, 3 is the middle note, and
5 is the highest (root, 3, 5). To create an in-
version, simply move a triads lowest note
up an octave. Specifically:
To change a root position triad into a
1st inversion triad, place the root up an oc-
tave (3, 5, root).
To turn a 1st inversion triad into a 2nd
inversion triad, move the 3 up an octave (5,
root, 3).
Major-triad mapping. The fun begins
as we drape these major triads across the
fretboard. The following three examples
show where root position, 1st inversion, and
2nd inversion Dmajor triads fall on the fret-
board. (Were examining Dtriads, but be-
cause these patterns use no open strings,
the maps are moveable. Eventually, youll
need to work them out in all keys.) Four tri-
ads fit across the six strings. Take a close look:
As indicated by the brackets, Ex. 1 begins
with a 2nd inversion Don the bottom three
strings, and proceeds through root position
and 1st inversion Ds before winding up on
a 2nd inversion D(an octave higher from
where we started).
Ex. 2 starts with a root position D, and
moves up through 1st and 2nd inversions
before ending on a root position Dan octave
higher. Similarly, Ex. 3 begins and ends with
1st inversion Ds, with 2nd inversion and root
position triads on the middle strings.
Play through each of these three maps.
First focus on each triad individually, then
link all four into one six-string arpeggio. Be
sure to ascend and descend through the
patterns.
The real work. Once youve learned the
12 D major triads (three maps x four
chords = 12 shapes), its time to morph
them into minor, augmented, and dimin-
ished voicings. Thats easy:
To map minor triads, lower each 3 to
a b3.
To map augmented triads, raise each
5 to a #5.
Lower 3 and 5 to b3 and b5 for dimin-
ished triads.
Recap. Theres a lot to master here, and
were just dealing with D, Dm, Daug, and
Ddimtriads. The good news is, once youve
nailed the maps in one key, you can simply
move them up and down the fretboard to
play the 11 other keys.
As you map, consult these two reference
charts. Be patient, and frequently review
what youve already studied. The results are
well worth the effortyoull see the fret-
board in a whole new light. g
All of usno matter how long weve
played or how skilled we arehave gaps in
our knowledge. Back Track is an ongoing
Sessions series designed to fill these holes.
Got a topic youd like to see us address? Send
your question to Back Track, c/o Guitar
Player, 411 Borel Ave. #100, San Mateo, CA
94402, or e-mail it to guitplyr@mfi.com.
S
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5 R 3 5 R 3
R 3 5 R 3 5
3 5 R 3 5 R
2nd
inv.
root
pos.
1st
inv.
root
pos.
2nd
inv.
1st
inv.
root
pos.
2nd
inv. 1st
inv.
root
pos.
2nd
inv.
1st
inv.
V X
B A C K T R A C K
B Y A N D Y E L L I S
Mapping Triads
TRIAD INVERSIONS
root position root 3 5
1st inversion 3 5 root
2nd inversion 5 root 3
BASIC TRIAD FORMULAS
major root 3 5
minor root b3 5
augmented root 3 #5
diminished root b3 b5
Ex. 1 Ex. 3 Ex. 2