In this lesson, we dive into one of the most important aspects of learning jazz guitar: vocabulary. When transitioning from styles like rock or pop to jazz, the challenge isn’t usually technical—it’s about learning how to speak the jazz language fluently.
Using the classic tune “Autumn Leaves”, I’ve created a solo study to demonstrate how melodic lines can target specific chord tones, using tools like arpeggios, chromaticism, and bebop phrasing. I break down each phrase to show how I intentionally land on strong notes—like the third or fifth of a chord—at the right moment in the bar. These ideas come straight from the jazz tradition, but I approach them in a way that’s logical and repeatable.
Throughout the study, we explore:
Targeting chord tones like 3rds and 9ths to create strong melodic resolution
Encirclements, a bebop technique where notes surround the target note chromatically
The use of E harmonic minor to outline B7 leading to Em
Parallel arpeggio movement to create smooth transitions over minor 9 chords
Recognizing the subtle difference between E minor 7 and E7♭9, and how that affects your note choices
This approach isn’t about copying licks—it’s about understanding the vocabulary so you can use it spontaneously in any key, with your own voice. Jazz phrasing is as much about intention and timing as it is about theory.
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Tinnitus is the perception of ringing, buzzing, or hissing sounds in the ears without an external source. It can be temporary or permanent and is often caused by prolonged exposure to loud sounds, ear infections, or other underlying health conditions. For musicians and producers, it’s a serious concern due to constant exposure to loud environments—gigs, rehearsals, studio sessions, and teaching.
My Experience with Tinnitus
I’ve been playing for 43 years, mostly professionally, performing hundreds of gigs per year and spending countless hours teaching. That means years of exposure to loud volumes—standing near drummers, guitar amps, and playing in loud clubs. As a producer, I’ve also dealt with sharp, spiky sounds that can contribute to hearing damage.
How to Protect Your Hearing
Invest in quality ear protection:
I use molded earplugs (ACS -17dB filters). They are the best I’ve found, and I always keep them with me.
In the UK, if you’re a Musicians’ Union member or get support from Help Musicians, you can get them for around £30-40.
Never feel ashamed to wear earplugs—your hearing is your career.
Upgrade your in-ear monitor (IEM) system:
If you use Shure IEMs, consider the SE535s since they have less emphasis around the dangerous 3kHz area.
Use a system with a built-in limiter to prevent unexpected spikes.
When I teach, I use Voicemeeter with headphones, which helps control volume levels.
Keep your tinnitus as reference and try to keep the volume below that-
Most IEM packs and monitoring apps have limiter functions—use them.
EQ out harsh frequencies that typically cause damage (for me, around 3kHz and 800Hz).
Separate work from enjoyment:
We love music, but as professionals, we need to balance it with ear health.
Work in short sessions with breaks. Give your ears time to recover.
Daily rest: at least one hour of silence per day.
If your ears feel fatigued, wear earplugs for a bit to reduce strain.
Keep your airways clear—this helps balance pressure.
Some people find that chiropractic adjustments help; I haven’t tried it recently but worth mentioning.
Frequency Considerations:
Protect frequencies needed for speech intelligibility (can you find male/female speech frequency ranges?).
Be mindful of EQ settings to avoid damaging essential frequencies.
Healthy Habits for Tinnitus Management:
Diet: A healthy diet can help overall well-being, which affects tinnitus.
Physical activity: Staying active and positive helps keep your mind off tinnitus.
Socializing: One of the most effective distractions is engaging with people. Don’t isolate yourself.
Useful Apps:
OTO: Helps with sound masking and tinnitus training (teaches you to ignore it).
dB Meter: Monitors your sound exposure—aim to keep levels around 60dB.
Meditation Apps: Help with relaxation and stress management.
White Noise Generators: Useful for masking tinnitus.
Best Practices for Monitoring and Production:
Use speakers instead of headphones when possible.
If you must use headphones, keep volumes moderate.
Get regular hearing tests—a doctor can check for any underlying issues like pressure imbalances or a deviated septum.
Mindset and Career Approach
Tinnitus doesn’t mean the end of music—it’s about managing it carefully.
Be mindful of how you work and take necessary precautions.
Avoid grind culture. Yes, we need to earn money, but overworking leads to burnout and hearing damage.
Be financially wise: invest, save a buffer, so you can say no to gigs when you need rest.
Balance work and enjoyment—music can be a 24/7 thing, but your ears need rest.
By being proactive and mindful, you can continue enjoying music and playing for a long time while protecting your hearing. Stay safe and take care of your ears!
If you’re a guitar enthusiast, Larry Carlton needs no introduction. His work spans genres, pushing the boundaries of jazz, blues, and R&B with innovative phrasing and complex solos. In this post, we’ll break down five of Carlton’s licks, exploring their unique styles and giving you insights into what makes them so special.
Whether you’re new to Larry Carlton or a die-hard fan, these licks offer a rich blend of techniques and influences. I’ve transcribed each lick for you, and you’ll find the tabs linked throughout. Let’s dive into these five challenging licks!
Backstabbers – Chromatic and BB King Influence The first lick comes from the track Backstabbers off Larry Carlton Plays the Sound of Philadelphia. This album is packed with smooth, clean tones, and Backstabbers showcases Carlton’s talent for mixing blues and chromatic scales.
This lick is built around an F7#9 chord but features a strong BB King influence. It begins with a classic BB lick but quickly moves into chromatic territory, transitioning out of the usual scale and resolving on a B minor. Carlton’s phrasing here is both intense and soulful, offering a great study in blending traditional blues with advanced chromaticism.
Key Technique: Chromaticism and BB King-style blues phrasing.
Kid Gloves – Rhythmic, Staccato Ideas The second lick comes from Kid Gloves, both the album and title track. This lick is distinctly staccato, full of rhythmic ideas that feel sharp and precise. Carlton mixes blues and R&B influences with jazzy twists, leaning into a mix of major sixth intervals and bebop-inspired lines.
This phrase transitions smoothly between bluesy ideas and Charlie Christian-style jazz, showcasing Carlton’s versatility in merging different genres into a cohesive, rhythmic package.
Key Technique: Rhythmic staccato phrasing with R&B and jazz influences.
Josie – Pentatonic Meets Bebop One of Larry Carlton’s most recognizable works is his cover of Josie, the Steely Dan classic, from On Solid Ground. Carlton adds a distinct flavor to the track with his overdriven tone and pentatonic flair. This lick comes at the end of the song, played over an E minor groove.
It begins with a high pentatonic run on the 17th fret, blending into bebop-influenced phrases. Carlton incorporates Dorian and minor tonalities, giving the lick a rich harmonic complexity while still maintaining that signature bluesy feel.
Key Technique: Pentatonic scales blended with bebop and Dorian modes.
Upper Kern – Fast-Paced Jazz Fusion Next, we explore a lick from Upper K, off the famous Sleepwalk album. This track features a fast-paced, rhythmically complex solo. Carlton plays over a simple chord progression of E flat major 7 to D minor 7, but the intricacies lie in his bends, slides, and trills.
He starts with a B flat major 7 arpeggio before smoothly connecting it to an E flat major arpeggio, followed by a bend from C to D. The lick ends with a D minor pentatonic run, featuring Carlton’s signature trill and slide techniques.
Key Technique: Jazz fusion phrasing with trills and bends.
Don’t Give Up – Shuffle Blues Fusion The final lick is from Don’t Give Up, a live performance on Last Night. This tune has a shuffle blues feel, blending R&B and jazz fusion elements, which is quintessential Carlton. The lick revolves around a B7 chord, resolving to a G#7, and is filled with sliding R&B-style phrases.
Carlton plays a B flat major pentatonic line before transitioning into his classic technique of combining two triads, B and A, creating a B sus chord. This trick adds a rich harmonic texture to the lick, and the entire phrase showcases Carlton’s mastery in fusing genres.
Key Technique: Combining triads with a shuffle-blues feel.
5 Fast Robben Ford Licks: Mastering Jazz-Influenced Blues (With Tabs!)
If you’re a fan of jazz-influenced blues guitar, chances are you’ve come across Robben Ford’s playing. Known for his intricate, fast-paced licks that combine the raw emotion of blues with the sophistication of jazz, Ford’s style is a goldmine for guitarists looking to spice up their soloing. Today, we’re breaking down five of his fast licks, covering everything from funky grooves to bebop phrasing. And yes, I’ve included tabs!
If you’re ready to dive into these modern blues licks, let’s get started. You can also download the tablature from my website, and follow along. These examples offer a great look at how Ford incorporates scales, bends, and chromaticism to create his signature sound.
1. Lick from “White Rock Beer” (E7 Shuffle)
Key: E7
Timestamp: ~2:33
Overview: This lick plays over a shuffle blues in A7, moving between E7 and A. It involves some clever position changes, utilizing open strings, and gives a bluesy feel with a jazzy twist.
Breakdown: Starting on the 10th fret (D) of the high E string, the lick uses pull-offs to open strings and a bend on the B string, landing on a classic E blues scale. The use of open notes gives it a fluid, fast-moving feel.
Technique Tip: The transition from fretted notes to open strings adds a unique flavor and allows you to shift positions quickly.
2. Lick from “Keep On Running” (G Blues)
Key: G Blues
Timestamp: ~3:13
Overview: This lick, played in G blues, incorporates wide-ranging movements between the 11th and 3rd frets. The lick travels up and down the neck, moving through the G minor pentatonic scale.
Breakdown: Beginning on the 11th fret (B-flat) of the B string, this lick makes use of slides and bends, creating a fluid, dynamic feel as it transitions across the fretboard.
Technique Tip: Pay attention to the bend vs. slide at the top of the phrase, as this helps create that signature Robben Ford “crying” sound.
3. Lick from “Tiger Walk” (Funky Groove in C#7)
Key: C#7
Timestamp: ~4:20
Overview: Here, Ford brings the funk, playing over a James Brown-inspired groove. He sticks to the C# minor blues scale, adding in flat-fives and the ninth and 13th intervals for a jazzy edge.
Breakdown: The lick incorporates hammer-ons and pull-offs to maintain the groove, moving from the 14th fret down the neck. The flat-five “blue note” creates tension, a hallmark of Ford’s style.
Technique Tip: Be mindful of the jazz articulation—smooth hammer-ons and pull-offs are essential to nailing this lick.
4. Lick from “Revelation” (B7 to E Minor)
Key: B7
Timestamp: ~5:24
Overview: This fast-paced lick comes from Ford’s fusion-heavy “Talk to Your Daughter” album. Starting on a B7 chord with a diminished scale run, it resolves on an E minor chord.
Breakdown: The lick utilizes a diminished half-step, whole-step scale before resolving to E minor. The speed and complexity suggest that Ford may have used hybrid picking here.
Technique Tip: Experiment with hybrid picking to nail the speed of the lick without losing clarity, especially during the diminished run.
5. Lick from “Talk to Your Daughter” (Altered Scale in A7)
Key: A7 to D Minor
Timestamp: ~6:27
Overview: This altered scale lick in A7 employs the super Locrian (or altered) scale, a staple in jazz and bebop. It’s a great example of how Ford blends blues and jazz phrasing.
Breakdown: This lick uses hammer-ons and pull-offs, with a bebop-inspired approach to rhythm and phrasing. The altered scale adds tension over the A7 chord before resolving to D minor.
Technique Tip: Focus on the timing of your hammer-ons and pull-offs—this lick uses bebop phrasing, meaning you’ll need to be precise with your articulation.
Wrapping It Up
Robben Ford’s fast licks showcase the fusion of jazz, blues, and even R&B, resulting in a rich, textured playing style. Whether you’re working through diminished scales, pentatonics, or funk grooves, the key to mastering these licks is paying attention to Ford’s seamless blending of techniques and his use of space and tension.
Are you looking to spice up your guitar playing with a fusion sound that bridges jazz, rock, and blues? This technique, which involves layering different pentatonic scales over the same chord, can give your solos that complex and sophisticated edge. In this post, I’ll break down a powerful and flexible method for expanding your musical vocabulary using just three pentatonic scales. Ready to dive in? Let’s get started!
Pentatonic scales are a guitarist’s best friend. They’re often the first scales we learn, thanks to their simplicity and versatility. However, by thinking outside the box, we can use these familiar shapes to create fresh, exciting sounds. The Triple Pentatonic Hack is about combining three pentatonic scales over one chord to access different tonal colors, giving you a fusion sound that ranges from smooth and melodic to adventurous and edgy.
The key is knowing which pentatonic scales to use and how they interact with the underlying chord.
Step 1: Start with Minor Pentatonics
The core idea behind this method is to stack three minor pentatonic scales over a single chord. For example, over a C minor chord, you can use:
C minor pentatonic (root)
G minor pentatonic (the 5th)
D minor pentatonic (the 2nd)
Each of these scales will highlight different notes and extensions of the C minor chord, giving you a range of tonal possibilities.
C minor pentatonic provides a classic bluesy sound.
G minor pentatonic adds a “flavor” by highlighting more of the chord’s natural notes.
D minor pentatonic targets higher extensions, like the 9th and 13th, offering a more open and modern sound.
By shifting between these pentatonics, you’ll instantly create new textures while maintaining the recognizable sound of pentatonic phrases. This is particularly effective for crafting “fusion” or “hard bop” runs that sound intricate but are simple to execute once you grasp the concept.
Step 2: Expand to Major Chords
The triple pentatonic concept isn’t just for minor chords. You can apply it to major chords as well. Let’s take a C major chord as an example. You can use:
A minor pentatonic (the 6th)
E minor pentatonic (the 3rd)
B minor pentatonic (the 7th, highlighting the sharp 11)
This combination not only works beautifully over C major but also introduces interesting harmonic choices like the sharp 11, which is a hallmark of fusion music.
Step 3: “Out” and “In” Sounds for Added Spice
One of the coolest parts of this technique is its ability to create both “out” and “in” sounds, making your playing more dynamic. For example, over an altered chord like C7#9, you can use:
B-flat minor pentatonic for a more dissonant, “outside” sound.
Then resolve to F major using A minor pentatonic, which brings you “inside” and resolves the tension.
This is a technique often used by jazz fusion guitarists like John Scofield. The interplay between dissonance and resolution adds depth to your playing and makes your solos more engaging.
How to Use It in Practice
Here’s a quick exercise to get you started:
Play a C minor chord on your looper or backing track.
Solo using the C minor pentatonic scale.
Shift to the G minor pentatonic, playing similar phrases.
Move to the D minor pentatonic and notice how the scale highlights different notes in the chord.
Mix them up! Try playing phrases that weave between all three pentatonic scales, creating fluid and complex-sounding runs.
This method works because the pentatonic scales are easy to visualize and play, yet they give you a sophisticated fusion sound.
Take It Further
Once you get comfortable with the basic combinations, experiment with other chord types and pentatonic pairings. For example, try moving between altered chords and resolving to major chords, as described above. By practicing these transitions, you can begin to incorporate “outside” playing into your solos without losing your grounding in familiar pentatonic shapes.
Remember, the goal is to expand your vocabulary using scales you already know, making your playing sound richer and more varied.
Final Thoughts
The Triple Pentatonic Hack is a powerful tool for any guitarist looking to develop a fusion sound. By layering pentatonic scales over chords, you can create everything from bluesy phrases to jazz-influenced runs. And because the pentatonic shapes are already in your toolkit, this approach feels natural, even as it unlocks new sonic possibilities.
So, fire up your looper, experiment with these pentatonic combinations, and watch your playing evolve. ways to take your playing to the next level. Don’t forget to subscribe and share if you enjoyed this lesson!
