Allen Hinds Masterclass pt 4
Allen demonstrates some sophisticated sounding rhythm and lead work over Jason’s slick, pop style backing track. Jon Bishop is your guide.
This month star video features the fourth instalment from LA session guru Allen Hinds with a track written by Jason entitled Nightlife. As Allen explains the track is mainly in G minor with a straight 8th feel and a tempo of 100bpm.
At the start of the track Allen follows the rhythmic kicks with double-stops made up of 4ths. The 4th interval has an open, modern sound beloved of fusion players and works well with a little overdrive. The Gm9 chord benefits from a swell of the volume pedal and a scoop of the whammy bar. This provides a keyboard-like sound and is very effective. On the second eight bars of verse 1, Allen
Bb- adds some G Dorian (G-A- C-D-E-F) blues licks in the gaps between the stabs. This creates a question and answer style phrasing that’s musical and compelling.
For the bridge section Allen kicks in the chorus pedal to provide some tonal variety.
Ab The bridge section scale of choice is Lydian
Ab-Bb- Eb- mode ( C-D- F-G) for soloing. This mode has a floating sound and is a very effective choice when played over the Abmajor7#
11 chord. We have written out popular scale box fingerings for
Ab both the G Dorian and Lydian scales/modes to get you started.
Allen hammers home the importance of nailing any prearranged riffs or hits. He also explains that in some recording sessions they may not have all the parts written out so you may need to use your ear and invent a line on the spot.
The main rhythmic subdivision Allen employs is the 16th, but this is spiced up with triplets and plenty of syncopation (playing off the beat).
Allen often starts his phrases off the beat and this adds a sophisticated edge to the phrasing. He uses plenty of articulation to bring the lines to life including hammer-ons and pull-offs, string bending and whammy bar scoops and vibrato.
on the second hal f of ver se 1 alen add s some
G dor ian blue s licks in the ga ps bet ween stab s