SHAUN’S CREATIVE ROCK
This month Shaun Baxter brings together all the various chromatic techniques studied so far in this series, in one eclectic solo study.
Shaun Baxter sums up his Mixolydian series with a solo that puts all the approaches he’s covered into a single medium-paced solo.
In this latest series, we’ve looked at five different ways of spicing up our lines using non-scale (chromatic) notes and, in this lesson, we are going to apply all five approaches in a single solo study.
Before we start looking at the solo, let’s have a short recap of the various chromatic techniques that we’ve studied to this point. Chromaticism provides us with the opportunity to use tension (dissonance) and then resolve it (consonance), rather than just dwelling on consonant notes all the time. So far, we have looked at the following concepts: 1) Chromatic Approach-notes: either from a semitone above or below the target note. 2) Chromatic Bridging: whereby one note is linked to another (however far apart) by a consecutive series of chromatic steps. 3) Enclosure: which involves approaching a target note from both above and below, either diatonically or chromatically. 4) Delayed Resolution: this involves incorporating notes from other strings (which often act as pedal notes) in order to extend or delay the chromatic journey to each target note.
5) 12-tone rows: this technique entails arranging the 12 notes of the chromatic scale in any order of your choice. This becomes the ‘tone-row’ or ‘note-row’. The rule is that, once a note has been played, it cannot be returned to until all the remaining eleven have been used (although you can repeat it as many times as you like and play it in any octave before moving on to the following notes).
In the transcription of this month’s solo study, the chromatic notes are shown with an asterisk above or below each, just so that you can visually distinguish them from the ‘correct’ notes (scale notes); however, this does not mean that they should be played as ‘ghost’-notes (with no rhythmic value): here each chromatic note has a full note-value (usually an eighth-note in these examples) and should be played as loudly and proudly as all other note within the line.
Our solo study demonstrates various ways of introducing chromatic concepts within an approach that, fundamentally, requires Mixolydian mode (the underlying scale in this series) to be used from the root of each Dominant 7 chord (in this case, A7-C7-D7F7-G7) and is an opportunity to compare various approaches. For example, listen to the contrast between using straight Mixolydian scale runs and 12-tone rows.
Throughout the notes that accompany the transcription, I will be referring to the relevant CAGED shape(s) of each underlying Mixolydian scale, so check out Diagram 1 which shows all five CAGED shapes of A Mixolydian before transferring that same information to the other keys (C7, D7, F7-G7).
Finally, the solo transcription features hybrid picking indications for certain sections that reflect the technical approach that would normally be adopted by most country-rock guitar players; however, it’s not essential. The same sections can also be alternate picked (flat-picked). Just focus on producing as much staccato snap and separation between the notes as possible, unless you are instructed in the transcription to ‘let notes ring through’ in which case, you must hold notes down as long as possible on adjacent strings with the fretting hand.
NEXT MONTH Shaun looks at the techniques used in the series so far Part 2
WE’VE LOOKED AT FIVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF SPICING UP OUR LINES USING CHROMATIC NOTES. IN THIS LESSON WE APPLY ALL FIVE APPROACHES