Pat Metheny - Soloing Style Analysis

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PRM-502 CREATIVE MUSICIANSHIP Pat Metheny: Artist Presentation and Stylistical Analysis by Tommaso Varvello

description

My coursework for the Creative Musicianship module in ACM. An analysis of the soloing style of Pat Metheny through the examination of the solos on "Have You Heard", "Bright Size Life" and "Jaco".

Transcript of Pat Metheny - Soloing Style Analysis

Page 1: Pat Metheny - Soloing Style Analysis

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PRM-502

CREATIVE MUSICIANSHIP

Pat Metheny: Artist Presentation and Stylistical Analysis

by

Tommaso Varvello

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Introduction

Metheny was born in Lee's Summit, Missouri, on August 12, 1954. Since his debut

on the jazz scene with his first album "Bright Size Life" (1976) he's been considered

one of the most influential and respected jazz guitarist in the world. Throughout the

years, Metheny has managed to create his own voice in the jazz world, blending

together elements of bebop, classic and contemporary jazz, latin jazz, world music

and jazz fusion to create a unique and fascinating sound.

He's been writing music and working as a solo artist, with the "Pat Metheny Group"

and a number of duos, trios, side projects and collaborations.

For this assignment, I chose to transcribe the solos from "Bright Size Life", title track

of the eponymous album,"Have You Heard", opening track to "Letter From Home"

(1989), and "Jaco", from the "Pat Metheny Group" album (1978).

I chose "Bright Size Life" because being one of Metheny's early works it contains a

lot of Metheny's signature soloing ideas and melodic/harmonic approaches to

composing and soloing.

"Have You Heard" was chosen because to me it's a perfect example on how Metheny

has blended elements of bebop and typical jazz motifs and approaches to soloing into

his own compositions.

Finally, "Jaco" was chosen as a prime example of Metheny's pentatonic use in jazz.

The solo transcriptions and lead sheets of the tunes tunes can be found as appendices

to this essay. The tracks attached as MP3s have been edited to start where the

transcribed examples happen.

Improvisational and soloing style

The first feature that is evident in Metheny's soloing is the use of chord tones and

chord extensions while soloing through changes. As with all of the great improvisers,

landing on chord tones when the backing harmony changes during your solo is

invaluable, and Metheny is a master of this, utilizing chord tones to empower his

lines and melodic phrases. This is evident in both "Bright Size Life" and "Have You

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Heard". In "Bright Size Life" we see Metheny landing on thirds or fifths of the chord

in bars 5, 11, 13, 17, 19, 21, 29, 31, 37, 45, 48, 49, 52, 55, 61, 63, 64. He also chooses

chord extensions such as 9s and 11s, as seen in bars 1, 3, 7, 11, 33, 59. Also, many

times he uses a technique called delayed resolution: he resolves the line on a chord

tone not on beat one (see bars 7, 11, 17, 19, 27, 41).

Chord tone soloing in "Bright Size Life"

In "Jaco", the most melodic lines all feature strong chord tone resolutions.

In bars 11-12, Metheny follows the chord changes by landing on the major 3rd and

major 7th of Abmaj7 (bar 11), and then resolves to Gm7 on the "and" of beat 2 of bar

12, by landing on a D (the 5th of Gm).

In bars 25-26, Metheny emphasizes Ab lydian by playing between the 5th and the

#11 (bar 25), then resolving to the minor 3rd of Gm on beat 2 of bar 26.

Chord tone soloing in "Jaco"

Another key feature of Metheny's soloing style is the use of melodic motifs. He often

chooses to repeat the same intervallic phrase, moving it laterally across the fretboard

to create a sense of repetition and continuity in the solo.

In "Bright Size Life", a prime example can be found in bars 1-2. Here Metheny uses a

lateral thirds pattern ascending across the neck, creating tension and momentum that

is released in bar 3 by landing on the major 9th of the new chord. Another example

can be found in bars 40-41: Metheny uses a rapid semiquaver pattern outlining A-G-

F#m-Em triads (derived from the harmonized D ionian scale) while descending

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across the neck until landing on the fifth of G on beat 3 of bar 41. Other examples

can be found in bars 17 to 19 (repeated mixolydian motifs) and bars 49 to 51

(repeated mixolydian double stop lines).

Melodic motif in "Bright Size Life" (bars 1-2)

In "Have You Heard", this device is evident in bars 43 to 48. Here Metheny chooses

to create repetition by playing a Cm pattern outlining R, 9, b3 and 11 of the chord;

then develops that pattern by moving it through the modulation in C#m, concluding

the line with a descending pattern of R, 3 and in some cases b9 through F#, E, D#, C#

and B triads (a stepwise descending cascade that hints at whole tone harmony).

Other examples can be found in "Have You Heard" in bars 55-58 and 77-79. In both

these passages Metheny moves the same pattern laterally across the neck, ascending

quickly while building momentum in the solo. Both patterns move mostly stepwise

(ex. E-F#-G#-A#-B in bars 55-56) and are comprised of fifth/sixth interval jumps.

Use of motifs in "Have You Heard"

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In "Jaco", this technique is used in bars 8-9: Metheny plays a Cm pentatonic

intervallic line in bar 8, followed by a sequence in Ab lydian in bar 9, building

tension until the release comes in bar 11, with a highly melodic line.

Melodic sequences in "Jaco" (bars 8-9)

Another example can be found in bars 27-28: Metheny plays a four note ascending

sequence in Ab lydian displaced across the bars, with a lazy, behind the beat feel.

Melodic sequence in "Jaco"

The use of repetition in Metheny's soloing is also evident in his choice of rhythms:

"Have You Heard" showcases some excellent examples.

Most of the solo is made of semiquaver patterns and lines; towards the end of the

solo, Metheny builds up tension by utilizing repeated rhythmical figures, such as the

crotchet triplet figure in bars 65-66-67, the quaver triplet heavy figure in bars 70-71

and a quaver-semiquaver sequence in bars 82-83.

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Rhythmical motif in "Have You Heard"

Scale choices

Metheny is a master in chord scales relationships and changing scales and modes

according to the harmony, but the thing that to me is really fascinating is how well he

"disguises" scale changes inside his highly melodic and flowing soloing technique.

Metheny makes wide use of major and minor pentatonic scales, utilizing pentatonic

substitutions and hybrid pentatonic patterns to fit the harmony and create the desired

effect.

In "Bright Size Life", a prime example is bars 9 to 12: Metheny uses a D major

pentatonic framework to outline the G lydian tonality, before resolving to Bb lydian

in bar 11; then, he uses a hybrid Dm/Bm pentatonic ascending line to resolve into the

fifth of D in bar 13. He repeats the same concepts in bars 25 to 28: over the same

chord changes, he outlines D major pentatonic in bars 25-26, resolves to Bb lydian in

bar 27 and uses an ascending Dm pentatonic triplet line in bar 28, resolving to the

fifth of D in bar 29. Other pentatonic lines can be found in bars 32-33 (D major

pentatonic), 35-36 (Gm pentatonic descending line) and bars 44 to 48 (D major

pentatonic).

Pentatonic soloing in "Bright Size Life" (bars 25-28)

In "Have You Heard", a perfect example can be found right at the start of the solo:

from bars 1 to 7, Metheny alternates between Cm pentatonic (bars 1-4), Fm

pentatonic (bars 5-6) and Cm again in bar 7. Other examples can be found in bar 26

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(descending Gm pentatonic), bars 33 to 35 (Gm pentatonic), bar 39 (hint at Abm

pentatonic), bars 51-52 (C#m pentatonic), bar 64 (descending C#m pentatonic) and

bars 84 to 89 (multiple C#m pentatonic ideas).

Pentatonic line in "Have You Heard"

Jaco is definitely the most "pentatonic" solo out of the three: the structure of the solo

all revolves around the Cm pentatonic scale.

However, Metheny goes well beyond the classic pentatonic use, choosing to phrase

and inflect the scale in a unique and highly personal way.

Some key pentatonic lines are featured in bars 5 to 8 (the lines share a pentatonic

framework), bar 16 (Metheny uses an ascending C#m pentatonic line to build tension

at the end of the turnaround and into the second chorus of the solo), bar 20 (Cm

pentatonic sextuplet sequence) and bars 21-22 (ascending pentatonic line).

Pentatonic lines in "Jaco"

Another key feature of Metheny's soloing is the use of chromatic notes both as

approach notes, using enclosures or linking shapes through lateral chromatic shifts.

All of these device build tension and contribute to the overall effect and delivery of

the solos. "Bright Size Life" is a more melodic and less hectic solo than "Have You

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Heard", hence incorporating less of these concepts. However, they're still included as

tools to build interest, such as bars 3-4 (slidey chromatic approach tones), bar 20

(ascending chromatic line to create tension, resolving into the 3rd of A7 in bar 21)

and bars 28 and 35-36 (use of pentatonic sequences implying outside notes).

"Have You Heard" is a perfect example of Metheny's masterful use of chromaticism.

Heavily influenced by bebop, the whole solo is a canvas for Metheny's lines busy

with outside notes and chromatic embellishments.

Use of enclosures is evident in bar 14 beat 1 (Gb-E-F), bar 24 beat 1 (D-B-C), bar 36

beat 4 (E-G-Gb), bar 54 beat 4 (D#-F#-E), bar 58 beat 3-4 (A-G-G# and G#-F#-G)

and bar 59 beats 2-3 (F-D#-E and E-C#-D#).

Metheny makes large use of repeated lateral chromatic shifts, as shown by bar 9 beat

3 (Eb-C-D-B), bar 10 beat 2-3 (F-Db-E-C-Eb-B), bar 13 beat 3 (Eb-C-D-B), bar 17

beat 2-3 (B-G-Bb-Gb-A-F-Ab-G), and more in bars 25, 39, 53, 76.

These shifts are usually played while outlining a sequence of major or minor thirds.

The solo also features some lines implying straight parts of the chromatic scale, such

as bars 15, 20-21, 23, 25, 31, 42-43, 54, 75, 76, 80.

Use of chromaticism in "Have You Heard"

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Metheny also likes using altered scales over dominant chords, as shown by the lines

in "Have You Heard" in bars 22, 32, 54 and 76.

G# altered scale line in "Have You Heard" (bar 54)

Phrasing and technical considerations

Most of Metheny's signature sound, apart from his gear, comes from the way he

phrases his lines during his solos.

The most characteristic feature of Metheny's phrasing is definitely his use of slides.

He uses them to give vocal quality to some of his melodic lines, and are present in

almost all of Metheny's compositions.

"Bright Size Life" is a perfect example: the solo is not too hectic and this allows

Metheny to beautifully phrase almost each line with the addition of slides.

Some examples are bars 1 to 3, that feature slides into notes as well as slides out, bars

17 to 19, that again feature different types of slides, and bars 29-30, that show

Metheny's phrasing over an emotional melodic line.

Use of slides in "Bright Size Life"

"Have You Heard" also features some of these ideas, mainly evident in bars 50-51

(slides outlining E major/C#m pentatonic), bars 55-56 (ascending slides while

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playing a repeated pattern), bars 65-66 and 82-83 (lateral approach slides) and bars

87-88 (C#m pentatonic slides).

Ascending sequence featuring slides in "Have You Heard"

Metheny's phrasing in "Jaco" features slides mostly as an embellishment of

pentatonic lines, as demonstrated in bar 3, bar 19 (repeated riff using a b5-4-b3

movement in Cm pentatonic), bars 21-22 and 29.

Another interesting use of slides can be found in bar 25: Metheny adds tension to the

line by sliding out of a note into another (C to B), without picking it. This results in a

second note which is much lower in volume but can still be heard, giving more

character and originality to the line.

Slide example from "Jaco"

Making large use of pentatonic scales, Metheny also makes often use of double stops,

as featured in the bar 43 to 51 sequence in "Bright Size Life", where he uses sixth

intervals and pentatonic double stops.

Metheny's Gear Choices

In regards to gear, Metheny's most used guitar is a Gibson ES-175 along with his

signature Ibanez PM20 and PM100 models. He was a pioneer in the use of the

Roland GR-300 synth guitar, from which he obtains his signature saxophone-like

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lead sound, and he's incorporated acoustic guitars, 12-string electric guitars, the 42-

string Pikasso custom guitar as well as a multi instrument project called the

"Orchestrion" in many of his works.

Recommended Discography

Bright Size Life - 1976

Watercolors - 1977

Secret Story - 1992

With the Pat Metheny Group

Pat Metheny Group - 1978

Offramp - 1982

Travels - 1983

Still Life Talking - 1987

Letter From Home - 1989

We Live Here - 1995

Trio

Question and Answer - 1989

Bibliography

Pat Metheny, 2000. Pat Metheny Songbook: Lead Sheets. Edition. Hal Leonard.

Word count: 2098

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APPENDICES

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Page 24: Pat Metheny - Soloing Style Analysis
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