Mike's Music Musings

 Here is a collection of three note patterns for fast legato playing. I've changed up the note sequence and rhythm for pattern variations

I was transcribing Stan Getz's solo over "Pra Machucar Meu Coracao" off the Live at Carnegie Hall album. I saw that he outlined a D7 over Gbdim7. I remembered that the half-whole diminished scale played over a diminished chord contains four 7b9 chords within it. Over Gbdim7, these chords are D7, F7, Ab7, and B7. I transcribed Getz's D7 lick then created my own lick over the other four 7th chords. Each chord has a distinct flavor over the Gbdim7, I think my favorite is the D7.

 While Coltrane's "Giant Steps" cycle using major thirds, it is also possible to cycle using minor thirds. Here are some licks using that concept that can be used in a turnaround, a static chord, or any set of diatonic chords within a major scale.

Here's one of my favorite bop ideas taken through several scales. You can play this pattern in two places within the major scale, and can connect them via a chromatic passing note or a whole step slide. You can also take the pattern and apply it to other sequences (i.e., a set of three notes separated by whole steps, or separated by a whole and a half step, instead of a half and a whole step)

 These are lines which use ascending chromaticism to build excitement to a line.

 Here are a set of licks which feature the #4, or the blue note. In these licks, the note is used as a passing note. Play fast and with rhythmic displacement for added interest.