Gary Willis has to be one of the most virtuosic, original and unique sounding bass players of the last twenty years. From his early work with Wayne Shorter, the groundbreaking fusion band Tribal tech through to his more recent projects like Triphastic, his bass playing is never less than breathtaking. I was lucky enough to study with him in Barcelona for just over the duration of a year, an experience I will never forget!
Among all the lessons I took with Gary there was one that particularly stood out. In fact it was from this very lesson that all my further lessons with him seemed to be directly connected to. It was almost the foundation of my study with him.
This specific lesson covered the superimposition of major pentatonic scales on top of minor chords and other more complex chord sequences from the jazz standard repertoire. Not only was this eye opening for me, but it also gave me a great insight into why Gary Willis sounds so unique and is instantly recognizable in his soloistic approach.
The superimposition of major pentatonic scales within a soloing/improvisational environment is a large contributing factor to the ‘Gary Willis’ sound. If this is something you want to be able to access and use in your own improvisations I suggest starting with static minor chord vamps to begin with, and then later on when you feel confident doing that move onto more complex chord progressions.
See you in the shed ;)
Scott.
Check out ‘The Gary Willis Approach – Bass Lesson #1′ on YouTube
Want the tab and notation for this lesson?!… Click here to find out!
scott you are the one and the only thanks !!!! like like like
Wow….who’d da thought! Why isn’t this stuff taught anywhere. I guess I just went to the wrong places…..
Scott, great stuff.
However it tells me to go back and learn to play the major pentatonic all over the neck.
Thanks!
Scott,
Thanks for yet another educational lesson. I am hooked. I am on your site every day looking for new insights to the music puzzle to work into my practice. I will pass along your tutorials with praise to my musician mates.
Sincerely,
Rory
Hi Scott,
Great lessons with great explanation. I’m still trying to work out whats going on here only being a grade 5 !!
Ok at 18:12 mins in your talking about 9th’s and 11th’s of the Cmin. Well I have a bit of a problem with minor keys and find myself always having to base my thinking from majors. So is the 9th and the 11th of Cmin really just the maj 7th (D) and the maj 2nd (F) of E flat Maj ??
Thanks in advance
David
Yep that’s it. But… If I were you I get used to viewing them from the actual chord not the related Major chord… it’ll make things easier in the long run and stop you having to do brain gymnastics ;)
Hi Scott,
You mentioned a second lesson on the use of pentatonics over Blue Bossa. When do you expect to do this lesson? Would love to dive into that lesson
warm regards, groet
Jorg
Hey Jorg, it’s on its way ;)
What an awesome lesson…this open my eyes and answered questions I wondered about for long time. I am looking forward to Part 2 thanks Scott…you’re the man
Hi Scott,
Tnx for this usefull info. I guess this works best when it’s Dorian right (at least not all minor like modes)
Cheers Anton
A bit of a smartass observation :) :
Isn’t the whole thing like playing Eb major ionian or the root major, without the 4th grade, the a (Bb major pentatonic and Eb major pentatonic combined are like a normal Eb major scale without the a, which is the 4th)?
Or, to put it simpler, over a minor chord you can play the root major (ionian) scale without the 4th in it.
So, Scott, If I may.. Please correct me if I am wrong, and forgive my explanation being quite laymen…. But, basically what he (Gary) is doing is, MODES.. but MODES in Pentatonic forms… Correct?
Just looking for other ways to make sure I have this locked in… If I’m correct I have already been doing this for a wile without knowing it was someones “style” already. :p Much love, and Respect… Sara
Kind of… but he doesn’t think of it like that. He just thinks of the pentatonic as a substitution over whatever chord he’s playing over and knows that different substitutions will bring out different extensions over each chord. Gary is a very ‘practical player’, as in, he’s not really into doing brain gymnastics – he just uses what he needs to, to get the job done. Hope that helps man. Scott ;)
Hey Scott I would ask u, why is the cord G7b9 in the 2 5 1 of Cminor, because isnt int the key of Cminor.
many thanx.