Breezin

1. Breezin George Benson

2. Listen To Part of the Recording

3. 75% 1/5 Speed

4. 1/2 75%

6. Chord Changes • Entire song is in D major – following chords. • 4/4 ||: D Maj7 | Bm7 | Em7 | A7 : || • Given that the D major scale can work with all of the chords. • Start there then try to add in the blue notes in D (C natural, F natural, Ab) can work if done correctly. • Listen to solo George Takes

7. Other things to add in. • Pentatonic scales: The D major or Bm pentatonic scales work. Listen to solo slow and hear pentatonics. • Try the Em pentatonic scale. Go between the Em and the Bm pentatonic scales. • Try other pentatonic scales. It might surprise you which ones work. Sometimes only for 1 or 2 chords but they add in some color to the solo.

8. Develop ideas • Play patterns such as 1 2 3 2 3 4 3 4 5 etc in the scale. • Move ideas in different registers. • Play fast pentatonics that are not in regular time but maybe 5 or 6 or even 7 notes per beat or every 2 beats. Fast flurries – Benson does this quite a bit. Listen and you should hear it

9. Learn part of the solo • Figure out various riffs that George Benson does – use them. • Learn the whole solo – note for note. • Take one of the ideas and develop it. • Start with the melody that is on the record. • Add in other sources. Riffs from other artists. • Listen to Breezin by Gabor Szabo – original recording.

10. Add effects • What about double stops. Use them. • Hammers, slides, pulls etc. • Playing open string between solo – a pedal point. • Rakes can add quite a bit. • Superimposing triads – D, Em, F#m, G, A, Bm, C#mb5. Really can build up solo ideas.

17. Now get to work • Now you need to pick and choose what parts you want to work on. • Pick out the parts that really reach you and start there. • Don’t limit yourself to the playing it exactly like the original. Take the ideas and develop them yourself