The Improvisational Technique of Side Slipping

by Dr. Jeffrey L. George A great improviser balances tension and resolution throughout their solo in an artful way to engage the listener. Among the many ways to introduce tension into a solo is with a technique often referred to as side slipping. Slide slipping is the practice of moving chromatically up or down (or both) while playing a given line in a way that still allows the listener to aurally follow the logic of the contour or direction of the line. In doing so, the player creates melodic tension by momentarily leaving the note series suggested by the harmony and quickly returning within the context of the musical statement. Side slipping is something that most, if not all, guitarists do quite often in their comping. Approaching a chord from a half-step above or below or moving chromatically from the given chord and then back again adds life to the accompaniment. The idiomatic character of the guitar makes the technique of side slipping a relative easy concept to put into practice. Below is an example of what someone might play as an accompaniment figure over a three measures of a G7 chord.

The melodic line below hints at the chromatic shifting above.

The concept of side slipping posits that you can still play that same type of line as in the example above over a static G7 chord. You do not have to be concerned that you are not playing in accordance with a shifting harmony. This is because the line offers an eventual resolution on the G7 chord. Pentatonic Side Slipping For your initial explorations into side slipping it is easier for us to begin with a scalar construct that is more manageable in the practical application of the various approaches the minor pentatonic scale. Of course, you could use any scale, but the common two-note-per-string fingerings of the scale make it a good choice for practice. It must be emphasized that you can shift up or down a half-step from a consonant to a dissonant line. Or, you may begin from being chromatically dissonant a step above or below the phrase in question and shift into the consonant scale. Experimentation is the rule here. Below are listed various applications of the technique. All examples are given as if the chord you are playing over is an Aminor7.

Cellular slips Small motivic cells created by intervallic or sequential melodic patterns are ripe material for the application of side slipping. Use any of your favorite patterns and for any one of the cells shift up or down. The following two examples demonstrate ways to apply this idea. Note: The material after the double barline represents the altered version. You should use the first line as a model for the fingering to use for the subsequent altered line. The actual left hand fingerings between the two should be the same.

You do not have to shift immediately at the beginning of the cell. It can be at any point in the line.

Common finger shifts A shift can occur from a doubled note whereby you shift on the same finger. Here are two possible applications.

Between positions Using side slipping to move between positions of the pentatonic scale can also be an effective way of easily introducing side slipping into a line.

The example below covers three positions of the pentatonic scale. There is no unaltered version. The fingering should 3rd and 1st throughout, but possibly ending with the 4th finger on the fifth fret of the third string.

Cambiata side slipping A cambiata in classical music theory (more commonly called an enclosure in jazz) is when a target tone is reached by playing chromatic neighbor tones above and below the pitch (or viceversa) before its arrival. This can occur as a resultant effect in side slipping

Or the cambiata can be thought of at a larger level by playing small motives and shifting below and then above (or vice-versa) prior to the arrival point

Extended tonality This may be a bit outside the scope of this article, but because of the fact that more than one minor pentatonic scale can be used over an Amin7th chord you can use the technique to move between pairs of scales. Again, the first three measures demonstrate an unaltered fingering utilizing an an A minor pentatonic scale. The second example of three measures shifts from B minor pentatonic (suggesting a minor13 add 11 sound) down to the A minor pentatonic scale.

One way that the course development of bebop improvisation could be explained is as a surface level elaboration of a simpler underlying melodic structure. While our present resultant vocabulary may be more contemporary sounding it is certainly maintaining that spirit of elaboration of a basic idea. As you discover your favorite ways to apply the previous conceptual variations, you will want to gain a level of awareness for notes that you feel do not work in certain situations. For example,

side slipping up or down could possibly present a major third over the minor chord. Handled well, this may not be a problem at all. The simple cognizance of this sort of issue will likely direct your lines and eventually influence what type of line you choose to play. Best of Luck!