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Ex. 1

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(Bm7 5) (E7 9) Am11

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1
Ex. 3

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Ex. 4a

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- - - -

- -
Ex. 2
If youre feeling it, other people will feel it too. Stone Gossard, Jul. 94, GP 148 GUITAR PLAYER JANUARY 2002 guitarplayer.com
CHOPS ARE A LUXURY item,
warns Grammy-nominated jazz
guitarist Mike Stern. But if you
use them responsibly, they can add
a lot to your music. For example, I never wanted
to play fast for fasts sake. But once I was on-
stage with Blood, Sweat, and Tears while every-
one was playing aggressive, burning solos. I
tried to play this slow, melodic thing, and Jaco
[Pastorius, bassist] told me I needed to learn
how to hit up against the time and nail faster
tempos. So I started working up my speednot
with physical exercises, but by playing tunes
a little bit faster each week.
Ex. 1 is an exhilarating phrase borrowed
from Sterns action-packed solo on One World
from his new album Voices [Atlantic]. The
groove is driven by [West-African singer/bassist]
Richard Bona, and it has a blowing, Rhythm
Changes vibe, explains Stern. I play very per-
cussively, so its extremely fun to react to that
groove.
Once you get the first four notes of Ex. 1 un-
der your fingers, loop them to create your own
hypnotic flourishes. Experiment by changing
the order of notes, as well as by sliding the grip
up to the twelfth position.
Ex. 2 shows how Sterns lethal fretboard
speed can be both exhilarating and melodic.
Using a Gmaj9 arpeggio as a diatonic catapult,
this example launches you to high Ain a hurry.
In contrast, Ex. 3 shows Sterns chromatic
B Y J U D E GOL D
!
Sonic Snapshot
M I K E S T E R N S S I X T E E N T H - N O T E S T O R M S
If you play too many notes, and are no longer hearing
what youre playing, you wont be able to connect in
an emotional way, says Stern.
Get GPs Sessions sampler CD and its 11 expert lessons for
just five American greenbacks. Call (800) 222-5544 for details.
Net scrapers: To decode GPs music notation and hear Sessions sound
samples, visit the Sessions Archive on the Web at guitarplayer.com/lessons.
guitarplayer.com JANUARY 2002 GUITAR PLAYER 149
January 02 Guitar Player Chops Builders:
Towers of Fifths, BY DAVE CREAMER
Turbo Slurs, BY JUDE GOLD
Classic Column, BY CHET ATKINS
The Randomizer, BY JUDE GOLD
Sonic SnapshotMike Stern, BY JUDE GOLD
L E S S O N S a t T r u e f i r e . c o m
Some previously published lessons are still available on CD. For more information, contact
Notes On Call, Box 60789, St. Petersburg, FL 33784; (800) 222-5544.
C
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STERN PHOTO: EBET ROBERTS
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- - -

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Ex. 4b
sidean altered-tone exploration that
works over a II-V-I progression in Aminor.
Finally, in Ex. 4a youll find the sparks
you need to ignite a Stern-hot fire on your
fretboard. The trick is looping these four
notes, but not in Ex. 4as predictable duple
manner. As shown in Ex. 4b, you get a way
hipper sound by grouping them as sextu-
plets. Play them over a meaty, swung-six-
teenth shuffle, and dont lose track of the
downbeats. Suddenly, youve created
swirling melodic maelstroms like the ones
Stern uses at the peak of his solo on Scuf-
fle (from Upside Downside).
Playing fast is more a mental thing
than anything else, offers Stern. Jim
Hall doesnt have insane chops, but he
can play absolutely amazing music over
incredibly fast tempos. Before you can
play fast, youve got to be able to hear
fast. For a higher Stern education,
school yourself with his new video, Mike
Stern: Guitar Instructional Video [Hal
Leonard/Rittor Music]. g