![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.neffmusic.com\/2021\/Steps.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWe are in for a treat today! \u00a0I contacted Rick Margitza (a great tenor saxophone player) on facebook the other day and asked if I could share his two transcriptions of Michael Brecker’s solos from two Steps Ahead bootlegs of\u00a0Four Chords. \u00a0I came up with the idea of placing these two transcriptions along side my transcription from the original Paradox CD \u00a0to compare Brecker’s lines and ideas over the chords.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u00a0Steps Ahead in the 80’s<\/strong><\/p>\n I’ve found that by placing the 3 solos next to each other on staves you can find certain similarities and concepts in common through each chord. \u00a0This is a great way to decipher and pinpoint an approach or concept that Brecker might have used when soloing over certain chord changes. \u00a0The similarities make these concepts all the more recognizable.<\/p>\n Let’s take a look at these concepts one measure at a time (We will be referring to the Bb key for the chords). I will start on the first measure (not counting the pickup measure):<\/p>\n Measure 1-F#-11 (the original Don Grolnick score has this chord as a F#-7sus)<\/strong><\/p>\n For the most part, Brecker is highlighting the F# minor pentatonic during these F#-11 chords. The main notes are F#ABC#E F#. \u00a0When playing over a minor chord the question arises on what to play for the 2nd and 6th degree of the scale. \u00a0If you go with dorian the 2nd would be G# and the 6th would be D#. \u00a0Brecker does not do this. \u00a0During the times that he includes those scale degrees he goes for a G for the 2nd and a D for the 6th. This is the Phrygian mode. F#GABC#DEF#. \u00a0When trying to figure out what scale to use over a minor chord I teach students that they have to do a little detective work with the chord before and after the specific minor chord (as well as using their ears). \u00a0In this case the chord before F#-11 is a G13(has a G and D). The chord after the F#-11 is a C#7#5#9 (also G and D if you use the C# altered scale). So in this case the phrygian mode makes sense for this minor chord.<\/p>\n Measure 2-C#7#5#9 \u00a0(the original Don Grolnick score has this chord as a F#-7sus although there is a F in the bass on the sheet music and I know I hear an F in the comping on this measure so I’m going with C#7#5#9……..)<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n The typical approach to this chord is the C# altered scale which is C#DEFGABC#. \u00a0Brecker’s lines over this measure generally take on the form of outlining a C# altered scale, F Lydian type of idea\u00a0or a G7 bebop scale type of line. \u00a0F lydian is FGABCDEF and the G dominant bebop is GABCDEFF#G. You can see how the F Lydian and G7 bebop lines share most of the same notes as the C# altered scale. \u00a0The lines sound great over this chord and using these 3 concepts over altered chords will give us a load of new ideas and lines!<\/p>\n Measure 3-DMaj7<\/strong><\/p>\n Brecker treats this measure with some pretty common D Major patterns on every chorus. \u00a0He even throws in a common Coltrane line a bunch of\u00a0times (top of page 8 solo 2 DMaj7 , bottom of page 10 solo 3 DMaj7, top of page 12 solo 2 DMaj7, middle of page 13 solo 2 DMaj7, bottom of page 18 solo 3 DMaj7. \u00a0It’s obvious that Brecker likes this lick and probably got it from Coltrane as did the rest of us that studied Coltrane at one time…………<\/p>\n Measure 4-C#-11 F#7#9<\/strong><\/p>\n Here we have a ii-V going to B minor. \u00a0For the most part Brecker seems to be treating this whole measure as F#7 altered or G melodic minor. \u00a0These are the same scale GABbCDEF#G. \u00a0The difference \u00a0in my opinion is usually when a player is thinking G melodic minor the G minor sound is outlined. When the same notes aren’t outlining G minor then the player is probably thinking more of the F# altered scale.<\/p>\n Measure 5-B-7<\/strong><\/p>\n Brecker is mainly outlining the B minor sound. \u00a0I notice a greater use of approaches to B minor in these measures.<\/p>\n Measure 6-A-7b5 D7(b5)<\/strong><\/p>\n For the most part, \u00a0Brecker seems to be going with A locrian on this measure. ABbCDEbFGA. \u00a0Once in a while he throws in a B instead os the Bb or an F# instead of F. \u00a0He also uses the D7 altered scale at times as well as just some cool chromatic lines. \u00a0The chord on the sheet music is D7b5 but I don’t see Brecker trying very hard to hit an Ab on the D7b5 chord…………<\/p>\n \u00a0Michael Brecker in the 70’s<\/strong><\/p>\n Measure 7-G#-7b5 Gm6 Bbm6<\/strong><\/p>\n The common theme with this measure seems to be B’s and G#’s during beats 1 & 2. \u00a0In general Brecker does a great job of staying within the chords on beats 3 & 4. \u00a0They happen fast at one beat each and I’m surprised he stays withing the chord changes as many times as he did during the solo for those beats. \u00a0That is mastery!! \u00a0Sometimes he chooses to also go chromatic on beats 3 & 4 also…………….<\/p>\n Measure 8-C#7#9<\/strong><\/p>\n You guessed it……more of the altered scale madness. C#DEFGABC#. (Which again is also D melodic minor). \u00a0He also goes the chromatic route a number of times during this measure.<\/p>\n Measure 9-F#-7<\/strong><\/p>\n Same as measure 1 above…….Lot’s of F# minor pentatonic lines going on…………….<\/p>\n Measure 10-E-7 A7<\/strong><\/p>\n These lines are pretty straight forward outlining the E-7 and then Brecker usually morphs into an A altered line during A7. Page 15 solo 2 is interesting as Brecker is outlining E-7 F7 Bb Db7……and then continues into D Major on the next page with F# \u00a0which of course we recognize from Coltrane also (Countdown)…………<\/p>\n Measure 11-DMaj7<\/strong><\/p>\n Same as measure 3 above…………..<\/p>\n Measure 12-C#-11 C13<\/strong><\/p>\n This is an interesting measure as it is a ii-V with a tritone substitution for the V7. \u00a0The V would be F#7. \u00a0I didn’t specifically hear the C13 expect for a few times and thought that chord was a F#7 altered. \u00a0I’m guessing that the band goes\u00a0back and forth on that chord. \u00a0Brecker certainly seems to be favoring the F# altered scale (G melodic minor) on this measure. \u00a0Many times he starts the measure with EGBbD over the C#-11 chord. (I love the line on page 10 solo 1 on this chord!! He’s using wider intervals on the altered scale to give it an almost pentatonic sound…….)<\/p>\n Measure 13-B-11(the original Don Grolnick score has this chord as a B-7sus)<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Same as measure 5 above…………..<\/span><\/p>\n Measure 14-FMaj7 EbMaj7<\/strong><\/p>\n Brecker does a great job of outlining these chords in this measure. \u00a0So much so that I knew the chords just from the lines he was playing. \u00a0There is a \u00a0line on page 11 solo 3 where he seems to be thinking triad pairs of F and Eb over the whole measure and creating a random line with that concept.<\/p>\n Measure 15-AMaj7b5<\/strong><\/p>\n For the most part, Brecker is just playing with A major ideas during this measure. \u00a0I don’t see him trying very hard to incorporate the b5 into his lines although once in a while he does.<\/p>\n Measure 16-G13<\/strong><\/p>\n Brecker’s going totally bebop scale crazy on this measure usually. \u00a0It is so dominant that before I even knew the chords I thought that was a G7 chord there just from Brecker’s lines. \u00a0There are some classic hardbop lines to check out here. \u00a0Page 8 solo 1 is one of my favorites on that measure.<\/p>\n Michael Brecker-Steps Ahead Poster<\/strong><\/p>\n Again, \u00a0special thanks to Rick Margitza for allowing me to post his incredible transcriptions. \u00a0I feel like I learned a lot by placing them side by side with my own and analyzing the lines. \u00a0I’m looking forward to continuing to work on these solos and implementing the lines and concepts into my own playing more and more. \u00a0Brecker was\u00a0the man!!!! \u00a0We all miss you!<\/p>\n **If you run across any ideas or concepts that I overlooked in my analysis please feel free to comment on them below. \u00a0Have fun practicing!!!!<\/p>\n Four Chords-3 Brecker Solos Combined<\/a><\/p>\n Four Chords Brecker Live 2-NYC 9-81 original transcription by Rick Margitza<\/a><\/p>\n Four Chords Brecker Live 2-NYC 9-81 Bootleg mp3<\/a>\u00a0(right click and click on “save link as” in your browser to save this mp3 to your computer)<\/p>\n Four Chords Brecker Live 3-NYC 9-81 original transcription by Rick Margitza<\/a><\/p>\n Four Chords Brecker Live 3-NYC 9-81 Bootleg mp3<\/a>\u00a0(right click and click on “save link as” in your browser to save this mp3 to your computer)<\/p>\n If you like these type of outside modern sounding lines like I do, be sure to check out my Devastating Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing for Minor and Dominant Grooves. These two books are filled with great modern 16th note lines in all 12 keys that you can learn and use while soloing. Check out all the 5 star reviews!<\/a> Steve<\/p>\n We are in for a treat today! \u00a0I contacted Rick Margitza (a great tenor saxophone player) on facebook the other day and asked if I could share his two transcriptions of Michael Brecker’s solos from two Steps Ahead bootlegs of\u00a0Four Chords. \u00a0I came up with the idea of placing these two transcriptions along side my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":63,"featured_media":25187,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[1256,35,228,1254,265,71],"class_list":{"0":"post-25186","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-transcriptions","8":"tag-four-chords","9":"tag-michael-brecker","10":"tag-rick-margitza","11":"tag-steps-ahead","12":"tag-tenor-saxophone","13":"tag-transcription","14":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/63"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25186"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25186\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neffmusic.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.neffmusic.com\/2014\/YoungBrecker.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.neffmusic.com\/2015\/March\/BreckerSteps.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n*If you would like to support me here at neffmusic.com, you can do so\u00a0on the support page of my store<\/a> by debit or credit card. \u00a0 Any support is appreciated and will go towards keeping this site running, saxophone reeds, mouthpiece patches, coffee, and towards justifying the many hours I spend on providing free transcriptions to the saxophone community!\u00a0 Thanks,\u00a0 \u00a0Steve<\/em><\/div>\n![\"DevastatingFrontCoverAd\"](\"https:\/\/d1av9c1o38t6ow.cloudfront.net\/2021\/DevastatingFrontCoverAd.jpg\")
<\/a>Devastating Minor Lines for Jazz and Funk Soloing<\/a><\/p>\n![\"DevastatingDominantAd\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.neffmusic.com\/2021\/DevastatingDominantAd.jpg\")
<\/a>Devastating Dominant Lines for Jazz & Funk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"