Jeff Beck style - 04-16-02

Lesson Subject: Jeff Beck Style

What you learn: Part II

Storm: Storm Stenvold

Storm: More Jeff Beck style tonight. We'll use the key of A tonight. A lot of possible scale choices as Beck might use. The backing track is laying down an Asus2 chord for the first 2 bars. Then a D/F# chord, to G in the 3rd bar.

Storm: Here comes the tab. Final bar - D/F#, G back to Asus. The suspended chord, sus for short, lacks the '3rd' to determine if it is major or minor. Here are a few other possible chords with a similar sound with the same A root note I might choose in a Beck/fusion style.

Storm: So A is our key note for the progression but for the first 2 bars it is very open as to the what notes are in play. Beck loves to takes advantage of this. A first possible choice might be the scale we looked at last week, the Mixolydian Mode.

Storm: This scale fits the other two chords in the progression, so is a good choice to start, particularly over the D to G change. The opening lick in the sample uses a volume swell.

tax: You mean the sample at the beginning of the lesson?

Storm: Yep. Here's the video of the volume swell technique.

Storm: Another lick using a similar idea. Pull-off moving though the Mixolydian.

Storm: A couple of other 'major' sounding scales Beck might use. First the 'Major Scale'. Makes sense, right!

Storm: This next lick is out of the major scale. Using some fancy whammy bar work that Beck employs.

Storm: I have a video that should explain the technique in more detail.

Storm: Essentially the first note F# at the seventh fret is bent down with the bar to E. Keep the note at the 7th fret, use only the bar. Then the C# note on the 3rd string, 6th fret is bent up a 1/2 step with the bar again and released. The 7th fret, 4th string should have shown a pull-off to the 4th fret, too. Beck uses the bar to incredible effect. This lick takes great control of the bar to execute consistently to pitch you choose. Another more fusiony sounding scale over major chords, the Lydian Mode.

Storm: The last scale is borrowed from Jeff Beck's keyboard player. A five note pentatonic scale out of the Mixolydian mode.

tax: Both major and minor 3rd?

Storm: No minor 3rd. Mixolydian minus the 2nd and 6th degrees. Root, 3rd, 4th, 5th and b7th. A couple of choices with the minor 3rd which will work.

Storm: Because the jam implies a Mixolydian mode either of these two choices will work.

Storm: Or can work. Might need some coaxing but a nice change of pace. Beck would commonly mix all these into a giant melting pot of licks.

Storm: This last lick most draws notes from the Mixolydian but adds the minor 3rd at the end. Resolving with a half step bend back to the major 3rd.

Storm: That's it for tonight.

wally: Thanks

tax: I'll work on these, it will keep me busy for a while.

Storm: Great. Until next time... Have a great one

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