CHOPS BUILDER

Sonic Snapshot
MIKE STERNS SIXTEENTH-NOTE STORMS

BY JUDE GOLD

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 onstage with Blood, Sweat, and Tears while everyone 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 percussively, so its extremely fun to react to that
groove.
Once you get the first four notes of Ex. 1 under 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 A in a hurry.
In contrast, Ex. 3 shows Sterns chromatic

Ex. 1

Ex. 2

= 126-144
3
=

   

 


4 
 


4



















Em11

   

4              
  



















 4 


etc.

= 72-88
3
=

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.

10

10

14

12

12

15

14

T
A
B

T
A
B

10

9 12

11

10

11 12

12

10 14

12 17(17)

Ex. 3

= 72-88
3
=

Ex. 4a

   

(Bm7 5)

(E7 9)

Am11



44                 


















4



  












1

12

17

T
A
B

10 7 8

9 7 8 6 5

7 5 4 7 4 5

1 4 8 GUITAR PLAYER JANUARY 2002 guitarplayer.com

(5)

T
A
B

12

17

If youre feeling it, other people will feel it too. Stone Gossard, Jul. 94, GP

plets. Play them over a meaty, swung-sixteenth 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 Scuffle (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

Ex. 4b




= 72-88
3
= 

Em11

G9

  
    
 4                                             

































 4


etc.

T
A
B

12 17 12 17 12 17 12 17 12 17 12 17 12 17 12 17 12 17 12 17 12 17 12 17

13 17

13 17

13 17

3
13 17

13 17

13 17

3
13 17

13 17

13 17

13 17

Fm11


                          





















1

T
A
B

13 18

13 18

13 18

3
13 18

13 18

13 18

3
13 18

L E S S O N S

13 18

13 18

3
13 18

a t

etc.

13 18

13 18

T r u e f i r e . c o m

January 02 Guitar Player Chops Builders:

Towers of Fifths, BY DAVE CREAMER
Turbo Slurs, BY JUDE GOLD

The Randomizer, BY JUDE GOLD

Sonic SnapshotMike Stern, BY JUDE GOLD

Get GPs Sessions sampler CD and its 11 expert lessons for

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Net scrapers: To decode GPs music notation and hear Sessions sound
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Classic Column, BY CHET ATKINS

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3
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sidean altered-tone exploration that

works over a II-V-I progression in A minor.
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-

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.
S T E R N PH OTO : E B E T RO B E RTS

guitarplayer.com

JANUARY 2002 GUITAR PLAYER 1 4 9