Four On Six Transcription/Lesson

Hey guys! Here is my attempt at the Wes's great solo on Four on Six (Smokin' at the Half Note version). This is my first "Octave" solo, and it kicked my butt! Link to transcription is below, as well as a lesson based on this solo on my website.

Hey All!

First off, thanks for checking out my blog! First real post (with content) on here so that exciting! Today, I have a transcription of Wes Montgomery's famous solo from Smokin' At The Half Note: Four on Six. I'll go over some things that I found difficult learning this solo, as well as, some things I thought were interesting that could be expanded upon. 

I was drawn to this solo because 1) it has Wes's amazing bebop language that works so well on guitar 2) it has it one of his famous "Octave" solos. Let's look at a couple things in his single note lines that work well on guitar!

SEQUENCING:

In Jazz, a lot of people try and cram new ideas into every bar of their improv. Wes shows us that you can take a simple idea and move it through the changes. This provides the listener with something to grab on to. This works especially well on guitar! If you can find a shaped (as Wes has done) then you can move said shape all across the neck. The only hard part is figuring out what the shape goes over.  I've referenced a couple examples of this below:

G-7 IS JUST C7:

Another thing Wes shows us is that a static model chord (in this case G-7) can be treated as a C7! I personally have a lot more bebop language over a dominate chord than a minor chord. You can also just vamp over this part! Take a simple idea and repeat it over and over! Works great and the crowd digs it. Here are some examples from his solo:

Let's look at his octave work next...

I found this part of the solo very challenging! The motion of the left hand really is something you have to get use to. Something that helped me get through this was really taking it SLOW. I worked out the lines very slowly, especially the ones with lots of "jumps." Once your brain gets use to the feeling of these, then it becomes a bit easier, though some of these lines a might always be tricky. 

In his octave solo, he does the same things as his single note line solo. He uses sequencing, bebop lines, and riffs! Try taking a simple bebop line that you have down already and put it in octave format. Experiment and see what happens! Here are some lines that I thought were really "bad" (means good... weird I know).    

Hopefully when reviewing this solo you can keep in mind the small points I have made above. Use this transcription as a guide, learn the solo, take some licks, and most of all.... have FUN!

Thanks for reading and enjoy the transcription!

Nathan Borton