Striped Shirt Music Lesson

Introduction to Striped Shirt

• Featuring Larry Colton on guitar, known as one of the great fusion guitarists of the 20th century.
• Inspired by the legendary Pat Metheny, another landmark American jazz guitarist, particularly in the realm of jazz fusion from the late 1900s.
• The name "Striped Shirt" is a nod to Pat's signature striped T-shirt, which he still wears on stage.

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Getting Into the Music

• Instrument: I'm using a Gibson 335 guitar, which offers a warm, dark sound for jazz.
• Delay Effect:
  • Utilizes a delay pedal, providing a "slap back" effect.
  • Every note played echoes, enhancing the depth of the guitar tone.
  • Note: Many amplifiers lack this effect, so an external pedal may be necessary.

Time Feel

• We are in 6/8 Time:

  • This means there are 6 quavers (8th notes) per bar.
  • The count feels like:
    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
    instead of the typical 1, 2, 3, 4.

• Complex Structure:

  • The piece employs a 4 over 6 feeling with dotted quavers and dotted 8th notes in bar 5.
  • A suggested counting pattern:
    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
    (Repeated for practice)

• Polyrhythm:

  • The goal is to feel both three (with the right hand) and two (with the left hand) simultaneously.

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Chords Overview

• Bar 1: Features a slash chord, A major with a B in the bass.

• Bar 2: Shifted up a fret to B flat over C.

  • The B flat triad is in its second inversion.

  • Explanation of Inversions:

    • Root Position: Starting from the root note.
    • First Inversion: Starting from the third.
    • Second Inversion: Starting from the fifth.

• C9SUS4 & B9SUS4:

  • B flat over C creates a unique sound.

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Challenging Sections

• Bar 28: A tricky line begins on the upbeat of Bar 27, leading into the solo section.
• Bar 29: Features a C minor nine pattern moving down a semitone to B minor 9.
  • These small four-note patterns are common in Metheny or Larry Carlton's styles.

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Improvisation Tips

• Solo in Bar 32: Consider using the earlier phrase as inspiration.

• Additional Scale Suggestions:

  • Bluescale and Dorian Mode are present, particularly in bars 30 and 31.

• Modes Explained:

  • Dorian Mode: The second mode of A major, contains the B minor pentatonic scale.
  • Aeolian Mode: Comes from D major and lacks the G sharp.

• Improv Techniques:

  • Explore breaking scales into thirds rather than relying solely on pentatonic or blues scales.

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Recommended Resources

• Technical Exercises: Check out the exercises provided in this course for better understanding of modes.
• Influential Guitarists: Explore works from Frank Gambale, Larry Carlton, John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, and flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia.

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Listening Suggestions

• Pat Metheny's "Bright Size Life" featuring Jacob Astorias and Bob Moses; released on ECM in the 1970s.
• Other Guitarists: Look into John Schofield and Bill Frisell for additional inspiration.

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Conclusion

• Technical Challenge: Although this piece is complex, it provides deep insights into jazz styles, particularly influenced by Pat Metheny.
• Questions: Don't hesitate to reach out to your teacher for any clarifications. Enjoy your journey with this piece!