Breezin

George Benson

Listen To Part of the Recording

1/5 Speed75%

1/2

75%

Chord Changes

• Entire song is in D major – following chords.

• 4/4 ||: D Maj7 | Bm7 | Em7 | A7 : ||• Given that the D major scale can work with

all of the chords.• Start there then try to add in the blue notes

in D (C natural, F natural, Ab) can work if done correctly.

• Listen to solo George Takes

Other things to add in.

• Pentatonic scales: The D major or Bm pentatonic scales work. Listen to solo slow and hear pentatonics.

• Try the Em pentatonic scale. Go between the Em and the Bm pentatonic scales.

• Try other pentatonic scales. It might surprise you which ones work. Sometimes only for 1 or 2 chords but they add in some color to the solo.

Develop ideas

• Play patterns such as 1 2 3 2 3 4 3 4 5 etc in the scale.

• Move ideas in different registers.

• Play fast pentatonics that are not in regular time but maybe 5 or 6 or even 7 notes per beat or every 2 beats. Fast flurries – Benson does this quite a bit. Listen and you should hear it

Learn part of the solo

• Figure out various riffs that George Benson does – use them.

• Learn the whole solo – note for note.• Take one of the ideas and develop it.• Start with the melody that is on the record.• Add in other sources. Riffs from other

artists.• Listen to Breezin by Gabor Szabo –

original recording.

Add effects

• What about double stops. Use them.

• Hammers, slides, pulls etc.

• Playing open string between solo – a pedal point.

• Rakes can add quite a bit.

• Superimposing triads – D, Em, F#m, G, A, Bm, C#mb5. Really can build up solo ideas.

Now get to work

• Now you need to pick and choose what parts you want to work on.

• Pick out the parts that really reach you and start there.

• Don’t limit yourself to the playing it exactly like the original. Take the ideas and develop them yourself