Chuck Anderson Solo Breakouts – “Mystique”

In this video from 2010, jazz guitarist/educator Chuck Anderson shares insight into his solo performance of the song ‘Mystique’ – a Jazz Guitar Today exclusive.

This solo section from the song Mystique is based on a vamping 8 bar chord progression from the E Aeolian mode. The chords are Em7 Cmaj7 Am7 Bm7. Each chord continues for 2 bars.

The solo is based on the E Aeolian stream of notes E F# G A B C D E.

You may notice that the E minor Pentatonic scale is inside this scale stream. At any time, I go in and out of these 2 streams. If the C and/or the F# is used, it’s leaning toward Aeolian. If not, it leans toward E minor Pentatonic. The shorter scale generates more power. The longer scale generates more color.

Some specific things to check out.

Solo begins with a strong E Minor Pentatonic sound at the 7th position which reinforces the straight 8th Rock feel of the trio.

At 41 seconds, there is a section featuring hybrid octave double stops which adds a 4th or a 5th in the middle of the octave. 

At 1:10, the solo moves along string 2 with the open string 1 ringing through the notes played on string 2.

1:20 brings in double stopped 4ths. 

Note the sweep arpeggio at 2:26. The notes are A C E G B D = Am11 All these notes are within the E Aeolian and E minor Pentatonic set of notes.

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