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Guthrie Govan

20 ESSENTIAL
LICKS
LICK 8
JTC SAYS
In this excerpt of what is arguable one of Guthries most popular JTC solos we once again
see a great example of how Guthrie uses his staccato type phrasing to grab the listeners
attention.
Not only is this type of phrasing technique called upon often by Guthrie, but its the way he
combines it with small three to five note repetitive motifs that makes things interesting and
unique. Pay attention to how he twists and turns and offsets the rhythmic timing by adding
a single note or an added rest form time to time.
This Idea is being played over a Cm9 chord which is preceded by a G7b9 chord. Guthrie
leads into the staccato phrase by climbing up a sequenced Bb minor pentatonic scale. This
is a great way to introduce some of the altered notes when playing over an altered dominant
chord. In this case he is playing over an altered G7 chord ... so he plays a minor pentatonic
scale up a minor third. This gives you the #9, b5, #5, b7 and b9 ... all the juicy sounds for a
healthy adventurous musician to play over altered chords!
Next we get into the featured staccato phrase. This is a relatively simple phrase consisting
of notes right out of the C minor blues scale (pentatonic scale with a b5 added). Its really
just repeating the same 3 and 4 note phrase while alternating between the Bb and C notes
as pivot notes. Choosing these two notes as the pivot notes really emphasizes the chord
that is being played here because these are the b7 and the root of the Cm9 chord. Also pay
attention to how he turns the phrase around by adding an extra 16th note rest at one point
as well as repeating the C pivot note twice instead of going back to the Bb note.
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To end this set of ideas Guthrie plays a series of sequenced four note arpeggios on the B
and E string (Eb Major, G minor, Bb major and a Bb major 9). This is a great way of getting
up and down the fretboard quickly in a really melodic way.

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LICK 8
As recorded by jamtrackcentral.com
(From the 2014 Album GUTHRIE GOVAN'S 20 ESSENTIAL LICKS)

P = 124

Cm7

e
1
Ie e 44

V V V V V fV
V
V
V
V V V gV V V V

G7 9

k V V V V V
gV

T
A
B

10

10

10

8
sl.

V gV V V V V V V V V V V V
e
l
l
l
3
Ie e
Cm9

T
A
B

e V
5
Ie e

V gV V V V V V V V V f V V
V
l l
gV V
3
8

V V V V V V V V V V V
V
V
V
V
V
V V
3

8va

V V
P V
V
V V V z
3

1 1/2

T
A
B

10 6

6 13 10

Fm9

Cm9

11 10 11

10

18 13

15 13 15

13 18 22

sl.

JamTrackCentral Ltd 2014

Generated using the Power Tab Editor by Brad Larsen. http://powertab.guitarnetwork.org