Scott Henderson Discussion

[Thanasis]

Hi guys, a few words on a passage from Transatlantic that I believe it teaches vocabulary and phrasing. I am new to vocabulary in the form of words and I would like to discuss a few things that have helped me get the idea.

It is one of my favourite lines from the new album, not only because of the notes, but because of Scott's amazing tone and the way he plays it. The flow and how sweet the notes sound, almost like they are slurred rather than picked. It is a combination of legato and very light picking and it just sounds great.


The line is at 5:16.

If we subdivide it into smaller phrases:

Phrase no1: The classic pentatonic string skipping phrase. You can learn all about it here:
https://youtu.be/j211hPwOJmo

The unusual thing about it on the track is that it starts at a different place, that being the 3rd sixteenth note of the 2nd beat. In other words, the 3rd note is beat no 3.

Another use of this phrase can be found in Satellite at around 1:25. A great example at faster, harder changes.

Phrase no2: Could date back to the Big Wave, at around 1:59.
(And a little note on The Big wave now... the two phrases that share the same send-off are part of Scott's vocabulary. Big Wave1:28 and 1:57. Also The Covered Head at 2:13. I call this the "Devil" send off because it reminds me of Holdsworth'os Devil take the hindmost piece at 2:23.)

Phrase no3: Probably Trane inspired. See Giant steps or other pieces of that era for the maj pentatonic and then another maj pentatonic a 4th up. Also present at Renegades from Nomad at around 1:45.

Phrase no4: A symmetrical phrase of the Melodic Minor family. Others call it 7b5 if you watch Bruce's Wank minute no5 you'll see it. You play a whole step down from the 11th or the 7th of the mel. Minor scale and then move it a tritone down and you keep going down. That phrase also has an opposite "rival" which is present at 5:16. Them two kinda appear at Satellite at 2:07 Also check Tribal Tech- Babylon at around 4:25

Phrase no5: The end of the flowing passage. Great phrase that ends with a 9th. A perfect example of how the end to a long passage should be. Probably a G pent over a Cm chord, but being aware of the chord tones at the beginning? (Eb instead of a D)

Notice how they are all connected and you'll get a closer idea of how they are placed in time.

The references of similar phrases aim to make the picture of vocabulary and phrasing clearer.

Obviously all is guessing. I may as well be wrong.

The picking is unbelievably smooth, I dont know how Scott does it, but the timbral quality of the picking and legato combination is unreal.


Here is a small vid of the whole passage at 3 different speeds. It doesnt sound good in my fingers and is probably not too accurate, but close.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8lrUxrgoJP/?igshid=1ku7vqzr9e3gv

Hope it inspires you!