How To ACTUALLY Play GIANT STEPS...

Is GIANT STEPS easy? Here's how to understand the history, harmony and ALSO how to solo on it!

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:05 Giant Steps, 220bpm (Slower)
02:36 Part 1 - History Of Giant Steps
04:13 Part 2 - The Chord Progression
05:49 Part 3 - Countdown
08:02 Countdown, 220bpm
08:56 Part 4 - Origin Of Giant Steps
10:30 Part 5 - Soloing Over Giant Steps
12:24 Final Thoughts

[amziadi]

How this man is not way more famous on YouTube is beyond me. Absolutely masterful command of lead jazz guitar.

[LydianLunch]

Great overview! I found Pat Metheny’s versions of Giant Steps very inspirational. I’m sure you’ve heard them. Most interesting I thought was how he sometimes plays the changes but then also finds more modal ways to float over the changes, while using chromatic phrasing and side slipping. Plus he had the courage to slow it way down and put it over a bossa groove. And this was before anyone else had released a version, I think. Very brave. Thanks Ben.

[picksalot]

Beautifully explained and demonstrated. Subscribed 👍

[Niilo-ez]

Awesome I'm going to need some more listens very soon..i love your work..❤❤

[jjguitar]

Inspiring lesson and awesome playing. Playing over changes in +300 bpm is hard whether it’s Giant steps or a blues. For Giant steps changes I found Jerry Bergonzi’s book Melodic Structures very useful. It sounds to me also like the same way John Coltrane approached soloing on these changes. Practicing this tune has been an ongoing project for the last 20 years or so on and off, back to it again now I guess. Thanks!

[RichardDAUDE]

That Quincy Jones quote had such a "Da Vinci Code" vibe 😱

[Kkvta]

Incredible playing, I really mean it, but I don't understand how people enjoy listening to jazz and crazy chromatic solo's, never got it. To me it just sounds like random notes, but maybe it gets more interesting if you understand the musicality behind the notes. Jazz listeners out here, what do you think? Really want to like it but I find myself next'ing jazz tunes as soon as the solo's go wild.

[MrLikeAsatellite]

I would recommend to try to play lines that remotely resemble what one would call a melody.

[orson]

Was not aware of Harold Shapero, very interesting

[chavruta]

maybe there is hope for us mortal guitar players!

[marinooliveira]

Yo ben cool video but i don't you're just playing triads in your solos

Can you go deeper on how you're developing your linear vocabulary in these changes?

[CommenterFromJupiter]

Maurice Ravel has a composition called "Ondine" which also has a section nearly identical to Giant Steps.

Do you ever practice improvising on the keyboard behind you? It'd be fun to hear you play!

edit: originally put wrong composition name

[smb_plush]

I wonder if Eric Johnson got some of his phrasing tendencies from this piece of music.

[GibsonMarco]

The house in up, but it's a shirt.

[simongordonx]

Dont believe him
He's an alien from a parallel universe.🖖

[manwithapan]

I dunno it gets to a point where it's just noise 🤷🤷

[rpalmese]

Great player. However, he must stop looking at himself trying to decide which is the best side of his face, left or right? Left or right? Funny and distracting. Great player, though…

[TotalMeltdown]

Complex? Yes. Pleasing to the ears? No. This song could easily be used as a torture device by the military. Don't get me wrong. I think dissonance can be great when used effectively in music but this is just obnoxious and unpleasant