Using this cool rhythmic device it is now easy to emulate those blistering lines that jazz masters George Benson and Pat Martino mesmerized us with!

I think it is fair to say that 8 or 16 note scale patterns are easier to execute than triplets. Most players when playing triplet runs accent the first note of each triplet, thus tapping into their "triplet vocab". However, using this new device we can draw from all our 8/16 note vocab. Here's how:

Think of a line that has twelve notes and make them all equal in time value. ie; three groups of four 16th notes (see ex #1). Get a feel for playing this figure as it represents half a measure. Now we have to feel that figure in the time of triplets. Refer to ex #1 and look at the top (stems up) rhythm. If you think in triplet time, our new phrase is triplets with the accent on 1 of every 4 notes as opposed to 1 of every 3.

Set a metronome at medium funk tempo and practice playing the examples with this new feel. It's almost like playing 16th note lines just a little bit faster than they should be. (Keep your foot tapping in time!) The secret is to learn not to fall off the phrase and feel the correct pulse. The effect can sound really trippy because your phrase endings fall on beats that you wouldn't have if you were playing triplets with the accent on 1 of every three notes. Have fun!