So What (Ronny Jordan Version)

Ronny Jordan’s acid-jazz cover of So What (Miles Davis) was the first single of the late English jazz guitarist. His version was released in 1992 on his debut album The Antidote, and became a worldwide hit.

In this jazz guitar lesson, you will learn how to play Ronny Jordan’s version of So What. The lesson includes the melody and the first two guitar licks that are featured on his recording.

You will also learn the Dorian mode fingerings that are behind the melody and solo.

This is a great study in modal jazz guitar, soul jazz phrasing, and a clean jazz tone.

 

To learn more jazz guitar patterns similar to the ones you will use in the solos below, check out our course Jazz Guitar Patterns & Phrases Volume 1.

 

 

So What – Video

 

Harmonic Analysis

So What is the opening song on the Miles Davis album Kind of Blue (1959). This iconic album was a turning point in jazz, shifting from complex chord progressions to modal jazz, which focuses on scales (modes) rather than chord changes.

Every tune on Kind of Blue was composed with a specific mode in mind. In the case of So What, that mode is the Dorian mode.

So What has a classic AABA form:

• The identical A sections are in D minor and the melody is based on the D Dorian mode.
• The B section is in Eb minor and based on the Eb Dorian mode, a half-tone higher compared to the A sections.

This type of modal harmony is ideal for developing phrasing, tone, and space in your improvisation.

 

The D Dorian Mode on Guitar

The D Dorian mode is the second mode of the C major scale.

It has the same notes as the C major scale, but its tonal center is D.

The characteristic note of the Dorian mode is the natural 6th (B in the case of D Dorian). Most other minor scales (except melodic minor) have a b6.

 

C Major Scale	C	D	E	F	G	A	B
Formula	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
D Dorian Mode	D	E	F	G	A	B	C
Formula	1	2	b3	4	5	6	b7
D Natural Minor	D	E	F	G	A	Bb	C
Formula	1	2	b3	4	5	b6	b7

 

 

Here are the two most common fingerings of the D Dorian mode:

 

 

 

The Eb Dorian Mode

The Eb Dorian mode is the second mode of the Db major scale, a half-tone higher than the D Dorian mode and C major scale.

It has the same notes as the Db major scale, but its tonal center is Eb.

 

Db Major	Db	Eb	F	Gb	Ab	Bb	C
Formula	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Eb Dorian	Eb	F	Gb	Ab	Bb	C	Db
Formula	1	2	b3	4	5	6	b7
Eb Minor	Eb	F	Gb	Ab	Bb	Cb	Db
Formula	1	2	b3	4	5	b6	b7

 

 

Here are the two most common fingerings of the Eb Dorian mode:

 

 

 

So What – Backing Track

 

So What – Melody

Here is the melody of So What in the soul jazz interpretation of Ronny Jordan.

The melody includes quartal voicings, chords constructed in fourths rather than thirds. The chords are commonly known as So What voicings or Bill Evans voicings.

 

So What – Ronny Jordan Lick 1

After playing the melody, Ronny Jordan launches into two solo choruses, each built around a repeating jazz guitar lick. Here are the guitar tabs for these licks.

 

So What – Ronny Jordan Lick 2

 

 

 

More Miles Davis Tunes:

• Nardis
• Solar
• Four