Yes, Duke said to keep it light. But to emulate the tone on his track it needs to break up. He has an overdrive pedal - a bad monkey. But i don't think he is using it here. Its all that airline guitar and amp. And your 11s are a great gauge for this.
Hey Bruce, sounds good. If you have a small amp (5 watts) that you can crank, i think it adds to the vintage of the track - notice Duke's track has that breaking up sound. Thick strings would also help here - they were all wound G sets back in the day.
According to Duke's website, his tour dates keep him in Europe until the end of the month. So these lessons must be taped and I don't expect any feedback until at least the beginning of next month.
A fun song. I am going for the feel/mood here more so than correctness. A couple of cloth bandaids are allowing me to continue due to blisters. I do very little finger picking.
The only way i could get a vocal down, was by putting a mic (it is a cheapo) into my 5F1 amp with my guitar.
You may be interested to know that on the Verve recording (57-717), as can be found on Youtube, the Texas pounding rhythm (bass) guitar is played by the great Eddie Taylor. On bass is Everett McCrary. Recorded in Chicago July 23, 1957. This according to Mike Leadbitter and Neil Slaven 1943 - 1966 blues records.
Thanks Duke for clarifying this about the 2nd guitar.
I understand i still need to relax some. I am happy with what i have put together for the 1st A section of the solo. The B section is still under construction but it is there albeit loosely.
A part of this i attribute to frustration with my recording equipment which i have yet to find a balance in recording the track. no whinning here tho :)
Yes, I remember those "tonal centers" exercises from my brief Berkeley studies 100 years ago. Thanks for reminding me.
Duke goes to what he describes as Ebm at bar 5. The notes he is using here sound like the Ab major scale (root 5). Here is where the 2/5 passing phrase can be used to go to Db correct?
the next 8 bars don't fit the 'tonal centers" analysis. I'll take this up again tomorrow.
At around 2:20 Duke begins to explain the keys to solo over. I am not sure i hear Duke complete his instruction. So i started to plot what i understand in respect of solo keys per bar. The A section and B sections are 16 bars (right?). I have the first 8. Can I get some help filling the rest of the bars?
A section
Ab (1) | Ab (1) | Bb7 (II) | Eb(m7?) (V) |
Ab (1) | Ab (1) | Em7/Ab13 * | Db (m7?) (IV) |
? | ? | ? | ? |
? | ? | ? | ? |
B section
Ab | Ab | Bb7 | Eb(m7?) |
Ab | Ab | Em7/Ab13 * | Db (m7?) |
? | ? | ? | ? |
? | ? | ? | ? |
* Duke says here you can just play over the 1 (Ab).
You can also get these chords from Duke's first lesson on the PDF transcription. I put parens around chords that you don't really need to think about so much for soloing.
One of the techniques I use for soloing over a lot of chords is to think about dividing the song into "tonal centers". When the chords are all diatonic to the key, like Ab6, Bbm7, Cm7, Db6, Eb7, Fm7, etc, you don't even have to think about those so much as different scales, because they all use the Ab major scale (i.e. play over the I chord). There are better notes and worse notes to use for the chords, but the notes will all sort of fit for the most part. So the Bb7 that starts the tune off is not diatonic, but close. The only difference is that it uses a D natural instead of a Db, making the Bb major instead of minor. If you played a Db by accident, it would sound a bit bluesier than you might want in this tune, but you could always just slide up to the D natural. So I think of the first four bars as being basically in the Ab major tonal center and the second four bars as being in the Db tonal center. The Ebm7 to Ab7 is a II-V that brings us into the new tonal center of Db. So you could play the first four bars in Ab and the second four bars in Db and it'll be pretty close. But if you know some good II-V licks to play over the Ebm7 to Ab7, it really helps to emphasize the change in tonal centers.
Does that make any sense? I hope it helps! Looking forward to hearing that sweet vibrato of yours on this.
Yes, I remember those "tonal centers" exercises from my brief Berkeley studies 100 years ago. Thanks for reminding me.
Duke goes to what he describes as Ebm at bar 5. The notes he is using here sound like the Ab major scale (root 5). Here is where the 2/5 passing phrase can be used to go to Db correct?
the next 8 bars don't fit the 'tonal centers" analysis. I'll take this up again tomorrow.
Hey Steve. Yup, the Ebm is in bar 5 (I have it marked as Ebm7) and it is indeed the II of the upcoming Db. You could easily get away with just playing an Ab7 (dominant 7 like in blues) over both bars 5 and 6. Bar 9 is still in Db major and in bar 10 as long as you play the Fb (or E natural) on the Dbm6 it's easy. The next part goes through a small section of "cycle of 5ths". You can actually play that a bunch of ways; you can substitute chords with the same tri-tone, which happens to always work out to be chromatic. For example, Ab | F7 | Bb7 | Eb7 | could be played as Ab | F7 | E7 | Eb7 , going down chromatically to make it easier. The tri-tone in Bb7 is D and Ab, where D is the 3rd and Ab is the 7th. Where on a E7, Ab (or G#) is the 3rd and D is the 7th. Functionally they both work and you can intermix them to get a really interesting sound. Sorry, I get very geeky when I talk about music theory, I've always found it pretty fascinating. Regards, Bruce
I spent sometime on this today. Changing keys evrey 2 bars (or so) is a stretch for me, but not the main issue. I should be able to hear the changes - not so far. And that is likely the main barrier for me here. I'd rather not memorize solos. I should be able to comp over changes.
Just wondering were you've been.
Cheers
donde esta Duke?
Cool, but be careful, too much and it'll sound lke an electric kazoo :)
Hey Bruce
Yes, Duke said to keep it light. But to emulate the tone on his track it needs to break up. He has an overdrive pedal - a bad monkey. But i don't think he is using it here. Its all that airline guitar and amp. And your 11s are a great gauge for this.
Hey Bruce, sounds good. If you have a small amp (5 watts) that you can crank, i think it adds to the vintage of the track - notice Duke's track has that breaking up sound. Thick strings would also help here - they were all wound G sets back in the day.
According to Duke's website, his tour dates keep him in Europe until the end of the month. So these lessons must be taped and I don't expect any feedback until at least the beginning of next month.
Cheers
Steve
A fun song. I am going for the feel/mood here more so than correctness. A couple of cloth bandaids are allowing me to continue due to blisters. I do very little finger picking.
The only way i could get a vocal down, was by putting a mic (it is a cheapo) into my 5F1 amp with my guitar.
I think the P90s are great for this song.
Blisters, ouch, and no crazy glue to remedy :(
You may be interested to know that on the Verve recording (57-717), as can be found on Youtube, the Texas pounding rhythm (bass) guitar is played by the great Eddie Taylor. On bass is Everett McCrary. Recorded in Chicago July 23, 1957. This according to Mike Leadbitter and Neil Slaven 1943 - 1966 blues records.
Thanks Duke for clarifying this about the 2nd guitar.
Cheers
Steve
I am still working on this. A labor of love.
I understand i still need to relax some. I am happy with what i have put together for the 1st A section of the solo. The B section is still under construction but it is there albeit loosely.
A part of this i attribute to frustration with my recording equipment which i have yet to find a balance in recording the track. no whinning here tho :)
Cheers
Steve
Serendipity.
I just finished John Lee's bio.
Boogie Man: The Adventures of John Lee Hooker in the American Twentieth Century, by Charles Shaar Murray.
Steve
Will do Bruce
Thanks Bruce
I am up to the Db before going back to the 1. The Db is 4 bars, but here i am listening to the bass for a cue and i fumbled.
I am not done yet.
Duke is in town Wednesday. My wife and I have tix. I will say hi.
Cheers
Steve
Here is a progress report. I am still working on this. Thanks Bruce for reminding me of the chord analysis and circle of 5ths.
I will persevere.
Steve
My pleasure, Steve! Sounds great. I can really hear you building ideas and playing through the changes on the improv section. Nice work! Bruce
Thanks Bruce
I am up to the Db before going back to the 1. The Db is 4 bars, but here i am listening to the bass for a cue and i fumbled.
I am not done yet.
Duke is in town Wednesday. My wife and I have tix. I will say hi.
Cheers
Steve
Cool! Please pass along my regards to him if you get a chance. Have fun! Bruce
Will do Bruce
Thanks again Bruce. Appreciate the info.
Hey Bruce
Yes, I remember those "tonal centers" exercises from my brief Berkeley studies 100 years ago. Thanks for reminding me.
Duke goes to what he describes as Ebm at bar 5. The notes he is using here sound like the Ab major scale (root 5). Here is where the 2/5 passing phrase can be used to go to Db correct?
the next 8 bars don't fit the 'tonal centers" analysis. I'll take this up again tomorrow.
Thanks again.
Thanks so much for your feedback Bruce. It is really appreciated. I'll dig in again tomorrow on this.
Cheers
Brother Steve
Help
At around 2:20 Duke begins to explain the keys to solo over. I am not sure i hear Duke complete his instruction. So i started to plot what i understand in respect of solo keys per bar. The A section and B sections are 16 bars (right?). I have the first 8. Can I get some help filling the rest of the bars?
A section
Ab (1) | Ab (1) | Bb7 (II) | Eb(m7?) (V) |
Ab (1) | Ab (1) | Em7/Ab13 * | Db (m7?) (IV) |
? | ? | ? | ? |
? | ? | ? | ? |
B section
Ab | Ab | Bb7 | Eb(m7?) |
Ab | Ab | Em7/Ab13 * | Db (m7?) |
? | ? | ? | ? |
? | ? | ? | ? |
* Duke says here you can just play over the 1 (Ab).
I think this would really help me here.
Cheers
Steve
Hey Steve, mind if I offer my 2 cents? The A section actually starts on the Bb7 for one bar, Eb7 for one bar, then Ab6 for two bars.
A section (first 16 bars)
Bb7 | Eb7 | Ab6 | Ab6 | Ebm7 | Ab7 13 (Ab7 b13) | Db6 | Db6 |
Db6 | Dbm6 | Ab6 | F7 | Bb7 | Bb7 | Eb7 (D7) | Eb7 |
and here's the last half of the B section (the first 8 bars are the same as the A section)
Db6 | Do7 (diminished) | Ab6 | F7 | Bb7 | Eb7 | Ab6 | Ab6 |
You can also get these chords from Duke's first lesson on the PDF transcription. I put parens around chords that you don't really need to think about so much for soloing.
(part 2 coming up!)
(part 2)
One of the techniques I use for soloing over a lot of chords is to think about dividing the song into "tonal centers". When the chords are all diatonic to the key, like Ab6, Bbm7, Cm7, Db6, Eb7, Fm7, etc, you don't even have to think about those so much as different scales, because they all use the Ab major scale (i.e. play over the I chord). There are better notes and worse notes to use for the chords, but the notes will all sort of fit for the most part. So the Bb7 that starts the tune off is not diatonic, but close. The only difference is that it uses a D natural instead of a Db, making the Bb major instead of minor. If you played a Db by accident, it would sound a bit bluesier than you might want in this tune, but you could always just slide up to the D natural. So I think of the first four bars as being basically in the Ab major tonal center and the second four bars as being in the Db tonal center. The Ebm7 to Ab7 is a II-V that brings us into the new tonal center of Db. So you could play the first four bars in Ab and the second four bars in Db and it'll be pretty close. But if you know some good II-V licks to play over the Ebm7 to Ab7, it really helps to emphasize the change in tonal centers.
Does that make any sense? I hope it helps! Looking forward to hearing that sweet vibrato of yours on this.
Best,
Bruce
Thanks so much for your feedback Bruce. It is really appreciated. I'll dig in again tomorrow on this.
Cheers
Brother Steve
Hey Bruce
Yes, I remember those "tonal centers" exercises from my brief Berkeley studies 100 years ago. Thanks for reminding me.
Duke goes to what he describes as Ebm at bar 5. The notes he is using here sound like the Ab major scale (root 5). Here is where the 2/5 passing phrase can be used to go to Db correct?
the next 8 bars don't fit the 'tonal centers" analysis. I'll take this up again tomorrow.
Thanks again.
Hey Steve. Yup, the Ebm is in bar 5 (I have it marked as Ebm7) and it is indeed the II of the upcoming Db. You could easily get away with just playing an Ab7 (dominant 7 like in blues) over both bars 5 and 6. Bar 9 is still in Db major and in bar 10 as long as you play the Fb (or E natural) on the Dbm6 it's easy. The next part goes through a small section of "cycle of 5ths". You can actually play that a bunch of ways; you can substitute chords with the same tri-tone, which happens to always work out to be chromatic. For example, Ab | F7 | Bb7 | Eb7 | could be played as Ab | F7 | E7 | Eb7 , going down chromatically to make it easier. The tri-tone in Bb7 is D and Ab, where D is the 3rd and Ab is the 7th. Where on a E7, Ab (or G#) is the 3rd and D is the 7th. Functionally they both work and you can intermix them to get a really interesting sound. Sorry, I get very geeky when I talk about music theory, I've always found it pretty fascinating. Regards, Bruce
Thanks again Bruce. Appreciate the info.
Mmmm
I spent sometime on this today. Changing keys evrey 2 bars (or so) is a stretch for me, but not the main issue. I should be able to hear the changes - not so far. And that is likely the main barrier for me here. I'd rather not memorize solos. I should be able to comp over changes.
Another day.
Little by little, bit by bit
Cheers
Got to jam with members of Big Sugar and Powder Blue during a festival a few weeks back. Cool.
Thanks Duke
Looking forward to getting into this lesson.
I have been busy myself providing backing guitar in a harmonica blow off/competition.
It is nice to know there are still young people interested in keeping the blues alive.
Cheers
Steve
Good to hear you are working Steve!
Got to jam with members of Big Sugar and Powder Blue during a festival a few weeks back. Cool.