From: "John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx>
Date: May 29, 2010 3:33:33 PM GMT-04:00
To: steve@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Old Time Rock n' Roll - Horn solo
Steve,
You know, since Denny brought it up, I've been fooling around with
this tune, and i think i like the way it sounds starting the solo
on 3D**. iI haven't played this tune for a while, and i've
developed better control over the 3 hole draw bends since the last
time i actually performed this tune. It wouldn't have occurred to
me to start on 3D** back then. Yeah, being able to hit the 3 draw
bends precisely makes a big difference.
JP
On May 29, 2010, at 2:25 PM, steve@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
This is why it's an advantage to know the technical side of music.
You can explain it to other people.
I play much of what I play using this "country" scale in some
form. I don't understand much of the theory stuff, but I have
figured out that it doesn't sound good to play draw 5 and that
draw 4 and blow 5 are good notes. The key for me is getting the
bend on 3 draw, which i have spent a lot of time on. Sliding into
and out of that note can make or break a song, in my opinion.
Steve Webb in Minnesota
---- "John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx> wrote:
Denny,
It's been a while, but I've played "Old Time Rock 'n Roll" off
and on
for years. I never try to imitate the sax solo note-for-note, (I
rarely imitate any recording note-for- note) but you can get the
same
type of feel and phrasing if you use a major pentatonic scale to
play the solo. In second position the major pentatonic scale
is: 2D/
3B 3D** 3D 4D 5B 6B. In degrees of the scale this is: 1, 2, 3,
5, 6, octave. Some people refer to this as the "country scale," but
it's also used on A LOT of R&B material. I generally start the solo
on the 5th (4D) and work from there.
When using the major pentatonic scale to improvise, you can
sometimes
throw in 4D*(5b) and 3D*(3b) in passing for flavor if they sound
good on the particular tune, but, in general, you don't lean on
those
notes like you might do when playing blues. And, in general, don't
play ANY flat 7ths (D5, D2**, D9).
FWIW.
JP