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Stewie
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Music theory

Post by Stewie »

Hey everyone, I got a quick question related to music theory:
I need to create a guitar solo on the song Hot Stuff (Donna Summers). My teacher said I need to use the G blues scale.
But I was wondering which other scales I could use if I wanted to.

I have to do a sort of guitar battle with another girl who plays guitar, we'll have a meeting soon but I'd like to have some extra information.

The song goes like this:

Verse
-----
Gm F Gm x2 [Sittin' here eatin' my heart...]


Chorus
------
C D Gm x3 [Lookin' for some hot stuff...]
Bb C [Gotta have some hot stuff..]
Gm Bb C D x3 [...I need hot stuff...]

Please help me out :roll: :)
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wareagle
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Post by wareagle »

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Last edited by wareagle on Sat Dec 15, 2018 7:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Cpt Matt Sparrow
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Post by Cpt Matt Sparrow »

Hi Thomas

Donna's vocal melody is all based around a minor tonality using blues scale, so G Blues is one obvious choice. Also G Dorian and G Natural minor (Aeolian) will also work over the G minor parts of the song.

Over the B flat and C major chords as 'passing notes' B flat Lydian and C Mixolydian (respectively) will work too...B flat major is the relative major, but it will not sound right over these chords.

I would say though given what the song is about and also it being a blues based pop song there is plenty of stuff you could do (and it would be more stylistic too!) to use pentatonic/blues ideas.

I hope that helps a little.

Matt
Having a break from online activity for a while to concentrate on music. Please email if you need to get in touch. Matt
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Stewie
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Post by Stewie »

Thank you Wareagle and Matthew. You both gave me the answer I was looking for! I'm going to learn these scales by heart, and see if I can find some nice licks that fit in.

It isn't easy to create a solo like this for me, but I will try to put as many things I master in the solo :). Thank you again, I'm really glad you helped me out (even with this 'simple' thing) :)!

Thanks
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Post by McLowery »

During the Gm F Gm you should be able to use G pent minor and C pent minor freely (the G blues scale is included) C Major fits nicely in there also. I'd say if you listen to Matt's advice you are going to profit from doing so. I go by ear, feel and homemade scale connections I've worked out over the years. LOL in the end, it is whatever sounds good is right.

I like to also move into a diminished lick by diminishing the 5th degree of the pentatonic minor/blues and not using the minor 3rd. so:
played on the G B E strings 17th fret on the B is the diminished 5th of G pent minor and omitting the 17th on the G string (m3rd) . My theory isn't probably accurate but that's the result.

-----------------------15---18---15----------15-------------------
-----------------17---------------------17----------17------------
----15----18----------------------------------------------18---15
Oh bring me some CHUNKY PUDDING, and bring it RIGHT NOW!!!
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Post by Cpt Matt Sparrow »

McLowery wrote:During the Gm F Gm you should be able to use G pent minor and C pent minor freely (the G blues scale is included) C Major fits nicely in there also. I'd say if you listen to Matt's advice you are going to profit from doing so. I go by ear, feel and homemade scale connections I've worked out over the years. LOL in the end, it is whatever sounds good is right.

I like to also move into a diminished lick by diminishing the 5th degree of the pentatonic minor/blues and not using the minor 3rd. so:
played on the G B E strings 17th fret on the B is the diminished 5th of G pent minor and omitting the 17th on the G string (m3rd) . My theory isn't probably accurate but that's the result.

-----------------------15---18---15----------15-------------------
-----------------17---------------------17----------17------------
----15----18----------------------------------------------18---15

Hi Mike

Are you sure the C major sounds right over the chords you have suggested?

The note that sticks out like a sore thumb (in a dissonant way) is the B natural of the C major scale.
In G minor (which has a B flat belonging to it) it clashes, and in F major (which also has B flat belonging to it) it also clashes.

Mike, If I have over looked something (because I can misread and be a total sap) I apologise in advance!

Oh yeah..I love you too :)

Matt
Having a break from online activity for a while to concentrate on music. Please email if you need to get in touch. Matt
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McLowery
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Post by McLowery »

Matthew wrote:



Hi Mike

Are you sure the C major sounds right over the chords you have suggested?

The note that sticks out like a sore thumb (in a dissonant way) is the B natural of the C major scale.
In G minor (which has a B flat belonging to it) it clashes, and in F major (which also has B flat belonging to it) it also clashes.

Mike, If I have over looked something (because I can misread and be a total sap) I apologise in advance!

Oh yeah..I love you too :)

Matt
Of course you're right Matthew!! I sit here with my main axe fully detuned 3 semitones, transposing in pretty close to realtime and I hear things that aren't real when I operate this way... LOL So after a quick gander it turned out to sound like bloody piss! LOL So Stewie scratch the C major scale, my bad and Matt's save! Thanks Matt~
Oh bring me some CHUNKY PUDDING, and bring it RIGHT NOW!!!
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Post by Cpt Matt Sparrow »

If I didn't know you so well, and just had that scary profile picture to go on, in a quivering high pitched voice I would have said, " C major it is..he's right"

But because I view you as a friendly bear of a man (who is very amorous towards female bears) I took the risk.

Mike C major!!!

It reminds me of the day I kept drawing crotchets the wrong way around because I was so shagged LMAO

Matt
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McLowery
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Post by McLowery »

Matthew, I've been longing for another kiss... Kiss me again! Purely platonic of course! LMAO!!
Oh bring me some CHUNKY PUDDING, and bring it RIGHT NOW!!!
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Post by Cpt Matt Sparrow »

McLowery wrote:Matthew, I've been longing for another kiss... Kiss me again! Purely platonic of course! LMAO!!
Go on then..it is Xmas :)
Having a break from online activity for a while to concentrate on music. Please email if you need to get in touch. Matt
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Stewie
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Post by Stewie »

Ok the solo didn't work out that well.. But my teacher, the girl and me will work on it on Wednesday :). Thanks for your help guys.
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McLowery
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Post by McLowery »

Stewie wrote:Ok the solo didn't work out that well.. But my teacher, the girl and me will work on it on Wednesday :). Thanks for your help guys.
Did you record it? What happened when things went wrong and where they happened (as in your solo playing over the chord progression) is vital to figuring out what you can and can not do during certain movements. If you didn't record it, do so next time if you can, this can help you out a lot. It's like when a boxer watches a bunch of his old fights against a certain guy that has always beaten him, he studies and finds where he went wrong and at the rematch he might just win this time.
Oh bring me some CHUNKY PUDDING, and bring it RIGHT NOW!!!
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Stewie
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Post by Stewie »

Well, the whole structure of the chord progression changed, my music teacher added some riffs for the trumpets and some lines for the singers.. And there were some sound problems (coulnd't hear myself).. Anyway, I might record my solo next wednesday if I got something :). Thx for the tip McLowery, I never thought I could use that within guitar palying. I will remember that one!
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Post by Stewie »

So... I played my guitar solo twice this weekend (friday and saturday).

I included a picture of myself (blue shirt and white les paul) so you guys can see what it was like 8)
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