Playing Over Changes To Isn't She Lovely

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Playing over changes to Isn't She Lovely

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04-24-2013, 11:42 AM
newb3fan
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Playing over changes to Isn't She Lovely
A section
C#-7 = F#7 = B7sus4 = E
B section
Amaj7 = G#7 = C#-7 = F#7 = F#-7 = B7sus4 = E
So I'd like some perspectives on approach to playing these changes. When I analyze this I see a lot
of C# natural minor and changing certain notes for certain chords and potentially emphasizing the
chord tones of A# for the F#7, D for the Amaj7 and B#(C nat) on the G#7 chord.
Would you go in other directions on this? And if yes, what? Thanks.
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16/03/2015 21:56
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04-24-2013, 12:41 PM
smj
Senior Member
#2
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 1,301
Quote:
Originally Posted by newb3fan

A section
C#-7 = F#7 = B7sus4 = E
B section
Amaj7 = G#7 = C#-7 = F#7 = F#-7 = B7sus4 = E
So I'd like some perspectives on approach to playing these changes. When I analyze this I
see a lot of C# natural minor and changing certain notes for certain chords and potentially
emphasizing the chord tones of A# for the F#7, D for the Amaj7 and B#(C nat) on the G#7
chord.
Would you go in other directions on this? And if yes, what? Thanks.
I'm sure you'll get a variety of answers here but...
- The song is in E.
- Only two chords F#7 and G#7 are out of the key... both are secondary dominants
Method 1: Play E major over the whole thing.
The Emajor scale will sound good over the whole thing actually. There won't be any offensive notes
over any of those chords.
Method 2: Change A to A# over the F#7 and B to B# on the G#7
Method 3: Add the A# to the 7 note E scale over F#7 and likewise add B# to the G#7. You end up
with an 8 note scale in each case.
Method 4: Stick to chord tones on every change or just the two Dom7 chords.
For methods 1-3 to work, you really have to use your ears to hear which notes to stress. Try to
keep E as the tonal centre throughout your solo... it will sound "in".
Sean Meredith-Jones
www.seanmeredithjones.com
04-24-2013, 12:44 PM
Neer
Senior Member
#3
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,156
Listen to Stevie first. He didn't work hard at trying make the changes, but every note he plays is
perfection.
Take whatever knowledge of harmony you have and find a balance between that and the simple
lyrical beauty of Stevie's playing. Can't go wrong with that.
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04-24-2013, 12:49 PM
#4
16/03/2015 21:56
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JonR
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Location: London
Posts: 7,845
Quote:
Originally Posted by newb3fan

A section
C#-7 = F#7 = B7sus4 = E
B section
Amaj7 = G#7 = C#-7 = F#7 = F#-7 = B7sus4 = E
So I'd like some perspectives on approach to playing these changes. When I analyze this I
see a lot of C# natural minor and changing certain notes for certain chords and potentially
emphasizing the chord tones of A# for the F#7, D for the Amaj7 and B#(C nat) on the G#7
chord.
Would you go in other directions on this?
Personally, not really. The key is E major, with a couple of secondary dominants:
F#7 = V/V (dominant of B)
G#7 = V/vi (dominant of C#m)
As you say, they simply involve A# on the F#7 and B# on the G#7. Their normal function is leading
tones to B and C# respectively, but in this case it's tempting (jazzier) to lead them down a half-step
to the 3rd or 7th of the following chords (ie to A on F#m or B7, and to B on C#m7).
There's a couple of nice chromatic descents: B-A#-A-G# on the verse chords, and a longer one in
the 2nd section: C#-B#-B-A#-A-G#.
So I'd be working from:
(1) chord arpeggios, linked with (2) diatonic passing tones (from E major) or (3) chromatic passing tones (certainly on F#7 and G#7)
- and maybe referring to those descending lines now and then.
And of course borrowing phrases from the melody.
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04-24-2013, 01:05 PM
GovernorSilver
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#5
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 9,421
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neer

Listen to Stevie first. He didn't work hard at trying make the changes, but every note he
plays is perfection.
Take whatever knowledge of harmony you have and find a balance between that and the
simple lyrical beauty of Stevie's playing. Can't go wrong with that.
Best answer so far, imo. Transcribe Stevie's harmonica solo and learn how to play that on guitar.
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04-24-2013, 04:09 PM
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Trevordog
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006

Posts: 605
This another one of those tunes that, after trying to play over every change, I've found that a
C#minor Pentatonic/E Major pentatonic (with some G naturals) works best for me. YMMV
It also seemed like SW dug it, too.
04-24-2013, 04:16 PM
JonR
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#7
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Location: London
Posts: 7,845
Quote:
Originally Posted by GovernorSilver

Best answer so far, imo. Transcribe Stevie's harmonica solo and learn how to play that on
guitar.
Right - especially because he's really just playing the vocal melody, with very minimal
embellishment. Which is (arguably) the best way to begin any improvisation.
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04-24-2013, 04:36 PM
Tomo
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#8
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Location: Boston, Mass
Posts: 16,643
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neer

Listen to Stevie first. He didn't work hard at trying make the changes, but every note he
plays is perfection.
Take whatever knowledge of harmony you have and find a balance between that and the
simple lyrical beauty of Stevie's playing. Can't go wrong with that.
Great point! Melodic playing must.
If you want to go jazzy... check Sonny Rollins
Tomo
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04-24-2013, 04:53 PM
newb3fan
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#9
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16/03/2015 21:56
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JonR

Thanks for all the ideas everyone. I completely agree with this. Having just listened and played to
the original version 3 times he has a very minimalistic approach to the harmonica solo really just
playing the melody and embellishing a bit in spots as you and others have stated.
I learned many moons ago to build a solo based in this approach to choose some melodic line and
repeat and embellish and extend and build as you go. I don't always do it as well as I'd like, but I do
always remember and strive for the approach.
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fool's errand." - R. Kirn
04-24-2013, 07:28 PM
Jay-Bird
Senior Member
#10
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 527
How about just using your ears and creativity and forgo any modes?
04-24-2013, 07:47 PM
matte
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#11
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Location: my body.
Posts: 10,460
modes and creativity are not mutually exclusive.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay-Bird

How about just using your ears and creativity and forgo any modes?
04-24-2013, 07:54 PM
guitarjazz
Senior Member
#12
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 8,576
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomo

Great point! Melodic playing must.
If you want to go jazzy... check Sonny Rollins
Tomo
I have that on vinyl...white cover? Yep, you can go as be-bop as you want or your taste chooses.
Stevie can bop just fine when he wants, but he's super-human.
04-24-2013, 07:56 PM
#13
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splatt
Join Date: Apr 2008

Posts: 13,844
Gold Supporting Member

Quote:
Originally Posted by matte

modes and creativity are not mutually exclusive.
good point!
same goes for any other musical knowledge; application is the thing,
and "good" musical application always seems to require "using your ears".
like:
always.
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but, i called you back..... twice, buttwig, so nah-nah-na-poo-poo.
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04-24-2013, 08:02 PM
Neer
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#14
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,156
Quote:

The solo on the outro only uses the first four bars of the melody. After that there about 3 choruses
of completely fresh improvisation--some of the greatest ever IMO on a Pop record. He is very direct
and it is as if he is speaking.
Developing your phrasing is super important--especially for something like Isn't She Lovely? I
usually teach improvisation by getting into a question/response (1 bar question, 1 bar silence, 1 bar
answer, 1 bar silence) type of thing. Obviously, the question would end on an ascending note and
the answer would end on a descending. Once you get the hang of it, there are many other ways to
go about it, but this really gets you thinking and listening.
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04-24-2013, 10:39 PM
GovernorSilver
Senior Member
#15
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 9,421
Quote:

embellishment.
Maybe over there in the UK, they play a very shortened edit of that song on the radio.
Over here in the US, we get to hear the full harmonica solo on the outro, as Neer mentioned. Solo
starts at 2:16 and goes to the end (3:27).
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