Hello,can anybody please explain what is going on theoretically with the double stops in the last solo on the night rider lesson? Not the B section,but the desending double stops he plays over his last solo in the A section,just before the B.thanks
OK, this is my shot at it, I am no authority. When it comes to theory I tend to go for the simplest explanation I can, so it's easier for me to understand. Or I'm lazy.
First a general observation, I have played this song many times over the last couple years and find that when you have a I vi7 ii7 V progression that goes by so quickly (half measure per each chord at a decent tempo), you have a lot of latitude. With single note soloing, you can almost just play a major scale and it will sound good.
Another thing, a vi7 chord and ii7 chord (Gm7 and Cm7 in Bb) are really close to a IV chord. Think of Gm7 as Ebmaj9, Cm7 as Eb6, and this is a I IV V progression, especially when the chords are blowing by quickly. And in the double stop section he is jumping between those I IV V chords, with a few subs/chromatics thrown in.
So, here's what I get for that section, sorry I'm not tabbing it all out, I hope it makes sense. Bb to Bb9 (I to I9) Eb to Ebm (IV to IVm) Bb to C#m (I to ii# - this chord sounds to me like a chromatic lead in to the ii - V that follows) Cm to F9 (ii to V9) Bb to Ab (I to VIIb - this chord sounds to me like it's functioning as IV of IV leading into the IV chord that follows) Eb to Faug#9 (IV to altered V, this V sounds mostly like he's closing in on the following I chord in a chromatic way that seems weird on paper but flows in reality, I'm just calling it a V chord because it sort of makes sense that way) Bb (with a little chromatic walkup thing, but functionally it's all Bb)
So if I understand this right,the Eb,and Eb- is a substitution for the ii V in the chord progression? I am probably over thinking this,but I would like to be able to apply this over other rhythm change tunes.
Comments
First a general observation, I have played this song many times over the last couple years and find that when you have a I vi7 ii7 V progression that goes by so quickly (half measure per each chord at a decent tempo), you have a lot of latitude. With single note soloing, you can almost just play a major scale and it will sound good.
Another thing, a vi7 chord and ii7 chord (Gm7 and Cm7 in Bb) are really close to a IV chord. Think of Gm7 as Ebmaj9, Cm7 as Eb6, and this is a I IV V progression, especially when the chords are blowing by quickly. And in the double stop section he is jumping between those I IV V chords, with a few subs/chromatics thrown in.
So, here's what I get for that section, sorry I'm not tabbing it all out, I hope it makes sense.
Bb to Bb9 (I to I9)
Eb to Ebm (IV to IVm)
Bb to C#m (I to ii# - this chord sounds to me like a chromatic lead in to the ii - V that follows)
Cm to F9 (ii to V9)
Bb to Ab (I to VIIb - this chord sounds to me like it's functioning as IV of IV leading into the IV chord that follows)
Eb to Faug#9 (IV to altered V, this V sounds mostly like he's closing in on the following I chord in a chromatic way that seems weird on paper but flows in reality, I'm just calling it a V chord because it sort of makes sense that way)
Bb (with a little chromatic walkup thing, but functionally it's all Bb)
Anyway, I hope this is helpful.
I am probably over thinking this,but I would like to be able to apply this over other rhythm change tunes.