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Topic: Take the A Train changes |
Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 16 Mar 2011 8:08 am |
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The old Strayhorn/Ellington standard. Song form AABA.
I have a couple cheat sheets for this tune. One is in C, of which there is a video of the Duke playing it in that key.
Another fake book has it in Ab.
As an instrumental, which do you prefer out of the C6th tuning?
Also, using C as the key, in measure 3 [played over the vocal part "A Train"] the chord is D7b5. Melody wise, do you play this as one chord or as 2 movements and, in simple math, how do you go about building this chord in strings, frets and pedals?
The last chord in the B part is a G7b9. Same question.
I have my own ideas, but am interested in reading yours.
Thanks JO. |
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robert kramer
From:
Nashville TN
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Posted 16 Mar 2011 10:08 am
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Here's how I play it - C-6th tuning - Key of C - KL lowers 3rd string C to B
I'm going to try it in Ab when I get home tonight - that might have a better tone than in C on C-6th. |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Brett Lanier
From:
Hermitage, TN
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Posted 16 Mar 2011 1:44 pm
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Jerry,
The function of the D7b5 chord and G7b9 chord is different. I see the D7b5 chord not as a 5 of 5 (major 2 chord), but as a tritone sub (same chord different root) of a sharp five chord (G#7b9). The D7b5 chord does not pull you into the Dmin chord in bar five, but the G7b9 definitely pulls you back to the one chord. The scales are different too. Lydian dominant for the D7b5, and super locrian (altered scale) for the G7b9. They are both modes of melodic minor and a tritone (b5) away from each other. If you have some altered dominant licks for the G chord, try sliding them up a half step and landing on D note in bars 3 and 4.
To try to answer your question a little more simply, I would treat bars three and four as one chord, not two movements, and the G7b9 like you would any five chord, with tension building as it gets closer to the one chord. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 16 Mar 2011 6:15 pm
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Good information all around.
Robert, thanks for taking the time to diagram those changes and post in giant print. Easy on the eyes.
I'm working on a head cab for a forumite right now, but I'll get to try these on the guitar later tonite.
Thanks everyone. |
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