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| Song |
Style |
Notes |
MIDI |
Chart |
High Life |
Chicago slow blues, key of B-flat |
A 12-bar standard I, IV, V chord progression with an authentic vintage feel. Solo tips: For optimal solo phrasing and note choice, approach this using short 8th-note phrases (call & response), working out of the major (Ionian) and the pentatonic minor scales. Both are easily superimposed over each other, creating more choices. |
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Jumpin' 'Round |
Swing, key of G |
This track starts with an 8-bar intro, then goes into a 12-bar progression which is based on the 1930's swing style of Charlie Christian, whose playing has had a long-lasting influence on many musicians right up to today. |
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Mambo Jambo |
12-bar mambo, key of C |
The feel of this track is quite similar to a Rhumba. |
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Society Shuffle |
12-bar shuffle, key of A |
This track has a flat-tire feel reminiscent of early T-Bone Walker, Gatemouth Brown and Stevie Ray Vaughan. |
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Someone Told Me |
12-bar stroll, key of F |
This track has a Fats Domino, Guitar Slim feel to it with an arpeggiated piano line. |
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Two Roads |
12-bar blues, key of E |
Solo tip: The E-minor pentatonic scale will work best here. |
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Dowling Street Stroll |
Key of G, 96 bpm |
A medium-fast high stepper in the stroll department. Lots of fun for riff-rippin' and runs. Solo tips: minor pentatonic will work best, but some major-minor jazzy riffs would sound good too. |
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Messin' 'Round |
Key of C, 130 bpm |
Starting with a two-bar intro, this groove is more commonly known as a "boogaloo" or a "tramp" and named after specific songs that used that feel. Solo tips: using your standard minor pentatonic system with some Chicago-style riffs and a more aggressive attack works real nice with this groove. |
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Beer Tavern Blues |
Key of D, 75 bpm |
This tune starts out with a two-bar intro. Real gutbucket blues. This is a lot of fun for rippin' it up. Solo tips: D minor pentatonic scale system. Some nice bluesy vocabulary will work great with this one. Also, working out of the "B.B." box will serve you real well on the tune. |
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Boppin' |
Key of G, 143 bpm |
A jazzy blues feel. This is a real nice groove for laying down some spicy 8th note phrases. Solo tips: Utilizes bebop major scale, which is a standard major scale with the addition of the dominant 7 note, thereby making this an 8-note scale. |
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Gone Is The Night |
Key of C minor, 53 bpm |
This one is a mean big-city blues feel. This tune is meant to be laid into. Solo tips: Stick with your minor pentatonic all the way with tons of attitude and dynamics. |
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Greenbacks For Fat Albert |
Key of B-flat |
Slow, funky feel. Solo tips: Use bebop major with 8th note triplet phrases. |
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Smackdown In Memphis |
Key of E, 125 bpm |
This is a funky groove with a lively backbeat. Solo tips: A great groove for developing some nasty guitar fills. Use call-and-response with the rhythm track's chord punctuation. |
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Yazoo Slim Rides Again |
Key of D, 202 bpm |
A fast two-beat. Very much in the style of "Mojo Workin" with the driving beat, and the 1-2 of the bass makes for a great groove to solo over. Solo tips: Use D major and minor pentatonic scales. |
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At The End Of The Old Trail |
Key of A-flat, 192 bpm |
Jumpin' with a fast groove and cookin' way down low. Solo tips: Major-minor pentatonic fare will work real well, but for more interesting lines, employing the bebop major and minor scales may yield some more inside-outside development. |
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