You’re right. The notes are C# E & G. The 3rd, 5th and 7th of an A7 chord. You need to add the 7th fret of the D string to add the A root note, which he does at 1:32 when he says “it’s actually an A7 chord”. I guess he means the three notes of intro are part of an A7 chord.
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Thanks for your reply. So are the other “climb up” D7 shapes also parts of chords?
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Technically it’s a “step down” progression. Without checking all the notes the intro looks like the three top notes of the chords A7, G#7 and G7.
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Ah, I recognize the G7 (G B D F). So the “unspoken” root note slides down along the 4th string from fret 7 to 5. Fascinating.
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I have just about memorised the various parts and can just about play this through.
Don’t really understand this time thing to be honest. I can see from the tab that there are differing spaces between notes but actually does it really matter. Isn’t it about interpretation to some extent? Do really get the shuffle thing either when playing notes.
I’ll keep plugging away at it for the time being to see where it goes. If I get it then great!!
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When @jacksprat comments:
He has it right.
As an intro, before any backing track begins, it has no context and those three notes could be something different to an A7 chord. There is a certain ambiguity about it.
BUT
The sound of that 7th is a very recognisable one. And as soon as it is followed by the semitone movements down, it is very evidently a well-used blues cliche and fixes it as an A7 chord fragment. The A7 is implied.
Check the intro for Walking Easy Blues … it performs the same trick, the descending chromatic lead-in riff but this time beginning with a fragment that implies an E7 chord.
Where are these ascending parts? Everything after the intro is single notes.
Technically, yes. But it is just commonly referred to as a chromatic movement rather than naming each individually implied chord.
Follow along by reading the TAB as Justin plays and counts all parts from 09:50 in the video.
There is a time factor that you want to get the feel of when playing to the backing track. Without a backing track you have liberty to play around with the timing but don’t want to go too far off piste or it will sound sloppy.
I hope that helps.
Richard
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I watched the lesson and need some clarification. I believe the backing track is in the chords E, A and D and i wonder if it is possible to get the chord progression. Also, the solo is played in the A-minor pentatonic scale, which, if i understand it correct - you play the root note and around it as and when the corresponding chord appears, is that correct? Lastly, i noticed that at the end Justin ‘leaves’ the A minor pentatonic scale playing the (if i recall correctly) F#, F and ending on the E note. Is that correct?
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How is xxx989 an A7 chord? Aren’t you missing the A note itself? I only see a C#, E and G?
cheeers
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Good question. He’s only playing the top 3 strings of the A7, the missing A note would be on the 4th string, 7th fret: xx7989. Justin actually shows this grip very briefly at exactly 1:32 of the video.
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Think of it as a rootless A7.
The critical b7 is there, plus the 3rd, less critically the 5th. In the context of a song, it works, as the base note A may be played by the bass etc, or the 3rd and 7th distinguish it enough from the other chords.
Cheers, Shane
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Thanks Shane! That makes total sense!
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Just had a listen to this and tried to play the Beginners Blues Solo over it but they just appear to be two completely different things that don’t go together. I guess that I’m missing something here.
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Richard’s backing track is just a 12 bar blues shuffle in A. The beginner blues solo fits perfectly over the top. If that backing track isn’t working for you, search Spotify for “slow 12 bar blues shuffle in A” and you’ll get a heap of options. If you don’t have Spotify, try YouTube.
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Ok. Not sure what I was expecting to be honest.
Will have to take your word for that as the two don’t seem to fit. As a bit of help at what time in the BT would I start the solo?
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Stuart, the actual solo begins bang on the count of 1 of the first bar of the 12-bar cycle, over the first A chord of that 12-bar cycle.
See the pic which is based on Justin’s TAB with annotations added.
OK. So you play the intro bit, the start the BT and at the same time start the solo? Not sure my timing’s up to that!
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I’m confused about this statement in the lesson
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I bought Guitar Pro software. Where do I get the GP file to download?
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Hey Greg,
Any GP files for a lesson can be found under the Resources tab ( looks like a download icon.
And, welcome to the community mate👍
Cheers, Shane
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