Smell like smoke solo help

[cragginshred]

This solo is almost lost in the mix. The intro theme lick -fiddle lick I am mimicking on guitar (in E maj) seems like a good place to start but that's not what he is doing
Any help appreciatted!

 

[mbenigni]

Everything I'm hearing is Em pent at the 12th position (bend from A to B on 3rd string, up to D, down to G; then bend A to B on the 3rd string, walk down and hang on the b5 for color.)

 

[cragginshred]

oops I forgot to say we are doing it 3 1/2 steps down in E. thats why I said E maj. But yes your right original key is G/Em. I will check out your suggestion, thanks!
Dom

 

[cragginshred]

Everything I'm hearing is Em pent at the 12th position (bend from A to B on 3rd string, up to D, down to G; then bend A to B on the 3rd string, walk down and hang on the b5 for color.)

When you say 'walk down' is that chromatic? Again trying to come up with something for main solo in the middle

 

[mbenigni]

When you say 'walk down' is that chromatic? Again trying to come up with something for main solo in the middle

Sorry if that was too vague; I don't mean chromatic - I mean enharmonic to the Em pent scale. I can't find the specific phrase now, but try this as an example motif: A-B (bend), A, down to E, down to Bb. Another motif is: A-B (bend), up to D, down to A, down to G.

I'm just kind of clicking around and haven't found anything I'd call a solo, per se. Can you give me a mm:ss count?

 

[mbenigni]

P.S. If you're tuned down 3 half steps, then yes, just hang at the 15th fret and this should come into focus. There are some slides whose landing notes are a little greasy, but otherwise this seems mostly straightforward.

 

[cragginshred]

Sorry standard tuning -3 1/2 steps lower key of E for singer

 

[mbenigni]

Sorry standard tuning -3 1/2 steps lower key of E for singer

LOL I'm slowly catching on. Hang around at the 9th fret, then, if I'm following along correctly. (That does jive with your comment above re: E major.)

 

[cragginshred]

LOL I'm slowly catching on. Hang around at the 9th fret, then, if I'm following along correctly. (That does jive with your comment above re: E major.)

Yes! I'm able to mimic the fiddle intro and theme riff at 9th fret g string double stop bend but the main solo is not real defined which is ok because I'm used to writing solos,...the goal is to make it fit.

Starting with playing over the chords it sounds like the rhythm for the solo is the same as the post chorus A/E/A/B right before the solo

 

[mbenigni]

Yes! I'm able to mimic the fiddle intro and theme riff at 9th fret g string double stop bend but the main solo is not real defined which is ok because I'm used to writing solos,...the goal is to make it fit.

Starting with playing over the chords it sounds like the rhythm for the solo is the same as the post chorus A/E/A/B right before the solo

Re: "main solo", still no mm:ss? You're really going to make me listen to this whole song, aren't you? (If I'm being entirely honest, it's not really my cup of tea LOL.)

 

[cragginshred]

Mine neither, just doing it for genre diversity. No need to listen to the whole song just the solo. Honestly I am not going to try and nail what he played just do something that fits. Hearing how they did it live, the solo does not stand out at all..

 

[mbenigni]

No need to listen to the whole song just the solo.

But unless I listen to the whole song... I don't know where the solo is. That's why I keep describing random little licks here and there. What is the mm:ss indication where the solo begins? (1:57-ish?)

Mine neither, just doing it for genre diversity.

Makes sense. I like figuring out melodies as an ear training exercise, and yeah, it's always good to step outside your genre/ comfort zone.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I listened to the entire song and there's no real solo. So you really gotty be more specific about the moment(s) you're talking about.

 

[cragginshred]

Its right after the bridge which follows the 2nd chorus Builds into "solo" at 1:55 and what will be a solo I will likely write at 1:59' exactly! It's a goofy thing they wrote there. I always go to a liver version and it was not helpful as a I said earlier it did not stand out at all.

So my conclusion is just come up with something of my own

 

[mbenigni]

OK, roughly (assuming standard tuning; adjust accordingly):

1. Bend from Bb @ 11th fret 5th string), bend to D @ 5th string), probably (slow wide bend, or whammy bar) and back down

2. This is the "greasy" part, so I'm "paraphrasing". (Don't quote me LOL.) Couple of palm muted notes, slide on 4th string from approx. 14th fret to approx. 21st fret (basically off the top of the board on most guitars), Db at the 21st fret of the 3rd string (quick, staccacato), then slide or bend down from the D @ 17th fret 5th string, going down about a whole step before releasing.

3. Now we're into one of the clear motifs I outlined above. Whole step bend from A to B @ 14th of 3rd, D @ 15th of 2nd, back to A on 3rd with a small bend, resolve to G @ 12 on 3rd.

4. More "greasy" slides up and down from 14th fret D string.

5. D E (12th, 14th on 4).

6. This part has a cool country feel, which is well outside my wheelhouse, but this is roughly what I'm hearing: slide from approx 9th fret on the 4th string to the D at the 12th fret, then D@15th on 2nd string, back down to the D @ 12 on 4, up to G @ 12 on 2, resolve to E @ 12 on 1. (Sounds like he plays that last note twice, or there's a delay beat or something. He might also be bringing that entire "grip" up 2 frets to play the E at 5th fret 2nd string.)

This is really all about the feel and texture ("greasy"). I'm sure this isn't 100% accurate, but it should get you in the ballpark. Help at all?

 

[mbenigni]

You mention an E Major figure in your OP. This might just be more tuning confusion, but I'm hearing the rhythm part in Em, with the opening lead figure in what I would call a B Phrygian. (D E G and then that unison bend from A to B. Pretty cool, really.)

 

[cragginshred]

You mention an E Major figure in your OP. This might just be more tuning confusion, but I'm hearing the rhythm part in Em, with the opening lead figure in what I would call a B Phrygian. (D E G and then that unison bend from A to B. Pretty cool, really.)

True riff is Em but as you know E may can work over that too. The double stop bend and other double stops seem to work well.
Thanks for chiming in.

 

[ballhawk]

So my conclusion is just come up with something of my own

Bingo! My take is that the geetar is mimicking slide licks and it's mixed cleverly (meaning splishy-sploshy )
Make it your own and have fun with it.

The only thing I'd do "just like the record" is that walkdown just before the outro around 2:25.