My last thread on transcribing a Taylor Swift song generated a lot of interesting chat so I thought I'd post another simple pop song that I transcribed at the weekend.
It's Pure Shores by All Saints
I'm a lot more confident of my transcription this time.
Heres' my analysis, interested in others views:
It's just 4 chords, but it took me a few minutes because it doesn't start on the I chord so the standard tricks of looking for the vi,IV and V didn't work since the first chord played was the V.
From then on it's the same 4 chords all the way.
I haven't really worked out the little arpeggios in the intro, but I am just playing 2 strings (b and g) of the triads around the 9th fret.
Comments
You can capo at the 4th and play A, Bm, G, and D shapes.
Then I thought, if the guitar was tuned to Eb, it's just D, Em, C, and G.
I'd probably still think of the song in Db rather than thinking of it starting on the V chord.
This gives us a I, ii, b7, IV
Whenever you get a piece like this where the chord which "feels" like the I chord doesn't make theoretical sense then my first assumption is that it's a modal progression. In this case, Db mixolydian because of the b7 chord. Sweet home Alabama is the classic example where the theory says Gmajor/Eminor but the ears say D is the root...hence D mixolydian in that case.
Just another viewpoint on it.
I really am no expert and my ears are shite, but I do generally feel resolution on the F#. Although just played it back and see what you mean.
And I didn't know that about Sweet Home Alabama - good point, it does resolve on the D.
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Currently for sale:
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It was mostly the melody which pointed me towards keeping Db as the root note as the verse phrases were resolving there.
As I said though, you’re not wrong and it’s just a different perspective.
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
This lady does a cracking job with her looper: I'm having fun in the sun, trying to work out the layered parts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJCJr6wMpwg
When you say work out the layers, presumably the plucked bits are just arpeggios of the chords with a dotted eighth delay.
I have no idea on the bass.
https://www.instagram.com/insta.guitarstuff/
Currently for sale:
24.75 scale Kotzen style telecaster
Grover Jackson superstrat
12 string acoustic
OTO Bim delay pedal
Haven't got the bass line down, yet. The melody is easy, repetitive but sorta hypnotic, like the original record.
The first widdly arpeggio bit I've got as:
https://www.instagram.com/insta.guitarstuff/
Currently for sale:
24.75 scale Kotzen style telecaster
Grover Jackson superstrat
12 string acoustic
OTO Bim delay pedal