Pro riff of the month - october

[beatallica_fan]

This month im going to look at the instrumental track 'Lenny' by the late and most definitely great Stevie Ray Vaughan. The intro riff is a perfect union of jazz and blues IMO.

First heres an excellent tab

e--------------------------------|------------------------------------
B-----14~ ---12------------------|-------5~ ----x0--------------------
G-----13~ -------11h13~ ---11----|-------6~ ----x0---------------9h11-
D-----13~ --------------------14-|-------4~ ------------------9-------
A-----11~ -----------------------|-0---0--------------7--9/11---------
E--0-----------------------------|-----------------/9-----------------


e-----------------|--------------------------------|------------------
B-----------------|-----14~ ---12------------------|-------5~ ---x0---
G--9--9-----9-----|-----13~ -------11h13~ ---11----|-------6~ ---x0---
D-----9h11--9h11--|-----13~ --------------------14-|-------4~ --------
A-----------------|-----11~ -----------------------|-0---0------------
E-----------------|--0-----------------------------|------------------


e-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
B-------------------------------|-----14~ ---12-----------------|
G---------------11p9------------|-----13~ -------11h13~ --11----|
D-------------9------11------9--|-----13~ -------------------14-|
A-----7--9/11-----------9h11----|-----11~ ----------------------|
E--/9---------------------------|--0----------------------------|


e----------------------------------------------|----12----------------
B---------5~ ---5~ ----------------------------|----12----14~ ---12---
G---------6~ ---6~ ------------------9h11p9----|----------13~ --------
D---------4~ ---4~ -------------9-11--------11-|----------13~ --------
A--0--0-----------------7--9/11----------------|----------11~ --------
E-------------------0-9------------------------|-0-----0--------------


e------------------|------------------------------------|-------------
B------------------|-------5~ ---5\------5~-------6~ ---|---------7~ -
G--11h13~ ---11----|-------6~ ---6\--------6~ -/7---7~ -|-/8----------
D---------------14-|-------4~ --------------------------|-----6-------
A------------------|-0---0------------------------------|-------------
E------------------|-----------------/5--------/6-------|-/7----7-----


e--------------------|--------------------------------------|
B-----7~ -----x------|------------10~ ---10~ -------10------|
G--------8~ ----8----|------------11~ ------11~ -------11\--|
D-----------------6--|---/9--9------------------------------|
A--------------------|--------------------------------------|
E--7-----------------|--/10----10-----10--------------------|


e------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B----------3~ ---3------3------|-----------6~ -----5~ ---x0----------|
G----------------4-4~ ----4----|-------------7~ ---6~ ---x0----------|
D-----2---------------------2--|--/5--5------------4~ ---------------|
A------------------------------|-------------------------------7-7h9-|
E--3----3----------------------|--/6----6----------5--------/9-------|


e------12+~---|-------------------------------|-----------------------
B------12+~---|--5~ -----5\-------------------|-----14~ ---12---------
G-------------|--6~ -----6\-------------------|-----13~ ------11h13~ -
D-------------|--4~ --------------------------|-----13~ --------------
A-------------|--0----------------7--7h9--7h9-|-----11~ --------------
E--0----------|-------------/5-/9-------------|--0--------------------


i play a few of the voicings differently but its all there.

the first part of the intro is based around the chords Emajadd13 and A6, with various embelishments using E ionian. The second portion involves the use of the 6 chord being moved to various positions on the fretboard. Here the key becomes a little ambigious, B6 D6 G6 Bb6 and A6 all not sitting well in the same key. Not to worry this kind of theoretically incorrect writing is common in blues, the best rule of theory is IMO, if it sounds good keep it in. the use of 6 chords is interesting as blues is usually based around dominant seventh chords, they really add that extra jazzy twinge. Most if not all of the vibrato is added by the arm, i have my trem set quite tight so i found it hard to get the variation in pitch SRV managed, hopefully it gets the point across. Another important point is the sound of the guitar, unmistakenly a strat with neck pickup selected, it sounds beautiful in the record, hope i got close. When playing try to lay back and play behind the beat, its difficult to describe but essential to achieve that bluesy relaxed feel. FYI Lenny is actually the name of SRV favourite strat, and this track was dedicated to it. Heres my attempt as with the original i tuned down half a step.

http://www.degroote-avelgem.be/~miele/beatsongs/rotm.mp3

Please provide as much feedback as possible. Beat

:cheers: :cheers:

[i_can_b_ur_hero]

excellent job....beautiful song, thanks for opening my eyes to it...

i need a bit of help....it's a fairly easy main riff, but I'm not sure how I should play these MOFOs:


e------------------|------------------------------------|-------------
B------------------|-------5~ ---5\------5~-------6~ ---|---------7~ -
G--11h13~ ---11----|-------6~ ---6\--------6~ -/7---7~ -|-/8----------
D---------------14-|-------4~ --------------------------|-----6-------
A------------------|-0---0------------------------------|-------------
E------------------|-----------------/5--------/6-------|-/7----7-----


e--------------------|--------------------------------------|
B-----7~ -----x------|------------10~ ---10~ -------10------|
G--------8~ ----8----|------------11~ ------11~ -------11\--|
D-----------------6--|---/9--9------------------------------|
A--------------------|--------------------------------------|
E--7-----------------|--/10----10-----10--------------------|


e------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B----------3~ ---3------3------|-----------6~ -----5~ ---x0----------|
G----------------4-4~ ----4----|-------------7~ ---6~ ---x0----------|
D-----2---------------------2--|--/5--5------------4~ ---------------|
A------------------------------|-------------------------------7-7h9-|
E--3----3----------------------|--/6----6----------5--------/9-------|



just the ascending parts....Do you use your thumb or what?

dave:cheers: :peace:

[beatallica_fan]

Originally posted by i_can_b_ur_hero
excellent job....beautiful song, thanks for opening my eyes to it...

i need a bit of help....it's a fairly easy main riff, but I'm not sure how I should play these MOFOs:


e------------------|------------------------------------|-------------
B------------------|-------5~ ---5\------5~-------6~ ---|---------7~ -
G--11h13~ ---11----|-------6~ ---6\--------6~ -/7---7~ -|-/8----------
D---------------14-|-------4~ --------------------------|-----6-------
A------------------|-0---0------------------------------|-------------
E------------------|-----------------/5--------/6-------|-/7----7-----


e--------------------|--------------------------------------|
B-----7~ -----x------|------------10~ ---10~ -------10------|
G--------8~ ----8----|------------11~ ------11~ -------11\--|
D-----------------6--|---/9--9------------------------------|
A--------------------|--------------------------------------|
E--7-----------------|--/10----10-----10--------------------|


e------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B----------3~ ---3------3------|-----------6~ -----5~ ---x0----------|
G----------------4-4~ ----4----|-------------7~ ---6~ ---x0----------|
D-----2---------------------2--|--/5--5------------4~ ---------------|
A------------------------------|-------------------------------7-7h9-|
E--3----3----------------------|--/6----6----------5--------/9-------|



just the ascending parts....Do you use your thumb or what?

dave:cheers: :peace:

Yeah i use my thumb although i think you can do it with just fingers.

[EpitaphMan440]

Awsome riff* (little longer then a riff ;) ) . Not my choice of style, but still kicks ass none the less.




:cheers:

[lod5150]

One major mistake.
Stevie didn't die...Legends never do! ;)

[Andrewbiles]

I don't mean to be a bit of a wanker here, but beatallica I don't like your tab of this song. I originally learnt it from here http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/guitar_gurus/steve_ray_vaughan_guitar_methods.html about 1/2 way down the page it is. That tab seemed flawless to me, just thought I'd say, the chords sound spot on, however your fill bits seem about right

[Andrewbiles]

sorry, I'm adding an attachment of the file cos it doesn't quite fit on that page since the site's changed. So open it in something like notepad and it should come out fine

[beatallica_fan]

Yeah as i said i play some of the voicings differently to, that tab isnt how i play the song, its just the tab i got from UG, but it was the best compromise i could find on the net, i dislike the tab you found even more, just my opinion though.

[StreamLine]

i loved the sound of that beat, the A6 sounds almost magical... great sound, very relaxing.... nice phrasing, my fav touch was the hammer-on double stops, something used by Brian May too, but differently of course.....

well recorded too... although the tone somewhat lacked the traditional neck bass-ness for me

very cool riff,even though its far from my style of playing, its something i can appreciate nonetheless.

nice one :cheers:

[manson666]

I think that this song sounds really good and was well played