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Kirk
Aaaaah, I messed with those modes too and sometimes it is clear to me and sometimes not. So regarding the beautiful guitar in the intro and throughout Let it Loose I think Keith plays using the F Mixolydian mode which is actually the 5th mode of the Bb major scale (i.e. 1-Bb, 2-C, 3-D, 4-Eb, 5-F). So, as I understand it if you play the notes of the F mixolydian mode using the intervals of this mode (namely whole step-whole step-semitone-whole step-whole step-semitone-whole step) which is is starting from the F note:
F-G-A-Bb-C-D-Eb
you are meeting the intro appregio notes Keith is playing within the fingerings of F, Bb, Gm, C chords (remember, guitar is capoed at 3rd fret, standard tuning).
So, to cut a long story short, as I think that Let it Loose tends to be tonally structured around the Bb scale, Keith gives this "minor-ish" feeling with his appregios by bringing into play the F mixolydian scale (remember the 5th mode of the Bb scale, which means playing within the tonal structure of this scale) with its melancholic character.
Now, if Let it Loose was let's say hovering around the G scale, then no capo would be necessary and keith would play around D mixolydian which is again the 5th mode of the G scale (i.e. G-A-B-C-D) using these notes that fall into the structure of the mixolydiian mode i.e. whole step-whole step-semitone-whole step-whole step-semitone-whole step, which would be respectivelly, D-E-F#-G-A-B-C-D. This IS actually playng around the G major scale, BUT when you improvise within this set of notes going from D to D and taking into consideration the whole step/semitone structure of this set/scale of notes, there you get something really different than simply playing along the G scale the 'usual' way. The mixolydian scale has a minor feeling!
Taylor was a master in playing around these modes and structures, going from modes to the blues scale and natural scale with ease. Santana is doing it a lot too. For example 'Europa'.
Hope this helps more than it confuses...
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yorkey
Thank you very much! I've got a better feel for the thing now. The more I read about it the more it sort of 'clicks' in my mind.
Do you think Keith played this knowing he was using the Mixolydian scale? It seems more to me as if he was playing around with the D, G and A shapes with capo on the 3rd fret, and struck upon this beautiful passage.
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crumbling_mice
Have to agree with Tele, there is no way on this Earth Keith had any inclination of what scale he was meddling in. You just mess around on the D slight variation on the usual rock arpeggio gives you that wonderful Mixolydian sound and hey presto you have a classic song on your hands.
Thanks for actually giving me the science of the song, I've played it for decades and, probably like Keith, didn;t have a clue what was going on scale wise. It's in my top 5 Stones songs and nice to have the above knowledge.
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71TeleQuote
crumbling_mice
Have to agree with Tele, there is no way on this Earth Keith had any inclination of what scale he was meddling in. You just mess around on the D slight variation on the usual rock arpeggio gives you that wonderful Mixolydian sound and hey presto you have a classic song on your hands.
Thanks for actually giving me the science of the song, I've played it for decades and, probably like Keith, didn;t have a clue what was going on scale wise. It's in my top 5 Stones songs and nice to have the above knowledge.
The beauty - and genius - of Keith is his "fiddling around" results (or used to result) in amazing riffs and songs, while my fiddling around is just that - fiddling around. He doesn't need to know what a mixolydian scale is to do that. He just has to be Keith Richards.
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Kirk
Yes, I think I have to agree with the comments above. That is, I don't think that Keith sat down saying "Well, let's do something for this one using the mixolydian mode of the relevant key the song is on".
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Kirk
I dare to say that to me at least, the Stones do not just perform their songs over and over, they put them together from scratch each time they play as if it was the first time playing them.
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Kirk
Yes, this is it 71 Tele! So, you must be a guitar player just loving the Stones right? And I just love to have this kind of conversations in this forum!
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crumbling_mice
Me too Tele, my God how I have fiddled over the years and yet - nothing of earth shattering importance ever comes out...usually I end up playing something that is so close to something already recorded and usually by the Stones!!! Frustrating.
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yorkeyQuote
crumbling_mice
Me too Tele, my God how I have fiddled over the years and yet - nothing of earth shattering importance ever comes out...usually I end up playing something that is so close to something already recorded and usually by the Stones!!! Frustrating.
I do the exact same thing! I once 'thought up' a riff that sounded wonderful to me, and only a couple of hours later did I realize it's Ventilator Blues.
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71Tele
Technique is a tool in the tool chest - nothing more. Anyone can be taught technique, scales, etc. Talent can't be taught.
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paulywaul
Good explanation here .........
Go to the bottom of this page .......
[www.justinguitar.com]
Intro to modes ........
[www.justinguitar.com]
I love this guy's website and method of teaching. Justin used to play in the UK based Counterfeit Stones ironically enough ....
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Kirk
Keith gives this "minor-ish" feeling with his appregios by bringing into play the F mixolydian scale .