Easy transcription of the day

allen

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.

digitalkettle

When the first chord is a C#, I immediately start thinking 'capo'.

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.

guitarjack66

I liked their song 'Black Coffee' wasn't it?

Evo

You're not wrong, but just for the sake of offering a different perspective...

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.

allen

Evo said:

You're not wrong, but just for the sake of offering a different perspective...

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.

Thanks, interesting perspective. 

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.

Evo

No problem,

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. 

viz

I agree with Evo - it being a I ii bVII IV in Db mixolydian. 

DannyP

guitarjack66 said:

I liked their song 'Black Coffee' wasn't it?

Great tune, great harmonies but the lyrics are poor.

digitalkettle

DannyP said:

guitarjack66 said:

I liked their song 'Black Coffee' wasn't it?

Great tune, great harmonies but the lyrics are poor.

It's a great 'sound'...William Orbit infused 90s pop (he didn't do Madonna any harm either).

JerkMoans

Necro bump - Just happened upon this thread, as I've been working this one out after overhearing it while my son and his girlfriend were watching 'The Beach'.

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

allen

Nice, but a bit 'loose' timing-wise for me, although to be fair it does give it an organic feel.

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.

JerkMoans

Yeah the main chord progression, as discussed above, is Db, Ebm, B, F#, with a hang on G# on the 'I'm moving / I'm coming' bridge bit.

Haven't got the bass line down, yet.  The melody is easy, repetitive but sorta hypnotic, like the original record.

Maybe I need to score me a looper  

The first widdly arpeggio bit I've got as:

e|-------------------|
B|------6-7-6--------|
G|--6-8-------8-6----|
D|----------------8--|
A|-------------------|
E|-------------------|

hollywoodrox

Melanie Blatt is cute

guitarjack66

hollywoodrox said:

Melanie Blatt is cute

That word to describe someone or something always makes me want to tickle under their chin or scratch behind their ear. I think that lady is 'very attractive' or 'a damn fine filly' said in a Terry Thomas or Leslie Philips type of voice.

allen

I had a little dabble with it this afternoon for 20 minutes.