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The Gene Genie


Northy
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Hello Gents (and ladies xxx)

I have an issue! Having been asked to join a Bowie Tribute band I am faltering on my third song in!! A simple one, Gene Genie.
The main Riff on the Verse is it is it E-E-E-G-A-G or is it [font=inherit][size=3]E-E-E-G#-A-G# [/size][/font]
Any help on this matter would be great!

Hahaha soooo embarrassed. I mean both sound right BUT I think it's the two semitone one from G-A-G sounds rougher.

And by the way

Isn't Trevor Boulder a flippin ace bassist!


Love and hugs guys

Mike

Edited by Northy
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G# I reckon. That's what I play anyway and the rest of the band haven't locked me out the rehearsal room yet....I too am in a Bowie Trib band and I agree, Trev Boulder's work has gone under the radar....bit like Mick Ronsons'. Just wait til you get to 'Heroes' now that is some bassline!

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[quote name='ricksterphil' timestamp='1499271719' post='3330447']
G# I reckon. That's what I play anyway and the rest of the band haven't locked me out the rehearsal room yet....I too am in a Bowie Trib band and I agree, Trev Boulder's work has gone under the radar....bit like Mick Ronsons'. Just wait til you get to [b]'Heroes' [/b]now that is some bassline!
[/quote]
Great thanks..now Ive got to learn it, your fault!

Edited by skidder652003
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[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1499271916' post='3330450']
yep E G# A G#, but what he's doing on the chorus is another story, the intro is tricky as well and wait till you get to the triplet bit.
[/quote]

Funnily enough I can do all the bits and the odd little twiddles BUT I am stuck on that part, just G or G# lol mental!

Thanks

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[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1499271330' post='3330444']
We play it occasionally, and I've always opted for the former.

We're a trio, and so it would show if me and the guitarist were playing different things!

He's a long-term Bowie fan as well.

Hope this clears things up - a bit! :)
[/quote]


Thanks!! I needed support hahaha It just sounds more Raw, more Trevor Boulder lol

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[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1499273249' post='3330465']
This guy has a slightly different take with a G>G# hammer on

[media]http://youtu.be/hF0bVGbaHRM[/media]
[/quote]

He gets the very first bit the triplets wrong so I don't trust the other bits! lol Thanks though!

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[quote name='Northy' timestamp='1499278948' post='3330520']
Well watch Trev do it and at 1:18 I see no drop down to the G# to play second fret on the D, The E, then move to the same fret on the G AFTER playing the open G?? No? And if all he played G# "That is all" is would sound pants!! lol ;-)

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGQo6zpVzt8"]https://www.youtube....h?v=CGQo6zpVzt8[/url]
[/quote]I think they're miming on that, but this sort of confirms (around 2.30) it but a lot of the time it sounds like he's just play E E E A [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEmGQYCuc6M[/media]
edit dlloyd beat me to it

Edited by PaulWarning
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[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1499280605' post='3330535']
I think they're miming on that, . .
[/quote]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for joining in. Nahhh He is playing the open G look at the Right hand next time he plays the phrase, he's hitting the open G then onto A on the G string. That's what's making that G-A-G sound lol :-)

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[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1499284819' post='3330570']
The Jean Genie and the G is natural not sharp.
[/quote]

Great Stuff! Phhheewwww!!

Especially when the existing Tribute man said G# Then I started to believe it was, but no, it's G Natural. Ace!

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I used to play this (see attached from Ultimate Guitar) and shows G# A G#

Not saying its right but it certainly sounded right when playing.

Gtr I (E A D G) - 'Trevor Bolder - Bass '


Intro
Q=130(8=s8)
E
4/4
Gtr I
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
W E E E E E E E E E E E E q E E E E E E q q E E E E
|----------|-9-9-9-7-7-7-6-6-6-------|----------------|---------------||
|----------|-------------------9-7-6-|----------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-||
|----------|-------------------------|-7--7-7-7-------|-7--7--7-------||
|----------|-------------------------|----------------|---------------||


1st & 2nd Verses
q q E E E E E E q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E
|---------------|----------------||----------------|----------------|
|---------6-7-6-|----------------||o---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6--|
|-7--7--7-------|-7-7-7--7-------||o-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7--------|
|---------------|----------5-6-7-||----------------|----------------|


q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E
|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|
|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6--|
|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7--------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|


q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E
|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|
|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6--|
|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7--------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|


q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E
|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|
|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6--|
|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7--------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|


Chorus
q q E E E E Q Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|---------------||---------------|-----------------|------------------|
|---------------||---------------|-----4-2-2-2-----|------------------|
|----2--2-0-2-0-||-2--2--2-0---0-|-2-2---------0-1-|-2-2-2-2-2-0---2--|
|-2-------------||-----------2---|-----------------|-------------2----|


+E E E E E E E E Q Q E E E E +E E Q E E E E Q Q E E E E
|-------4-4-4-2-----|---------------|-----------4-------|----------------|
|-----4---------4-2-|---------------|-----0-/4----0-1-4-|----------------|
|-(2)---------------|-2--2--2-0---2-|-(2)---------------|-2--2--2-0---2--|
|-------------------|-----------2---|-------------------|-----------2----|


+E E E Q E E E Q Q E E E E E E E E +Q Q Q Q E E E E
|-------4----------|---------------|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----4------------|----7--7---7---|-7---7-----------|----------------------|
|-(2)-----1--2-1-2-|-0-------5---5-|---5---5-(5)--5--|-12--12--12-12-14-12--|
|------------------|---------------|-----------------|----------------------|




Interlude
E E E E +Q Q q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E
|------------------------||---------------|---------------|----------------|
|-------14-12-(12)-------||---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6--|
|-14-12-------------14\--||-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7--------|
|------------------------||---------------|---------------|----------------|


3rd Verse
E E Q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E
|-----------------||---------------||---------------|----------------|
|----------------o||---------6-7-6-||---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6--|
|-7-7-7--7-------o||-7--7--7-------||-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7--------|
|----------5-6-7--||---------------||---------------|----------------|


q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E
|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|
|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6--|
|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7--------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|


Guitar Solo
q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E
|---------------|---------------||---------------|----------------|
|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-||---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6--|
|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------||-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7--------|
|---------------|---------------||---------------|----------------|


q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E
|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|
|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6--|
|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7--------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|


q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E
|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|
|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6--|
|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7--------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|


|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
q q E E E E q q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|---------------|---------------|-------------------------|
|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|-----------------------5S|
|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7---|
|---------------|---------------|-------------------------|


|--3--| |--3--| |--3--|
E E E E E E E E E E E
|------------------------------------||
|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14\--||
|------------------------------------||
|------------------------------------||


Chorus
|-3-| |-3-|
Q Q E E E E +E E E E E E E E Q Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
||----------------|-------------------|---------------|-----4-4-4-4-4-------|
||o---------------|-------4-2-2-2-----|---------------|---4-----------4-3-2-|
||o-2--2--2-0---2-|-(2)-2---------2-2-|-2--2--2-0---2-|---------------------|
||------------2---|-------------------|-----------2---|---------------------|


Q Q E E E E +E E E Q E E E Q Q E E E E +E E Q E E E E
|---------------|---------4--------|---------------|-------------------|
|---------------|-----2s4----0-1-4-|---------------|-----4-------------|
|-2--2--2-0---2-|-(2)--------------|-2--2--2-0---2-|-(2)---2--1-2-1-1--|
|-----------2---|------------------|-----------2---|-------------------|


1.
Q Q E E E E E E E E +Q Q Q Q E E E E E E E E +Q Q
|---------------|-----------------|---------------|--------------------||
|----7--7-----7-|-7---7-----------|-7--7--7---7-7-|-7---7-------------o||
|-0-------5-5---|---5---5-(5)--5--|---------5-----|---5---5-(5)--5\---o||
|---------------|-----------------|---------------|--------------------||


2.
Q Q E E E E E E E E +Q Q Q Q E E E E E E E E +Q Q
|---------------|-----------------|---------------|---7-9-7-(7)-------||
|----7--7-----7-|-7---7-----------|-7--7--7---7-7-|-9------------7\---||
|-0-------5-5---|---5---5-(5)--5--|---------5-----|-------------------||
|---------------|-----------------|---------------|-------------------||


Interlude
|-3-| |-3-|
q q E E E E E q q E E E E E E q E E E E E q q E E E E
|-----------------|---------------|------------------|----------------|
|---------7-7-5h7-|---------6-7-6-|----------7-7-5h7-|---------6-7-6--|
|-7--7--7---------|-7--7--7-------|-7-7-7--7---------|-7--7--7--------|
|-----------------|---------------|------------------|----------------|


q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E
|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|
|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6--|
|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7--------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------|


Outro
|-3-|
q q E E E E q q E E E E q q E E E E q q Q E E E
|---------------|---------------|---------------||-----------------|
|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-|---------6-7-6-||----------5h7----|
|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------|-7--7--7-------||-7--7---------5h=|
|---------------|---------------|---------------||-----------------|


|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |--3--| |--3--| |--3--| |--3--|
Q Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E E E E E
|---------------|----------------------|--------------------------------------|
|---------6-7-6-|-------------------5S=|=14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14--|
|-7--7--7-------|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7----|--------------------------------------|
|---------------|----------------------|--------------------------------------|


|--3--| |--3--| |--3--| |--3--|
E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------------------------|
|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|


|--3--| |--3--| |--3--| |--3--|
E E E E E E E E E E E E e E Q H
|-------------------------------------|--------------*|
|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|-14-----------*|
|-------------------------------------|--------------*|
|-------------------------------------|--------------*|

Edited by dmccombe7
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[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1499287391' post='3330592']
This thread has prompted to go and have another listen as I have to admit it's not a song we've ever had a concern about. We all went away and learnt it, came to rehearsal one day and played it without an issue. I have always played G#. In my defence, we rarely use the original album tracks as templates for what we learn, so although the original, probably is G, I'm not entirely convinced that's what Gail Ann Dorsey does here....

[media]http://youtu.be/401_CdfQP30[/media]

So, I went to the oracle (one of our guitarists) and he came back with this....

"Good question! Musically, it's in the key of E Major so it should be G# as that's the third note of the scale. However, what is actually played is G. I believe this stems from the blues where, for some reason, minor thirds (the G in this case) is often played over major chords, which clash. I think people have just got used to it over the past century! The Jean Genie definitely uses a G, which is more obvious in the guitar riff because of the way it is played".

That said, from Day 1 I've always played G# and he has never noticed. Take it from me, if it sounded wrong when we did it, he would definitely have said by now. In fact he just messaged me to say it has never sounded wrong as far as he is concerned.

So, I shall revise my opinion and say G, but with the caveat that it probably should be G# which also works.
[/quote]yep I've played it both ways and they both sound right, what's a semi tone between friends :rolleyes: still sounds like he's playing EEE G A to me though, no return to G, but it does sound better that way, it always amazes me how you can play something wrong for years and it sounds alright, especially when someone else is playing it lol

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As I hear it on the original version, Bowie's harmonica playing is a little ragged and his semitone down bend G# to G is not always wholly accurate ... but hey, it's rock 'n' roll ... and the blues scale G natural is only a passing note anyway ... and little variations are fine like EEEEAG ...and if someone played G# occasionally most people ain't going to notice.

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[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1499287391' post='3330592']
So, I went to the oracle (one of our guitarists) and he came back with this....

"Good question! Musically, it's in the key of E Major so it should be G# as that's the third note of the scale. However, what is actually played is G. I believe this stems from the blues where, for some reason, minor thirds (the G in this case) is often played over major chords, which clash. I think people have just got used to it over the past century! The Jean Genie definitely uses a G, which is more obvious in the guitar riff because of the way it is played".
[/quote]

It's another instance of what a lot of people call the "Hendrix chord": E7#9 (a lot of other people were using it before Hendrix)

The tonality of the main riff is E mixolydian. Technically, the G is an F##, the #9 of E

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