Last (bloody) Christmas by Wham

[krispn]

Have a listen then play along if your not already horrified.

I'm not sure if the tuning in standard A-440 or down tuned by semi-tone or just the track has been slowed down/sped up in the studio?

I've been asked to play at a local music school's Christmas Show and it's the one song I'm learning that my ears are unhappy with!

It's one of those things I can play it but I'm just not happy with it - I always think I'm out of tune with the track.

Help/suggestions/tabs etc are welcome.

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='krispn' timestamp='1322085399' post='1446453']
It's one of those things I can play it but I'm just not happy with it -

[/quote]

Hi Krispn,

Without wishing to seem too presumptuous, this may be the problem. I used to play rhythm guitar in a big band and we couldn't for the life of us play a decent version of "In The Mood" as everyone hated it. I eventually persuaded everyone to have one last push to nail it (as it was the one number we played that EVERYONE in the audience knew) and we got there. Even more, most of us ended up enjoying playing it.

A change of heart may be all it takes!

Cheers,
Mike

Edited November 23, 2011 by Mykesbass

[Lozz196]

I hated playing Born To Be Wild, but the audience always loved it.

With regards to Last Christmas, try this out, see if you get a different perspective:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K16CRyfqwdg

Edited November 23, 2011 by Lozz196

[krispn]

I don't mind the song and I can play along with the bass line - To clarify I'm just querying if its slightly off standard pitch as my ears are hearing the notes as being dissonant (maybe too strong) but just sounding off tune I play the note etc it's all sounding a bit off. I've played it in standard A-440 and down a semitone but its still 'off' to me.

My ears (and me) are having a little difficulty deciding if it's down a half step, if the recording has been tweaked in the studio (slowed down or speed up) which has resulted in it being just off standard tuning.

Who doesn't love Wham?

I remember seeing that clip live on telly. Ahh TFI Friday

Cheers for your input and wise words. It's always important to embrace 'the song' and do it and your band justice. Music first, ego second! If nothing else I just want to make sure it's right for the kids playing at their christmas show!

[SteveK]

Slightly OT
Last Christmas is one of the most God-awful examples of Linn drum programming ever on a record.

Not sure how you can make LC sound good, but to sound authentic you should at least make sure you play with absolutely no feel.
Hope that helps.

Sorry, you can probably tell that I'm not a fan of Wham and that record in particular.

EDIT: Just found it on Youtube. My guess is that it is in C but speeded up to somewhere slightly sharper than C#

Edited November 24, 2011 by SteveK

[krispn]

Steve K
EDIT: Just found it on Youtube. My guess is that it is in C but speeded up to somewhere slightly sharper than C#

Yeah thats my thinking Cheers.

[crez5150]

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1322094036' post='1446567']
Slightly OT
Last Christmas is one of the most God-awful examples of Linn drum programming ever on a record.

Not sure how you can make LC sound good, but to sound authentic you should at least make sure you play with absolutely no feel.
Hope that helps.

Sorry, you can probably tell that I'm not a fan of Wham and that record in particular.

EDIT: Just found it on Youtube. My guess is that it is in C but speeded up to somewhere slightly sharper than C#
[/quote]


This..... Those snare rolls make me squirm every time I hear it....

[lowdown]

Just had a listen on YouTube.
It's in 'D'...Init ?
With less than perfect A440 Synth tuning.
Quite notorious well used out of tune Synth sounds from that period.
But hey, who cares.


[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/683/santavz.jpg/][IMG]http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/9963/santavz.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Garry

[Happy Jack]

Just give it to someone special.

[chris_b]

[quote name='krispn' timestamp='1322085399' post='1446453']
....Have a listen then play along....
[/quote]
Why on earth would you want to play along?

[bremen]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1322133487' post='1446852']
Why on earth would you want to play along?
[/quote]

To drown it out.

[chris_b]

[quote name='bremen' timestamp='1322133554' post='1446853']
....To drown it out....
[/quote]
[size=4]Ha, ha. Cruel but true![/size]

[size=4]No one's going to play this in C# so all you have to do is play 8 beats (quavers) to the bar over these chords:[/size]
[size=4][font=Arial][color=#000000]C | C | Am | Am | F | F | G | G |[/color][/font][/size]

Edited November 24, 2011 by chris_b

[krispn]

We were actually playing it in D buy yeah out of tune synth sounds might be the culprit.
Why play along? Well it's Christmas isn't it silly

Maybe someone from these forums could write a decent Christmas song so the rest of us have something decent to play next year

[bremen]

[quote name='krispn' timestamp='1322141060' post='1447068']
We were actually playing it in D buy yeah out of tune synth sounds might be the culprit.
Why play along? Well it's Christmas isn't it silly

Maybe someone from these forums could write a decent Christmas song so the rest of us have something decent to play next year
[/quote]

I didn't write this, but here you go anyway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnthgtwQ-ok

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1322134198' post='1446870']
[size=4]Ha, ha. Cruel but true![/size]

[size=4]No one's going to play this in C# so all you have to do is play 8 beats (quavers) to the bar over these chords:[/size]
[size=4][font=Arial][color=#000000]C | C | Am | Am | F | F | G | G |[/color][/font][/size]
[/quote]

I hate this song but i'm so glad I know how to play it now.

[lowdown]

[quote name='EdwardHimself' timestamp='1322144522' post='1447157']
I hate this song but i'm so glad I know how to play it now.
[/quote]

But wrong..
3rd chord is 2 Minor.
Not that it really matters, or will indeed make it a happier Xmas.



Garry

Edited November 24, 2011 by lowdown

[dave_bass5]

We play this about twice a year, around Dec time funnily enough ;-). We normally just add it in to the middle of Stand by me, kills two birds with one stone.

[shannonpeevey]

Long dead thread, but I found it looking for the answer. A 435. The key of D. 

[Grimalkin]

"Tell me baby, do you recognize me?
Well, it's been eleven years, it doesn't surprise me..."

[PaulThePlug]

"Tell me baby what do you see?"...
I say "Cor baby that's really free".…

[Rich]

[MartinB]

The tuning's not even consistently wonky. In a lot of of digital copies, you can hear the playback being sped up at around 1:03 - right in the middle of a keyboard part, which then sounds out of tune with itself 🤣
 

 

 

[tauzero]

You're not getting me to click on that, I haven't been Whamageddoned yet.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whamageddon

[BreadBin]

  On 03/12/2022 at 20:56, tauzero said:

You're not getting me to click on that, I haven't been Whamageddoned yet.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whamageddon

Expand  

Yup, I'm still in too.

[uk_lefty]

  On 03/12/2022 at 09:43, Grimalkin said:

"Tell me baby, do you recognize me?
Well, it's been eleven years, it doesn't surprise me..."

Expand  

 

  On 03/12/2022 at 09:47, PaulThePlug said:

"Tell me baby what do you see?"...
I say "Cor baby that's really free".…

Expand  

 

  On 03/12/2022 at 13:25, MartinB said:

The tuning's not even consistently wonky. In a lot of of digital copies, you can hear the playback being sped up at around 1:03 - right in the middle of a keyboard part, which then sounds out of tune with itself 🤣
 

 

 

Expand  

You're surely not all suggesting that this was hurriedly slapped together and rushed out for a Christmas cash-in?? 🤔 😄😄😄

 

Wham can do no wrong, I love this song!!!