Stub Mandrel Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 Why do four-note chromatic runs work so well (at least in some genres - blues and rock especially)? And why do they tend work best in certain parts of the scale (e.g.up to the fifth or the root of a major scale)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodge_bass Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 Can you give some more specific examples? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted January 4, 2021 Author Share Posted January 4, 2021 1 hour ago, dodge_bass said: Can you give some more specific examples? Heroes. Stay with Me Sunny Afternoon (actually descending, they are usually ascending...) Fool for Your Lovin' The Real Me Can't Get Enough And most famously, Hey Joe Is that enough for a start? Very often, but not always, as a part of a walking link. Also often in pairs going up a fifth or down a fourth. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky 4000 Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 Did you know, Wilton Felder managed to get six in a row, in the verse of 'I Want You Back' (The Jackson 5). 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinnyman Posted January 4, 2021 Share Posted January 4, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said: Why do four-note chromatic runs work so well (at least in some genres - blues and rock especially)? And why do they tend work best in certain parts of the scale (e.g.up to the fifth or the root of a major scale)? As I understand it (and I could well be talking out of my fundament)... If you’re going up to the fifth you’ll be playing the major 3rd, 4th, flat 5th (the “blue note”) and 5th which will work nicely in a rock blues setting so long as the flat fifth is just a passing tone. If you’re going to the root you’re playing the 6th, flat 7, major 7 and root. Again, that flat 7/major 7 in a rock/blues context works nicely as passing tones before resolving to the root. In both cases, you’re introducing a note that clashes slightly before resolving it on the fifth or the root. Theres probably a better explanation but that’s how I’ve explained it to myself.... Edited January 4, 2021 by Skinnyman 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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