ALLEN HINDS solos over... Palm Drive
This month Allen demonstrates some funky rhythm and lead work over Palm Drive, a slick pop-funk backing track. With Jon Bishop.
Allen gets into the swing of his new series with a beautifully improvised solo over another original Jason Sidwell composition.
Last month we started with the first in a new series of six video masterclasses with LA session legend Allen Hinds. Each month one of the six performances will be transcribed and then analysed from a technique and music theory point view. You can then learn the techniques and concepts with a view to broadening your vocabulary and musicianship. The backing track and chord chart is included to practise with. In part two we are going to look at Jason Sidwell’s funky pop-style track, Palm Drive.
As Allen explains, his main focus at the beginning of the track is on creating simple, funky motifs and phrases that help to push the groove along. The wah-wah pedal is employed to great effect and really adds that funky edge. Allen explains he chose to use the wah-wah sound due to his knowledge of the R&B style. He also puts forward the notion that wah-wah work is percussive in nature so works best with a dry sound that’s not swimming in other effects like reverb. To add sophistication Allen plays along with the two unison riffs that form part of the backing track arrangement.
As the tonality is E minor, the main scale of choice is E Minor Pentatonic (E-G-A-B-D) and it is possible to make a lot happen with just these five notes. If a seven-note scale were to be used, E Dorian mode (E-F#-G-A-BC#-D) would be top choice as it contains no ‘avoid’ notes (tones that are dissonant against the chords). We have included fingerings for both of these scales to get you started.
When the chords change in the bridge section Allen skilfully negotiates these with stabs and simple melodies. He hammers home the concept of playing chord tones (arpeggio notes) as chords change. This helps the melodies to fit in with the chords and sounds very informed. Many players do this by ear, but it’s also worth setting a pathway or fretboard roadmap to navigate these target tones. When negotiating the changes in the video Allen demonstrates the powerful concept of singing the melodies you intend to play.
The notation contains all of the fingerings, articulations and phrasing from the video performance. It’d be well worth taking a close look at the way Allen fingers and picks the phrases. Hopefully there will be a new technique, lick or phrase in here somewhere for you to perfect. If you find one you like then memorise it and use it wherever the Dorian sound would be appropriate.
Once you have mastered some of the concepts in Allen’s solo why not try creating a solo of your own over the GT backing track. Have fun and I’ll see you next time.
NEXT MONTH Allen tackles odd time sections in Jason’s prog-rock track Magnificent
ALLEN PUTS FOR WARD THE NOTION THAT WAH - WAH IS PERCUSSIVE IN NAT URE SO WORK S BE ST WHEN NOT SWIMMING IN EFFECT S LIKE RE VERB