Hi, My band plays this tune in this style. Can someone help me with the notes that Buterfield is playing in the solo starting at around 1:40? I can something that sounds okay is somewhat along the lines of what he's doing, but definitely not right. Even when I use the Amazing Slowdowner I still have trouble nailing the early part of the solo.
I'll narrow it down for you. He uses these notes (but not in this order):
Blow 1 Draw 1 Draw 2, 2-semitone bend Draw 2 Blow 3 (maybe once) Draw 3, 1-semitone bend Draw 3, 2-semitone bend Blow 4 Draw 4 (sometimes bent) Draw 5
In other words, no Blow 2 and no Blow 5. And nothing higher than Draw 5.
Try playing this series of notes in both ascending order from Blow 1 up and in descending order from Draw 5 down. You'll start to hear a lot of what he's playing just by following that pathway. =========== Winslow
I can respect your Slaphappy's point of view, but if Rgsccr and his band can get a close arrangement of this working, I think it will be a big crowd pleaser.
There is a lot to know & learn in Winslow's reply. I think I will take that to heart. I wonder if Paul Butterfield was consciously telling himself to stay off 2&5 blow on that riff?
If one follows the link that presents itself after that version of "Walking blues" one comes to a much subtler and more interesting version of the tune, "New walking blues", barely a decade later in Butterfield´s discography.
I don't think Butterfield was thinking of what *not* to play (2 and 5 blow).
But I do think he was going for a particular sound color and flow that comes from using mostly draw notes and getting that darker sound of bent Draw 2 and Draw 5, and doesn't include the choppier sound of going to blow notes much or using the sunnier sound of those particular blow notes. =========== Winslow