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Thread: Bodhisattva...won't you take me by the hand...

  1. #1
    Forum Member Rickenjangle's Avatar
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    Bodhisattva...won't you take me by the hand...

    I'm pondering auditioning for a band with horns that plays this song...among others. I've always wanted to play lead guitar in a large band with horns.

    anyway, listening through some of their repertoire...well, let's just say that Bodhisattva is way above my head, conceptually, and there is one spot where the guitar and keyboard play a lick that I don't think I can cop...it's kind of like a Flight of the Bumblebee lick.

    How would you all go about learning this? I can buy the actual guitar transcription, but that only gets me so far...and I have some freeware that allows you to slow down a song...but still, I have NO IDEA where the guitar player's head is at on this one.

    "I'm gonna find myself a girl
    that can show me what laughter means
    And we'll fill in the missing colors
    In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."

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    Re: Bodhisattva...won't you take me by the hand...

    I'd listen to some live Steely Dan recordings of that song from recent years. On the original recording, the line you refer to is a call and response between the organ and the guitar. In many other live versions they do that between the horn section and the guitar, but the guitarist (Jon Herington in the last decade+) doesn't parrot the line back to the horns, he does his own thing. Nothing wrong with that at all. It's all about playing something that works in the moment.

    That said, yes, you could certainly use slow-down software/hardware to learn the original line because it actually isn't that hard once you figure it out, but it will require some woodshedding to get it up to speed once you learn it.

    That song is a blast because it's really just a Blues that goes a couple other places instead V-IV-I at the end of the form, and there are certain things I think the guitarist should play to be true to the song (such as doubling that horn line before the verses), but I don't think playing that "flight of the bumblebee" section note for note is at all necessary.

    My two cents, if it helps.

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    Forum Member Rickenjangle's Avatar
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    Re: Bodhisattva...won't you take me by the hand...

    Thanks for the info Pete.

    I actually just got off the phone with my wife, who confirmed what I was thinking on the way into work - with meaty tunes like this and a weekly practice schedule and at least 2 gigs a week, I can't take on the endeavor anyway. BUT - for my own development as a guitarist I'm gonna tackle some of the more challenging Dan stuff, as well as some of the early Terry Kath/Chicago stuff.

    Just because I love it...perhaps then in the future when my schedule opens up...I'll be ready.

    I have my own band that I barely have time to rehearse, and a duo thing that I've just begun.

    My wife is a great lady, and very supportive, but when I reminded her I was going to practice with the new outfit thursday night she reminded me that I already have two projects going.

    "I'm gonna find myself a girl
    that can show me what laughter means
    And we'll fill in the missing colors
    In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."

  4. #4
    Forum Member refin's Avatar
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    Re: Bodhisattva...won't you take me by the hand...

    Good old Denny Dias.
    "My flesh and my heart fail...but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
    PS. 73:26

    MY JAMS--
    http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...&content=music

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    Forum Member Rickenjangle's Avatar
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    Re: Bodhisattva...won't you take me by the hand...

    Just got off the phone with the bandleader. They want me to hold off on deciding - and that they're thinking of changing the practice venue to a place 2 miles (instead of 25 miles) away from me. Now I'm getting excited, a bit...

    "I'm gonna find myself a girl
    that can show me what laughter means
    And we'll fill in the missing colors
    In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."

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    Forum Member thegeezer's Avatar
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    Re: Bodhisattva...won't you take me by the hand...

    Hope you enjoy yourself John!!!

  7. #7
    Forum Member Rickenjangle's Avatar
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    Re: Bodhisattva...won't you take me by the hand...

    Thanks Jerry.

    I'm going to check 'em out this Thursday and then next week (if I make the grade - and if THEY do) - I think they're moving their practice venue to Fairport...

    "I'm gonna find myself a girl
    that can show me what laughter means
    And we'll fill in the missing colors
    In each other's paint-by-number dreams..."

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