BS-222 • Chocolate Jesus - Tom Waits

[Indigo]

Lesson Link: http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BS-222-ChocolateJesus-TomWaits.php

Questions...

[marty.rheaume]

What would be the scale to use to solo with this? Would it be the equivalent of the a minor pentatonic relative to the capo?

[shadowscott007]

Yes, for the most part.  A minor pentatonic or A natural minor.  (Actual chords Eb minor, Ab minor, and Bb based on the capo location.)

Some care and attention is required over the major V chord.  The major third isn't in the scales.

Shadow

[batwoman]

Just found Chocolate Jesus in my songbook. What a hoot of a song. Particularly love the lyrics of the bridge, they crack me up every time  .  I love it and it's fun to sing. I'm using the Beth Hart version with no capo as it suits my voice better. Can someone tell me what key it's in with no capo? Is is A? And what key is it in if the capo is on the 6th fret as Justin demonstrates?

[TB-AV]

Eb minor at 6th.

Am no capo

The V chord is made Major which is a near necessity so it sounds like it's starting over.

Whatever key you play it in... when you play the V chord.. just play the Major of teh tonic Key there.

IOw... Eb Key... play Eb minor... then on the V chord play Eb Maj

If you play it open.. play A Major over the V chord... Am Dm E ... play A Major over that E. .. .and pay attention to how it sounds... because the powerful note in the E chord will be one fret away from your Root note of the Key of A.

[batwoman]

The V chord is made Major which is a near necessity so it sounds like it's starting over.

Thanks very much TB-AV. The bit about the V chord is beyond me at the moment. Do you mean the Emajor? One of the things I need to learn is how to identify the key. Still mucking around with a key to suit my voice. Really appreciate your help. Good vibe to you and happy guitar playing   

[TB-AV]

Yes, that last chord that makes everything sound like "here we go again"

When you play that E it sounds like "ok, don't stay here long, go back to the other chords"

There is one note in that chord that makes it sound that way. It's the 3rd. Which is also the 7th of A.

If you play any scale long enough, and then play the 7th, your ear will automatically say "get off that note and back to the Root"   ... and that note is only one fret away.

It's almost like you are missed the note you meant to play by one fret, so you slide up one and everything sounds good. But since the chord has two other notes, it doesn't sound quite that bad and in fact sounds interesting. It gives it that "end of the circle" sound.... here we go again.


Am
Dm
E -- this E implies E7 or Dom7. Dom7 chords are always Major as the 3rd is required to be a Major 3rd such that it resolves by 1/2 step ( one fret ) to the Tonic (Root Key )

The 3rd of Em is G... but E7 or E is G#. Notice that in Key of A... The G# is one fret lower than A... It is the 7th of the Scale.

A B C# D E F# G#   

Play around on those notes then hit G#. I guarantee you that when you do, you will want to slide your finger up to A right after that, and it will sound finished.

The minor progression gets you so laid back that if you play Am Dm Em it just seems kinda boring and no movement. So that E chord with just that one note changed is just enough without being too much. It turns it around.

[batwoman]

What a great explanation TV-AB, so good in fact I'm going to copy it into my theory book. The 7th chords are my fave, particularly B7. So much to learn, then the fun of incorporating what I've learned into my playing, but just for now, I'm still at the fumble fingered beginner stage, dreaming, dreaming, dreaming.

[TB-AV]

The 7th chords are my fave, particularly B7.

That's where the magic happens. When you hear guys like Robben Ford and such play a phrase and you think "what was that!"... it was probably over a Dom7 chord and landed on the Home Key Root.

You can play play all manner of stuff over that chord.... but... the timing and feeling has to be impeccable for it to really sound cool.

[batwoman]

Wow TV-AB, what fantastic info. I've copied it and printed it off and in a while I'll have a go at what you've suggested. Thanks so much for taking the time to share this info, really appreciate it 

[batwoman]

This question might make you experienced players cringe, especially blues players, sorry for my beginners ignorance  I've spent the afternoon learning the 12 bar blues and variations (BC183 and BC194). I've had so much fun! My question is, can I use this idea for Chocolate Jesus, which is an 8 bar song?  I want it to sound blues. My rhythm isn't instinctive and nor do I stay in the groove for long. Playing the wrong string here and there doesn't help.  I'm playing it with no capo, so from what TB-AV said in response to an earlier question, it's in Am.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

[Dr Winterbourne]

The shuffle rhythm definitely works on this song. When using the chunka chunka power-chordy type of chords from this lesson I found that the song lost its 'minor blues' feel. If you had other instruments keeping it sounding minor, then it could work. For me, though, this song works so well with the bass two  fifth and four rhythm on the full chords that I play it that way, but the shuffle rhythm works, especially if you are stretching it out for someone else's solo or whatever. Dude, if it sounds good...

[batwoman]

Thanks very much Dr W. Glad it wasn't a really stoopid question. It's a good way of challenging myself and getting to grips with a new rhythm. When I get better at playing it this way I'll come and back ask you to explain  "For me, though, this song works so well with the bass two  fifth and four rhythm on the full chords that I play it that way" At the moment I don't know enough to understand what you are saying. Thanks again, good vibe to you.

[Dr Winterbourne]

I'll just leave this here for you:

A major chord is made up of three notes from the Major Scale - the first note, call the root, the third note of the scale, and the fifth note of the scale. To make a minor chord, you flatten the third by a semitone (ie, by one fret.) Power chords are just the root note and the fifth.

One way to play this song is to use a rhythm pattern where you play, on the first beat, the root note. So, on the one you just play the open A string (ignoring the capo.) This is what I called 'bass' above. Then, on beat two, you strum the treble strings. So, 'Bass two' is the first two beats of the bar. You could play this with a pick, but I tend to use my thumb on the fifth string and my index finger to strum down.

Now, the notes in A major are A, C#, E. These are the first, third and fifth notes of the A major scale. You notice that the fifth is E. On beat three of the bar, I play the open E string. So now we have Bass Two Fifth. And to end,  I strum up on the 'and' after beat three, where I played the fifth on the open E string, and strum down again on beat four. This is what I meant by 'bas two fifth and four.'

Similar rhythms are used in Johnny Cash songs (boom chicka), where boom is the bass or the fifth and chicka is down and up on the treble strings. The A Team by Ed Sheeran can also have a related pattern.

[batwoman]

After reading this several times and trying it on my guitar ... I get it.  It was actually easier to do it than read it. Thanks Dr Winterbourne for this explanation. I'm trying out the strum Justin demonstrates in the latter part of the video. Base note (1), DU (2+) Base U (3+)  D U (4+). At the moment I'm working my way through the Beginners Songbooks for the second time to learn what I didn't the first time and to develop my skills and knowledge. Thanks again so much for your help 

The other thing I've been meaning to thank you for is Robben Fords name - new to me. I've been enjoying his music very much.