DIAL TONE

What They Use: Moore recorded “Still Got the Blues” with his vintage, 1959 Les Paul Standard through a Marshall Guv’nor overdrive pedal, plugged into a Marshall JTM45 Reissue amp, push- ing a Marshall 4x12 cabinet loaded with Electro-Voice 12M speakers.

How to Get the Sound: A Humbucking-equipped solidbody through a Marshall amp (or other British-voiced amplifier) is the starting point. Push the gain to a good crunch level, and then slam it with an overdrive pedal (such as the Fulltone OCD) to capture that essential, “Gary-Moore” sustain. Boosting the mids on the amp will also add sustain, as well as clarity and defini- tion. A touch of reverb (try the Boss RV-5) and digital delay (such as the Boss DD-3 or Line 6 DL4) will put the icing on the cake. Use a chorus pedal (try a Boss CH-1) for the rhythm parts.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL, FREE "STILL GOT THE BLUES" TAB IN THE GUITAR EDGE FEB. '10 DIGITAL EDITION

“Still Got the Blues” Gary Moore
Everyone knows that Stevie Ray Vaughan turned a multitude of rock guitarists onto the blues in 1983 with his debut, Texas Flood. But history points to Gary Moore’s 1990 release, Still Got the Blues, as the album responsible for getting hard-rock and metal players hip to the power of the blues. Adrenalyzing blues standards and blues- based originals (such as the title track) with his hard-rocking, metal- edged tones, Moore struck a chord and caught the ears of legions of Marshall-stack worshippers the world over.

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 THE CHORD PROGRESSIONS
One of the most intriguing aspects of “Still Got the Blues” is the chordal harmony. One listen (or glance at the transcription) and it’s evident these aren’t your average rock changes! Actually, the progressions are based on ii–V–I, jazz changes; the sort used in songs such as “Autumn Leaves” and “Fly Me to the Moon.” For the most part, the song hovers around the key of A minor, but the verses actually start out with a ii–V–I–IV cadence (Dm7–Dm7/G [a.k.a. G9sus4]–Cmaj7–Fmaj7) in the relative key of C major, followed by a modulation to the key of A minor, via a ii–V–i (Bm7♭5–E7– Am) progression. [The Asus2/B is used as a passing chord to set up the Am/C, which can be viewed as a first-inversion Am chord.] The second half of the verse begins with the ii–V–I–IV in C major, and concludes with an extended ii–V cadence (Bm7♭5–E5) in A minor.

Both the Chorus and Bridge stay in the key of A minor, but include some interesting substitutions. The Chorus (the bluesiest section of the tune) begins with a i–v–i–IV7 (Am–Em7–Am–D9) pattern, followed by a %VI7–V7–i (F9–E7#9–Am) wrapup. The Bridge is based on a softer-sounding ii–V–i (Bm7–E9–Am) sequence (Bm7 provides a smooth substitution for the Bm7♭5), with a ♭VI–v–iv–i (Fmaj7–Em7– Dm7–Am) resolution.

DEALING WITH 6/8 TIME
The song is transcribed in 6/8 time: six beats to the bar; eighth note gets the beat. If you’re unfamiliar with this meter, Fig. 1 offers some basic breakdowns and counting tactics you can use for help in deciphering the rhythms.

RHYTHM GUITAR
Many of the rhythm guitar parts are based on rolling arpeggio figures (notes of the chord are played in succession, one string at a time). The most recurring part is Riff A, which is established in measures 1–6 of the Intro. Make sure you arch your fretting fingers over the top of the fretboard, allowing the strings to ring clearly. Other parts include chunky, palm-muted chords at the end of the verse sections, and rhythmic, staccato chord stabs in the choruses. Regarding the latter, quickly lift your fretting fingers off the fretboard after each chord attack, but keep your fingers lightly resting on the strings so they won’t ring out.

THE LEADWORK
Moore opens the tune with a strong melodic hook—so strong in fact, that he uses it (in various permutations) as the launching pad for the lion’s share of his hot licks in the solo sections. Devised from the C major (C–D–E–F–G–A–B) and relative A minor scale (A–B– C–D–E–F–G), it’s a well-crafted melody that targets, and nails the chord tones of the changes: ♭3rd (F) of Dm7, 5th (D) of the G9sus4 (Dm7/G), 3rd (E) of Cmaj7, 5th (C) of Fmaj7, ♭3rd (D) of Bm7♭5, 5th (B) of E7, and root (A) of Am. In every fill (check out the second verse), melodic line (in particular, measures 25–29 of the Outro Solo), and incendiary passage (don’t miss how he wraps the A harmonic minor scale [A–B–C–D–E–F–G#] around the E7 chords in measures 22 and 30 of the Outro Solo), it’s evident that Moore is keenly aware (either by theory, ear, or intuition) of the chords he is soloing over at the time. Arguably, this is what makes this performance so influential and enduring for aspiring rock guitarists.

Before you tackle the lead lines in the song, it will be helpful to get a handle on the melodic structure of the main hook. Fig. 2 offers a straightforward rendition (without bends and rhythmic inflections) of the heart of the melody. Get this passage under your fingers, and transpose it to different octaves in other areas of the fretboard. Doing so will help you understand Moore’s approach to many of his solo lines.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL, FREE "STILL GOT THE BLUES" TAB IN THE GUITAR EDGE FEBRUARY 2010 DIGITAL EDITION

 

Want more? Check out these cool links at guitaredge.com

•    Get Gary Moore Greatest Hits guitar tab book at musicdispatch.com
•    Download “Still Got the Blues” from iTunes
•    Check out Gary Moore online at gary-moore.com
•    Check out Gary Moore’s Signature BFG Gibson Les Paul at gibson.com

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