Black Magic Woman Intro Solo for CoreyT

[Em7]

Corey, here's my attempt at playing the intro solo to Santana's cover of "Black Magic Woman." I have never shot a video before today. I am embarrassed to admit how long it took me to shoot this video. It is very difficult to get everything right (lighting is very important). Chris (a.k.a. "Video Boy") makes it look so easy. My version is not note-for-note perfect, and there are a few timing and intonation issues; however, it's close enough that most people will not be able to tell the difference. The intro solo to "Black Magic Woman" is such an iconic solo that one has to hit all of the key phrases. While the first note that is struck is F, the song and the intro solo are in D Aeolian (a.k.a. D natural minor). F major is the relative major of D natural minor. Hopefully, I will get the opportunity to break the solo into phrases sometime in the near future.

 

[JustRob]

Nice work! I'm definitely going to pick up my guitar and give it a try.
Love your shirt. :laugh:

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Awesome, thanks for posting.

ps- loving the Korina Mira too

 

[Em7]

Thank you! I received a crash course in how not to shoot a video today.

The toughest part of the solo for me is the Gm arpeggio into the full step bend on the 13th fret of the high E string that occurs at time 0:56. The tempo on the backing track that I used for the video is also slightly faster than the original recording.

My kids gave me that shirt a couple of years ago.

 

[Em7]

Awesome, thanks for posting.

ps- loving the Korina Mira too

That guitar has been at your shop. You guys must have sprinkled fairy dust on it when I exercised the free set of pickups coupon that received from my dealer (a.k.a. "The Pusher"). The guitar came back a totally different animal.

 

[László]

Great video, and very nice playing!

You do play with more vibrato than the original, but you did a really nice job.

That record light goes on, and it's really hard to play well, so my hat is off to you!

 

[Em7]

Great video, and very nice playing!

Thanks.

You do play with more vibrato than the original, but you did a really nice job.

The vibrato is to keep the notes from dying out to early. I play with less vibrato when I play at louder volume levels because I can take advantage of mechanical feedback.

With that said, it sounds like electronic vibrato has been added to Carlos' guitar signal at time 0:24 on the original recording.

That record light goes on, and it's really hard to play well, so my hat is off to you!

I was all thumbs the first time the record light went on. Each iteration required me to create a new recording, restart the backing track, and carefully turn up the guitar before striking the first note. My hat goes off to anyone who does this type of work on a daily basis. It is really difficult to play under these conditions. When playing live, one can improvise if one misses a note. My goal while recording this video was to play the same thing every take, which proved to be pretty darn tough because I have never been a machine-like note-for-note guitarist.

 

[CoreyT]

Em7, thanks for posting, that was great!
I only know the part that picks up at 26 to 49 seconds.

One day I will make a video, but I am pretty embarrassed to put one out there

 

[Em7]

Em7, thanks for posting, that was great!
I only know the part that picks up at 26 to 49 seconds.

One day I will make a video, but I am pretty embarrassed to put one out there

The last part of the solo is fairly easy. It's just a descending D minor pentatonic run into D blues (minor pentatonic with the addition of a raised 4th/lowered 5th scale) on the A string into D natural minor on the low E string, finishing into a Dm7 chord.

I respect anyone who has the courage to post a video on YouTube. There is little doubt in my mind that I am going to get my fair share of hecklers.

 

[László]

With that said, it sounds like electronic vibrato has been added to Carlos' guitar signal at time 0:24 on the original recording.

Hard to tell.

As you probably know, Carlos likes the feedback interaction between amp and pickup, and records LOUD. So as his note sustains and feeds back, and he manipulates it further (changing the frequency slightly) it can "beat" acoustically, and sound like an electronic effect. I've had this happen in my own recordings when I've gone a little nuts with volume.

But as I said, I think you did a terrific job. What happens with me -- especially when clients are present -- is that the record light goes on, and suddenly I'm pressing the strings too hard, my fingers feel like each one weighs 1000 pounds, and I feel like I can't play a lick!

On keys, no problem, I can play without any strain 100% of the time. Lots of years performing on keys, even as a child.

But you know how football announcers will say a quarterback will "press" too hard, and throw interceptions? I can be that way on guitar as soon as that red light goes on. I have no idea why. I can practice the part smoothly, with good touch, yet suddenly I'm an untrained gorilla if recording.

I have a ton of musical respect for what you did.

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

Cracking job on this Em7!!!

I still find doing videos a little tough. It's not too bad nowadays but it doesn't feel natural to me. It does, however, get a lot easier.

Look forward to seeing some more!

 

[aristotle]

Sounds great Em7! I find it easier to do audio only, and just to attach the audio to a few still images to generate a video rather than to show a real-time video of me. Of course that approach doesn't work well as an instructional video. Anyway, great job!!

 

[Em7]

ps- loving the Korina Mira too

My Mira Korina is my favorite PRS guitar.

 

[Em7]

Corey, the entire intro solo can be played in the minor/major pattern that I have been discussing for the last few weeks with the addition of one note from the D blues scale. The blue note is only played during the final descending run. The tune is fun in that one can just noodle in D natural minor over the progression (Dm7/A7/Gm). The progression is even easier to noodle over if one uses all minor seventh chords (Dm7/Am7/Gm7). The final note in the intro solo is a one and one half step bend, which is a big bend. The note numbered 5 (17th fret) on the 1st string (high E) is bent up in pitch equal to the note numbered 7 (20th fret).

D Natural Minor (a.k.a. D Aeolian) w/ a blue note

 

[CoreyT]

Thanks em7, I will have to print this out.

 

[Raven17]

Nice! It's been at least 10 years since I've heard that......it won't be 10 years for my next.....hhhmmmmm......iTunes here I come.

 

[rugerpc]

One day I will make a video, but I am pretty embarrassed to put one out there

If *I* can post a vid, so can you. We are under no obligation to tell how many takes it took. Besides, some of our members have trouble with really big numbers...

 

[rugerpc]

I respect anyone who has the courage to post a video on YouTube. There is little doubt in my mind that I am going to get my fair share of hecklers.

Change the permissions on youtube to 'unlisted' - that way it won't show up in searches or lists. only people who have the link can see your video.

 

[Em7]

Change the permissions on youtube to 'unlisted' - that way it won't show up in searches or lists. only people who have the link can see your video.

I believe in sharing what I know, so I made the video public. If only one person gains insight from my video, then it will be worth dealing with the hecklers.

 

[jfb]

Nice work. I shoot a few videos for clients and understand very well the effort it takes. Thanks for taking the time.