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Anyone here (still) playing "Low Rider?"

51PRI

51PRI

Aug 7, 2014
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#1
BL wants to learn "Low Rider." He's started playing harmonica on a few songs and that song has harmonica on it. I've playing it before, but not on bass, in another band and it never went over very well, and it's old, but that's okay, at least it's a song that's new to us, so we'll see.

I think I can do the bass part even though it's super repetitive and boring, but my question is about the guitar part. It's on the right side in the headphones and plays that one part throughout the entire song. Does anyone know what that part definitely is? YT video has something similiar but different from what I'm hearing.

I'm pretty sure our guitar player will (1) not work on the song at all, just planning on winging it, and (2) of course not hear and pick up on that part, which I think will add to the song, instead of just playing the chord. BTW is that song in G or Gm or just one of those where the 3rd is undefined?

I'm trying to decide whether to mention it to him or not.
 
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#3
Listening to it and I hear, very soft on the right channel, a repeated single note riff played by a guitar, something like (not the real notes) D-F-G, Bb-C-D, or something like that. Is that what you're talking about?

Also, I don't hear a lick of harmonica in the whole cut (I'm talking about the 3:10 minute studio cut we all remember). There's a repeated horn riff (trumpet and alto, it sounds like) and right at the end before the fade-out it sounds like a horn solo starting, with a few long held notes, alto I think. Listened to it twice now and NO HARMONICA. You could certainly extend the tune and put a harmonica solo in, it'd fit if done well.
 
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#4
turf3 said:
Listening to it and I hear, very soft on the right channel, a repeated single note riff played by a guitar, something like (not the real notes) D-F-G, Bb-C-D, or something like that. Is that what you're talking about?

Also, I don't hear a lick of harmonica in the whole cut (I'm talking about the 3:10 minute studio cut we all remember). There's a repeated horn riff (trumpet and alto, it sounds like) and right at the end before the fade-out it sounds like a horn solo starting, with a few long held notes, alto I think. Listened to it twice now and NO HARMONICA. You could certainly extend the tune and put a harmonica solo in, it'd fit if done well.
Click to expand...
Yes, that's the part. I'm trying to figure out exactly what those notes are. It's very low in the mix. And I think BL and LG both think that the signature lick of the song is on harmonica. I didn't think so but there are YT videos of people playing that part on harmonica.
 
#7
51PRI said:
Yes, that's the part. I'm trying to figure out exactly what those notes are. It's very low in the mix. And I think BL and LG both think that the signature lick of the song is on harmonica. I didn't think so but there are YT videos of people playing that part on harmonica.
Click to expand...
You mean the part that goes

333334513431?

That to my ears sounds like trumpet, alto, and a mallet instrument (vibes, marimba, or the like - probably actually a synth). No harmonica in there that I can tell.
 
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#8
Bunk McNulty said:
Haven't hauled this one out in a while. We used to play Mustang Sally (yes, really) and then segue into the song. We got a trumpet. Don't need no stinkin' harmonica.:D


Here's another one.
Click to expand...

But - but - but - you didn't duplicate the record exactly!!! How dare you play a hip tune in a slightly different way and get everyone up and dancing (did I see a nascent conga line there?) without doing it EXACTLY LIKE THE RECORD???

Fifty lashes with a wet noodle for y'all, from the "rock and roll must be fossilized in amber" folks!
 
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#9
turf3 said:
You mean the part that goes

333334513431?

That to my ears sounds like trumpet, alto, and a mallet instrument (vibes, marimba, or the like - probably actually a synth). No harmonica in there that I can tell.
Click to expand...
Yes, that's the part, the main signature part of the song. I guess I never really thought about what instrument was actually playing that part. When I played it before in a band I played that part on guitar. BL and LG in this band think it's a harmonica part.
 
#11
If your BL wants to play the signature riff on a harmonica who cares? It's either some sort of wind instrument (toy? like one of those handheld KBs that you blow into?) or KB doing that on the original. At least that's what I hear. But this wasn't your query.

My approach to situations where I hear something (in another's part) that they may not hear, is to ask if they are planning on doing that. When they say "doing what?" you have them listen for it and provide the directions to do so. Tell them you feel it' adds to the song. It's about all you can do without getting aggressive about it.

Whether they will do it or care is another matter.
 
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#13
turf3 said:
But - but - but - you didn't duplicate the record exactly!!! How dare you play a hip tune in a slightly different way and get everyone up and dancing (did I see a nascent conga line there?) without doing it EXACTLY LIKE THE RECORD???

Fifty lashes with a wet noodle for y'all, from the "rock and roll must be fossilized in amber" folks!
Click to expand...

As I often say: We aren't doing anything that somebody else hasn't done better. It's not a contest. The crowd doesn't care. At all.

Edit: The point of it is the crowd. Having a good time. "I'm not an artist; I'm in the service business." And the service we offer is--I sincerely hope, anyway--a few hours of happiness. Or maybe to just put away the daily grind for a while. For me, anyway, everything else is secondary.
 
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#19
Our 80's cover band does it occasionally in rotation with the "harmonica" part covered by the keyboardist playing a melodica. Our drummer, who has a low Barry White voice, sings it while the keyboardist hams it up with the melodica. Actually goes over pretty well for us at least in part because of the attitude we add (melodica and Barry White vocals). YMMV.
 
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