Black Velvet riff. Why is this so hard?

[Marley's Ghost]

There is one riff in Allanah Myles "Black Velvet" that just twists me in knots. New band has added it and I can't seem to wrap my head or hands around it. It's the fourth bar and starts after the second note. It repeats several times. Any suggestions?

 

[silky smoove]

Is it the descending I-V-I pattern from Gb to F that’s getting, you, or is it the Eb-Bb-Gb resolution, or is the lightly swung cadence to the whole thing?

 

[Michedelic]

FYI, it was done on a synth, specifically a fretless bass sample. I’m not sure how that might affect your playing, though.

 

[Marley's Ghost]

Is it the descending I-V-I pattern from Gb to F that’s getting, you, or is it the Eb-Bb-Gb resolution, or is the lightly swung cadence to the whole thing?

All of it

FYI, it was done on a synth, specifically a fretless bass sample. I’m not sure how that might affect your playing, though.

That explains it. I think I'm just going to skip it or dumb it down somehow.

 

[Wasnex]

If you don't know, this was originally played by a synth. That being said, I think it's a nice bass line.

I assume you are playing on a detuned 4-string rather than an extended range instrument with low B.

What fingering system do you use?

What part of the lick do you find challenging?

I use One Finger Per Fret and the lick as notated is fairly easy, but it requires me to modify my technique. I play mostly on my finger tips. With this lick I bar the 4th finger, 3rd finger, and 1st finger. I play this all in one position without any pivots or shifts. However, I have to reset my hand shape a bit for each fret. In other words barring 4, barring 3, barring 1 all require different hand shapes. The lick as I play it is somewhat taxing, but that is okay because it's only played occasionally.

If necessary, you could consider simplifying the line or make up something else that fits. I doubt anyone will notice but other bass players. Then you can point out it's a synth part.

 

[newwavefrank]

That doesnt look quite right to me. I always thought it was something like this. TBH I never played it this way. I do the same riff but play the Lower E's an octave higher. It actually sounds cool and flows better that way IMO

I think I play it like this:

 

[silky smoove]

All of it

Fair enough. If you think of it as Gb with a fifth below, then F with a fifth below the lick, as-written, becomes pretty natural or at least it did when I just grabbed a bass and tried it. The Eb-Bb-Gb descending lick at the end is the trickiest bit to play perfectly cleanly without voicing a diad on the way down to Gb for me, but it’s all doable. I’m sure with a bit of practice you’ll be able to nail it.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Band I played it in played it in E. As in Easy. Don't get me wrong, we did "I Wish" in Eb.

 

[pbass74]

I struggled with that too but finally got a reasonable facsimile of it that nobody else cared about anyway. There are some good YouTube videos that are helpful. Search for "Black Velvet bass cover". It's been a couple of years since I played it, so I'll have to go back and see if I still can.
Oh, and we played it in "E" as well.

 

[Shenron]

I played this a bunch of times on my own. I don't remember exactly the notes on the 4th bar. What makes the groove work for me, in addition to (obviously) keeping a good shuffle rhythm, is to mark those last G (or Gb if playing in Eb) notes on both bars 2 and 4 with a slight (e.g. quarter-tone) bending.

 

[Marc valero]

I think I missed one note in that when I played it, just get something you can play there that works and you can replicate without a problem. I remember relearning this for another band and both guitarist apparently didn't review it before a gig, so I was the only one playing it correctly all the way through.

 

[mcnach]

There is one riff in Allanah Myles "Black Velvet" that just twists me in knots. New band has added it and I can't seem to wrap my head or hands around it. It's the fourth bar and starts after the second note. It repeats several times. Any suggestions?


View attachment 7029274

It's one of those that you're better off starting very slow, getting the right notes, and then repeat. It quickly 'clicks' and becomes easy to play.

By the way, that tab... sounds nothing like the record, ditch it.

Try this, slow it down to 0.75 or even 0.5 if you have to, and get the notes right... and you'll get it, I'm sure. Just start slow and ensure you ahve the right notes first.

 

[mcnach]

That doesnt look quite right to me. I always thought it was something like this. TBH I never played it this way. I do the same riff but play the Lower E's an octave higher. It actually sounds cool and flows better that way IMO
View attachment 7029324

This sounds more like it

 

[5StringBlues]

I go meow

 

[burgerdj]

I subbed for a band with this song in the list. The synth/production version makes it sound more difficult than it is. The main challenge is getting the timing right - so the band needs to be dialed in. It’s basically a series of descending triplets with a bit of a slide back to the root. I play it on a five string, which helps keep all movement between the 5th and 9th fret.

 

[BadB]

This guy plays it spot on, or at least very close.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

That doesnt look quite right to me. I always thought it was something like this. TBH I never played it this way. I do the same riff but play the Lower E's an octave higher. It actually sounds cool and flows better that way IMO
View attachment 7029324

I think I play it like this:
View attachment 7029327

I know the original bass line was recorded on the synth, but I've found a video where the bass player @ 1.23 pretends to play it live.
You can see his fingering and shifting while playing that fill.




Here is another video where Ariane Cap is teaching that bass fill.

Talking Technique: Black Velvet - Nail That Fill

Alannah Myles’ iconic tune “Black Velvet” features a fill that is pretty challenging. Originally played with synth bass, we might be tasked to play that line. Ari covers this (and all the benefits) in this episode of “Talking Technique.”

www.notreble.com

 

[pmatz2]

So I did my best - listened to the first 9 measures to get to the lick your asking about,

So a 5 string and 4 string version (tuned down 1/2 step) to nail the record with a 4 string would need tune Db Ab Db Gb drop D down a 1/2 step
Swung eight notes for both

Your call on if it work with your band

 

[2112]

Here's how I play it on a fiver tuned BEADG:

 

[Whousedtoplay]

Here's how I play it on a fiver tuned BEADG:

View attachment 7030205

I'm not very good at TAB, but I think you don't play the correct fill.
The first triplet should be:

The second triplet should be: