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Sweet Home Alabama

#21
Yeah don't worry about modes at all. You've picked out the root notes of the changes, now just listen hard and play along. The original bassline is actually pretty fun to play with some cool riffs and fills. Good lesson right there. Once you have the original down then you can think about going off and making it your own.
 
#22
It may sound simple but there are a ton of very subtle little nuances in all of the Skynrd songs. After many years of playing them you start to see what was being done. This is true of most Bass players. Little "Signature moves" that make the song special. Yes even in Sweet Home Alabama.
 
#24
ElectroVibe said:
The song is actually in D (not G). It uses the chords D, C, G, F. Or some variation of them. There is no 5 chord. G is the 4 chord, not the root.
Click to expand...

Pacman said:
This is where you learn that all the theory in the world won't help if you don't use your ears. The tune is in D.
Click to expand...

I would say unequivocally that the tune is in G not D. While the D7 is not played by the guitars, it is clearly implied. If you played a descending scalar line over the D chord, you'd use a c natural not a c#. So the V function is implied. It's V IV I of GMajor.

If you feel where the flow of the song falls, the resting point is the GMajor which further defines the tonic as G.
 
#25
I have a degree in theory, but to learn this song I didn't think of any of it. I just picked out the bass line and learned it. But, if you just wanna analyze it for the heck of it, well that's different. It's not necessary, though.
 
#26
FretlessMainly said:
I would say unequivocally that the tune is in G not D. While the D7 is not played by the guitars, it is clearly implied. If you played a descending scalar line over the D chord, you'd use a c natural not a c#. So the V function is implied. It's V IV I of GMajor.

If you feel where the flow of the song falls, the resting point is the GMajor which further defines the tonic as G.
Click to expand...

Listening to it now...

D...C....G, repeat ad nauseum....

It may land on the G, but no, it's in D.

I can see why it sounds that way, especially when you break it down as V IV I, but the I sounds like a half-cadence instead of a final cadence...

So it really is a I-VII-IV progression. It's been a while since I took theory, but that VII may be a secondary dominant instead of a VII chord....If my fading theory knowledge is correct, that would make it a I-V/IV (5 of 4)-IV progression.
And that explains why it feels as if he "lands" on the G chord.


Regardless, it's D-C-G ad nauseum. Call it whatever numbers you like, those don't change. And it's a lot of fun!
 
#27
bander68 said:
It may land on the G, but no, it's in D.
Click to expand...

This is partly why "garage rock" often defies analysis using diatonic theory. When I play tunes like this, I think in four-pitch chords regardless of whether the chords are played as simple triads or not. If the tune is in D, then you'd play a D Major scale over at least some of it, correct? That C# is gonna sound...well, I don't need to say.

At the end of the day, I play a G Major scale over the whole tune, and I've played guitar on this tune as well as bass.
 
#28
Pacman said:
This is where you learn that all the theory in the world won't help if you don't use your ears. The tune is in D.
Click to expand...

This made me laugh out loud!

I'm not much on my theory, but I really hate having to sing in the key of D. (Just not my key) I'm always the guy that has to sing Sweet Home AL, and if I don't growl my way through it, it sounds like crap!

Based on my own experience with this song, I wholeheartedly concur with Pacman's assessment, for all the wrong reasons!
 
#29
bander68 said:
Listening to it now...

D...C....G, repeat ad nauseum....

It may land on the G, but no, it's in D.

I can see why it sounds that way, especially when you break it down as V IV I, but the I sounds like a half-cadence instead of a final cadence...

So it really is a I-VII-IV progression. It's been a while since I took theory, but that VII may be a secondary dominant instead of a VII chord....If my fading theory knowledge is correct, that would make it a I-V/IV (5 of 4)-IV progression.
And that explains why it feels as if he "lands" on the G chord.


Regardless, it's D-C-G ad nauseum. Call it whatever numbers you like, those don't change. And it's a lot of fun!
Click to expand...

wouldn't a VII be a IV of IV?
 
#30
FretlessMainly said:
I would say unequivocally that the tune is in G not D. While the D7 is not played by the guitars, it is clearly implied. If you played a descending scalar line over the D chord, you'd use a c natural not a c#. So the V function is implied. It's V IV I of GMajor.

If you feel where the flow of the song falls, the resting point is the GMajor which further defines the tonic as G.
Click to expand...

Listen to where it resolves to, man. The end of the song, when you feel "at rest" is the D.

My take: the b7 (C) is a substitute for V (they share two tones), and so you're getting a modified I-V-IV progression. Others may not hear it that way, and there are probably 20 more ways to analyze it. But I stand by my assessment - the song is in D. Every day of the week.
 
#31
Man this is over-analysis of Sweet Home Alabama. That is one of those songs where everybody likes to sing along and dance to it, but nobody pays attention to the bass. Whew!
 
#33
Pacman said:
Listen to where it resolves to, man. The end of the song, when you feel "at rest" is the D.

My take: the b7 (C) is a substitute for V (they share two tones), and so you're getting a modified I-V-IV progression. Others may not hear it that way, and there are probably 20 more ways to analyze it. But I stand by my assessment - the song is in D. Every day of the week.
Click to expand...

The confusion some folks may have is a mode 'mix'. It's in D and yet there's those minor & major tones used during the guitar solo.

There was a great thread a year or 2 ago about Mustang Sally and the musician's tendencies to fake it rather than learn what actual notes where being used. Sweet Home & Mustang Sally share similar structures and share similar tensions between the mode mixes.

It can only be done note perfect when the drummer, rythym guitarist and bassist all get the details down right.
 
#35
My question was about this TYPE of song and any other like it which uses the flat-7 chord. I've realized it's simple. Just play by ear, I think.

I'm getting the impression that a person could get a degree in music theory and still be tone-deaf. What's more important is to understand and apply the theory that you do know. If you are tone-deaf (or don't have a musical ear) it seems like useless knowledge.
 
#36
To say this song has a true key is kinda stretching theory.
What key contains D7, C7, & G7? Just a simple blues based rock tune not following set rules of strict diatonic harmony.
Blues has it's own set of characteristics. To my ear you could say it either centers on either D or G. D because D7 is the beginning chord of the progression, but the song spends so much time down on the G7 that G also feels like home. G7 is not the V7 of D, FWIW - so one could argue on this point.

Fun song to play! Wilkeson was no slouch and the original bass part is fun to play.
Follows the lead guitar on the riff between verses and riff leading into the choruses.

In the choruses the bass has push beats (anticipation accents) played along with the drums on the 1st and 3rd lines. Plays it straight, but on the off beats on the 2nd and 4th lines.

The bass part behind the guitar solos is a nice little bumpy line playing little walkups to the roots of C7 and G7. Once on G7 hits the root and jumps up to play the 6th and 7th notes of the G7 chord (E note & F note) then hits the 4th (C note) to lead back to D.

Not super sophisticated stuff, but fun little signature characteristics that move the song along. Worth investigating. Whether one chooses to learn this song note for note is up to the individual, but it feels so good and fun to play I would stick pretty close to what Wilkerson does.
 
#37
ElectroVibe said:
My question was about this TYPE of song and any other like it which uses the flat-7 chord.
Click to expand...

Assuming there is a bVII chord in this piece, which I firmly believe that there is not.

ElectroVibe said:
I'm getting the impression that a person could get a degree in music theory and still be tone-deaf. What's more important is to understand and apply the theory that you do know. If you are tone-deaf (or don't have a musical ear) it seems like useless knowledge.
Click to expand...

If the song is in D, I'm still wondering why those guitarists keep playing c natural in their licks.

Leeme ask a stupid question: by "D" do you mean DMajor or "garage band D?"
 
#38
Have so many people never heard of the flat-7 chord before? It's such a common chord in rock music and people act like it's some strange thing. With some classic rock it's uncommon NOT to use it.

Try singing the song by playing any chord other than D. It won't work. Your ear should tell you. If you can't hear it after that then I don't know how else to help you.
 
#39
FretlessMainly said:
This is partly why "garage rock" often defies analysis using diatonic theory. When I play tunes like this, I think in four-pitch chords regardless of whether the chords are played as simple triads or not. If the tune is in D, then you'd play a D Major scale over at least some of it, correct? That C# is gonna sound...well, I don't need to say.

At the end of the day, I play a G Major scale over the whole tune, and I've played guitar on this tune as well as bass.
Click to expand...

So you've never heard of the pentatonic scale? How long have you been playing music?
 
#40
ryco said:
Not super sophisticated stuff, but fun little signature characteristics that move the song along. Worth investigating. Whether one chooses to learn this song note for note is up to the individual, but it feels so good and fun to play I would stick pretty close to what Wilkerson does.
Click to expand...

Have to say I'm with ryco on this one. Take the time to learn the original line in its entirety and appreciate it for what it is...simple and fun. If only all of life could be that way:rolleyes:
 

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