Rechte Hand

Right Hand Techniques After the Intro

Let's look at the right hand stuff after the intro.

The Transition

• The intro finishes and just kind of cuts off.
• I'm sliding off the B flat to the B.
• If you want, you could play it like that, up to you, whatever you feel comfortable with.

Pinetop's Influence

Now, this is something that Pinetop uses a lot in this tune, actually.

• You might play that either with the D or, I think there is that D in there.
• As you'll hear in the rest of the tune, there are different variations that Pinetop plays.

Moving to the V Chord

• He goes to the V chord with the right hand with those notes.
• He kind of plays it with a 16th rhythm, straight rhythm, rather than a triplet feel.

These are ideas that he uses a lot throughout this tune as well. You can play it with those fingering:

• I'm using my second finger on both those notes, it's probably what I do naturally.
• However, you could put the thumb underneath and slide off that D if you want.
• I would slide off the D just to keep that hand position like that, rather than having to move my hand position around.

Again, that's up to your personal preference.

The Final Phrase

Then he plays the final phrase, which you can use this fingering for.

• I'm kind of changing halfway through.
• Essentially, it's outlining a C major triad.
• You could add the D to make an extended chord, which he sometimes adds as well.

So, the riff we looked at is something that Pinetop uses a lot throughout the tune. A bit later on, we'll look at some of the more creative things you could do with it in your own improvisations.