Grade Five Rock School Exam: Smack Talk

Okay, that was Smack Talk, and that's your Grade Five Rock School exam. That's a pretty heavy rocking take on the blues, really. It's probably about the outside extreme of where it goes. But again, very heavily based, I would say, around the Gary Moore style of playing.

Influences and Style

Gary Moore was very famous for taking the blues and really amping it up and getting it rocking. To some extent, Rory Gallagher did a lot of that as well, though not as creamy in tone, he was really good and rocking with a lot of blues intention behind it.

So, yeah, this is really about you possibly picking this tune because you're a big fan of rock and want to learn a little bit more about the blues. Or maybe the other way around, you're a big fan of blues and would like to know how heavy you can take it. This piece really is a great piece for exploring that.

Key and Technique

I like the fact that you've written it in G as well because it's a great key for guitar. However, the riff doesn't really fall under your fingers as it would in E. So, it's really good technique-wise to learn to play this riff in G. We'll get a bit more onto that in a second.

First, I'd like to talk a little bit about the gear, specifically the amp settings.

Gear and Amp Settings

• I'm using my Fender Telecaster, American Telecaster here.
• A lot of guitarists that play this style of music will use Les Pauls to get that huge tone.
• But that doesn't mean you have to have a Les Paul to play it.

I play a lot of heavy blues myself, and I often use a Gibson SG. However, I also play a lot of it on this Telecaster.

Amp Settings

• Gain: Set to quite a high gain on the drive side of things so it really breaks up early.
• Clean Tone: There's hardly any clean tone at all.
• Pickup Selector: Set to the neck pickup for a slightly more beefy and fuller tone.
• Tone: Rolled off very slightly to give it that sort of heavier, less sharp sound.

This gives you a real big tone that's great for playing this music. It means you get a grace of sustain on your notes, they last a real long time. It's all the hallmarks of this style.

• Tip: Set your amp to quite a high gain. You can back it off using the volume on your guitar.

Rhythm and Technique

For your solo, there's a lot of things you can explore technique-wise. Most of the technique is really locked in the rhythm of it all, featuring lots of triplet rhythms:

• Triplet Feel: Count it in a straight way, this is how it sounds like the blues.
• Clever Rhythmic Elements: The piece includes some clever things with the rhythm, breaking up the triplets, which gives it a slightly Stevie Ray Vaughan style.

If you're a fan of Stevie Ray Vaughan, his version of "Cold Shot" is a great reference. A lot of techniques can be found in there.

Important Technique Points

• Riff in G: Pay attention to the fact that this riff is based in G and doesn't fall under the fingers easily.
• Quarter Bends: They want you to incorporate quarter bends quickly. With the tempo being what it is, you've really got to nail that riff.
• Practicing: Practice that riff slowly to get the nuances, including those little quarter bends.

Blues Elements

You may want to play a little quarter bend on the B flat, as it's the third of the chord. The relationship between the minor third and the major third is significant when playing blues.

The Solo Section

Now, let's get onto the solo section because it's very cool. You're given about 8 bars of leeway, and then there's a little written figure which they feel is important for you to play.

• When it starts off with the solo, you get this little bar break to lead you in.
• The song transitions from a quiet spacey sequence to a bit more anger.

Break Importance: This break is crucial because it sets the tone for your solo. I chose to go for a little bit of a bend and kept it very simple, as the song is quite full-on.

Solo Strategy

• Mirroring the Song: Sometimes, it's nice to contrast; if the song is very full-on, when you get to your solo, consider chilling it out with longer licks.
• Building the Solo: You have eight bars, it's not as short as it sounds.

Accompanying the Bass Solo

Let's talk about the bass solo as a whole. It introduces the idea of accompanying someone else's solo. There are written figures for you, which I took as advice on what to do behind the solo.

Collaborating Effectively

• These little partial chords (triads) prevent muddying the bass player's domain.
• Try to create interesting backing that is sympathetic to what the bassist is doing. Listen to the recorded bass solo to see where you can fit in.

Varying Chord Progressions

There's a need to vary the bridge, generally from B flat to C to D. I opted for a style reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix, utilizing these chords with the third note of the chord in the bass.

• For example, with B flat (1, 2, 3), you want your bass note to match the third of the chord.
• This variation method tightens it up and adds an interesting rhythm.

Conclusion

There's a lot in this piece, and what I love about it is its simplicity with ample room for interpretation. Have fun exploring these ideas, and remember:

• Don't go too full-on too quickly in your solo; there's plenty of time for that.
• If you're coming from the blues world, explore how far blues can be taken into rock.

Players like Gary Moore and Rory Gallagher are fantastic influences. On the other hand, if you're new to blues, Albert Collins and Peter Green provide great insights.

Lastly, one piece to really listen to that illustrates the dynamics of moving from subtle to full-on is "Since I've Been Loving You" found on Led Zeppelin III. It's a masterclass in the transitions blues music can undertake.

So, enjoy Smack Talk, and really have a good time playing over those changes!