Take Me Out to the Ballgame - Music Lesson

Well, if you've been studiously working your way through this DVD, you're pretty much ready for the seventh inning stretch.

Introduction to the Song

So, I'm going to take you out to the ballgame with this one. Literally, this is "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in the key of F. F is just a very cool key in Daghett. It has all kinds of interesting and cool aspects to it.

Structure

• I'm going to give you a little intro and then the melody sits in first position.
• You don't have to go very far to make this work.

F Chord

And there's your F chord. Now, what I'm doing with this is I'm expanding it on a couple of levels:

1. Creating Moving Bass Lines

   • For example, I'm going to move up into a higher position so I can get that low bass note and the melody notes too.
   • Hang on, let me do that bit again.

2. Walking Down to the B Flat

   • Here's a B flat.
   • Then a first inversion B flat to a B flat minor.
   • To an F second inversion with a C in the bass to a D7.
   • Just a chromatic move on that D7, half step down but still keeping the same bass note.

Adding Elements

Now, I'm introducing another element:

• I'm also going to do some very light rhythm at the same time.
• Just in some places, that was kind of a little turnaround with just a little fill.
• At the end, I'm sliding up to the C and then up to the F.

Final Touch

Then, I'm going to hit the bass note at the end with my right hand.

• Just using the side of the finger to get that bass note.
• You could use a fingertip, I guess, but kind of do it like you could use your nose too.

Here's "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," and I'll see you at the bottom of the seventh!