Robben Ford Discussion

[leslie]

Hi Guys
Can anyone let me know the funky chords Robben plays on Nothing to Nobody from the Supernatural album?

Cheers
_________________
David

[Bluelobster]

Hi Leslie, the chords are regular minor seventh, minor nine, dominant seven sharp nine, dominant nine etc.... you(re right very funky.
Rather than give you the chart i will suggest you to go back further and get a close look to the Thrill is gone , BB King song. Some might not agree but i find a close relation ship between these two tunes though they're not the same. Groove have a lot to do in this case that's why these simple chords sound so funky maybe.

[leslie]

Ah! yes I can see why you think this. I think that Nothing to nobody is in D. Do you find this?

[AndyR]

Leslie,

Try this :

INTRO:

D9----D9----F9---E7#9#5
//// - //// - //// - / / / /

Am---Am---Am---Am
//// - //// - //// - ////

VERSE:

Dm7--Dm7-Am---Am--Dm7--E7#9(#5)
//// - //// - //// - //// - //// - ////

Am---Am---Dm7--E7#9(#5)
//// - //// - //// - ////

Am---D9----F9----E7#9(#5)
//// - //// - //// - ////

Am.........................
//// - //// - //// - ////


Key of A minor.

Let me know if this sounds right !!! ???

Andy

[leslie]

Thanks Andy. I will give that a go. Just one more question. Without going into too much theory and such why is it in Am key when the song starts on a D chord and the verse also. As you can guess my music theory isn't fantastic if this sounds a silly question.

Thanks

[ropiyas]

Regardless of the main key, a song can either start or end on any chord of a (in this example) Am tonality. I guess it's a very jazzy way to look at things.
By the way, does anyone have the chord progression for "Supernatural"? All I can spot is a Bm with some bass upon it.

[Ron S]

I almost agree with Andy R but I say the Dm7 in the verse is a D9.

Also there are some more chords in the middle eight.

Without writing out the rhythm I believe they are.

D13 (nice if you play A-5,D-4,G-5,B-0) etc F9 E7#9#5 Am7
C9 B9/B13 Bb9/Bb13
Am7 Am9 Am13 (or D9 with an F# in the bass) Fmaj7
F9 E7#9#5

I've been wrong before though (but only once )

[leslie]

Thanks Ron.

So are you saying the intro could be:-

D13 (nice if you play A-5,D-4,G-5,B-0) etc F9 E7#9#5

then the verse-

Am7 C9 B9/B13 Bb9/Bb13

and the middle eight:-

Am7 Am9 Am13 (or D9 with an F# in the bass) Fmaj7
F9 E7#9#5

Sorry to be a pain if am just want to understand
[/i]

[AndyR]

Thanks for the "middle eight," Ron, I'll give 'em a try.

Where you have D13, I play a "Dsus4-to-D" bit.

And the "Am7 Am9 Am13 (or D9 with an F# in the bass) Fmaj7 " part I call the "Stairway to Heaven" riff!

I really dig the decending chromatic line from the C9 ---> Fmaj7

Leslie...you're getting confused...the "middle eight" section Ron refers to is the part where Robben sings, "Hey, I wanna be free as a bird..."

At least that's what I THINK he's referring to.

Anyway, you should tune up, and play along to the record(?) and concentrate on the intro and verse first before moving on to the middle section.

As far a keys go, the ENDING chord is usually indicative of the song's key, at least in pop music (but not always, of course.)

This is a great tune, and Blob's observations of this song vis-a-vis "The Thrill is Gone" is a good one...same feel.

Have fun!



Andy

[leslie]

Oh! I see now. The whole of the following:-

D13 (nice if you play A-5,D-4,G-5,B-0) etc F9 E7#9#5 Am7
C9 B9/B13 Bb9/Bb13
Am7 Am9 Am13 (or D9 with an F# in the bass) Fmaj7
F9 E7#9#5

is to be played as the middle eight i.e Robben sings, "Hey, I wanna be free as a bird...". I didn't read the post correctly. Please correct me if I am wrong

[Ron S]

yep, Andy is correct the chords I wrote are the middle eight chords.

Andy: the d sus part can be played in the 13th chord by raising the the d to the 5th fret. I.e.

D13 A-5,D-4,G-5,B-0
D13 sus4 A-5,D-5,G-5,B-0

Sounds great when Robben does this on the Paris Concert version.

p.s. I know what you mean about the Stairway thing

[Jefffusion]

[quote="ropiyas"]Regardless of the main key, a song can either start or end on any chord of a (in this example) Am tonality. I guess it's a very jazzy way to look at things.
By the way, does anyone have the chord progression for "Supernatural"? All I can spot is a Bm with some bass upon it.[/quote]


True that, in regards to the start or end of a tune.

Regarding SUPERNATURAL, Robben opens that tune in Bm to E to Bm with an acoustic guitar, then comes in with the Bm vamp with funky wah wah electric guitar with a basic blues lick that also emphasizes the D and E triads in relation to the Bm chord.

Then he resolves to Em to B to G#11 to A11 over the (Chorus) vocal lines:

"Behind You. Just How Beautiful."

"The World Could Be Inside You. Just How Beautiful."

"How Am I To Remind You. Just How Beautiful."

Then he concludes with F#9 to G9 over the vocal line:

"Someone Chase Those Angry Clouds Away."

He does another set of verses on the Bm vamp, then back to the chorus then goes to the following chords: F#7 to G7 to F#7 to Bm to B7 for the vocal bridge lines:

"We're On Our Way. There's So Much To Say. Just Don't Run Away
This Time. This Time."

A short and very powerful guitar break over the Bm follows before returning to a verse, chorus, the F#9 to G9 over the vocal lines:

"Every Single Morning. Grab A New Slice Of Sky.
Spread My Mind And Let It Fly. If I'm Breathing I Will Try."

The bridge again, then a powerful guitar outro over the Bm.

[ropiyas]

hey, thanks man...I am going to try that out RIGHT NOW.
I appreciate it.

[Jefffusion]

[quote="ropiyas"]hey, thanks man...I am going to try that out RIGHT NOW.
I appreciate it. [/quote]

You're welcome. Enjoy it.