Purple Rain

[jonnymangia]

After watching Prince's KICK-ASS performance last night, I decided to learn this song. I can't play by ear that well, so I trawled through lots of bad tab and finally found the chords... Bb2 - GM7 - F - EB

Now, I figured it's the key of B or Bb, so I'm trying to solo over the progression and it's not blending. Am I off on the key?

J

 

[cream123]

Re: Purple Rain

a pretty good tab....might be helpful


I have no idea BTW

 

[GandLMan]

Re: Purple Rain

Hey dude,

Something to look at is how standard "keys" work . . . . essentially in any major key there is the following lay out

what I'll call:

Imaj iimin iiimin IVmaj Vmaj vimin viihalfdim

So say in C that would be
Cmaj Dmin Emin Fmaj Gmaj Amin Bhalf dim

the chords you have figured out I would say "function" as I vi V IV in the key of Bb

Bbmaj Cmin Dmin Ebmaj Fmaj Gmin Ahalf dim

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Purple Rain

Try following the chords rather than staying in one scale for the whole solo. Just start out using arpeggio notes as each chord passes, then worry about the other notes for colour. So, over the Bb2 play Bb D F C (1, 3, 5, 9), over the Gm7 play G B D F (1, 3, 5, b7), over the F play F A C (1, 3, 5), over the Eb play Eb G Bb (1, 3, 5). You can get a lot of mileage from that but try throwing some 4ths, 6ths, 7ths, b7ths, or 9ths for added flavour if you get bored of playing the chord tones . . .

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: Purple Rain

I've got a backing for that, and I haven't played the track for ages, but I found myself drifting away from scales and playing a few disjointed shapes around the neck. Couldn't tell you what key or scale I was playing from!

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: Purple Rain

Bb add9 - Gm2 - F - Bb add9. That is what I got off of AOL's musicmatch. They preview the first 8 measures or so. The tempo is 58 bpm.