E9: “Night Life” Boo-Wah

[Frank Freniere]

After working with Danny Muhammad’s terrific “Night Life” lesson on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6siQMyepXsw where he translates the intro into the E9 tuning, I wanted to build on that and see if I could replicate the “boo-wah” passage at the end of the first verse. Here are the results.




I used a 3x5 set up in this arrangement, splitting and lowering strings 5&6 a half-tone. The footwork is a little tricky with the knee levers but it’s good exercise to stretch the mind and body with new (for me, anyway) moves.

[Henry Brooks]

Is there an error in the TAB in the second bar under B7+9 chord? There would be a strong beating between the 2nd string lowered to D and the 4th String lowered to D#. Plus 9 chords do have both a major and minor third but the notes are a octave apart. In other words the D# would be on string 8 and the D on the 2nd string. You could also play it at the 1st fret strings 5A,6,&9 as a tritone sub of B7+9 a F13 D,A,Eb(D#). Thanks for the TAB.
Henry

[Frank Freniere]

I dunno Henry, I don’t know enough about chord construction and theory to respond but ... how does it sound as written?

[Henry Brooks]

Frank, to me it doesn't sound quite right. I would just play strings 2,5, and 6 with the B pedal.
Henry

[Frank Freniere]

I would just play strings 2,5, and 6 with the B pedal.
Henry

But Henry that's a plain old B7. The chord needs some color, some brashness there IMHO. Also don't forget I am hitting the root on string 10.

[Henry Brooks]

Your rigth, I should have had string 2 lowered a 1/2 to D which would be the +9.