"Knowing You" Lead Guitar Parts

guitarman531 · 08-09-2006, 07:55 PM

I am going to be playing this song "Knowing You" (by Graham Kendrick) this Sunday. The leader will be playing the piano (something which he is *very* good at), and the piano will be leading this song (driving the rhythm, etc.).

In all reality, I could probably not play at all, and I would hardly be missed, but the leader said I was welcome to play whatever I was comfortable with.

I was kind of interested in doing some lead work over it (fills and stuff--no big solos). The song really only has 4 chords (C Am F G, with the occasional variation--like a Gsus, or a C/D, etc.)

Any ideas, tips, suggestions, or riffs that you have used? I know the Cminor pent. scale will not work (at least to my ears), the Cmaj pent scale sounded ok, and I'm just not that great with the Cmaj scale (8 notes). I know the Cmaj scale, but for some reason, it's harder for me to come up with licks.

Thanks and God Bless,
-guitarman531

GibsonGuy05 · 08-09-2006, 08:46 PM

when the band i was in was playing this song, we were rockin out. but i did some very basic riffs. all i did was play the octaves in time with the music. so basicaly, instead of playing on the first fret on the low E string, i played on the third fret on the D String. it was basic, but it sounded cool

gtrdave · 08-09-2006, 09:17 PM

I assume you're doing the song in the key of C?

If so, C major scale is fine as you've already found. Playing only notes from the pentatonic scale is ok as that's what a majority of the main vocal melody is created from with the exception of the B note in the chorus melody.
Using all 8 notes from the diatonic major scale is what I would recommend, though, as it can give you more room to build licks from.
The pentatonic is contained within the diatonic...we're only talking 2 notes that are different between the two; the 4th and the 7th.
So start practicing your C major scale in a few different positions.

Also, on what to play; do your best to not step all over the vocal. In many instances playing nothing is better than trodding upon the lyrics.
That said, you can extract parts of the vocal melody to play with the vocal and to counter the vocal. You could even harmonize with the melody.
If you're able to practice this, try playing the main vocal melody on your guitar. Emulate the way the singer moves from note to note and copy that on your guitar.
Many great lead guitarists actually "sing" with their guitar.

I've attached a few demo files I recorded for DaGeek a couple weeks ago to give examples of what I'm talking about as he was asking a similar question as you are.
The samples progress from very simple melodic playing to adding slight inflections to the melody and then adding attitude, licks and effects.
Check them out and see if they're helpful.

All of this takes time. Not to be a downer but you won't grasp this this by this weekend. It's something that occurs over time and with dedicated practice but now is as good a time as any to start.

**Rainer.** · 08-09-2006, 09:32 PM

If you have until next Sunday, I'll see if I could whip up some audio clips for you to try out.

guitarman531 · 08-09-2006, 09:35 PM

Thanks GibsonGuy! I'll try to give that a shot...but let me see if I understand what you said. So, if the vocalist was singing an "E", then you were playing an "E" on the guitar, only an octave higher?

Gtrdave, those samples are awesome! Wow, I really like what you did in Sample3.

Yeah...I guess it will take time, but maybe I'll be able to figure out some small fills to play. I will be playing my acoustic guitar (normally I'm the rhythm player), but the leader will be leading this song very strongly on the piano, so I really don't need to do anything too big. I'll mainly be in the background...or I should be...

Thanks Rainer...unfortunately, I'll be playing the song in 4 days...

Thanks!
-guitarman531

**Rainer.** · 08-09-2006, 09:56 PM

Plenty of time.

GibsonGuy05 · 08-10-2006, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitarman531

Thanks GibsonGuy! I'll try to give that a shot...but let me see if I understand what you said. So, if the vocalist was singing an "E", then you were playing an "E" on the guitar, only an octave higher?

Gtrdave, those samples are awesome! Wow, I really like what you did in Sample3.

Yeah...I guess it will take time, but maybe I'll be able to figure out some small fills to play. I will be playing my acoustic guitar (normally I'm the rhythm player), but the leader will be leading this song very strongly on the piano, so I really don't need to do anything too big. I'll mainly be in the background...or I should be...

Thanks Rainer...unfortunately, I'll be playing the song in 4 days...

Thanks!
-guitarman531

right, we played it in E. But that will work in any Key.

**Rainer.** · 08-10-2006, 02:21 PM

Here's a little clip I whipped up this morning. Hope it give you some ideas. I just used my Les Paul thrugh my barely-overdriven amp. Just drums, piano, and bass, otherwise.

I started off with some "responses" to the vocal line, then I played some harmony, then going into the chorus I did a little country-ish lick. Then a little harmonization and a countermelody. Then I delved into a sorta motown gospel lick.

And you can ignore that jazzy chord and cadenza that I just had to put into the end.

And I didn't realize you said you'll be on acoustic... but these fills should work anyway.

guitarman531 · 08-10-2006, 03:09 PM

Wow Rainer...That's awesome! Thank you so much! Playing along with the sample has given me a lot of ideas...

Yep...I'll be playin' an acoustic...someday though...I'll have an electric. But that'll probably be after college...

Thanks again Rainer!