. These song books are always inaccurate to say the least, often totally wrong. They are aimed at amateurs who want a simplified, easy-to-play piano version, and for that purpose, they are OK. But they shouldn't be used for reference. . The first three guitar chords on the score sheet are inaccurate, but usable. The fourth chord is totally wrong though.
.
Anyway, the basic chords of Purple Rain *as played by Wendy* are:
.
e ....... 1 ....... 1 ....... x ....... 6 B ....... 1 ....... 1 ....... x ....... 8 G ....... 3 ....... 3 ....... 2 ....... 10 D ....... 0 ....... 3 ....... 5 ....... 8 A ....... x ....... x ....... 3 ....... 6 E ....... x ....... 3 ....... 1 ....... x . On the album it does sound like there's a B♭ in the bass in the opening chord, but when Wendy plays it these days, she omits it. .
. These song books are always inaccurate to say the least, often totally wrong. They are aimed at amateurs who want a simplified, easy-to-play piano version, and for that purpose, they are OK. But they shouldn't be used for reference. . The first three guitar chords on the score sheet are inaccurate, but usable. The fourth chord is totally wrong though.
.
Anyway, the basic chords of Purple Rain *as played by Wendy* are:
.
e ....... 1 ....... 1 ....... x ....... 6 B ....... 1 ....... 1 ....... x ....... 8 G ....... 3 ....... 3 ....... 2 ....... 10 D ....... 0 ....... 3 ....... 5 ....... 8 A ....... x ....... x ....... 3 ....... 6 E ....... x ....... 3 ....... 1 ....... x . On the album it does sound like there's a B♭ in the bass in the opening chord, but when Wendy plays it these days, she omits it.
The song being in B♭, it just makes perfect sense to play (or subliminally hear) the tonic.
The transcripts are not that good. They're OK. In their defense, a lot of the times Prince could suggest harmonics just by adding effects to, say, a drum kick. It can be misleading.
Often you go: "shit, that's actually a bass playing this?" The tuning of the percussive instruments is crucial: WDC's sonic impact owes a great deal to the tuning of the hi-hat and the toms, AND the precise rate, depth and span of the flanger.
Prince strongly believed in the musicality of the effects (chorus, phasers, flangers...). When performing live, the bar with the 100% wet flanger on the lead guitar, at the end of a song, a recurring signature of his. 1999 the album, compositional qualities aside, is almost entirely based on sound design.
In the 1st Avenue original take, the phaser and chorus on Wendy's guitar are much more audible than the dry sound, and that results in that dissonant quality Prince was intentionally going for (well, Wendy's guitar may have been a little big time out of tune too).
So, with a guy going for effects set so strong they actually blur the original chords and add so much of harmonics, no wonder you take notation shortcuts.
[Edited 5/10/18 4:25am]
The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams
. These song books are always inaccurate to say the least, often totally wrong. They are aimed at amateurs who want a simplified, easy-to-play piano version, and for that purpose, they are OK. But they shouldn't be used for reference. . The first three guitar chords on the score sheet are inaccurate, but usable. The fourth chord is totally wrong though.
.
Anyway, the basic chords of Purple Rain *as played by Wendy* are:
.
e ....... 1 ....... 1 ....... x ....... 6 B ....... 1 ....... 1 ....... x ....... 8 G ....... 3 ....... 3 ....... 2 ....... 10 D ....... 0 ....... 3 ....... 5 ....... 8 A ....... x ....... x ....... 3 ....... 6 E ....... x ....... 3 ....... 1 ....... x . On the album it does sound like there's a B♭ in the bass in the opening chord, but when Wendy plays it these days, she omits it.
The song being in B♭, it just makes perfect sense to play (or subliminally hear) the tonic.
The transcripts are not that good. They're OK. In their defense, a lot of the times Prince could suggest harmonics just by adding effects to, say, a drum kick. It can be misleading.
Often you go: "shit, that's actually a bass playing this?" The tuning of the percussive instruments is crucial: WDC's sonic impact owes a great deal to the tuning of the hi-hat and the toms, AND the precise rate, depth and span of the flanger.
Prince strongly believed in the musicality of the effects (chorus, phasers, flangers...). When performing live, the bar with the 100% wet flanger on the lead guitar, at the end of a song, a recurring signature of his. 1999 the album, compositional qualities aside, is almost entirely based on sound design.
In the 1st Avenue original take, the phaser and chorus on Wendy's guitar are much more audible than the dry sound, and that results in that dissonant quality Prince was intentionally going for (well, Wendy's guitar may have been a little big time out of tune too).
So, with a guy going for effects set so strong they actually blur the original chords and add so much of harmonics, no wonder you take notation shortcuts.
[Edited 5/10/18 4:25am]
.
Yes, good points. .
Maybe also worth noting that the way our hearing is processed by the brain, sometimes we hear things that aren't really there, because the brain can amplify harmonics, or it can even "fill in the gaps" similarily to the CIRC error correction methods of red book CDs, for example. .
I was wondering if it was my brain that was 'creating' the tonic Bb in the opening chord but no, it's definitely there on the record. As Kares said, she just has the D on the bottom when she plays it live.
Sheet music doesn't really go for accuracy to the record, they go for playablity. You can simplify Purple Rain down to Bbmajor - Gminor - Fmajor - D#major and everyone would still know what song it is. However , the people in this thread are wanting to know the proper extensions and exact voicings that Wendy plays, hence the discussion and debate.
I have always played 'x x 0 3 1 1' and will probably continue to do so. However if you want to play it as heard on the record throw the Bb in there too 'x 1 0 3 1 1'.
I was wondering if it was my brain that was 'creating' the tonic Bb in the opening chord but no, it's definitely there on the record. As Kares said, she just has the D on the bottom when she plays it live.
Sheet music doesn't really go for accuracy to the record, they go for playablity. You can simplify Purple Rain down to Bbmajor - Gminor - Fmajor - D#major and everyone would still know what song it is. However , the people in this thread are wanting to know the proper extensions and exact voicings that Wendy plays, hence the discussion and debate.
I have always played 'x x 0 3 1 1' and will probably continue to do so. However if you want to play it as heard on the record throw the Bb in there too 'x 1 0 3 1 1'.
E♭major, if you please. We're in the key of B♭.
The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams
It reminds of all the getting-it-wrong covers of WDC out there. They all omit the G#, they all go :
A min - G - G - A min
A min - G - G - A min
It's G sharp diminished (implying E major dominant), for SKipper's sake!
The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams
. Wanna make it even easier? Get a 4-neck guitar and tune each neck to one of the chords...
.
I actually would love to see that, LOL.
Spinal Tap can't match these guys, apparently.
The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams
. These song books are always inaccurate to say the least, often totally wrong. They are aimed at amateurs who want a simplified, easy-to-play piano version, and for that purpose, they are OK. But they shouldn't be used for reference. . The first three guitar chords on the score sheet are inaccurate, but usable. The fourth chord is totally wrong though.
.
Anyway, the basic chords of Purple Rain *as played by Wendy* are:
.
e ....... 1 ....... 1 ....... x ....... 6 B ....... 1 ....... 1 ....... x ....... 8 G ....... 3 ....... 3 ....... 2 ....... 10 D ....... 0 ....... 3 ....... 5 ....... 8 A ....... x ....... x ....... 3 ....... 6 E ....... x ....... 3 ....... 1 ....... x . On the album it does sound like there's a B♭ in the bass in the opening chord, but when Wendy plays it these days, she omits it. .
[Edited 5/10/18 3:24am]
compared to how most professional musicians cover a song, the sheet music is way more accurate. Most pros just play the chords as a rough outline, destroys the song most of the time but drunks don't care. Sheet music has saved me a lot of time, i could do without the melody lines in the right hand and I usually put together a hybrid of the sheetmusic and my own interpretation of what i hear. The purple rain piano music i have is pretty accurate, long too, and i've added about 25 percent more to it. the solo was truncated so i worked hard on my own and figured out a suitable arrangement for it. As stated most "pros" don't go through any of that and they mangle the song live.
You should NEVER go by song books. I remember buying a Beatles one when I was 9 and I was appalled by all the mistakes.
the books i get are pretty good, if they aren't, i can discern it and not use them. like i said, they save me time and i've watched a lot of pros call themselves doing a version of a song and they fuck it up way more than any sheet music could, it's just laziness.
It reminds of all the getting-it-wrong covers of WDC out there. They all omit the G#, they all go :
A min - G - G - A min
A min - G - G - A min
It's G sharp diminished (implying E major dominant), for SKipper's sake!
Recorded a quick verse just for you Bonatoc
Well I'm touched, Good Sir. My brains and eardrums send their gratitude.
I mean listen to these deaf morons! It doesn't take Ludwig Van Beethoven to ear it's a G # ! No matter your alcohol intake, without it it simply does not compute.
Here are two schmucks who think it's Amin - G - Emin7 - F. When you think about the time it takes to rehearse, record and mix this shit WRONG.
Don't start me on them striking fake, exaggeratedly affected vocal poses...
And the oscar goes to this pathetic buffoon. Can music really be held hostage by daddy's boys/girls? Where's the sweat? Where's the blood?
Now, I've heard there was a secret chord That David played, and it pleased the Lord But you don't really care for music, do you?
Damn right they don't.
[Edited 5/10/18 15:39pm]
The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams
what is wrong with the sheet music chord for purple rain? I play piano and the Bbsus2 sounds perfect to me.
. It's OK, dw. This post is about exactly nailing the guitar chord(s) played by Wendy, but that doesn't mean that's the only way Purple Rain can/should be played. If you're trying to copy the record as accurately as possible, cool, go for it, but if you're not that concerned, perhaps because you just want to sing the song to your loved ones, that's fine too of course.
. I see absolutely no need of ridiculing people for playing "the wrong chords", whether they're pros or amateurs on youtube. Songs can be interpreted in millions of different ways and it's perfectly OK for someone to reharmonise a song either because they prefer it that way or because it's easier for them to play. We might not like that version, but who cares. Jazz musicians routinely reharmonise things and they often make simple songs sound more exciting, but then again, sometimes the added complexity and colours end up ruining the original.
. Prince himself played his own songs in many different ways, depending on how he felt like playing them. (And I don't remember hearing him play PR the way Wendy played it.) And he covered hundreds of songs and he never tried to exactly copy how Sly & The Family Stone, or James Brown's band, or Santana or Rufus etc. played, he played them his own way.
.
Now of course someone could argue that brilliant musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Prince, Stevie Wonder etc. are allowed to disregard the original because they'll still make it sound great even if it's different, but amateurs should just stick to copying, but I strongly disagree. We all hear things a bit differently and it's perfectly OK to play things differently. .
what is wrong with the sheet music chord for purple rain? I play piano and the Bbsus2 sounds perfect to me.
. It's OK, dw. This post is about exactly nailing the guitar chord(s) played by Wendy, but that doesn't mean that's the only way Purple Rain can/should be played. If you're trying to copy the record as accurately as possible, cool, go for it, but if you're not that concerned, perhaps because you just want to sing the song to your loved ones, that's fine too of course.
. I see absolutely no need of ridiculing people for playing "the wrong chords", whether they're pros or amateurs on youtube. Songs can be interpreted in millions of different ways and it's perfectly OK for someone to reharmonise a song either because they prefer it that way or because it's easier for them to play. We might not like that version, but who cares. Jazz musicians routinely reharmonise things and they often make simple songs sound more exciting, but then again, sometimes the added compexity and colours end up ruining the original.
. Prince himself played his own songs in many different ways, depending on how he felt like playing them. (And I don't remember hearing him play PR the way Wendy played it.) And he covered hundreds of songs and he never tried to exactly copy how Sly & The Family Stone, or James Brown's band, or Santana or Rufus etc. played, he played them his own way.
.
Now of course someone could argue that brilliant musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Prince, Stevie Wonder etc. are allowed to disregard the original because they'll still make it sound great even if it's different, but amateurs should just stick to copying, but I strongly disagree. We all hear things a bit differently and it's perfectly OK to play things differently. .
i'm ssaying the Bbsus2 sounds to me like the record. I her a Bb on the bottom.
. It's OK, dw. This post is about exactly nailing the guitar chord(s) played by Wendy, but that doesn't mean that's the only way Purple Rain can/should be played. If you're trying to copy the record as accurately as possible, cool, go for it, but if you're not that concerned, perhaps because you just want to sing the song to your loved ones, that's fine too of course.
. I see absolutely no need of ridiculing people for playing "the wrong chords", whether they're pros or amateurs on youtube. Songs can be interpreted in millions of different ways and it's perfectly OK for someone to reharmonise a song either because they prefer it that way or because it's easier for them to play. We might not like that version, but who cares. Jazz musicians routinely reharmonise things and they often make simple songs sound more exciting, but then again, sometimes the added compexity and colours end up ruining the original.
. Prince himself played his own songs in many different ways, depending on how he felt like playing them. (And I don't remember hearing him play PR the way Wendy played it.) And he covered hundreds of songs and he never tried to exactly copy how Sly & The Family Stone, or James Brown's band, or Santana or Rufus etc. played, he played them his own way.
.
Now of course someone could argue that brilliant musicians such as Herbie Hancock, Prince, Stevie Wonder etc. are allowed to disregard the original because they'll still make it sound great even if it's different, but amateurs should just stick to copying, but I strongly disagree. We all hear things a bit differently and it's perfectly OK to play things differently. .
i'm ssaying the Bbsus2 sounds to me like the record. I her a Bb on the bottom.
. For the exact chords Wendy plays, pls refer to my post #31 (05/10/18) above.
You should NEVER go by song books. I remember buying a Beatles one when I was 9 and I was appalled by all the mistakes.
the books i get are pretty good, if they aren't, i can discern it and not use them. like i said, they save me time and i've watched a lot of pros call themselves doing a version of a song and they fuck it up way more than any sheet music could, it's just laziness.
True - there's that pro Nik West who still can't get the bassline to Let's Work right.
. I see absolutely no need of ridiculing people for playing "the wrong chords", whether they're pros or amateurs on youtube.
Songs can be interpreted in millions of different ways and it's perfectly OK for someone to reharmonise a song either because they prefer it that way or because it's easier for them to play. We might not like that version, but who cares. Jazz musicians routinely reharmonise things and they often make simple songs sound more exciting, but then again, sometimes the added compexity and colours end up ruining the original.
.
.
Mph. It's a bit demagogue.
I'm sorry, but in my book, sus2 in not Major. It's not a snob thing. It's just, you have the basic "fireman red", and crimson, a child may say they are the same color, but growing up, you learn to tell the difference. And there's more hues of red than just these two.
Ridiculing? I ain't even started. Oh, c'm'on, you're not only Prince fan, but you also know music. There's no reason to be complacent with these lazy punks. This is an era of total laziness. The least thing they need is encouragements. When I think about the pollution all this digital filmed crap produces, it makes me sick. Now that everyone has a camera, there's no shortage of morons who don't care a bit about music, but just want to show their faces in a pathological craving for attention.
I mean going that path, let's all just play major and minor chords, fuck the 9ths, the hell with the 6/9, and while we're at it, let's just stick to quarter notes. Meaning: let's throw "For You" in the trash chute and everything that followed (and preceded).
I'm the first to encourage musicians (a title that's earned, cf. the formative years of Keith Richards in his bio "Life") not to do covers identical to the original, but it takes work and flair to come up with a cover with an interesting take. It certainly doesn't come from simplifying meant as "lazing", especially when minimalism, when done right, is the most difficult thing to achieve.
[Edited 5/13/18 10:47am]
The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams
. I see absolutely no need of ridiculing people for playing "the wrong chords", whether they're pros or amateurs on youtube.
Songs can be interpreted in millions of different ways and it's perfectly OK for someone to reharmonise a song either because they prefer it that way or because it's easier for them to play. We might not like that version, but who cares. Jazz musicians routinely reharmonise things and they often make simple songs sound more exciting, but then again, sometimes the added compexity and colours end up ruining the original.
.
.
Mph. It's a bit demagogue.
I'm sorry, but in my book, sus2 in not Major. It's not a snob thing. It's just, you have the basic "fireman red", and crimson, a child may say they are the same color, but growing up, you learn to tell the difference. And there's more hues of red than just these two.
Ridiculing? I ain't even started. Oh, c'm'on, you're not only Prince fan, but you also know music. There's no reason to be complacent with these lazy punks. This is an era of total laziness. The least thing they need is encouragements. When I think about the pollution all this digital filmed crap produces, it makes me sick. Now that everyone has a camera, there's no shortage of morons who don't care a bit about music, but just want to show their faces in a pathological craving for attention.
I mean going that path, let's all just play major and minor chords, fuck the 9ths, the hell with the 6/9, and while we're at it, let's just stick to quarter notes. Meaning: let's throw "For You" in the trash chute and everything that followed (and preceded).
.
Chill, man. I know the differece – but some people don't care. In fact, most people don't care, even professional musicians. Just as Prince himself couldn't be arsed to learn all those songs by other artists he covered properly. Most of the time, he just winged it.
. The question is: do you want to replicate something exactly (knowing full well that even if you manage to replicate the notes perfectly, you still won't sound like the original artist – not necessarily because you're not that good, but simply because people are different), or do you just want to make yourself or someone else happy by playing a song – or do you want to create something new, your own interpretation of an original. . Of course it's nice to research and learn something exactly, perhaps because you want to dig deeper into Prince's music and you want to grow as a musician. Just accept that not everyone is that anal. Or that some people actually DO learn how to copy something yet they chose to go a step further and create a different version. . Look at Picasso's single-line drawings from his last years. He's been able to take something complex and distill it down to its bare essence. That's genius. Now I'm not saying every amateur guitarist on youtube who can't play more than 4 major or minor chords is a genius...
.
I'm not encouraging anyone to dumb down anything. But I also don't want to discourage anyone from playing by telling them they're wrong. If they have talent, they will realise they're wrong and dig deeper. .
The bottom line is: I'd rather see a thousand kids (or adults) playing Purple Rain or anything else in any wrong way they can, than see just a few who can play it right and the rest being discouraged from playing music. .
i used to work at a dueling pianos bar, i wasn't and am not good enough to play with most of those guys but.., I did play what I played the best I possibly could, i wanted to be close to the original as humanly possible, and even though those guys had more talent, played more tunes, could do more things, most of the songs they did they mangled and ruined, not just laziness but because they didn't have their hearts in those songs, after a year I realized that I had no interest in being like them even if the pay was great. I had no interest in learning/playing songs that i didn't love. When I cover a song, i want to recreate the magic for me, if i can add something and make it better in my mind, i do, but usually, you're not going to make it better than the original unless the original just wasn't great. Even Prince rarely played most of my favorites like he did on record.
Kares said:
bonatoc said:
Mph. It's a bit demagogue.
I'm sorry, but in my book, sus2 in not Major. It's not a snob thing. It's just, you have the basic "fireman red", and crimson, a child may say they are the same color, but growing up, you learn to tell the difference. And there's more hues of red than just these two.
Ridiculing? I ain't even started. Oh, c'm'on, you're not only Prince fan, but you also know music. There's no reason to be complacent with these lazy punks. This is an era of total laziness. The least thing they need is encouragements. When I think about the pollution all this digital filmed crap produces, it makes me sick. Now that everyone has a camera, there's no shortage of morons who don't care a bit about music, but just want to show their faces in a pathological craving for attention.
I mean going that path, let's all just play major and minor chords, fuck the 9ths, the hell with the 6/9, and while we're at it, let's just stick to quarter notes. Meaning: let's throw "For You" in the trash chute and everything that followed (and preceded).
.
Chill, man. I know the differece – but some people don't care. In fact, most people don't care, even professional musicians. Just as Prince himself couldn't be arsed to learn all those songs by other artists he covered properly. Most of the time, he just winged it.
. The question is: do you want to replicate something exactly (knowing full well that even if you manage to replicate the notes perfectly, you still won't sound like the original artist – not necessarily because you're not that good, but simply because people are different), or do you just want to make yourself or someone else happy by playing a song – or do you want to create something new, your own interpretation of an original. . Of course it's nice to research and learn something exactly, perhaps because you want to dig deeper into Prince's music and you want to grow as a musician. Just accept that not everyone is that anal. Or that some people actually DO learn how to copy something yet they chose to go a step further and create a different version. . Look at Picasso's single-line drawings from his last years. He's been able to take something complex and distill it down to its bare essence. That's genius. Now I'm not saying every amateur guitarist on youtube who can't play more than 4 major or minor chords is a genius...
.
I'm not encouraging anyone to dumb down anything. But I also don't want to discourage anyone from playing by telling them they're wrong. If they have talent, they will realise they're wrong and dig deeper. .
The bottom line is: I'd rather see a thousand kids (or adults) playing Purple Rain or anything else in any wrong way they can, than see just a few who can play it right and the rest being discouraged from playing music. .
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I actually would love to see that, LOL.
