Riviera Paradise Intro

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
During a recent AAP session Griff went over the chords for Riviera Paradise and it got me thinking about some lessons I took a local guy (Tommy Katona) he's in the best SRV tribute band I've ever heard Texas Flood (probably the best in the country).

I'm pretty sure that at the time I wasn't ready (ability wise) for what he was teaching (I'm probably still not) but he always let me video our sessions. I went back to one of those sessions the other day and started working on it.
I posted this in the AAP area, but for the folks that haven't joined AAP yet, here's what I've got after 3 days or so...

Riviera Paradise Intro
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
Dang, that's a lot to show for 3 days effort.
Well, remember that I took the lesson a year ago and worked on it some back then (Plus I've listened to this song a lot).
I really believe that at least half of learning something is having it so well ingrained in your head that all you really need to do is figure out where to put your fingers. The memorization part was already done.
 

Elio

Student Of The Blues
Well, remember that I took the lesson a year ago and worked on it some back then (Plus I've listened to this song a lot).
I really believe that at least half of learning something is having it so well ingrained in your head that all you really need to do is figure out where to put your fingers. The memorization part was already done.

I find that there is something about coming back to something you worked on before but haven't touched for a while. For me, I seem to approach it with more objectivity the 2nd time around. I'll have to think about the psychology behind that, but I think the first time around there is emphasis on memorization and proceduralizing of the playing, which for me ends up sounding a little mechanical. When you get to the point of not having to think about what comes next and where to find the notes, the emphasis can shift to how the playing sounds.

I find this to be really consistent with Griff's advice of breaking practice up into smaller chunks over time, rather than trying to power through something all at once. There is also an added advantage of not becoming fatigued, so you are practicing fresh. I saw Tommy Emmanuel at a small venue a couple years ago and he talked about how to learn to play some of the impossible stuff he does. His approach was much the same, which is to break it down into small chunks over time, with the focus on technical skill and memorization, without paying much attention to how it sounds. After that, he then focuses on the musicality of the playing.

EDIT: Riviera Paradise is one of my favorite SRV songs. You are really sounding good!
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
Mike,
After your other post on this song (tremolo vs. chorus) I looked through some old boxes of music and found an SRV songbook I got way back when and it has RP in it. I believe it to be an extremely accurate rendition.
A few notes that may or may not be useful or helpful.
1. The first part of the intro is marked "Rubato" (free time), just as SRV played it. Your recording has a click track during the intro that only serves to screw everything up IMO.
It changes to 4/4 time at the 4 dramatic chords (Cmaj7 Cmaj7#11 Cmaj#11 B/C) and then the Em9 strummed top to bottom. The tempo is noted as "Very Slowly quarter note = 58".
2. The transcription you posted doesn't show any chords. Do you have the chords? I ask because this intro is a classic example of basically just playing chord arpeggios with very common jazz fingerings, and if you have the chords, it all makes so much more sense. Other than the chord arpeggios, there are just a few simple fills to play. And of course get the right feel to it all - often easier said than done.
3. Like you say, after the intro is where the real work begins.
Maybe I could find a way to share this with you if you think it might be helpful and want to take a look at it. PM me if you do.
Tom
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
Mike,
After your other post on this song (tremolo vs. chorus) I looked through some old boxes of music and found an SRV songbook I got way back when and it has RP in it. I believe it to be an extremely accurate rendition.
A few notes that may or may not be useful or helpful.
1. The first part of the intro is marked "Rubato" (free time), just as SRV played it. Your recording has a click track during the intro that only serves to screw everything up IMO.
It changes to 4/4 time at the 4 dramatic chords (Cmaj7 Cmaj7#11 Cmaj#11 B/C) and then the Em9 strummed top to bottom. The tempo is noted as "Very Slowly quarter note = 58".
2. The transcription you posted doesn't show any chords. Do you have the chords? I ask because this intro is a classic example of basically just playing chord arpeggios with very common jazz fingerings, and if you have the chords, it all makes so much more sense. Other than the chord arpeggios, there are just a few simple fills to play. And of course get the right feel to it all - often easier said than done.
3. Like you say, after the intro is where the real work begins.
Maybe I could find a way to share this with you if you think it might be helpful and want to take a look at it. PM me if you do.
Tom

Thanks, I'm pretty sure I have the notes spot on, (the guy that taught it to me (Tommy Katona from Texas Flood) is probably the best SRV tribute band in the country if not the world. My notation and my ability to play it on the other hand... well... maybe not so much.
As far as the chords go, I tried to find chord names that matched the fingering that he showed me.
It's impossible to play that song to a backing track (drums, keys, bass) if the first part (Solo guitar) is not played to a click track.
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
It's impossible to play that song to a backing track (drums, keys, bass) if the first part (Solo guitar) is not played to a click track.
Impossible?? Why? Just start the backing track after the rubato part while holding that Em9 chord, or even on the 4 chord sequence I mention above that leads to the Em9. The click track forces you to play a song "in time" that was not intended to be, which destroys the feel of it IMO.
There are only a few different chords used for the whole intro. A couple different inversions are used.
m9, 7#9, 6, maj7 and a couple passing chords where just one or two fingers move from the previous chord.
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
Impossible?? Why? Just start the backing track after the rubato part while holding that Em9 chord, or even on the 4 chord sequence I mention above that leads to the Em9. The click track forces you to play a song "in time" that was not intended to be, which destroys the feel of it IMO.
There are only a few different chords used for the whole intro. A couple different inversions are used.
m9, 7#9, 6, maj7 and a couple passing chords where just one or two fingers move from the previous chord.

Sorry, it should have said "Will likely be impossible for me to do live given my ability".
 
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