Lesson 7 bar 18 Eb accidental

[Jon3b]

  In bar 18 of solo 3 the run dips out of the straight minor and touches an Eb (g-string 8th fret). Anyone want to try and explain how this works in theory?

 

[wgabree]

That looks like a case of treating the IV (C7) as I and playing a C Dorian based solo.  C7 scale source is C Mixolydian - C Dorian just flats the 3rd - which is also a characteristic of the blues sound.

C Mixolydian:  C D E F G A Bb
C Dorian:       C D Eb F G A Bb
C7:  C E G Bb

Another way of looking at it is it's just G minor:

G Minor:         G A Bb C D Eb F

The Eb is not present in Pent or Blues:

G Minor Pent:  G Bb C D F
G Minor Blues: G Bb C C#/Db D F

The notation is written in C Major, but it's actually in G Major, so you're not seeing the other accidentals that would have been tell tail signs of non-diatonic tones (G Major's F# being natural).

Unless of course it was Griff's intention to notate in G Mixolydian, of which the relative Major is C.  But that's not the usual practice.  It's unusual to see songs with modal key signatures.  It does happen, but it's not common.  Reason being is that it causes confusion as to which key it's in.  Key signatures are generally looked at as either Major or Minor.  It's just easier for musicians to quickly figure out things that way.  Accidentals are then used to adjust the Major or Minor to the desired mode.

 

[Jon3b]

  Thanks Wayne. That's a time saver! I really should get back to the theory course, but with all that's been on my plate the last few months, getting in 30 minutes of practice is about all that I can manage.