Moonglow Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 The solo was published in the 1980's. I bought the transcription. i have no idea what I did with it,but I will search for it. I bought it way back when. It is part of a best of Boston book with transcriptions for many of their hits. I recall seeing that a couple of times, but it was waaaaay out there. IIRC, I'm not sure the main lick was even correct. Quote "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe P Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 That first video reminded me of this clip. Some may remember it and some may not... I always wanted to do Foreplay as well. Killer tune! Check out her version of YYZ: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonglow Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 ....Check out her version of YYZ: That girl is amazing. I'd like to see her kick out Karn Evil 9. Quote "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 http://www.retrosynth.com/~analoguediehard/studio/keyboards/hammond_xk3/foreplay-1.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 http://www.retrosynth.com/~analoguediehard/studio/keyboards/hammond_xk3/foreplay-2.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonglow Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Hey, thanks for sharing MC! I'm gonna have some fun with this over the long weekend. Just may get out the cassette tape....err CD....to cross-reference my version with the different versions in this thread. It's been over 20 years since I learned it..... Seems there are just a few small discrepancies here and there among us. Has anyone ever slowed it down to figure it out? Quote "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 You guys still read staff music, right? I don't have tabs for this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP3 Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 I avoid staff like an infection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EscapeRocks Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 I bought it way back when. It is part of a best of Boston book with transcriptions for many of their hits. I recall seeing that a couple of times, but it was waaaaay out there. IIRC, I'm not sure the main lick was even correct. you're correct. I used it as a base reference to get started. it was way off in many parts. Quote David Gig Rig:Depends on the day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 Since I've started speeding it up to "boston speed", I've noticed some of my voicings aren't working so well. I've made modifications that probably aren't right, but then again maybe they are. As far as slowing it down, you read my mind, I was thinking of doing that and transcribing it note for note. I'm probably currently more accurate on the hard parts than the easy parts because I just skimmed over the easy parts and didn't really transcribe, just to get it down to where I could play it through. So far, the way I'm playing it (right or wrong), I can pretty much do it almost mistake free at about 3/4 speed. When I get up to full speed, it's sloppy and full of mistakes. But I'm getting closer. Quote Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Pierce Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Wow!!! Thanks MC. I've always wanted to learn this song too, and have never taken the time. You removed any remaining excuse I had not to. --Dave Quote Make my funk the P-funk. I wants to get funked up. My Funk/Jam originals project: http://www.thefunkery.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Pierce Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Holy crap! I just printed that out and sat down with it. That's really hard to play at any close to the recording's speed. This will be harder than I thought. Should be a fun challenge actually, I'll throw it into my morning practice routine and see what comes out in a week or six... --Dave Quote Make my funk the P-funk. I wants to get funked up. My Funk/Jam originals project: http://www.thefunkery.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 Yeah, I'm on week 2-1/2. Honestly, it's probably a bit above my normal ability level, but I'm one of those guys who, if I practice it enough, will eventually nail it. People think I'm better than I am because of stuff like that that I've taken the time to nail. Quote Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgoo Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 to give a little bit of creedence to the theory that they played it in A- & tuned it up (even though I have to admit I doubt it too!), try the opening lick & the descending arpeggio in A-. It's far easier & more natural fingering.... or at least it seems that way to me. Quote Custom Music, Audio Post Production, Location Audio www.gmma.biz https://www.facebook.com/gmmamusic/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanS Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Thanks man, that will help! We've been talking about doing this tune for a while now at outdoor festivals. We did Smokin' a few years ago and it went over well. Quote What we record in life, echoes in eternity. MOXF8, Electro 6D, XK1c, Motif XSr, PEKPER, Voyager, Univox MiniKorg. https://www.abandoned-film.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanker. Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 People think I'm better than I am because of stuff like that that I've taken the time to nail. Get down Quote A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Enjoy it - that was transcribed with the music slowed down 1/2 speed. It's also a lot easier to transcribe with the music at low level, as most of us love to "turn it up" when that comes on the radio. Hint - the fingering for the opening motif is 3-1-3-4-1-2. Once you get that down, the rest will fall into place. I'd like to know what Tom Scholtz was smoking when he wrote that. Years ago I played in an R&B/funk band. At a rehearsal we ripped through Foreplay/Long Time in one pass. Then at a gig I started the opening motif just for giggles and the bandleader cut me off. I thought "I'll get him". So whenever I had an organ solo, I would transpose the key - Dm, Am, Em, Cm - and play the opening motif as part of my solo. Everybody caught it and there was much snickering, alas the joke was lost on poor bandleader as he couldn't figure out what everybody was laughing about, which made it even funnier. After four months we finally told him. Well, fearless bandleader decided to make a "game" out of it. He always liked to get the audience involved so he announced that sometime during the night I would play - cue motif - and the first person to catch me playing it would win a prize. People actually did catch it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonglow Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Since I've started speeding it up to "boston speed", I've noticed some of my voicings aren't working so well. I've made modifications that probably aren't right, but then again maybe they are. As far as slowing it down, you read my mind, I was thinking of doing that and transcribing it note for note. I'm probably currently more accurate on the hard parts than the easy parts because I just skimmed over the easy parts and didn't really transcribe, just to get it down to where I could play it through. So far, the way I'm playing it (right or wrong), I can pretty much do it almost mistake free at about 3/4 speed. When I get up to full speed, it's sloppy and full of mistakes. But I'm getting closer. One of the things that helped me get this song up to speed was sitting down at a PIANO and playing it with a metronome, like a Hanon exercise. I sarted off very slowly, and exaggerated the finger movements, to facilitate muscle memory. After I got it close to "Boston speed" I switched over to organ and was able to fly through it. Kind of like how a baseball player uses those weighted donut things on his bat before he hits. Quote "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Jx Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 Hint - the fingering for the opening motif is 3-1-3-4-1-2. Once you get that down, the rest will fall into place. I've been working with it since the topic came up on this forum. But I've been fingering the open riff 4-1-4-5-2-3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Jx Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 People think I'm better than I am because of stuff like that that I've taken the time to nail. The flip side of that is you're better than you think you are because you're willing to put the work in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phred Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 People think I'm better than I am because of stuff like that that I've taken the time to nail. The flip side of that is you're better than you think you are because you're willing to put the work in. +1 Quote I'm just saying', everyone that confuses correlation with causation eventually ends up dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanS Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 But I've been fingering the open riff 4-1-4-5-2-3 You're using an extra finger that could be better served scooping blow. Quote What we record in life, echoes in eternity. MOXF8, Electro 6D, XK1c, Motif XSr, PEKPER, Voyager, Univox MiniKorg. https://www.abandoned-film.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe 1320 Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I know this is an old topic, but much to my surprise I found this thread of me playing Foreplay in the original post. It's great to see others doing this tune, I don't seem to run across it very often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 I know this is an old topic, but much to my surprise I found this thread of me playing Foreplay in the original post. It's great to see others doing this tune, I don't seem to run across it very often. That's you in the video I posted? Nice work - I'd be interested in you shedding some light on exactly what you had set up as far as splits, layers, and anything else going on to accomplish all the parts. Quote Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonglow Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I know this is an old topic, but much to my surprise I found this thread of me playing Foreplay in the original post. It's great to see others doing this tune, I don't seem to run across it very often. That's you in the video I posted? Nice work - I'd be interested in you shedding some light on exactly what you had set up as far as splits, layers, and anything else going on to accomplish all the parts. +1 Nice playing! Quote "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve LeBlanc Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Off thread topic, boston used a hammond M3 for foreplay. Anyone ever read the settings he used? If memory serves, I read somewhere he used an M-102 which is also a spinet but has percussion. I could be wrong. Quote http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgoo Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I know this is an old topic, but much to my surprise I found this thread of me playing Foreplay in the original post. It's great to see others doing this tune, I don't seem to run across it very often. Hey Joe- it's impressive enough that you played the piece... but so have many of us mere mortals around here. What elevates you above the flock is that you were fricking kicking pedals too! Badass dude! welcome to the forum. Quote Custom Music, Audio Post Production, Location Audio www.gmma.biz https://www.facebook.com/gmmamusic/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe 1320 Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Thanks for all the kind words, guys. I'll need to go back and check exactly what I have mixed. For now, If I remember correct.... the basic B-3 sounds on the upper throughout, a distortion guitar sample on the lower but the sound was a bit dry so I mixed a synth lead sound aka Van Halen "jump" sound in with it albiet at a much lower relative volume to give the guitar some warmth. I have programmable presets so I think I went though about 10 of them for the tune as in that video. There are some basic drum patterns like the high hat cymbal riff that are automated and some drums are coupled to the lower keyboard and to the pedals. I can start and stop the percussion patterns with a foot switch, I can change presets with another foot switch, plus a few other touch bar controllers for additional percussion. The pedals are sometimes unsplit, sometimes percussion is layered over the top, split at other times with additional percussion on the top half. Lower keyboard was never split but some percussion layered when needed. I think I also had to edit the attack of the guitar as the basic sample wasn't quite right. That Lowrey Prestige is marketed as a "home organ", it does have some really good features and samples, but some samples are just average. I had to really work at mixing things to get the desired results and assign all kinds of extra layered percussion all over the place to make it come out as close as possible to the real deal. I'm still not happy with some of the mixes and percussion, but they are about at the limit of what I can do on that piece of equipment. It would be really neat if I could get just an actual drum track with all the proper parts to play with! Oh.... there are days I long for playing in a band again. Doing everything youself sometimes is just not the same as the magic created by the other musicians in a kick ass group. I'll go back and look further into my setups this next week when I get a few moments, work schedule has been a bit nuts lately. Regards and thanks, Joe Bowen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnH Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 Ok guys...I'm a huge Boston fan and I've never learned this correctly so it's time for me too to learn it. By the way, I was at the Greek Theatre Friday night for Deep Purple and got to see Barry Goudreau and Sib Hashian of Boston playing with their new band Ernie and The Automatics. They did a killer ten minute long medley of Boston stuff, including Foreplay. The singer keyboardist was playing an RD-300 and he just nailed it! I went to walk around between acts and saw Barry coming out of the door behind the stage and said hi to him. Today I was messing with Foreplay...I had always thought of course the intro lick is the Bflat, Dflat Eflat and F arpeggio...But I never noticed...at the same time that arp is playing- what's with the notes going A flat- F back and forth????? Is this an overdub? Or does Tom play those on the second manual? Problem is if you do those notes as well- then you can't do the descending line on the intro. Hmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe 1320 Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 http://www.retrosynth.com/~analoguediehard/studio/keyboards/hammond_xk3/foreplay-1.jpg Hmmm..... I just happen to glance through the transcription. I learned this by ear and for some reason I hear the last two notes of the triplet in measure 7 as being reversed. I play those notes as Ab, C, Eb.... a definate reversal from the decending pattern. edit; nevermind.... went back and listened to the album, the transcription is correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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