Tips for the first three bars of Troublant Bolero

krzys · January 2023

Hello,

I am looking for some new approaches over the ~~Em7 E6 Emm7/Em7~~ Emaj7 E7 | E6 | Emm7 Em7 | A7 section, often simplified to E(maj9) | % | Em(7) | A7 it seems. I usually play arpeggios over those E chords targeting chord tones of the simplified progression and its relatively maj/minor, but I was wondering if anyone took a scalar approach with any certain modes? Any cool substitutions to think of? My approach sounds quite boring over the original mysterious progression.

MikeK · January 2023

I'm confused by the chords you mentioned in your post. The chart that my band uses for Troublant Bolero (after the intro, which you wouldn't solo over) has the first 4 bars as:

E/%/E-7/A7.

The way I approach it is pretty straightforward. The song is in the key of E major, so it begins with the 1 chord. So over the first 2 chords you can do something in E major (arpeggio, triad with enclosures, etc) or toy with the melody. Then it goes to a ii-V-I in D major, so at that point you can hit the arpeggios/triads with enclosures of those chords, do something cool in D major, or even play something in E dorian if you want to think modes/scales. If you found a different chart for this song, feel free to post it. It was November's song of the month on this forum, so if you search for that, you'll see the chart most players use for it.

krzys · January 2023

Sorry I must have made a big mistake there.

These are the chords I play for the first four bars in the Django style version.

Emaj7 (E7) | E6 | Emm7 (Em7) | A7

JasonS · January 2023

EmMaj7 is what I play as well.

Buco · January 2023

Wim was like "yeah, my man"...

Bones · January 2023

For comping I just do:

X / / X X / / / X / / X X / / /

8 / / 7 6 / / / 8 / / 7 6 / / /

6 / / 6 6 / / / 5 / / 5 5 / / /

X / / X X / / / X / / X X / / /

7 / / 7 7 / / / 7 / / 7 5 / / /

Not sure how to notate it but it is one beat per column.

It is EM7, E7, E6, EmM7, Em7, A7 all with the 5th (B) in the bass. No open ringing strings that way and doesn't double the root with the bass player in case there are more than one rhythm player.

Buco · January 2023

Use what you have.

Here's what I would do: use Soundslice or similar so you can loop that section over and over. Then do just that. Do it long enough until you feel and hear ideas start flowing. It could take a few hours but I'm pretty sure they will at some point. Then once you feel you're onto something, come up with variations using different timing, different phrasing, different start notes. In the end record what you have and woodshed so it becomes a part of your playing.