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  • Theory: Intro to "Tender Surrender"

I love this song but I REALLY love his intro. It sounds like he's just using specific intervals to get a very funky sound. What intervals? What makes them sound like that? Could someone rip this intro apart for the rest of us?

I've also heard that Sting's "Fragile" uses 6th intervals - this type of stuff is very exciting because it uses just 2 notes to create an entire "feeling" for the song. So I'd really love to know more, please ?
    Hey Norio,

    I believe that the intro is played in octaves (which Wes Montgomery happens to be the god of). The key tonality is in A dorian if i'm not mistaken.
    Start with 7th fret on the A string + 9th fret on the G and then move to the 5th fret on the D string + 8th fret on the B string.
    Hopefully, this will get you going in the right direction.
    The first two tonalities are Em7 and Am7 at the beginning of the second bar.

    Cheers
      Brilliant Song Norio!

      Definately octaves, I love the solo, it builds up and gives me goosebumps everytime I hear it. 8)
        I love the part where the guitar solo really builds up and then all of a sudden it drops to clean guitar again.
        Is that just careful volume pot and pedal switching going on their, or is it like a blend volume pot between a clean and distorted amp?
        I've always wondered about it, anyone know how he does it?
          Manfred Klose wrote: I love the part where the guitar solo really builds up and then all of a sudden it drops to clean guitar again.
          Is that just careful volume pot and pedal switching going on their, or is it like a blend volume pot between a clean and distorted amp?
          I've always wondered about it, anyone know how he does it?
          +1 for noticing that Manny. I spent a lot of time trying to figure it out with no luck.
          The video (Alien Love Secrets DVD) is also slightly misleading because it shows him turning down the volume on the guitar, but i tend to believe that its a dual amp set up with the second amp set cleaner. I might be completely wrong though ?
            Yeah I love Wes - didn't think it would be so simple as just octaves - awesome ?

            Definitely need to practise that a bit and get into that groove. It's such a sweet, sweet, sweet sound!
              I have a live clip of him playing it (don't know where it is from) and the transition isn't as smooth - he changes from plectrum to thumb and finger and turns down the volume a bit on almost each note of the octave part with his pinky (four times by my count), then just before he does the short single note run he grabs it with thumb and forefinger and turns it down again. Pretty impressive control...
                It's Vai's tribute to Wes.... though the whammy shit is awesome. And its with thumb brushing... like Wes... not all of it though... just the warm parts
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