Hotel California Dissection

[MikeA]

http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/...lifornia.shtml

Complete breakdown of the song particularly "musically". Interesting.

[WalshFan88]

Very cool Mike! Nice find!

[MikeA]

I can follow part of the theory, but it was WAY over my head! I've studied the "moods" some and got completely lost trying to follow all that stuff.

For me, knowing the progression and general feel of the song is enough for me to appreciate it. We've discussed here on the Border in the past the similarities of the progression with that of Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd songs.

[WalshFan88]

I can follow part of the theory, but it was WAY over my head! I've studied the "moods" some and got completely lost trying to follow all that stuff.

For me, knowing the progression and general feel of the song is enough for me to appreciate it. We've discussed here on the Border in the past the similarities of the progression with that of Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd songs.

Yeah I know some theory but I'm not into the super technical/no feel playing that guys like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, John Petrucci do. I'd much rather just know my scales well and play by feel and emotion (ala BB King).

[MikeA]

Well, I remember that to change moods, you add or take away flats from notes in the scale. The more flats, the "darker" or "moodier" it gets until it sounds like something that should be the theme for some horror show <LOL>. But that's about all I remember. I have trouble enough remembering all five scale patterns in the pentatonic! That's not really true. I can easily remember the patterns, but have trouble finding the I, IV and V NOTES within any but the 1st 2nd and 4th patterns without picking around or counting frets on my fingers up from the first or down from the 12th <LOL>

I've made color coded charts of the guitar neck from nut to 22nd fret. I've built scale slide rules with Major and Minor scales as well as Major and Minor Pentatonic scales and of all the things I've used, that helps more than anything. The Root, fourth and fifth along with the blues notes (Vb) are all noted along with the other notes on the scale.

I'm pretty proud of that scale slide rule. I made up plans of it and posted it on a web page with instructions as to how to make it along with patterns for the scales. YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT HERE

But it isn't "natural" for me and never has been....to be able to just KNOW where all the notes are regardless of the key.

Chords, that's a different story. I know them instinctively and can usually find a quick way to get from one chord to another.

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Wow - I gotta admit he lost me after the intro with this. However, that is a good find, Mike. Thanks for posting it. As we've said many times here, I've often seen the lyrics to this song analyzed to pieces, but I don't think I've ever seen such an analysis of the music. I know this article must have some music gearheads salivating. Some folks like to dissect lyrics, some like to dissect music, and some others just want to enjoy what their ears hear without thinking at all. We have something for everyone here on The Border.

[MikeA]

That kind of dissection is way over the top. I think the only ones who pay any attention that are students in advanced music degree programs....or people trying to sell an article to a magazine.

I seriously doubt that many Rock & Roll Musicians study that crap. They just do it.

[WalshFan88]

I seriously doubt that many Rock & Roll Musicians study that crap. They just do it.

+1

I totally agree.