EBS Songbook Level One Darkened Streets – Nu metal
EBS Songbook Level One Darkened Streets – Nu metal
Download and print out the score so that you can refer to it as you follow the bass chart.
Start by going through the chart, step by step, looking at each section and understanding what the chart is asking you to do.
The first thing you will see is the name of the tune, ‘Darkened Streets’, and the name of the composer. The title is the important one as, if you had a number of songs to play, it is essential that you play the correct one!
At the top left hand side, before the tune starts, you will see the note '4 Clicks'. This means that you will hear four clicks before the tune starts. This will help count you into the song.
Next is the time signature ‘C’, which is the sign for ‘common time’ and means there are four beats in each bar. This is familiar territory for you.
Above the first bar is the name of the first section of the song, which is the ‘Introduction’. The Introduction is four bars long, and you will see that you have four bars with just a short line in each. This is a whole note rest and means that you rest (do not play) for the entire bar. In fact, you will see that you do not play anything until you come in at bar 9, which is four bars into the opening Chorus.
Bringing instruments in at different times is a method often used by composers to generate dynamics. It works very well in this case.
You have eight bars to play and it is an eighth notes riff — based around E, C, G, and A. In itself, it is quite straightforward, but note that you have to change notes on the off beat. Take a little time to run round the riff a couple of times, then loop the BassXtractor to play along until you are comfortable.
The pattern varies in the eighth bar (bar 16): where there is half a bar of eighth notes followed by a single half note. This has the effect of settling the rhythm down into the next section which is the first Verse.
The first Verse is largely made up of quarter notes, so the intensity of the rhythm relaxes quite noticeably. Take a look at the shape of the Verse and you will see that it is sixteen bars long. You will also see that bars 4, 8 and 12 of the Verse include eighth notes playing octaves. You are familiar with playing octaves; so here is a great chance to practise playing them in a performance piece.
The note sequence of the Verse is eight bars long and repeated. Practise looping the first eight bars to become comfortable with the sequence.
The second half of the first Verse varies only in that the last bar again uses a half note. This time though, it creates tension as it lifts into the Chorus.
This time you play the whole Chorus, which is sixteen bars long and is identical in form to the opening chorus.
Following the Chorus you then play the second Verse which, you will notice, is identical to the first Verse. Some of the song's power is enhanced by the simplicity of its structure and the fact that it does not use a middle eight.
From the second Verse, the song moves into the last Chorus. This time around, the four bar sequence of notes is repeated six times. This gives a final chorus of twenty-four bars.
Note that the song finishes with a half note: on beat 3 of the final bar of the Chorus.
Now, listen to the multimedia files, and follow the bass chart through a couple of times.
Once you have done that, have a go yourself. You can play with the bass, or mute the bassist on the track so that you can play on your own. Remember to: