Immigrant Song Workaround?

[FingerDub]

I am having trouble nailing the chorus scale runs in Immigrant Song. I know it's a mixolydian scale, A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A. I just cannot keep up with the sheer speed of JPJ. I'm trying to relax but it's tough.

We play this song in a cover band and it's virtually the only song out of 85 that I cannot play close to the original. (No problems with the verse).

I've been practicing, and am going to keep practicing, but can anyone think of a shortcut around this until I get it fully? I've been playing them half speed one time instead of regular speed, and I guess it's OK, slightly butchering the 3rd run on the C.

I know it's only a cover and not the end of the world, just trying to make it sound decent until/if I can get it.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

If this is the chorus causing the problem.....

A
On we sweep with,
B
with threshing oar
C
Our only goal will be the western shore
​

Try one root note and nothing more till the next chord change, hit the root and let it ring till the chord change. This works with slow ballads and helps call attention to the lyric being sung, try it with a fast ballad. It may work...

Other than that, Good Luck.

 

[mark286]

The chorus can be hard to play if you pick or pluck each individual note with your right hand. What I do is only pluck the first note on each string with my right hand and then use a hammer on for each of the rest of the notes on that string with my left hand.

So pluck the A (on the E string) hammer on the B, pluck the C# (on the A string) hammer on the D and E, pluck the F# (on the D string) and hammer on the G and A. And so forth...

 

[FingerDub]

The chorus can be hard to play if you pick or pluck each individual note with your right hand. What I do is only pluck the first note on each string with my right hand and then use a hammer on for each of the rest of the notes on that string with my left hand.

So pluck the A (on the E string) hammer on the B, pluck the C# (on the A string) hammer on the D and E, pluck the F# (on the D string) and hammer on the G and A. And so forth...

Interesting approach. I have been trying to pluck and finger every note like you said. I'll give this a try and see if it works for me.

 

[FingerDub]

If this is the chorus causing the problem.....

A
On we sweep with,
B
with threshing oar
C
Our only goal will be the western shore
​

Try one root note and nothing more till the next chord change, hit the root and let it ring till the chord change. This works with slow ballads and helps call attention to the lyric being sung, try it with a fast ballad. It may work...

Other than that, Good Luck.

This is what I'll probably end up doing at gigs until I can get it, better to play one note and let it ring out than blow the pocket. The crowd probably doesnt care either.

 

[sleeplessknight]

If you do it in open position, you get to hammer-on three notes per string:
A(pluck, open)-B(hammer)-C#(hammer)-D(pluck, open)-E(hammer)-F#(hammer)-G(open)-A(hammer)

 

[Jloch86]

I've been playing that song for a long time and the only way around the mixolydian runs is to play the roots. Don't forget the last run of C mixolydian includes a high B natural which makes it even more difficult!

 

[Lownote38]

FYI, Jones used a pick to play that part and picks every note. Is your right, or left hand the problem?

 

[FingerDub]

FYI, Jones used a pick to play that part and picks every note. Is your right, or left hand the problem?

Left.

 

[Lownote38]

Left.

Practice the left hand mixolydian scales using all 4 fingers on that hand if you're not using your pinkie finger already.

 

[ricardol]

Apparently, it's A major, B mixolydian, C mixolydian:

 

[ricardol]