Amarillo By Morning Modulation Chords

[Lee Baucum]

It would be interesting to see how the "official" sheet music compares to George Strait's original studio recording.

~Lee

[Kenny Davis]

Rule of thumb is pretty much going to the 5 of the key you're modulating to.

[Dave Hopping]

Rule of thumb is pretty much going to the 5 of the key you're modulating to.

Essentially that's what "Amarillo" does. The F#m is the III chord in D and the II in E, so it's a good place to do a II-V change and you're in E just as nice as you please.

It'd work if you just went D-F#m-G-A, then down to E but F# to B7 goes up a fourth and then up another fourth to E. That along with the drum fill and the kick drum and bass going to
a heavier pattern turns on the musical afterburner.

[Fred Treece]

It would be interesting to see how the "official" sheet music compares to George Strait's original studio recording.

~Lee

I think that’s what this has turned into, Lee. The sheet music described in Erv’s post is different from the original George Strait studio recording, as is the karaoke version posted by Jerry.

This also partially answers Irv’s question, “Why do you have to figure it out by ear when the chords are given to you?” The flip side is “Why should I go to the trouble of purchasing and following sheet music if I don’t need it?”.

I learn a song by ear for the same reason anyone else does, because I can. I can hear the changes on the version of ABM I’m referring to as plain as day. As Jerry implies in his comment, I don’t care if the songwriter’s publishing company transcribed the song differently. I’m going to play what I hear in the version I like, and if the band needs a chart of it I’ll write out myself.

[Richard Sinkler]

I think I figured it out. At the time of the modulation, I'll have to make an emergency rum to the restroom.

Past bands I have been in have all done it differently. One band didn't modulate at all. This last band that I moved to Montana to play with is the only one that chops the chords in the modulation. I was with them for 3 years.

I may have the opportunity to join one of Missoula's busier bands in a month or so. Their steel player is retiring soon and he has asked me if I would want the job. They have Amarillo By Morning on their song list, and I was looking for ideas from others.

[Jeff Keyton]

I was on bass on a pickup gig one July 4th, this song was not in the bands normal setlist, a guy cameup to stage and requested it, but also wanted to sing it. It was a pretty informal gig, so ok, here we go, and we could basically play the song until the mod, at which time the band went every which way but loose. I can remember the sneer from the sit in singer as he turned around to look at the trainwreck happening behind him.

[Dave Hopping]

Indeed so! While the Strait version's change isn't all that sophisticated, I'm sure we've all been subjected to jaw-dropping hobby-band butchery of that part of the song....


BTW Terry Stafford's earlier version of "Amarillo" has some nice elements that Strait's cover picked up, but the key change goes up just a half-step.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la6ixqpAJUU

[Jerry Overstreet]

Jams and sit ins can be hazardous to your ego. In my experiences, it starts with someone calling a song forgetting or failing to mention if there is or isn't a modulation and if so where and how much. It usually dawns on everybody deep into the song everybody looking quizzically at each other "are we or aren't we"? as the time comes. Many times, amateur singers don't do or can't handle an upward modulation in the key they're using.

I try or hopefully, or someone else will yell out things like E by way of B, up a half, or up a whole. Generally experienced players know most times, to go the the 5 of the new key, but that's not always the case. Depends on the structure of the song.

These things will hopefully, sometimes, avert disaster and embarrassment.

This can usually be avoided if the information is known at first. I try to ask the leader or singer if they are going to modulate, if it's a song I'm familiar with...but it doesn't always happen that way on the battlefiels.

[Dave Mudgett]

As has already been stated clearly, the change on Strait's version is basically a D=>F#m=>G, or 1=>3m=>4 in D, but then going into 2m=>5=>1 of the new key E, i.e., F#m=>B=>E. But it seems to me that the bass, guitar, and fiddle collectively control the voicing of the overall ensemble chord. I hear someone going to A in the bass as the B chord is sounded. What I hear come out sounds like a
Bsus4/A chord, with the guitar and/or bass melodically leading to E resolution from that A note.

So to me, the question is what to play on the 5. I would probably keep it pretty sparse, to not get in the way e.g., a simple voicing of B or Bsus4, and let the bass and guitar do their thing. Unless someone told me they want me to do the heavy lifting.

I also don't think it matters what the original sheet music says about the exact modulation chords if the goal is to play close to Strait's version. And I don't think it will sound like that if the B chord is completely replaced by an A chord. Perhaps they were trying to do the standard "go to 5 of the new key" but the A note is a nod to the original score. Regardless, I really like Strait's version and I'd want to work this out to get that type of effect.

The other thing is that I don't think it matters a lot exactly how one does this modulation as long it generally and smoothly moves to the new key and everyone is on the same page and they don't clash with each other. At a jam, I would discuss with the bass and guitar players how to modulate before the song starts, and not try to work it out while playing it.

[Henry Matthews]

I hear the new 5 chord which would of course be a B but true, everyone plays it different.

[Lee Baucum]

Listening to the original recording, I'm still hearing (for that 5 chord) a 4/5, A/B. Or B11. A Bsus4 is close.

The fiddle hits an E note at that point and an E fits nicely with any of those chords; but, someone hitting a regular old B Major chord there will create a bit of a train wreck. An E and a D# won't get along with each other.

A dumpster fire could be created, right there on stage!
I hate it when that happens.

~Lee

[Bobby D. Jones]

Lee I like your Dumpster Fire description of the results.

I played in 2 house bands before COVID. Both venues had an open mike section. If someone came on stage an announced, He Stopped Lovin Her Today, Farewell Party, What Now.

[Tim Harr]

I can't believe this is an actual discussion.

[Kenny Davis]

I agree with Tim.

However, everyone is missing the most important element: The drums drive the passage. You'd better teach the drummer how to play it first. If you don't, it'll be crap.

I play it D F#m G and a quick E/B/E. Don't over analyze.

[Fred Treece]

The drum fill was mentioned in an earlier post. I’ve never had the good fortune of working with a drummer who had a clue on it.

It’s not over-analyzing when players have learned different versions of the same song. That modulation in AMB turns into a clusterflock, as most modulations do, unless it is discussed, charted, and/or rehearsed.

This discussion has provided some insight on how to deal with trouble spots in arrangements of songs that everyone thinks they know until they play it in a band that has never played it together before. Yeah, an utter waste of time…

[Lee Baucum]

I can't believe this is an actual discussion.

A question was asked and a discussion ensued.

There must be some way to prevent such abhorrent behavior.

~Lee

[Bill Terry]

I can't believe this is an actual discussion.

I'm not so sure dude, I hear it from the audience all the time. You take a break and overhear someone say ... "Did you hear what the band did on that modulation!?!??" LOL

Not dissing the thread though, that's what we do here, and why I hang out..

[Fred Treece]

The average half-blitzed two-stepping couple is not going to notice if your strings are 8 cents flat either. So next gig, just leave your $150 Peterson Strobostomp at home.

[Richard Sinkler]

The average half-blitzed two-stepping couple is not going to notice if your strings are 8 cents flat either. So next gig, just leave your $150 Peterson Strobostomp at home.

A big thumbs up to you Fred.

[Lee Baucum]

On another note...what about that Maj7 chord? I've noticed that some bands play it, others don't.

~Lee