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Lesson Guide - ‘Nearly Home’
(Spaghetti Western genre)
Backing Track & Solo
written and performed by
J. Edwards
John’s notes:‘Spaghetti’ Western gets its name from
low budget (but highly successful) cowboy movies.
Traditional cowboy movies and TV shows were high
budget with famous actors and full orchestral
background music. ‘Spaghetti Western’ films cost a
lot less to make because they were filmed in Spain,
Italy and Germany, and mainly used unknown actors,
some of which didn’t speak English! The ‘Spaghetti’
nick name came about due to the location of the
filming.
Despite being low budget
they are very popular, and
many of the actors go on
to become house hold
names - think Clint
Eastwood for example!
Regarding the music, to
reduce costs only a few instruments are used, and
largely due to the filming locations, the music would
take on a ‘Latin’ flavour. A key ingredient which makes
the music style so popular is the ‘metallic’ electric
guitar sound, and use of tremolo and reverb. Acoustic
guitars also sound good playing this style. I
I’ve called this arrangement ‘Nearly Home’ because
herding cattle across thousands of miles of open
prairie is exhaustingly hard work, camping down
every night for weeks and exposed to all weathers. In
this arrangement the cowboys (and women) are tired
and nearly at their journeys end!
This arrangement is a great example of a melodic
theme targeting the chord tones. - Have fun!
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