Parisienne Walkways | TAB
There’s plenty of consistency in Parisienne Walkways’ rhythm guitar. Almost always we repeat the same pattern for each chord. Let’s go through all sections – even if you’re just here for the solo!
Intro (rhythm guitar)
The intro lays out the main idea, which is the cycle of 4ths, starting here on chord VI.
One tiny detail stands out here for me: the second Cmaj7 is different. This only happens in the intro, which makes me think it may have been a mistake – although I like it!
Most of all, however, I like the variation on the G chord as a Dm7/G.
Verse 1 (rhythm guitar)
In verse 1, we play the same progression up until the Bm7b5 (that Cmaj7 is now the same twice, by the way).
After the Bm7b5 for a bar, we go to E7, then a series of A chords (not Am!) before a stop that leads into a solo.
Solo 1 (rhythm guitar)
In the first solo, we don’t start on the Am. The stop has taken care of that, so we enter on Dm7. Other than that, it’s the same as the intro but with a new variation at the end, similar to verse 1 but not exactly the same.
Verse 2 (rhythm guitar)
The next verse has more variation to offer. We again start on a Dm7 as there’s been an A with a stop. The new chords here are a B7 after the Bm7b5, and the E – F – E movement at the end.
The long break that follows is that feedback-held note setting up the final solo.
Solo 2 (rhythm guitar)
The final solo has, yet again, new chords!
First, we start as in the last solo, but then after Bm7b5 we move sooner to E7, followed by a new loop with the chords in quicker succession: Am – Dm7 – Am, followed by the now established F – E movement.
As mentioned, there’s plenty going on with the chords in Parisienne Walkways!
Solo
Let’s now get going with the lead lines – it’s all in the detail and the main detail is that you bend up to a note that is held so you can vibrato above and below the pitch. Do compare this with just fretting the target note to feel and hear the difference.
First up is the intro solo.
Before we move on, we must consider all the intervals, as that’s how you remember what to play and understand why it works. Here are the intervals in relation to each chord:
- Am – 5th, sus4, m3, 9, root, b7, so a descending Aeolian as this is chord VI.
- Dm7 – m3rd, 9, root.
- Dm7/G – Here we think in relation to G: 5th, sus4, 3rd, 9, b7th, 6.
- Cmaj7 – 9, 3rd, root.
- F – 5th, #4, 3rd, 9th, root, maj7, a descending Lydian mode.
- Bm7b5 – m3rd, b9, root.
- E7sus4 + E7 – 5th, 4th, 3rd, root, b7, maj7, b7.
- A5 – m3rd.
Make sure you carry out this analysis for all future sections.
Verse 1 solo
Behind the vocal, Gary plays almost the same thing again, but not exactly…
Solo 1
The first solo is more of the same, followed by an insanely fast lick!
It took me a while to work out that last lick! After doing so, it became clear to me that this shouldn’t be memorised, but instead learned from. So let’s do that.
Speed exercise
What’s happening here is the idea of sequencing blended with blues licks. So let’s work on sequencing – start slowly!
This rhythm is sextuplets, so it’s a bit slower than Gary, who goes even faster!
We hammer on, pull off, then slide down. Hammer on, pull off, move between strings, and repeat.
On the third string, we do yet another slide down before resolving.
Once you can do this, you can start blending it with blues licks, exploring other scale shapes and making it your own.
Upon completing this journey to an acceptable level, you’ll realise how pointless it is to memorise an exact way to do it.
To be completely honest, I only transcribed it so you could see I could do it. It truly is pointless to copy that last lick in detail, but great to work on the technique and then let it rip!
Solo 2
The last solo has more greatness to study. Focus on the intervals and the expression details.
There is so much to learn here that you may have to go back to the top of this lesson and use the backing track to put it all together. Then come back to the TAB and study the finer details again, loop this process until you just can’t take it anymore!
Parisienne Walkways Backing Tracks + TAB | Related Pages
Parisienne Walkways | Chords + Lyrics
Learn how to play Parisienne Walkways by Gary Moore (Phil Lynott) using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Am | Dm7 |
I remember Paris in ’49…
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
