Emotional Ballad | Guitar Backing Track in E

Emotional ballad guitar backing track in the key of E. Play along with this guitar jam track over a setting sun that beckons farewell in the evening sky. Tempo: 78 bpm.

Improvisation Tips

E major pentatonic, or pickup some ideas from my solo here.

About The Track

Credits to my son Senne (9y) for bringing the idea for the video. I let hem listen to a demo of the emotional ballad backing track and asked him with images this music created. He said it made him think of the setting sun ;-).

After a short acoustic intro, the A-section follows a gorgeous chord progression in the key of E major. Here you can use E major pentatonic, E major blues, or E Ionian. The same goes for the B-section (bridge), indicated by a distant slide guitar, warm piano sounds, and acoustic guitar harmonics. This builds to a denser C-section, where a reverb-laden guitar melody enters the lower registers to indicate the move to the D-chord. This chord brings some drama to this emotional ballad backing track and brings the colors of the Lydian mode into the track. You can continue improvising with the E major pentatonic or add the D for extra flavor. 

This uplifting chorus is inspired by space-age pop soundtracks, surf guitar, and bands like Hooverphonic. Everything blends with some U2-style guitar rhythm parts, and ambient synths , mostly Native Instruments’ Absynth.

I hope this jam track will inspire your guitar (or saxophone, or…) playing. Thank you for watching, playing along or just relaxing 😉  Cheers, Maarten 

Guitars
  • 1994 Fender Standard American Stratocaster
  • Suhr Modern Pro HH Yamaha Pacifica p90
  • (slide parts)
  • Martin HD-16R Adirondack  (acoustic)
Featured Plugin: Soundtoys Echoboy

The Soundtoys 5 Bundle helps a lot to set the atmosphere in this emotional ballad backing track. Echoboy is the main delay on most guitar parts. I’m also a big fan of Little Radiator, an easy-to-use plugin to ‘warm-up’ digital audio tracks. The interface for these plugins is very easy to use. If you are used to turning knobs on an effects pedal, these plugins are very easy to learn and to use creatively. 

Screenshot from Logic Pro X (emotional ballad backing track)

Get the Soundtoys 5 bundle here (Plugin Boutique) 

https://www.pluginboutique.com/products/4721/?a_aid=5e1ef926927d1 

More

Here is another Mixolydian backing track I made. 

Leave a Reply