Stray Cat Strut
by Stray Cats
Difficulty Profile
Skill LevelOverall
AdvancedRhythm
IntermediateLead
AdvancedBass
IntermediateWhy "Stray Cat Strut" Works Harmonically
Beyond standard guitar tabs and chord charts, discover the exact music theory mechanics, modal interchange, and voice leading choices that give Stray Cats's classic its unforgettable emotional power.
The Minor Andalusian Cadence with Chromatic Enclosures and Altered Dominants
Brian Setzer fused 1950s rockabilly with 1940s jump-blues jazz sophistication. The descending Andalusian cadence (Cm - Bb - Ab - G7) evokes the stealthy prowl of an alley cat, dressed up with Cm6, Bb9, Abmaj7, and G7#9 chords, while the guitar solo weaves between blues bends and diminished 7th sweeps over the dominant chord.
Harmonic Progression (Roman Numerals)
i - bVII - bVI - V7Step-by-Step Movement
- •Cm (i): Dark, moody tonic minor establishing the cool nocturnal swing.
- •Bb (bVII): Subtonic chord providing effortless downward voice leading.
- •Ab (bVI): Submediant chord creating dramatic weight in the descending bassline.
- •G7 (V7): Altered dominant chord featuring the leading tone B natural that pulls forcefully back to Cm.
Voice Leading & Counterpoint
- ›The bassline walks down chromatically or diatonically: C → Bb → Ab → G, forming an unbroken descending foundation.
- ›Setzer uses jazz chord extensions (Cm6, Bb9, Abmaj7, G7#9) to give the simple 4-chord loop rich harmonic coloration.
- ›Over the G7 chord, Setzer plays Ab diminished 7th arpeggios, which spell out the 3rd, 5th, b7, and b9 of G7alt.
Fretboard Mechanics
Play on a hollowbody Gretsch with Filter’Tron pickups into a blonde Fender Bassman. Use a plastic thumb pick to slap alternating bass notes while popping chords with bare fingers.
Elevate a standard minor progression by swapping basic barre chords for jazz voicings (add 6ths, 9ths, and #9s) and walking your bassline chromatically into each chord.
The natural minor scale providing the primary chord tones.
The jazzy minor scale featuring the natural 6th (A natural).
The gritty scale used for rockabilly bends and double stops.
The dark minor mode driving the Andalusian descent.
The jazz-blues minor mode with bright 6th degree color.
G7 and G7#9 creating intense harmonic tension.
Cm and Cm6 anchoring the nocturnal mood.
Musical Analysis
🎹 Key & Tonality
⏱️ Song Structure
💡 Understanding C Minor:
C Minor has a darker, more introspective character. The Minor Swing with Andalusian Cadence mode creates tension and emotion. This key is perfect for expressing melancholy or aggressive themes in rock music.
Foundation for the descending Andalusian chord progression, providing the dark blues-noir mood
Introduces the natural 6th degree (A natural) for jazzy chord extensions like Cm6 and jump-blues swing phrases
Supplies raw rockabilly attitude, biting blue notes, and double-stop slaps in the guitar solos
Understand minor chord construction and voicings
Primary Chords Used
Scale Patterns in C Minor
C Natural Minor
Notes: C - D - Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - C
Application: Foundation for the descending Andalusian chord progression, providing the dark blues-noir mood
Interactive Fretboard Map
Chord Progressions & Movement
Main Progression
The classic Andalusian cadence in C minor, reimagined through 1950s jump blues and swing. Brian Setzer dresses up the chords with sophisticated jazz voicings (Cm6, Bb9, Abmaj7, and G7#9), creating an irresistible feline swagger.
💡 Theory Insight:
These borrowed chords from the parallel minor key add darker, more dramatic colors to the progression. This modal interchange gives rock and metal its signature swagger.
Chord Shapes In This Section:
Cm
Bb
Ab
G7
Harmonic Functions & Roles:
- Cm (i)Dark tonic minor establishing the cool, nocturnal alleyway atmosphere
- Bb (bVII)Subtonic chord providing effortless descending voice leading
- Ab (bVI)Submediant chord adding poignant weight to the downward motion
- G7 (V7)Major dominant chord containing the leading tone (B natural) that pulls urgently back to Cm
Key Techniques
Thumb-Pick Hybrid Rockabilly Slap
AdvancedBrian Setzer's thumb-pick and bare-finger technique. Plucking alternating bass notes with a plastic thumb pick while popping and plucking chord stabs with fingers 1, 2, and 3, creating simultaneous bass, rhythm, and melody
Uses chords:
Progression:
Cm - Bb - Ab - G7
Technique Tips:
- •If you do not use a thumb pick, use a standard flatpick held between thumb and index, using fingers 2 and 3 for hybrid picking
- •Practice the chromatic bass walk-ins between chord shapes slowly at 90 BPM
- •Keep the rhythm strictly swinging with dotted-eighth and sixteenth subdivisions
Jazz-Rockabilly Chromatic Enclosures & Bigsby Dips
AdvancedApproaching chord tones from a half-step above and below before resolving, combined with subtle, expressive dips of the Bigsby vibrato arm on sustained double stops and chords
Progression:
Lead solo over Andalusian progression
Technique Tips:
- •A hollowbody guitar with Filter'Tron pickups provides the essential percussive 'thunk' and top-end snap
- •Use analog tape slapback echo set to ~120 ms with a single repeat for authentic 1950s Sun Records depth
- •Keep the Bigsby motion subtle; over-bending will destabilize tuning
Practice Exercises
Scale and technique exercises in the key of C Minor. Switch instrument sounds (Acoustic Steel, Nylon, Clean Electric, Piano) and practice at your own tempo.
Sneaking Cat Prowl Intro Riff
Sneaking Cat Walk Intro Progression
The quintessential rockabilly intro. Setzer plays a walking chromatic bass line on the 5th and 6th strings, puncturing the silence with snappy staccato jazz chords.
- •Walk into the Cm chord from the open A string: 0-1-2-3 on string 5
- •Chop the chord stab staccato on the upbeat
- •Slide into the Bb9 chord from a half-step below (A9 to Bb9)
Verse Andalusian Chord Comping
Andalusian Cadence Swing Comping
Rhythm drops into a tight, nocturnal swing groove. Setzer plays percussive comping stabs that dance effortlessly around Lee Rocker's slap-bass groove.
- •Keep the pick-hand bounce light and bouncy at 132 BPM swing
- •Use fret-hand dampening to create clean percussive chops
- •Vary the chord voicings between the lower neck and 8th-fret barre shapes
Chorus Swagger & Hook
Chorus Swing Drive & Vocal Sync
The title hook bursts out with infectious gang vocals and driving swing accents. Setzer digs into the lower strings for thicker, punchier rockabilly drive.
- •Accentuate beats 2 and 4 to lock with the snare and slap-bass click
- •Slide aggressively into the G7 chord for maximum harmonic tension
- •Allow the final G7 chord to ring momentarily into the vocal breath
Bridge Half-Diminished Detour
Jazz Minor ii-V-i Turnaround Study
The progression detours to Fm before executing a sophisticated jazz minor ii-V turnaround (Dm7b5 to G7), elevating the harmonic complexity beyond standard rock.
- •Voice the Fm chord at fret 8 (string 5 root) or open position
- •Finger the Dm7b5 shape: fret 5 on string 5, fret 6 on string 4, fret 5 on string 3, fret 6 on string 2
- •Notice how Dm7b5 creates smooth half-step voice leading into G7
Brian Setzer Virtuosic Solo
Brian Setzer Virtuosic Rockabilly Solo
Widely regarded as one of the greatest guitar solos in rockabilly history. Setzer blends blues bends, chromatic enclosures, diminished sweeps, and country-style hybrid picking with blazing swagger.
- •Start with the biting 8th-fret C minor pentatonic double stop
- •Execute the chromatic approach runs into the major 3rd of G7 (B natural)
- •Sweep cleanly through the Ab diminished 7th arpeggio over the G7 chord
Outro Big Band Swing Climax & Bigsby Dip
Big Band Swing Climax & Cm69 Resolution
The song ramps to its dynamic peak. Setzer trades fiery blues licks with the brass horn chart before ending on an unresolved, mysterious Cm69 chord with a slow Bigsby warble.
- •Strum with maximum swing bravado across all six strings
- •Coordinate the final abrupt band stop on the upbeat of beat 4
- •Form the lush Cm69 chord: fret 3 on string 5, fret 1 on string 4, fret 2 on string 3, fret 3 on string 2
Equipment & Tone Setup
🎸 Guitar
Recommended Model:
Pickup Type:
Bridge Filter'Tron pickup for snappy, percussive bass attack and bright rockabilly chime
⚡ Amplifier & Settings
Recommended Amp:
Tone Stack Dial-In:
Gain: 5.0
Treble: 7.5
Middle: 8.0
Bass: 4.5
Presence: 6.5
🎛️ Effects Pedals
Overdrive / Distortion:
Natural tube preamp compression and edge-of-breakup grit
Reverb / Delay:
Subtle spring reverb
Modulation / Other:
Roland RE-301 Chorus Echo / analog tape slapback delay (approx. 120 ms, single repeat, 50% wet)
Recommended Learning Path
Mastering the Descending Minor Chords
⏱️ 1-2 weeks
- •Learn basic barre chord shapes for Cm, Bb, Ab, and G7
- •Practice transitioning through the 4-chord Andalusian cadence in time
- •Strum with a metronome at 90 BPM with a swing eighth-note feel
Jazz Voicings & Bass Walk-Ins
⏱️ 2-3 weeks
- •Upgrade chords to Cm6, Bb9, Abmaj7, and G7#9 voicings
- •Incorporate the walking chromatic bass lines between chord shifts
- •Master the bridge minor ii-V turnaround (Dm7b5 to G7)
Brian Setzer's Virtuosic Solo
⏱️ 3-4 weeks
- •Master thumb-pick hybrid picking and string-popping mechanics
- •Learn the chromatic enclosures, blues double stops, and diminished sweeps in the solo
- •Integrate expressive Bigsby vibrato dips while maintaining rock-solid pitch
Practice Notes & Routine
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- •Playing with a straight rock feel instead of the essential jump-blues swing shuffle
- •Letting chords ring out endlessly instead of cutting them short with crisp staccato muting
- •Over-using the Bigsby vibrato arm, causing the hollowbody guitar to slip out of tune
- •Fumbling the chromatic approach notes in the solo instead of landing squarely on target chord tones
⏱️Targeted Practice Routine
0/4 Completed (0%)Check off each segment during your session to track your practice progress:
- 5 mins: Chromatic walking bass exercises on strings 5 and 6 at 100 BPM swing
- 10 mins: Jazz chord transition practice (Cm6 - Bb9 - Abmaj7 - G7#9) with staccato chops
- 10 mins: Dm7b5 to G7#9 voice-leading drills in the bridge section
- 10 mins: Solo phrase-by-phrase transcription practice focusing on diminished arpeggio sweeps
🎯 Key Focus Areas
- •Pick-hand thumb and finger independence using hybrid or thumb-pick attack
- •Crisp staccato release on chord chops to leave space for the upright bass
- •Flawless intonation on whole-step bends and chromatic enclosures
⏱️ Metronome Drills
- •Set metronome to 132 BPM in swing eighth-note mode
- •Practice muting strings with fret hand and executing percussive swing strums on beats 2 and 4
- •Gradually re-introduce the chord shapes, ensuring every downbeat lands strictly on the click