Country Blues Guitar In Open Tunings taught by Stefan Grossman

Transcription

1 Country Blues Guitar In Open Tunings taught by by taught Stefan Grossman

2 EXPLANATION OF THE TAB SYSTEM Learning from listening is unquestionably the best way, the only way that suits this kind of music. You are setting the notes down for a record of what happened, a record that can be studied, preserved and so on, a necessary and useful companion to the recordings of the actual sounds. I keep thinking of this as I transcribe; if you could do it, it would be good to have a legend across each page reading : Listen to the record if you want to learn the song. Hally Wood (taken from the Publisher s Foreword to the New Lost City Ramblers Songbook.) Copyright 965 Oak Publications All rights reserved. Used by permission. Generally for fingerpicking styles you will be playing the thumb, index and middle fingers of your picking hand. To indicate the picking finger in tab the stems go up and line up down from the numbers. A. A stem down means that your thumb strikes the note. B. If a stem is up, your index or middle finger strikes the note. The choice of finger is left up to you, as your fingers will dictate what is most comfortable, especially when playing a song up to tempo! C. The diagram below shows an open sixth string played with the thumb followed by the second fret of the third string played with the index or middle finger: These words are most suitable for introducing the tablature system, for tablature is ust a guide and should be used in conunction with the recordings. Tablature is not like music notation, however the combination of tab and music in an arrangement forms a complete language. Used together with the original recordings they give a total picture of the music. The tab system does not attempt to show rhythms or accents. These can be found on the music or heard in the recordings. Music notation tackles these articulations to a degree, but the overall sensations, the feel and the soul of music cannot be wholly captured on the written page. In the words of the great Sufi Hazrat Inayat Khan: The traditional ancient songs of India composed by great Masters have been handed down from father to son. The way music is taught is different from the Western way. It is not always written, but is taught by imitation. The teacher sings and the pupil imitates and the intricacies and subtleties are learned by imitation. This is the theme I ve tried to interpolate into the tablature. Tablature is the roadmap and you are the driver. Now to the tab: Each space indicates a string. The top space represents the first string, second space the second string, etc. A zero means an open string, a number in the space indicates the fretted position, for instance a in a space indicates the first fret of that string In the diagram below the zero is on the second string and indicates the open second string is played. The is placed on the third string and signifies the first fret of the third string. Likewise, the 4 is in the fourth space and indicates the fourth fret of the fourth string ) ) ) 4) In most cases the thumb will play an alternating bass pattern, usually on the bass strings. The index and middle fingers play melodic notes on the first, second and third strings. Please remember, this is not a rule; there are many exceptions. In fingerpicking there are two picking styles: Regular picking and pinching two notes together. A pinch is shown in the tab by a line connecting two notes. A variation of this can also be two treble notes pinched with a bass note. Follow the examples below from left to right: 5) 6) ) The open sixth string is played with the thumb. ) The first fret of the sixth string is pinched together with the third fret on the third string. The sixth string is played with the thumb, the third string with the index finger. ) The thumb strikes the third fret of the fourth string. 4) The first fret/sixth string is played with the thumb; it s pinched with two notes in the treble. The index and middle fingers strike the first fret/first string and the third fret/ second string. 5) The next note is the index finger hitting the first fret/second string. 6) Lastly, the bass note is played with the thumb on the third fret/fourth string. There are certain places in blues and contemporary guitar that call for the use of either strumming techniques or accented bass notes. The tab illustrates these as follows: ) ) ) 4) 5) E y i t

3 4 5 6 ) The thumb hits the open sixth string and the second fret on the fifth string should also sound. For example, play an E chord. Now strike the open string and vary the force of your attack. Try hitting it hard enough so that the fifth string vibrates as well. This technique is very important for developing a full sound and the right alternating bass sound. ) Next the arrow notation indicates a brush and the arrow head indicates the direction of the brush. A. If the arrowhead is pointed down, the hand brushes up towards the sixth string. B. If pointed up, the hand brushes down towards the first string. C. The number of strings to be played by the brush is shown by the length of the arrows. For example, this arrow shows a brush up toward the sixth string, but indicates to strike only the first, second and third strings. D. The brush can be done with your whole hand, index finger or middle and ring finger. Let comfort plus a full and right sound guide your choice. ) The third set of notes again shows the sixth string/open bass note played with the thumb and being struck hard enough to make the fifth string/second fretted position sound. 4) Once more an arrow pointed downward indicates a brush up. This example forms an E chord and the brush up includes the first, second, third and fourth strings. 5) The last set of notes has an arrow pointed upward, indicating a brush downward striking the first, second, and third strings. Here are several special effects that are also symbolized in tablature: ) ) H ) 4) 5) 7 8 W 9 P7 4 ) HARMONICS: Symbolized by a dot ( ). To play a harmonic: gently lay your finger directly above the indicated fret (don t press down!) The two notes in the example are both harmonics. The first on the twelfth fret/third string is played with the index/middle finger, while the second note twelfth fret/fourth string is played with the thumb. 4) SLIDE: Shown with a dash ( ). Play the second fret/sixth string and then slide up to the fourth fret of the sixth string. This is a continuous movement: the string is struck once with your thumb. 5) PULL-OFF: P designates a pull-off. Fret both the seventh and ninth frets on the second string. Play the ninth fret with your index/middle finger and then quickly remove it in the same stroke, leaving the seventh fret/second string. Pull-offs are generally in a downward direction. 6) In certain cases other specific symbols are added to the tab, for instance: A. For ARTIFICIAL HARMONICS an X is placed after the fretted position. B. For SNAPPING a note an indication may be given with a symbol or the written word. Many times these special techniques are combined, for instance putting a pull-off and a hammer-on together. Coordination of your fretting and picking hands will be complex initially, but the end results are exciting and fun to play. PICKING HAND POSITION FOR FINGERPICKING STYLES: The Classical and Flamenco schools have strict right-hand rules, however for this style of acoustic fingerpicking there are NO RULES, only suggestions. Your right hand position should be dictated by comfort, however in observation of many well-known fingerpickers I found one hand position similarity they all tend to rest their little finger and/or ring finger on the face of the guitar. This seems to help their balance for accenting notes and control of the guitar. Experiment with this position: it may feel uncomfortable at first. I ask my students to perfect this position and then compare the sound to when their finger(s) were not placed on the face of the guitar. They usually find the sound is greatly improved when some contact is kept with the guitar face. ) HAMMER-ON: Designated by an H which is placed after the stem on the fret to be hammered. In the example above, fret the second fret/fifth string and pick it with your thumb. Then hammer-on (hit hard) the third fret/fifth string, i.e. fret the third fret/fifth string. This is an all-in-one, continuous motion which will produce two notes rapidly with one picking finger strike. MUSIC NOTATION: We have somewhat adapted the music notation in that this also shows whether the note is picked with your thumb or index/middle fingers. The stems of the music notes correspond to the direction of the tab stems. I hope this will make the music notation clearer to fingerpicking guitarists. ) WHAM: Designated by a W. In the example the eighth fret/second string is whammed and played with the seventh fret/first string. Both notes are played together with your index and middle fingers respectively. The whammed note is stretched. We do this by literally bending the note up. We can wham the note up a half tone, full tone, etc. I hope you will feel at home and comfortable with the tablature and musical notations. Remember, these are only road maps indicating where and how you should place your fingers. The playing and musical interpretation is up to you.

4 Open D Tuning: DADF AD 4 4 Aå D. 4 VESTAPOL. 4 4 H. 4 4 H 4 H 4 H H H D Ó # G H. -4 4

5 5

6 G Œ H H H D. -4 A Œ D w H Bå D n 9 P7 8 n 9 P7 8 6

7 n. Ó n 9 P P7 8 n n. Ó # 9 P7 8 9 P7 7 8 G Œ. D. G

8 D. A Œ -4 Cå D H ná 7 8 W w n w n n 9 P7 8 9 P7 8 8

9 n. Ó # G.. 9 P D. 4 G H H H H D. A Œ -4 9

10 D w H Aå D H. 4 4 H 4 H Ó # G 4 H

11 H H D. -4 G H H H H D. G Œ. -4 (G ) n n (A) # # D 4 } } 4 damp damp H o

12 JOHN HENRY Open D Tuning: DADF AD 4 4 J. Πn n n n Πn n n n.... J n n. n J #

13 .. n Á Á... H W W H n Á Á... n Á Á. W W H W W. H. J Œ n n n n

14 Œ n n n n J n n. n J #... H ná... ná. 8 W H 8 W 4

15 . HIGH PART. H n 7 9. n Á Á. 8 W 8 W.. 9. H n n U w w 7 - n

16 n. n Á W.. ná Á... H W W H ná Á... ná Á. 8W 8W H W W. H H 7 9 6

17 . n n 9 n n n n. n Á W H 7

18 n Á Á... ná Á. W W H 8 W 8 W.. ná Á.. H W W H H 8

19 JOHN HENRY When John Henry was a little baby boy, sitting on the his papa s knee Well he picked up a hammer and little piece of steel Said, Hammer s gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord Hammer s gonna be the death of me The captain said to John Henry I m gonna bring that steam drill around I m gonna bring that steam drill out on the ob I m gonna whup that steel on down John Henry told his captain Lord a man ain t nothing but a man But before I d let your steam drill beat me down I d die with a hammer in my hand John Henry said to his shaker Shaker, why don t you sing Because I m swinging thirty pounds from my hips on down Just listen to that cold steel ring John Henry said to his shaker Shaker, why don't you pray Cause if I miss this little piece of steel Tomorrow be your burying day Now the captain said to John Henry I believe that mountain s caving in John Henry said right back to the captain Ain t nothing but my hammer sucking wind Now the man that invented the steam drill He thought he was mighty fine But John Henry drove fifteen feet The steam drill only made nine John Henry hammered in the mountains His hammer was striking fire But he worked so hard, it broke his poor heart And he laid down his hammer and he died 9

20 Now John Henry had a little woman, And the dress that she wore was red She started down the track and she never looked back Going where John Henry lies dead John Henry had a little woman Her name was Polly Anne John Henry was barely in the ground Polly Anne was driving steel like a man John Henry had a little baby You could hold him in the palm of your hand And the last words I heard that poor boy say My daddy was a steel driving man So every Monday morning When the blue birds begin to sing You can hear John Henry a mile or more You can hear John Henry s hammer ring

21 IF YOU DON T WANT ME Open D Tuning: DADF AD 4 4 (D). 4 4 n # n #. n #. n #. A (D) n # n #.

22 (D). 4 4 n # n #. n # n # A (D) n # n #.

23 (D). 4 4 n # n #. n #. n #. A. (D) n # n #.

24 IF YOU DON T WANT ME (Mississippi John Hurt lyrics) If you don t want me, baby, got to have me anyhow If you don t want me, baby, got to have me anyhow It was late last night when everything was still Well, me and your baby eased out on the hill I tried my best to do my father s will I tried my best to do my father s will Don t want me, baby, got to have me anyhow Don t want me, baby, got to have me anyhow The sun go down, ain t this a lonesome place? The sun goin down and ain t this a lonesome place? So lonesome here, can t see in my baby s face It s so lonesome here, I can t see in my baby s face You don t want me, baby, got to have me anyhow Don t want me, baby, got to have me anyhow 4

25 WORKING ON THE NEW RAILROAD Open G Tuning: DGDGBD & # 4 4 VERSE G.. P # C. P & # G. C & # G.. # P & # C. G. 5 5 P 5

26 & # # D & # G.. D.. J BRIDGE e H H e t. & # G.... J e H H e t. & # VERSE G.. P # C. P 6

27 & # G. C & # G. # P & # C. G. 5 5 P & # # D 7

28 & # G.. D.. J BRIDGE e H H e t. & #.. G... J e H H e t. & #. g g 8

29 SPECIAL RIDER Open G Tuning: DGDGBD & # 8 & # INTRO # n n J # n n... J n. t n J J J n. b Œ. J W & # Œ b. Œ n J b Œ.. W W W & # Œ. 8 b Œ 8 6 b. n.. n. W W W P W 9

30 & # 8 6 Œ. 8. u VERSE.. J J & # Œ. n n... b W Œ. b. n. W W & # Œ b 8 6 Œ.. 8. n.. P W u & # 8 J... # # J.. J n n J n b J Œ W

31 & # Œ. b Œ 8 6 b. n.. n. W W P W & # 8 6 Œ # 8. # n. n.. J n. t J & # n n J n b J J J n J Œ W & # Œ b. Œ n 8 6 b 8. J Œ.. W W W W

32 & # Œ 8 b Œ 8 6 b. n.. n. W W P W & # 8 6 Ó. 8. & #. J GUITAR BREAK b b J & #. J.. J b b J. J J

33 & # J b. Œ. Œ J P5 5r5r5r5r5r Œ n. n b. Ó. b rr rr & #. b Œ b 8 6. n.. n. W W P W & # 8 6 Œ # 8. # n. n.. J n. t J & # n n J n b J J J n J Œ W

34 & # Œ b. Œ n 8 6 b 8. J Œ.. W W W W & # 8 Œ b Œ b 8 6. n.. n. W W W W & # 8 6 Œ J.. J u - - & # b b J J

35 & #. J.. J b b J. J J & # J Œ. b. Ó. Œ. n.. n b. Ó. b P5 5r 5r 5r 5 5 r r & #. b Œ 8 6 b. n.. n. W W P W & # 8 6 Œ # 8. # n. n.. J n. t J 5

36 & # n n J n b J J J n J Œ W & # Œ b. Œ n 8 6 b 8. J Œ.. W W W W & # 8 Œ. b. n. Œ b. n. W W P W & #. # g. 5 g 6

37 SPECIAL RIDER (Skip James lyrics) I ain t got no special rider here I ain t got no special rider I ain t got nobody to love and feel my care I woke up this mornin, looked at the special risin sun Got up this mornin, looked at special risin sun An I prayed to the Lord my special rider would go I sing this song to ease your trouble in mind Sing this song, ease your trouble in mind And you stay worried, yeah, and bothered all the time Hey, hey, what more can I do? Hey, hey, what more can I do? Honey, you must want me keep singin these special blues 7

38 HARD TIME KILLIN FLOOR BLUES Cross-note (Open Em) Tuning: EBEGBD # # 6 8 Œ. n Œ. n. Œ. n. H H H # # n Œ. J n J Œ.. Œ. n. 5H H # # Œ. Á. n n. Á n # n # 5 W H W H P H # # J J J... n J -4-4 t 8

39 # # J J J n. n # n # t -4-4 H P H # # J J J... n J -4-4 t # # J J J n. n # n # t -4-4 H P H # # n. n

40 HARD TIME KILLIN FLOOR BLUES (Skip James lyrics) Hard time here and everywhere you go Times is harder than ever been before And the people are driftin' from door to door Can't find no heaven, I don't care where they go Hear me tell you people, ust before I go These hard times will kill you ust dry long so Well, you hear me singin' my lonesome song These hard times can last us so very long If I ever get off this killin' floor I'll never get down this low no more No-no, no-no, I'll never get down this low no more And you say you had money, you better be sure 'Cause these hard times will drive you from door to door Sing this song and I ain't gonna sing no more Sing this song and I ain't gonna sing no more These hard times will drive you from door to door 4

41 I M SO GLAD Cross-note (Open Em) Tuning: EBEGBD # # 4 J Œ. n n #. 4-4 H H # # Œ n. # # J Œ. n u Ó # } # # n # Œ H H u u 4

42 # # Œ.. 4 H # # Œ n. n t # # J Œ. n. Ó # } # # n # w H H 4

43 # # Œ n n. 4H H 4 4 4H 4 4 # # Œ # n n #. H H H # # Œ n. n H H H # # Ó n # a w H H 4

44 # # n. n n n n n P # #. n n P # # n. n n. n. n # # Ó n # a Œ H u u 44

45 # # J Œ. n n #. 4-4 H H # # Œ n u # # J Œ. n. Ó # } # # n # w H H 45

46 # # Œ. n #. 4 H H # # Œ n. n t # # Ó n n # #. n Ó 46

47 # # Œ n. n 4H H 4 4 4H 4 4 # # Œ # n n #. H H H # # Œ n. n H H H # # Ó n # a w H 47

48 # # J n. n. H P 4 4 # # Œ # n n #. H H H P # # Œ n n. H H H # # Ó n # a w H 48

49 # # Œ. n #. 4 H H # # Œ n. n t # # J Œ. n. Ó # } # # n # Œ H H u u 49

50 # # J Œ. n n #. 4-4 H H # # Œ n n t # # Ó n n # #. n o 5

51 I M SO GLAD (Skip James lyrics) And I m so glad, and I am glad, I am glad, I m glad I don t know what to do, don t know what to do, I don t know what to do I m tired of weepin, tired of moanin, tired of groanin for you And I m so glad, I am glad, I am glad, I m glad I m tired of weepin, tired of moanin, tired of groanin for you And I m so glad, and I am glad, I am glad, I m glad I m so tired of moanin, tired of groanin, tired of longin for you I m so glad, and I am glad, I am glad, I m glad I don t know what to do, know what to do, I don t know what to do I m so tired, and I am tired, I am tired And I m so glad, I am glad, I am glad, I m glad I don t know what to do, know what to do, I don t know what to do I m tired of weepin, tired of moanin, tired of groanin for you And I m so glad, and I am glad, I am glad, I m glad I m so tired, and I am tired, I am tired, I m tired I m tired of weepin, tired of moanin, tired of groanin for you I m so glad, and I am glad, I am glad, I m glad I don t know what to do, know what to do, don t know what to do 5