Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
SONGS TO PLAY
THE BEATLES Day Tripper
arr. by TOMMY EMMANUEL
BOB DYLAN You Aint Goin Nowhere
ANDY McKEE Drifting
DAVID GRAY Babylon
TRADITIONAL Home Sweet Home
F O R E V E R Y P L A Y E R I N A N Y S T Y L E
YouTube Fingerstyle
Guitar Ergonomics
How to Find the Perfect Fit
Sensation
ANDY GEAR REVIEWS
McKEE
LOWDEN Pierre Bensusan
Signature Model
CRDOBA
On Two-Hand Tapping Fusion Orchestra
and Percussive FISHMAN
Techniques Loudbox
Mini Amp
25 Tips for
Thriving
at a Jam
INSTRUMENT
APPRAISALS
EXPLAINED
LESSONS
Play Scratch Rhythms
Learn the Reverse
Boom-Chuck
Master the Fretboard
JANUARY 2011
AcousticGuitar.com
Crazy-Pete, President of Breedlove
Guitar Company bungy jumping in New Zealand.
The folks from New Zealand really know how to live. Their
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Experience. Crazy-Pete
Whats more, they could visit the Breedlove Custom Shop to Design your dream guitar.
design their dream guitar. Guests can select their tonewoods,
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So, how far will you go for a Breedlove? b r e e d l o v e g u i t a r s . c o m
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w w w . Y a m a h a G u i t a r s . c o m
ROCKHARDER
My ears love the sound,
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Monte Montgomery
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ACOUSTIC CLASSICS
14 Bob Dylans You Aint Goin Nowhere
16 David Grays Babylon
JANUARY 2011 VOL. 21, NO. 7, ISSUE 217
18 PRIVATE LESSON
features Corey Harris: The blues guitarist
describes the art of fusing American and
50 Andy McKee
stylist Pierre Bensusan. By Doug Young
22 Crdoba Fusion Orchestra: Hybrid
classical guitar designed for steel-string
The contemporary fingerstyle sensation explains the
players has a warm sound and comfort-
percussive style that turned him into a YouTube star. able feel. By Ruth Parry
24 Fishman Loudbox Mini: Portable,
By Doug Young
affordable, and flexible acoustic amp.
By Andrew DuBrock
32 30-MINUTE LESSON
Learn the Reverse Boom-Chuck:
A simple change in your strumming can
help you mimic the style of a piano.
By David Hodge
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fretboard, scale length, and much more. Making simple choices about the guitar you choose ADMINISTRATION
to play can save you trouble later on, and luthiers are increasingly incorporating features Publisher David A. Lusterman
Office and
that are specifically designed to limit the discomfort, pain, and injury that can come from Systems Manager Peter Penhallow
spending hours playing a guitar that does not fit properly.
ADVERTISING
If youre among the many guitarists whose New Years resolutions will include the vow Advertising Managers
(West) Adrianne Serna
to play with other musicians more in 2011, the 25 tips in Get Into a Real Jam (page 41) (East) Cindi Kazarian
will set you on the right path. Nicole Solis gives practical advice about choosing tunes, (Central) Claudia Campazzo
Advertising Operations
playing solos, leading songs, and observing the musical and social cues in the room, all to Manager Sarah Hasselberg
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ensure that you have a great time picking with old (or new-found) friends.
Elsewhere in this issue, check out the cover story on Andy McKee on page 50, in which FINANCE
the innovative fingerstylist explains the tapping and slapping techniques that have been Director of Accounting
and Operations Anita Evans
wowing millions on YouTubethe video for his song Drifting (transcribed on page 59) Bookkeeper Geneva Thompson
Office and
has 34 million views to dateand in his live performances. McKee is on the road in early Bookkeeping Assistant Tristan Kelley
2011 with two other fine guitarists, rock instrumentalist Eric Johnson and fingerstyle Office Assistant Naia Nakai
master Peppino DAgostino, so be sure to check out the tour if it comes to your area.
MARKETING
Youll also find reviews of the new Fishman Loudbox Mini amplifier (page 24) and the Marketing Manager Mea Chavez
Digital Publishing
Lowden Pierre Bensusan Signature Model (page 20), a look at how guitars are appraised Manager Jason Garoian
(page 72), and numerous songs to play, including one by Bob Dylan (page 14) and a Digital Developer Lyzy Lusterman
Subscriptions Jan Edwards-Pullin
Beatles classic arranged by Tommy Emmanuel (page 84). Theres much more to play here,
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Chords
#4
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G Am
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C
x 3201 0 3
0 3
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0
1
3
1
3
0
0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0
0 0 2 2 0 2 0 2 0 2
B 3 3
2
3
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3
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G Am G Am Am
1. Clouds so swift, rain wont lift 2. I dont care how many letters they sent Strap yourself to a tree with roots
C G C G C G
Gate wont close, railings froze The morning came, morning went You aint goin nowhere
Am Am
Get your mind off wintertime Pack up your money, pick up your tent Repeat Chorus
C G C G
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musiciansfriend.com 800.343.9795
acoustic classic
j j .
Chords, Capo I
# 4 > >> > >
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* = down; = up
Dmaj9/F # A7
1. Friday night Im going nowhere Moving through the crowds, Im pushing And feel it now
G6 Dmaj9/F # G6 Chemicals are rushing in my bloodstream D A Em
1999 CHRYSALIS MUSIC LTD. ALL RIGHTS FOR THE U.S. AND CANADA ADMINISTERED BY CHRYSALIS MUSIC.
All the lights are changing green to red I only wish that you were here, you know Let go of your heart, let go of your head
Dmaj9/F # Im seeing it so clear, Ive been afraid A7 Dmaj9/F # G6
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED USED BY PERMISSION. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF HAL LEONARD CORP.
Turning over TV stations To show you how I really feel And feel it now, Babylon
G6 Dmaj9/F # G Admit to some of those bad mistakes Ive made Dmaj9/F # G6 Dmaj9/F # G6
Situations running through my head Babylon, Babylon
Dmaj9/F # G6 Chorus
Looking back through time, you know its clear 3. Sunday all the lights of London
D A
Dmaj9/F # G6 And if you want it, come and get it Shining sky is fading red to blue
Kicking through the autumn leaves and
That Ive been blind, Ive been a fool Em F #m11
Dmaj9/F # G6 For crying out loud Wondering where it is you might be going to
To open up my heart to all the jealousy Turning back for home, you know
D A
Dmaj9/F # G6 (Em) The love that I was giving you was Im feeling so alone, I cant believe
That bitterness, that ridicule Climbing on the stair I turn around
Em G
Never in doubt To see you smiling there in front of me
2. Saturday Im running wild
D A Em
And all the lights are changing red to green Let go of your heart, let go of your head Repeat Chorus
Repeat Chorus (second half)
American and African musical influences. instance, whats distinctive about Mississippi
blues?
Someone from Mississippi might say other-
By Andrew DuBrock wise, but to me, what makes a song Missis-
sippi is its got a real direct harshness to [its]
sound [Example 1]. They dont have a whole
lot of chords and fancy changes. Mississippi
blues is more about your rhythm, your timing,
and can you sing, accompany yourself. Can
you have emotion in your voice and come
across as being real?
Hear the music COREY HARRIS SINGS THE BLUES with astonishing conviction. Though How would that differ from the blues in
examples at he grew up in Colorado and now lives in Virginia, a few moments spent other regions?
AcousticGuitar.com/ with his 1995 debut Between Midnight and Day could convince you that Here in Virginia, a lot of it is dance music,
privatelesson hes a Mississippi Delta bluesman decades older. At other times, he Piedmont style. Its blues, but its got less of a
sounds convincingly like a seasoned Piedmont-style blues picker. harsh sound. People might play something
Harris was one of a handful of artists who kept the acoustic blues like [Example 2]. It doesnt have a whole lot
revival rolling onward in the 90s, but as his career progressed, he began of sevenths in there; it doesnt have a whole
to reach beyond North American blues styles to study and record Afri- lot of blue notes to itbut its got some.
can and Jamaican music. Recordings like Mississippi to Mali (2003) and But this is really my take on things,
because my parents came from Texas and
Kentucky. I was born in Colorado. This is just
what Ive observedthere are exceptions to
the rule. You had people like Mississippi John
Hurt who played like a Piedmont style, you
know, [but] he was straight up from Miss-
issippi. Then you have people like Mance
Lipscomb. He was from Texas, but he played
very much a fingerpicking Piedmont style, too.
And Hacksaw Harney, he came from Missis-
sippi, but he sounded very much like Blind
Blake. He played a lot of ragsand he played
blues, toobut he played a lot of instrumental
rags. I think a lot of that is people were listen-
ing to records and radio. Prior to [the] mid-
1920s, people didnt do that. They had to
sound like where they were from, more or less.
Burning Spears Columbus and a handful of songs co-written with Bajourou, and its not from Ali Farkas region
Harriss reggae-influenced producer and bandmate, Chris Peanut of the country [Mali], its more from the
Whitley. south.
C *j
Am G
# # # # 3 . n j
* *
n
* WHAT HE PLAYS
& 4 . ..
n n( )n . .
n n( ) . . ()
n
GUITARS: Gernandt Parlor with koa back
J J
and sides (gernandt.com). Taylor 510ce.
National Koa Estralita Deluxe (for slide).
. 1 1 1 (10) 3
(0)
3 3 3
(0)
0 0 0 . Gibson Herb Ellis ES-165 electric archtop.
. 3 3 .
2 2 2 Dickerson lap steel.
0 0
B 3
0
3 3
2
3
STRINGS: DAddario light-gauge.
FLATPICK: Jim Dunlop teardrop-shape Jazz
* Occasionally substitutes open high E string over ringing open B string II or III.
Ex. 1
E7
3
Swing ( = ) 1/4 * 3 1/4
1/4
* Straight eighths
Ex. 2 C F C A7 D
T T T T
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 5 3 2 2 2
3 1 1 3 1 1 1
2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 2 2 0 0
B 3
0 2 3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3 1 1 1 1
3 3 2 1 0 0 0 0
G C Ex. 3 Ex. 4
3
10
3
H P H HP HP HP H P HP
3 0 0 0 0 0 000
0 3 1 1 01 0 3 0 1 01 0 3 01 0 01 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 2 0 3 3 23 2 02 0
B 3 3
3
3
0
3
0 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 3
By Doug Young
See the AMONG A HANDFUL OF legendary pair- move up the neck, providing more
video review at ings of players and guitars, the associ- spacing between the outer strings and
AcousticGuitar ation between Lowden Guitars and the edge of the neck at higher frets,
.com/newgear master fingerstyle guitarist Pierre perfect for vibrato on higher-pitched
Bensusan has a unique place in melodic lines.
acoustic guitar history. In 1978, George Lowdens customary split saddle
Lowden built Bensusan what was then called a model S22 one saddle for the two plain treble
(today it would be called an O22), and aside from a few brief strings, and another for the four wound
diversions, Bensusans famous jumbo-body Old Lady has stringsprovides excellent intonation
been his near constant companion ever since. In 2009, over the entire range of the guitar, and
Lowden began to work on a replacement for Bensusans aging the gold Gotoh 510 tuning keys (with
instrument, providing a New Lady for Bensusan, and leading ebony buttons) make tuning smooth and
to the introduction of the Pierre Bensusan Signature model. easy. The Madagascar rosewood bridge
We took a look at this unique guitar. uses Lowdens typical pinless design,
which facilitates quick string changes and
Refined Elegance offers some additional comfort, with no
The Bensusan signature model is based on Lowdens F body bridge pins under your picking-hand palm.
size, which roughly corresponds to the dimensions of a small As expected of a guitar in this price
jumbo or grand auditorium. The guitar is 157 8 inches wide at range and with this level of endorsement,
the lower bout and 42332 inches deep at the tailblock. A small the instruments construction is simply
but effective armrest bevel helps minimize any ergonomic impeccable. And the top-notch materials
challenges presented by the deep body. The guitar is relatively and flawless construction create an
free of ornamentation, featuring only a thin, simple abalone
rosette and the Lowden name in abalone on the headstock.
T h e pitch-black ebony headstock overlay is embossed AT A GLANCE
with Bensusans signature in pearl on the back.
The instruments clean, uncluttered lines THE SPECS Lowden F-size body shape. Solid
help draw attention to the high-grade woods Adirondack spruce top. Solid Honduras
used throughout. The darkly stained, satin- rosewood back and sides. A-frame X-bracing with
finished Honduras rosewood back and sides tapered dolphin shape. Five-piece maple neck
are beautiful in an understated way and accen- with dovetail joint. Ebony fretboard, binding, and
tuate the nearly white, perfectly grained Adiron- headstock overlay. Armrest bevel. Madagascar
dack spruce top. The satin finish, along with the rosewood bridge with split bone saddle. 25.59-
use of wood everywherefor bindings, purfling inch scale. 1.77-inch nut width. 2.36-inch string
and moregives the guitar an organic and spacing at saddle. Gotoh 510 tuners. Light-
extremely classy look. The smooth-feeling gauge Elixir Nanoweb phosphor-bronze strings
five-piece maple neck consists of alter- (.012.054). Made in Northern Ireland.
nating strips of light and dark wood,
THIS IS COOL Impressive sustain and volume.
and even the lighter wood has a subtle
Bevel adds comfort. Neck width at higher frets
old-world character that is a pleasure
provides extra space in upper registers.
to look at as you play.
As with all Lowdens, the neck is WATCH FOR Beefy neck profile with slightly
extremely stiff and stable. The guitar wider string spacing and longer scale may
features a 25.59-inch scale length challenge some players.
(650 mm), with a string spacing of 1.77
PRICE $8,425 list.
inches at the nut and 2.36 inches at the
saddle. Interestingly, the neck width MAKER Lowden Guitars: 44 (0)28 4461 9161;
increases more than the string spacing as you georgelowden.com.
By Ruth Parry
By Andrew DuBrock
See the EVER SINCE LARRY FISHMAN designed his farther, if you leave the amp on the floor.
video review at first acoustic bass pickup roughly 30 years For extra boost, put it on a high-backed
AcousticGuitar.com/ ago, Fishman Transducers has been at the stool to get things closer to your audi-
newgear forefront of acoustic pickup development, ences ears.
imaging, and amplification. In 2003, I wouldnt hesitate to try out the Mini
Fishman released its first Loudbox amplifier, in a restrained full-band setting, or when
which was an instant hit. Three more models followed, each providing playing with a relatively quiet drummer
more features than the original: the incredibly powerful, gargantuan (playing with brushes, perhaps), but this
(but no longer available) Loudbox Pro and the more portable Loudbox is not the amp to take to rock clubs. If
Performer and Loudbox 100. Fishmans newest offering, the Loudbox you need to be heard with a heavy-hitting
Mini, is the series smallest and lightest. Packing 60 watts of power drummer or screaming lead guitarist,
into a 19.7-pound box, the Mini aims to provide Fishmans popular dont expect this diminutive amp to keep
Loudbox tone at a more affordable price and in an even more portable up. However, the DI output means that
unit, while still providing enough power for gigs in small rooms, as well the Mini will work fine as a monitor in
as jams and band practice sessions. venues where it wont suffice as the main
amp.
Lightweight Loudness
The first thing I noticed Versatile, Clean Tones
upon unpacking the I was able to dial in appropriate tones to
Loudbox Mini was how match whatever style I tried on my Taylor
light and small it is. The 314k equipped with a Fishman Acoustic
two-channel combo Matrix undersaddle pickupwhether
amp is housed in a strumming through pop chord changes,
13.7-inch by 12-inch chunking jazz rhythm chords, playing a
rectangular brown
cabinet. The lower
portion of the cabinet AT A GLANCE
contains a 6.5-inch
woofer and 1-inch THE SPECS 60 watts. Two channels. Instrument
tweeter, and the top is (-inch), Mic (XLR), and Aux (14-inch and 18-inch)
home to a tidy, straight- inputs. Three-band EQ with reverb, chorus, and a
forward control panel. phase button on Instrument channel; two-band
The interface is easy to EQ and reverb on Mic channel. Mix DI post-EQ
usesimply plug in, turn XLR output. One 6.5-inch woofer and one 1-inch
up, adjust the EQ (treble, tweeter. 9.7 inches x 13.7 inches x 12 inches.
mid, and bass on the 19.7 lb. Ten-degree tilt cabinet. Designed
-inch Instrument input; and engineered in the USA. Assembled in
treble and bass on the Korea.
XLR Mic input), add a
THIS IS COOL Diminutive size and weight make
touch of reverb or chorus, and youre ready to play.
it a great guitar-and-vocal amp for small gigs and
While Fishman isnt pushing this amp as a gigging machine, saying
jam sessions.
on their website that it will inspire your practice sessions and work
as a portable voice at the local open mic, dont let that fool you into WATCH FOR Lack of phantom power limits
thinking this is only a living-room amp. I was impressed with the Minis choice of mics.
output despite its small size, and it should have plenty of power for
PRICE $459.95 list/$299.95 street.
many smaller gigging situationsespecially a brewpub with lots of
windows, live walls, and flooring. The cabinets ten-degree tilt shoots MAKER Fishman Transducers: (978) 988-9199;
the sound upward, and a concrete floor would help project the sound fishman.com.
1 3
BEIJING 2
GUITAR DUO:
Meng Su & Yameng Wang
Fri. December 3, 2010
Green Room
4
LOS ANGELES GUITAR QUARTET
Sat. January 15, 2011, Herbst Theatre
DUO MELIS:
Susana Prieto & Alexis Muzurakis
Sat. Mar. 19, 2011, Herbst Theatre
MARCIN DYLLA
Sat. April 2, 2011, Green Room
DAVID RUSSELL
Fri. April 22, 2011, Herbst Theatre
1 Gibson J-160VS
Commemorative edition for John Lennons
70th birthday. Faithful reproduction of Lennons
sunburst J-160 (limited to 500 guitars).
Laminated Sitka spruce top. Mahogany back and
sides. Gibson P-90 pickup. $4,728. gibson.com.
2 Band-in-a-Box 2010
Latest version of the popular backup track
software. Simple interface allows creation of
basic arrangments by simply entering chords.
Allows printing of lead sheets. Compatible with
other digital audio and MIDI programs. Available
for Macintosh or Windows. Starts at
$129 ($69 for upgrades from earlier
versions). pgmusic.com.
5
3 Shadow SH 927
NMG-4 Mandolin Pickup Grand auditorium body. Solid western red cedar
Active Nanomag magnetic pickup. Pickup, top. Solid Indian rosewood back and sides.
preamp, and controls attach to replacement Taylor ES electronics. $3,998. taylorguitars.com.
pickguard. Available for A- and F-style
5 Roland Octa-Capture
instruments (SH 928 and SH 927, respectively).
USB 2.0 audio interface. Eight Roland VS
Minimal modifications to instrument. $265
preamps. Four independent software-controlled
street. shadow-electronics.com.
monitor mixes. Bundled with Cakewalk
4 Taylor SCCSM Production Plus Pack. Macintosh and Windows
Stephen Curtis Chapman signature model. compatible. $699. rolandus.com.
her hardscrabble childhood an unflinching look on The success that followed was tempered
by a drunk driving arrest on the night she
The Foundling. opened the Dixie Kitchen, a now-defunct
Louisiana-style restaurant near the Berklee
School of Music. Newly sober, Gauthier began
By Steve Boisson attending open-mic nights and struggled to
write songs. She traces her first truly original
song to a billboard stating that AIDS was
Gods wrath. As a gay woman, she took of-
fense. I stumbled into Goddamned HIV,
Gauthier says. Thats when I found the voice
that I would follow, and I still follow. The song
came from a place that was really unique to
WHILE PERFORMING AT McCABES GUITAR SHOP in Santa Monica, California, this me. I told the story first-person of a gay man
past July, Mary Gauthier speculated about a unique musical concept: an album of with AIDS, and I did it as a country song,
bleak, downbeat holiday tunes. She had just sung Christmas in Paradise, a snap- which was bizarre.
shot of homeless vagrants celebrating around a stolen Kmart tree in Key West. Like That willingness to explore seemingly dis-
many of Gauthiers songs, Christmas in Paradise exhibits the flinty spark of the parate elements works hand-in-hand with her
human spirit, as uplifting as any yuletide song. However, not everyone appreciates painstaking approach to composition, which
the triumph in a sad story told occurs strictly on the guitar. Producer Gurf
well. For a couple on their first Morlix, who helmed two Gauthier albums (as
date, she says, a Mary Gauthier well as early Lucinda Williams releases), has
show can be a deal breaker. expressed awe at her willingness to spend
Over the past decade, the months on a passage in order to find the
Louisiana-born Gauthier (pro-
nounced go-SHAY) has been
gaining a loyal following among
Dont Rush the Song
folk/alt-country fans, and her Fish swim / Birds fly / Daddies yell /
sharp, gritty songwriting has Mamas cry / Old men sit and think /
earned comparisons to Lucinda I drink
Williams, John Prine, and Kris
Kristofferson. She broke nation- Thats a chorus from one of Gauthiers
ally with her 1999 album, Drag most celebrated songs, I Drink, co-written
Queens in Limousines, which with Grit Harmon. They wrote more than
earned her invitations to perform 300 drafts. It was hard to find the right
at 11 major folk festivals, includ- language and phrasing so the song
ing Newport. After moving to wouldnt be a joke, Gauthier says. I didnt
Nashville in 2001, she landed a want it to be a joke. Its got some humor,
record deal with Lost Highway but its irony more than wit. The character
Records, and her two subsequent is in trouble. A breakthrough came with
albums, Mercy Now (2005) and the bridge: I know what I am and I dont
Between Daylight and Dark give a damn. Gauthier said that linchpin
(2007), sent critics trawling for took forever to find. We needed you to
superlatives. know that the character cared. Finally I
figured that the way wed know he cared
Songs of the Hard Life was if he said, I dont give a damn. If
Gauthier came late to her craft; somebody says I dont give a damn, you
upon the release of her first know that they do.
album, the self-financed Dixie Its a holy art, Gauthier says about
songwriting. Dont rush it. And dont settle
RALPH WEISHEIT
Kitchen (1997), she had yet to perform a professional gig. But it didnt take long to
graduate from open mics to top-flight venues, an ascension fueled by material culled for good songs. Weve got too many good
from a hardscrabble life that had been veering toward destruction. Abandoned by songs. Write great songs.
her mother at birth, Gauthier was placed in a New Orleans orphanage. She was
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proper words with the right syllables and the Beats to Woody, in a lot of ways. Always with it. But I want to tell it big. Gauthier
sounds. I write when I have inspiration, and leaving and then writing about the things that spent two years writing songs that fit the
I work hard, Gauthier says. Little riffs that I happen in front of you. Gauthier shares that theme; the albums first two cuts focus on her
find along the way help with the song a lot. peripatetic bent. Theres been a lot of search- time as an infant in the orphanage. The orphan
My style is really simple. Alternating bass, ing for home going on in my writinglooking
maybe a couple of hammer-ons. I find my way
through the melody that way. Im not an ac-
for a place that feels like I belong.
My style is really simple.
complished player by any means, but Ive got Postcards from the Edge Alternating bass, maybe a couple
a very good right hand. I can stay in time. On The Foundling, Gauthier digs to the source hammer-ons. I find my way
through the melody that way.
Gauthiers writing is usually simple and of that orphan feeling that has haunted her
direct, though some of her songs use impres- since childhood. Its a concept album of ten
sionist, Beat-like imagery. Im pulling from songs, each one a postcard from a place in
Hank Williams and Woody Guthrie, the two the journey that started at St. Vincents grows up restless (Goodbye), struggles with
shining lights in my writers world, she says. Women and Infants Asylum in New Orleans. identity (Blood Is Blood), and gets wounded
Woody was a poet, and yet simple. Hank was Its autobiographical but its also cinematic, in love (Walk on the Water, which carries a
a poet, and yet simple. And you can connect she says. I want to tell a story and be done quintessential Gauthier line, No one can tell
a heart what to do / A heart does what it
wants / Then it tells you.).
The albums centerpiece, March 11,
1962, recounts Gauthiers awkward phone
conversation with her birth mother, who had
kept her daughters birth a secret, and de-
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48 AcousticGuitar.com ACOUSTIC GUITAR February 2013 February 2013 ACOUSTIC GUITAR AcousticGuitar.com 49
By David Hodge
See video of the THE GUITAR IS AN INCREDIBLY VERSATILE INSTRUMENT capable of play-
music examples at ing almost any style of music, yet many guitarists miss out on playing
AcousticGuitar.com/ some wonderful tunes by thinking of them as piano songs. Just be-
30minutelesson cause a piano may have been the featured instrument on the Beatles
Hey Jude, John Lennons Imagine, or Neil Youngs After the Gold
Rush is no reason to assume that these songs are unplayable on the
guitar. In this lesson, well talk about how making one single adjustment to a basic
boom-chuck rhythm is all it takes to simulate the chord-bass-chord-bass style that
defines many of these tunes. This technique will also improve your overall picking
accuracy and open your ears to more of the dynamic and textural touches you can
bring to your guitar playing.
The best capo for intonation Refresh Your Basic Boom-Chuck: 5 minutes
for the past 30 years The standard boom-chuck rhythm, commonly heard driving the beat in
is still the best today! bluegrass, country, and old-time songs (listen to Hank Williams pounding
out Hey Good Lookin), is one of the first rhythm patterns many guitarists
learn after mastering the art of playing downstrokes on every beat. To play a basic
boom-chuck rhythm pattern in 4/4 time, strum the low root note of the chord (the
bass note that shares the same name as the chord) on the first and third beats of each
measure and then strum the rest of the chord on the second and fourth beats, as in
Example 1, which shows the boom-chuck pattern on a C chord. The single C note
in the bass rings out when you hit it, so theres no need to strum it again when you
strum the rest of the chord. It actually sounds a lot better when you dont!
You can play a different kind of boom-chuck rhythm by shortening the note dura-
tion to eighth notes or adding an alternating bass line. Both are done in Example 2,
Ex. 1 C
x3 2 10 0
& 44
0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0
2 2 2 2
B 3 3 3 3
Ex. 2
C
& 44
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 2
B 3 3 3
3
3
3
Ex. 3 Ex. 4
C C
& 44
0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 2 2 2
B 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Ex. 5 D G A E
x x0 132 3 2 0004 x0 123 0 0 23 1 00
#
& 44 #
#
2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 3 3 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0
2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0
B 3 3 3 3
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
Ex. 6 D D sus2 G6 D D sus4 D sus2 G maj7 G6
x x0 132 x x0 130 3 200 4 0 x x0 132 xx0 134 x x0 130 32 000 1 3 200 4 0
# 4
4
&
2 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 2 0 2 2 0
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 0 0 0 3
2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Ex. 7 D D maj7 D7 G /D G m/D D E7 A sus4 A
x x0 132 xx0 123 xx0 2 1 3 xx0 00 3 xx0 123 x x0 132 0 23 1 4 0 x0 124 0 x0 123 0
# # 4 n b
& 4
#
2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 2 2 0 0 0 0
3 3 2 2 1 1 0 0 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 3 3 2 2 1 1 2 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B 0 0
0 0
b 44 # n # # # n
& #
5 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0
6 6 6 6 6 6 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 2 2
7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 0 0 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 1 1 2 0
B 0 0 4 0
See video of
Home Sweet Home Home Sweet Home
at AcousticGuitar.com/
Traditional, arranged by David Hodge 30minutelesson
0 2 2 3 7 5 5 2 2 3 2 3 0 2 3 2 0
3 3 3 3 0 8 7 7 3 1 0 0 2 2 3 3 3 3 3
2 2 2 2 0 7 7 7 2 2 0 0 2 0 2 2 2 2 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B 3 3
0 0
D G /D D D maj7 D9 E m E m(add9) A 7 A D5 G5 D5
2 2 3 7 5 5 2 5 3 2 3 0
3 3 0 8 7 7 2 5 0 0 2 2 3 3 3
2 2 0 7 7 7 2 5 0 0 2 2 2 0 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0
B 0 0
10 10 9 7 5 5 2 2 3 2 3 0 2 3 5 5
0 0 10 5 7 7 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 2 5 5
0 0 9 6 7 7 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 2 5 5
0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
B
2010 DAVID HODGE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. USED BY PERMISSION.
10 10 0 0 4 0
13
10 10 9 7 5 5 2 5 3 2 3 0
0 0 10 5 7 7 2 5 0 0 2 2 3 3 3
0 0 9 6 7 7 2 5 0 0 2 0 2 0 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
B 10 10 0 0
3 3
0 0
Percussive Rhythm
Techniques
Energize your guitar playing with scratch rhythms.
By Andrew DuBrock
See video of the ADDING PERCUSSION to a song can enhance its rhythm, turning a flat
music examples at arrangement into a three-dimensional soundscape. Of course, hiring a
AcousticGuitar.com/ drummer or percussionist isnt a luxury we all haveespecially solo
rockbasics guitar players and singer-songwriters. But your guitar has percussive
qualities of its own. Pop and rock masters like Jack Johnson, Dave
Matthews, and the classic 70s band Boston have used percussive guitar
techniques on some of their chart-topping songs, and you can learn how to easily
integrate these ideas into your playing, too.
In this lesson, well explore how to play percussive strums called scratch rhythms
to keep a songs pulse bouncing forward.
Scratch Rhythm
Scratch rhythms involve strumming across muted strings, producing a scratchy per-
cussive sound that can add energy to any strum pattern or inject character into a riff.
To play a scratch rhythm, damp the strings by lightly laying your fretting-hand fin-
gers across the strings, then strum, as shown in Example 1. (The Xs in the tab and
notation indicate muted notes.) This creates a scratch rhythm across all six strings.
Ex. 1 Ex. 2
D
#
& # 44
x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x 7 7 7 7 x x x x 7 7 7 7 x x x x
x x x x x x x x 7 7 7 7 x x x x 7 7 7 7 x x x x
x x x x x x x x 7 7 7 7 x x x x 7 7 7 7 x x x x
B x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
5 5 5 5 x x x x 5 5 5 5 x x x x
Ex. 3 D A C G Ex. 4 C
# # 4
n n n .. ..
& 4 n
. .
5 5 x x 3 3 xx 0 0 x 0 0 0 x 0 0 0 x0 0 0 x 0
77xx5 5 x x 5 5 x x 3 3 xx 1 1 x 1 1 1 x 1 1 1 x1 1 1 x 1
. .
77xx6 6 x x 5 5 x x 4 4 xx 0 0 x 0 0 0 x 0 0 0 x0 0 0 x 0
77xx7 7 x x 5 5 x x 5 5 xx 2 2 x 2 2 2 x 2 2 2 x2 2 2 x 2
B 55xx7
5
7
5
x
x
x
x
3 3 x x 5
3
5
3
xx
xx
3
3
3
3
x
x
3
3
3
3
3
3
x
x
3
3
3
3
3
3
x3
x3
3
3
3
3
x
x
3
3
go places
need to mute the open strings when playing Percussive Rhythm Techniques download
scratch rhythm on a C chord. To do this, available at AcousticGuitar.com/rockbasics.
Flatten your fretting-hand fingers to damp the
strings when playing a scratch rhythm.
santacruzguitar.com - 831.425.0999
Handmade, Handed Down.
,YPJ:R`L:PNUH[\YL4VKLSeHKPJVJVIVSV66
GET 25
WAYS
INTO TO
A ENHANCE
REAL YOUR
JAMMING
JAM EXPERIENCE
FOR THOSE OF US who spend most of our musical careers
practicing by ourselves, jamming with other people can be a
revelation. Jamming is social and interactive, pushing you to
find out how to take that lick youve worked so hard to mas-
ter and put it to good use. It can also be overwhelming at
first. Rather than being solely responsible for the sound,
youre suddenly just one part of the whole. You have to learn
new songs on the fly, theres no stopping and starting when
you make a mistake, and youre doing all this in front of other
people.
Yet, its not a performance. Those people are your allies,
not your audience. Its more like basketball than theater,
says Jason McInnes, a guitar teacher who leads several
regular jams at Chicagos Old Town School of Folk Music.
Everybody wants the game to keep going, so theyre going
to do everything they can to keep it going.
By spontaneously making music with other people, you
By learn to be flexible and roll with the punches. Whether youre
See video of the new to jamming or an old hand at it, these tips will help you
music examples at Nicole better prepare for a jam, participate more fully once youre
AcousticGuitar.com/ there, and maybe even expand your repertoire of tricks to
jammingtips Solis show off at your next session.
HEAR
what youve been missing
O-PORT
acoustic sound enchancement
fits easily and discreetly inside the sound hole
planetwaves.com/oport
Capo II A
G
D
C
E
D
B
A E
F#
of a vintage instrument.
the jam by playing something different, as long as Capo III Bb Eb F C G
-Doug Wamble you keep the same general feel. Try simplifying
Capo V C F G D A
your strum pattern, highlighting the accented beat
to give more definition to the sound. If everyone is
LESLIE IHRIG
www.chassonguitars.com boom-chucking away on Folsom Prison Blues, The open chords will sound as indicated when
scale it down to a tic-tac rhythm (Example 3). Palm capoed.
3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 0 3 0 0 3 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 1 1 3 3
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 0
B 2
7
3
2
7
3
2
7
3
2
7
3
2
7
3
2
3
2
3
2
3
2
3
2
3
3
3
0 2 3
3 3
2 3
Ex. 2b G C G D
3 3 0 0 0 3 3 2
3 3 1 1 1 3 3 3
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
2 2 2 0
B 3
2
3
0 1 2 3
3
3
0 2 3
2
3
2 3 4
Ex. 3 F
134 xxx
B
134 xxx
F
134 xxx
C
x 32 0 1 0
F
134 xxx
6 fr.
1/4
3 3
3 3 3 3 3 2 1/4
B 1
3 1
1
3 3
3 3 1
Ex. 4 D G D G A
x x0 132 3 2 0004 x x0 132 3 2 0004 x0 123 0
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2
2 2 2 0 0 0 2 2 2 0 0 0 2 2 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2
B
Ex. 5
G C D G
0 0 0 0 0 0
B 3 3
3
3
3
3
0 0
3 3
Ex. 6
G D Em Bm
Win free guitar strings!
0 0 0 0 1 2 2 2 Follow us on Twitter at
B 3 3 3
4 2 2 2 twitter.com/juststrings
February people. Thats a good thing. Taking a solo in a jam teaches you how to keep your playing con-
sistent even as you play in different environments. It often forces you to improvise as you learn
11th to 13th to recover from mistakes. All this helps you become a better player. And if youve never taken
2011 a solo before, a multilevel or beginner jam is a great place to start. The bar is low: just keep the
Mt. Wesley music going. Theres nothing more beautiful and wonderful than seeing someone take a solo
Conference Center for the first time, says Colombo. Even if there are some clunkers.
Kerrville, TX 78028
12 KEEP YOUR SOLOS SIMPLE. Simple
and good is always better than complex
and not-so-good, but in a jam, when youre compet-
14 FOCUS ON A FEW SCALES. In a jam,
you never know what songs are going to
be called or in what keys, so if youre gearing up
ing to be heard above different instruments playing to take your first lead (or your first lead in front
different things, a simple solo can be truly power- of people), learn movable scale shapes that you
ful. A two-note solo with rhythmic variation and can use to solo over anything. Colombo highly rec-
volume variation is so much more impressive than ommends the CAGED system. If you can get a C
a solo played by someone who knows all their shape and an A shape scale down, he says, you
Eddie Collins Flatpick Style
Tim Porter Finger Style scales up and down the neck but doesnt have any can play in any key. In his Your First Guitar Solo
musicality, McInnes says. workshop, McInnes makes it even simpler, teach-
ing a pentatonic scale on just the two highest
Ex. 7 Ex. 8
G
4 #
& 4
0 3 0 3 3 3 3
1 3 3 1 0 1 2 3
0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0
B
COURTESY OF BLUE STAR MUSIC CAMPS
fortable and confident, you can introduce more but if the circle is small enough, you might get to away from the books in the jam, McInnes says,
challenging songs. When you call the song, make call two or three. The more songs you call, the we open our ears and eyes to the larger musical
sure to warn the jam about anything that might be more likely you are to experience jamnesia, that picture.
www.collingsguitars.com
WHININ BOY
A timeless walk down Four Chords in Five Keys 24 KEEP IT MOVING. As McInnes said, ev-
eryone in a jam has the same goal: to
Bourbon Street. keep playing the song. Dont noodle, tune, or chat
Key I IV V vi
too long between songs. Be ready with a song
G G C D Em to pick when the circle comes around to you. Try to
pay attention when someone calls a song (though
C C F G Am
it is OK to ask them to repeat the name and key if
D D G A Bm you didnt hear it).
A A D E F#m
erniehawkins.com
25 HAVE FUN. If practicing is like studying,
jamming is like a party. Its a celebration.
Holiday Stocking Stuffers thing wrong, its usually asking you a ques-
tion related to whatever is happening at
that particular moment or is about to hap-
pen. Thats why, as much as possible, you
should be looking up at the other musi-
cians. To take the solo, nod your head and
start playing. To sing harmony, nod your
head and start singing. To pass, shake
your head and look to the next person.
Choose From ~
22 LEARN HOW TO KNOW WHEN
THE END IS NEAR. The song
leader will usually gesture to signal not
17 Blazing CDs only that the song is about to end, but also
how it will end. Most jams or even regions
42 Books with CDs or DVDs have their own cues. If the leader rotates
his hand, head, or instrument, hed like to
20 Different DVDs for All Levels
repeat the last line or two. If she makes a quick music you do. Many of my musician friends are
T-Shirts, Strings, Picks and More downward motion with her instrument or hand, people I started jamming with nearly ten years
The World of Bluegrass Guitar and shed like it to slow down at exactly that moment ago, when we were all just learning. Now, were all
Mandolin. Just a Click or Call Away for a ritard. And in some parts of the country, the much better musicians, and we still get together to
www.flatpik.com song leader will stick a foot out to signal that a play music, share stories, and geek out over each
plain old ending is about to happen. A lot of vet- others instruments. What could be more fun? ag
1-800-FLATPIK 865-982-3808
eran musicians dont bother giving physical cues.
Steve Kaufman * PO Box 1020 Instead they rely on subtle music cues or expect Nicole Solis, former editor of Play Guitar!, plays
Alcoa, TN 37701 you to know how a song should end. So keep your bluegrass mandolin in the Barefoot Nellies and
www.acoustic-kamp.com eyes and ears open. writes about music, food, and various other topics.
D
the percussive
style that turned
him into a
Y
YouTube star.
BY DOUG YOUNG
Photos by Anne Hamersky
KEE
acoustic guitarfocused record label, CandyRat
Records. To promote McKees new album, Art of
Motion, Poland suggested he post some video per-
formances to a relatively new site, YouTube.
I didnt really even know what YouTube was,
McKee says. He quickly found out, however, when
he opened his e-mail inbox one day to find it full of
requests for tabmore than he normally got in a
month. The increased attention began when the
video of his tune Drifting (transcribed on page 59)
was featured on YouTubes front page. Video views
skyrocketedat one time he had the top three most-
viewed videos on the site, and Drifting alone has
garnered more than 30 million views. McKee soon
found himself touring nonstop and recording and
performing with artists he had long admired, includ-
ing Canadian guitar master Don Ross. While still
popular on YouTube, McKee has gone on to build a
ITS THREE HOURS before the show starts, but the teenager sitting on the steps more direct following, with more than 1,000 live
with his guitar in tow outside San Franciscos Great American Music Hall is taking no performances since he began touring.
chanceshe wants to be sure to be first in the line that will soon be forming. The object McKees music seems to have especially struck a
of his devotion, inside doing a sound check, is not the latest pop or rock sensation, but chord with younger guitarists, who are taken with
Andy McKee, a mild-mannered, unassuming fingerstyle guitarist who is reigniting interest his two-handed tapping and percussive approach,
in the genre and inspiring a new generation of guitarists with his combination of novel but his flawless technique and strong sense of mel-
techniques, technical precision, funky grooves, and catchy melodies. While inspired by the ody also appeals to a wider audience. Besides his
work of pioneers like Michael Hedges, Preston Reed, and Don Ross, McKee blends con- large catalog of YouTube videos, McKee has half a
temporary fingerstyle techniques and strong compositional skills to create his own sound. dozen albums to his credit, including his latest,
McKee rocketed to international fame after being discovered by fans on YouTube, be- Joyland, and The Thing That Came from Somewhere,
coming one of the first solo guitarists to reap the benefits of the high-tech world of social a series of duets with Ross.
played
I did that until I was 27, when I started get-
ting chances to play more. I taught a lot of
for pure different styles: fingerstyle acoustic guitar,
pleasure. electric guitar, even a little jazz or blues. I was
trying to learn all that at the same time, to
make sure I could teach that stuff!
1 = right-hand hit on lower bout top mer-on the second fretthis is in D A D G A D [Example 3]. And that makes it a bit easier
tuning, so its the D, A, and D strings. Then I for the right hand to come in with some mel-
= right-hand hit on side of lower bout
Harm.
r r r
j n ...
Ex. 1
# # # # 4 . r
.
r .
r
& 4 n n n
n n n n n n w
7 ..
H H H H H H
7.
0 0 0
.
0 0 0
0 x 0 x 0 x 7
2 0 x 0 2 0 0 x 0 2 0 0 x 0 2 7
B 2
0 0 2 2
0 0 2 2
0 0 2 2
0
& # 4 .
.
.
J
+
12 ..
+ + 12 .
12 .
+ + + +
+
2 2 2 12 2 2 5 7
B 2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
5
5
7
7
Left hand over neck Left hand over neck
Ex. 4
## 4 j j
3
j
& 4
P
+ + +
0 0 0
0 0 0 0
2 +
11 0
2 +
6
5
0
+
6
7
B 2
2 2
2 5
5 7
7
Left hand over neck
. .
H
0 12
.
0 12
. .
2 x 12
6 0 0 0 0 0 12 use either one.
B 4
2
+
7 7 +
3 0 3
0 0 2
+
7 7 +3 0
Andy McKees
Greenfield Guitars
Andy McKee plays three guitars by Canadian
luthier Michael Greenfield. Although each
guitar is custom-made, Greenfield says
McKee gave him free rein with most of the
design. Greenfield recalls, Most artists
are just really interested in playing their
music, and Andy just said, I want a G4,
do your thing. McKee chose his baritone
guitar based on an existing instrument
that Greenfield had built for someone else.
He called me from the guys house and
said, Dude, I want a guitar just like this,
Greenfield says. There was one change to
Excellence McKees instrument. A plain natural maple
guitar, while its a nice look, is a little anemic,
since 1970. and Andys an entertainer, Greenfield says.
So I asked him, Are you interested in
www.hoffmanguitars.com shading the guitar? and he said, Im feeling
green! The translucent green finish on
(612)338-1079 the maple instrument gives it a distinctive,
unique look.
McKees most recent Greenfield is a
harp guitar, which was completed in July
2010. Andy was always bugging me to make
him a harp guitar. Greenfield says. I said
No, no, no, but finally he wore me down. I
invested two years in that project. Of all the
harp guitars Ive played, the most musical
ones were the Dyer style, so its based on
that design, with a hollow harp arm, but the
bracing is completely different. It has carbon-
fiber rods running up the insides to stiffen
it, and it has a low-stress bridge for the
harp strings. Instead of using a pin bridge,
the strings from the harp arm hook up to a
tailpiece, kind of like an archtop, which puts
a lot less stress on the top.
Ex. 7
*Artificial Harm.
x 12 x 12 x 12 x 12
x 12 x 12 x 12 x 12 12 12 12 12
B 12
12
12
12
12
12
12
12 12 12 12 12
*Artificial Harm.
H
H
9 10 9 9 7
10 12 10 10 8 7 8 10 7
x 12 x 12
x 12 x 12 x 12 x 12 12 12
B 12 12
12
12
12
12
12
12 12 12
P P P P P P
S P H P P H P S H H S
2 0 2 0 7 0
4 0 4 0
2 4 0 2 0 9 0 5 7 9 10
5 3 0 2 0 7 9 10
B 0 5 0 7
Ex. 10 Ex. 11
P H P
P P H P P H P P
H P H H P H
2 0 4 0 2 0 4 0
4 0 2 0 4 0 2 0 0 0 0
0 9 0 9 0 9 0 9
7 7 7 7
B 5
Left hand over neck
hat e lays
ACOUSTIC GUITARS: Michael Greenfield
G4.2 multiscale (25 inches and 27 inches),
with a 17-inch body made of Lutz spruce
and Macassar ebony. Greenfield G2B
baritone with a 28.6-inch scale and a
16 1 8-inch body of Adirondack spruce and
quilted maple (with a green tint). Yamaha
LJX36C guitar with System
60, a three-way pickup
system that combines
Yamahas Studio Response
Technology (SRT) mic-
modeling pickup and the
Acoustic Resonance
Transducer (ART).
HARP GUITARS: Ron
Spillers harp guitar
(pictured). Michael
Greenfield HG1.2
harp guitar made
of Lutz spruce
(top) and old koa
(back, sides, and
neck), with a 25-
to 26-inch multi-
scale neck, and
sharping levers for
changing tuning.
AMPLIFICATION: K&K
Pure Western
pickups in the
FPO
Greenfields.
D-Tar Solstice
preamp.
STRINGS:
DAddario
EXP medium
gauge and EXP
Baritone.
MIKE BERSON
12 19
12 19
12 19
2 2 2 12 2 2 2 19
B 2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Left hand over neck
3
2007 ANDY MCKEE MUSIC. ALL RIGHTS ADMINISTERED BY RAZOR AND TIE MUSIC PUBLISHING, LLC.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. USED BY PERMISSION. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF HAL LEONARD CORP.
P P S S P
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 0 6 0 6 6 0 4 0 6 6 11 12 11 0 6
2 2 5 7 2 2 5 7 2 2
B 2
2
2
2
5
5
7
7
2
2
2
2
5
5
7
7
2
2
2
2
10
strum:
P H S H H
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 6 6 0 4 0 6 6 11 9 0 9 9 9 11
5 7 2 2 5 7 9 11 0 0 0
B 5
5
7
7
2
2
2
2
5
5
7
7 9
9
0
9
0 0
9
0
15
strum: H strum: P S S
H S H S S
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12
0 9 11 9 9 9 11 9 7 0 6 6 6 12 9 7
9 11 0 0 0 9 5 7 9 7 7 7 7 12 0 7 9
B 9
9
0 0 0
9 9
0
5
5
7
7
7 7
7 7
7
7
0
0
5
5
* Slide from 14th fret (A) to 11th fret (F ) on D.S.
20
strum:
H P P H
S H P S P S H
0 0 2 0 12 0 0 0 12 0 0
0 0 0 12 0 0 0 12 0 0
2 2 2 0 0 0 12 0
0 0 0 12 4 5 0 2 2 4 0 4 5 0 2 2 7
B 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
5
5
7 9 7
7
7 0
0
2
2
24
P P P H S P P P H H
H P H P H P
0 12 0 0 0 0 0 12 7 12
0 12 0 0 0 0 0 12 7 12
0 12 0 0 0 11 12 7 12
5 5 4 5 0 2 2 7 5 5 9 7 7 12 7 12
B 5
5
9 7 7
7
0
0
2
2
5
5
7
7
0
0
2
2
0 2
0 2
2
2
0 2
0 2
0
0
29
strum:
H S S H
0 0 0 12 0 0 0 0 0 12
0 0 0 12 0 0 0 0 0 12
0 0 12 0 0 4 4 6 6 12
9 11 11 9 10 0 12 4 4 5 5 7 7 12
B 9
10
10
0
0
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
5
5
5
5
7
7
7
7
0
0
33
S
P P H P H
0 0 0 0 0 12 0 12 7 12 7 12
0 0 0 0 0 12 0 12 7 12 7 12
0 0 4 4 6 6 0 12 11 12 7 12 7 12
4 4 4 5 5 7 7 0 12 12 7 12 7 12
B 2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
5
5
5
5
7
7
7
7
0
0
2
2
0 2
0 2
2
2
0
0
2
2
37
Fill 1
0 0 0 12 19
0 0 9 12 19
0 6 12 19
5 7 2 2 2 12 2 2 2 19
B 5
5
7
7
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
42
12 19
12 19
12 19
2 2 2 12 2 2 2 19 2
B 2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
ANTHEM
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PLAYING THE GUITAR shouldnt hurt. OK, guitar, how you sit or stand, and how tense strument doesnt match you, it can lead to
your fingertips can get a little sore if youre you are in general, but your instrument also pain and, in extreme cases, permanent dam-
just starting out or you havent played in a has a lot do with how comfortable you feel age. Lets take a look at how various aspects
while, but any kind of regular joint or muscle while playing. Whether your discomfort re- of guitar design affect your physical comfort,
pain that occurs when youre playing your sults from a poor setup, a guitar body size so how some standard guitar models differ, and
favorite instrument needs to be taken seri- large you cant comfortably reach the strings what some luthiers and manufacturers are
ously. Guitar-playing discomfort (and com- or see the fingerboard, or a neck with dimen- doing to ensure you can find an ergonomic
fort) results primarily from how you hold the sions that make fretting difficult, if your in- instrument.
BODY
The A guitars body size has the greatest impact on
PODIUM
Premium Guitars and Sheet Music
how well it will fit any individual player. As a
general rule, its shape and size need to allow
you to hold it in such a way that it doesnt
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AER Amps Kakos
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Beard Kenny Hill Guitar fit is dependent on the bodys outline
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Bourgeois Martin depth are most important, because they affect
Centaur Amps McPherson playability regardless of whether you are sit-
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Cordoba Olson if you have a long torso) youll proba-
Eastman Phil Jones bly be able to choose from a wider
Genz Benz Amps range of comfortable guitar-body sizes
Amps RainSong than if youre a smaller person. This is
Godin Ramirez simply because wrapping your arms
Goodall Santa Cruz around the body to reach the strings
Guild Seagull wont pose as much of a challenge.
Henriksen Taylor The size of the guitars body will
Amps Vintage Sound have more of an impact on your
Hoffman Amps posture and comfort if you play
Huss & Dalton Walker sitting down than if you stand up
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Since 1959
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www.thepodium.com the necks heel), putting the strings A jumbo body (Gibson J-200, left) may be larger than a
in about the same playing position dreadnought (Martin D-18, right) but its tight waist makes
regardless of the guitars size. But it more comfortable to play sitting down.
when sitting, the way a larger guitar
rests on your lap will effectively move the example, the rounded shape of Gibsons J-200
strings (and therefore your picking-hand posi- jumbo body measures a whopping 16 3 4
tion) farther up, while a small guitar will have inches at the lower bout, but its waist is pulled
you reaching for the strings a bit lower, to- in so that the body is only ten inches across at
ward the floor. If youre tall, you might have its narrowest section. By comparison, a Martin
to hunch over a small guitar if you play sitting dreadnoughts lower bout is smaller (1512
down, unless you elevate it into playing posi- inches), but its waist measures 1012 inches,
tion with a guitar rest, footstool, or strap. resulting in a slightly different position when
Needless to say, these issues may also affect youre seated. The location of the waist will
your shoulder position and comfort as you also affect your fretting-hand position, be-
play. cause a waist thats closer to the upper bout
will make the nut closer to you, while a waist
Shape shifted more toward the lower bout will result
Size isnt everything. Depending on their in the nut being slightly farther away, requir-
shapes and depths, two bodies with similar ing you to extend your arm farther to reach
internal volume can feel very different. For the first few frets.
BARANIK GUITARJASON AMES
Mike Baraniks Meridian model features an offset waist for better playing comfort.
Guys
?
1
Get more details at guysgrids.com
Cutaways
COURTESY WILLIAM LASKIN
Profile a really thin neck profile may require more tars use a compound radius, which is typically
The necks shape has a huge impact on the feel muscle tension than one that has a bit of heft flatter on the higher frets than at the nut.
of your guitar, and, as with the width, the size to it. But a neck thats too large may require Slide players sometimes prefer a flat finger-
of your hands and your playing style determine you to open your fretting hand to an uncom- board (which is also most common on classi-
what will work best. If you have large hands, fortable degree and will make it more difficult cal guitars), as it allows all six strings to be
to wrap your thumb around to fret bass notes. played uniformly with the flat surface of a
Ultimately, the best neck shape for each player bottleneck or other slide.
will be matter of personal preference. Some
petite players with small hands have been Fret Size
known to prefer surprisingly big necks, and its The size of your frets can also have an impact
not unheard-of for players with large hands on the effort it takes to play the guitar com-
and long fingers to be most comfortable with fortably. Average frets are about .040 to .045
narrow, electric guitarstyle necks. inches tall, while low frets only reach about
The profile of the necks cross-section, .035 inches, and tall jumbo frets may be as
which can range from a sharp V shape to a high as .055 inches. Taller frets can change
gentle C shape, is also important. Players the effective thickness of a neck enough to be
whose technique is based on the classical ap- noticeable, and while some players feel that
proach, where the pad of the fretting-hand small, low frets make a neck feel faster, they
thumb rests on the back of the neck, tend to can require more physical effort because your
prefer a gentle curve or an almost flat profile, fingertips may make contact with the finger-
but pickers who wrap their thumbs around board, diverting some of their effort away
the neck often feel more comfortable with a from stopping the string cleanly. Refretting a
V-shape profile. guitar with different size frets to make it more
Although many players tend to forget that playable may be worth consideringeven on
their guitars fingerboard has a radius, it too a brand-new instrumentif every other aspect
has an impact on the necks playability. The of the guitar is as desired. There are no gener-
amount of curve in the radius (measured in alities about what types of guitars use what
These Martin neck shapes illustrate the differences feet) can affect the comfort of barre chords, frets, though most factory-made production
between a shallow C (top), a sharp V (middle), and and a greater radius tends to make string guitars tend to be in the average range men-
a curved D (bottom). bends easier than a shallow radius. Some gui- tioned above. On these instruments, different
With 60 beefy watts of than you need. At just 20lbs, it has two
clean, sparkling Fishman feature-rich channels, including an MP3
sound, the Loundbox Mini input and balanced XLR D.I. output to
can handle whatever your acoustic can dish make jamming more fun. And all for a
out. In fact, anything bigger might be more mini price.
fret sizes are not usually an option, even on
special orders. But many individual luthiers
FOOTSTOOLS, GUITAR RESTS, AND STRAPS
are happy to discuss options. Your overall guitar-playing posture is probably the
single most important factor in finding a pain-free
Scale Length playing position. Because everyones bodies are
Scale length, which refers to the distance of different, its important to experiment with playing
the strings between the nut and the saddle, positions, and the observations of an experienced
has a major impact on a guitars playability teacher can help significantly.
For many players, using a footstool is a first step
to good posture. Whether you use it to elevate your
left leg (classical style) or right leg, the idea is to get the guitar into a position that allows you to
play without unnecessary strain. Look for a footstool that can be adjusted to different heights,
and experiment with various settings to find a position that works for you.
There are also several guitar-elevating devices that attach to the instrument itself. Units like
the Gitano and NeckUp (see photo) support mount to the side of the guitar with suction cups
and help raise the instrument into a comfortable playing position without the use of a footstool.
Similarly, the Dynarette guitar cushion is designed to be placed between the guitar and the
players leg.
Many players find that wearing the guitar on a strap is the best way to get the instrument into
a comfortable position. This often works better when standing than sitting, because sitting with
the guitar on a strap can lead the lower bout to be pushed up by the players right leg. This is
especially true with larger guitars.
and tone. A shorter scale length not only puts tars with longer scales more powerful and
the frets slightly closer to each other (which louder. Full-size acoustic guitars are com-
makes it easier to reach extended chords), it monly referred to as short-scale (around 24.9
Stretched-out chords take less effort on a guitar results in lower string tension, which requires inches) or long-scale (around 25.5 inches).
with a short scale (top) than on one with a long less effort to press down on or bend. But it is Parlor and travel guitars scale length can be
scale (bottom). the higher string tension that often makes gui- significantly shorter (down to 22 inches or
www.fishman.com
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Schoenberg Guitars
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Some players find that guitars with multiple-scale
fretboards (such as this Traugott) offer ergonomic
SINCE 1978
advantages.
6DQWD&UX]
benefits of high string tension on the bass
7D\ORU
strings with lower tension for easy playability
on the treble strings. Some players even feel
57D\ORU that fanned frets are easier to play, because
0DUWLQ they follow the natural path of the fretting
%RXUJHRXV fingers.
-DPHV*RRGDOO
PRUH A Perfect Fit
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COURTESY JEFF TRAUGOTT
Whats It Worth?
A guitar appraisal is a deep dive into the history of your guitar
and the state of the vintage guitar market.
By Richard Johnston
WITH THE PHENOMENAL RISE in guitar values in recent years, many past (and how well, by current standards,
guitarists and collectors have been seeking appraisals of their instru- those repairs were done).
ments. Some guitarists, hearing about the high prices brought by The structural condition of an instru-
vintage guitars at auction, want to find out about their own instru- ment is critical because it determines
ments worth, while others may simply want to add a guitar to their what repairs, if any, are needed to put it
homeowners insurance policy, for which they need a written in optimal playing condition. That includes
appraisal. While members of the first group are often disappointed, the condition of the frets, straightness
Oh, is that all my guitar is worth? some from the second group have of the neck, neck angle, and string action.
the opposite reaction, more akin to Youve gotta be kidding! when Its also important to use an inspection
they find that a guitar theyve taken for granted is now quite valuable. mirror to check for loose braces and, on
Regardless of their reaction, guitar players rarely understand all the steel-string flattops, excessive wear to
factors an appraiser has to consider and how the resulting values are the bridge plate. On a guitar thats had
derived. Here are the steps I go through when inspecting and lots of use and many string changes,
appraising guitars and other musical instruments such as mandolins, those innocuous little brass balls at the
ukuleles, and banjos. end of each string can wreak havoc with
the thin piece of wood glued to the under-
What Is It? side of the top just beneath the bridge.
Most appraisals start by determining This is also a good time to check for
the instruments age and model desig- signs of earlier repairs. It can come as a
nation. With guitars made in the past surprise to many guitarists, especially if
75 years or so, that is often fairly easy, theyve owned the instrument for many
because they have serial numbers and years, that a crack-free guitar that plays
model codes stamped inside or written OK and sounds fine may still need expen-
on their labels. But many Gibson sive repairs to be considered in top condi-
guitars made in the 1930s, 40s, tion. But string tension can take a heavy
and 50s were shipped without a toll, especially on flattops, even when the
serial number or model code, and guitar has been hibernating under a bed
19th-century Martins had no markings, or in a closet for many years. Buyers are
just the company name. Identification often far more critical of an instruments
of Washburns and other early guitars playing condition than someone who has
can be even sketchier, so it can be owned the guitar for years and has
helpful to have a library of reference learned, often unconsciously, to work
books available. Many early guitars, around its shortcomings.
mandolins, and banjos dont even have
a visible brand name, which means that Is It All Original?
appraisers will need to spend lots of With every passing year, the originality of
Author Richard time doing Internet research and searching through reference books a guitars finish and parts becomes more
Johnston inspects and old trade catalogs looking for similar instruments. And guitars critical to its value. On vintage guitars,
a customers dont have to be old to be valuable, as there is now more widespread the finish and parts may appear quite old
guitar. recognition that some flattops and electrics made in Japan during the but can be more recent than the instru-
late 60s and 70s, for instance, have a particular sound and overall ments construction date. Determining
vibe that is uniquely connected to the music that was popular when what parts manufacturers used during
they were marketed. different periods, and what their original
finishes looked like, requires experience,
What Shape Is It In? as does detecting repairs. Until the past
The next step is an assessment of the condition of the instrument. few decades, many owners sent their
GRANT GROBERG
The three most important things I need to determine when appraising instruments back to the factory for
a guitar are its structural condition and playability, the originality of its routine repairs, even for something as
components and finish, and what repairs have been performed in the mundane as lowering the string action.
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January 2011 ACOUSTIC GUITAR AcousticGuitar.com 73
shoptalk
because collectors still in the market are nothing to do with an instruments play- have to spend to find the same model, of
holding out for the best, and there are ability, sound, or even appearance when about the same age, and in similar condi-
lower ceilings on the prices ordinary guitar compared to another. You dont necessarily tion. Many people make the mistake of
pickers are willing to pay. get a better-sounding prewar D-28 when getting an appraisal for replacement value,
As prices escalate, buyers become you pay an extra $20,000, you just get one and then expect to sell the instrument for
more critical and similar instruments have that people with more financial resources that amount. But consignment fees,
a wider range of values, depending on the happen to want. auction commissions, and other costs will
comparative rarity and desirability of Instruments that are nearly identical to probably put a considerable dent in what
certain years or versions of the same models identified with famous and influen- the owner nets from a sale, regardless of
model. For acoustic flattops, the best tial musicians often have much higher the appraised replacement value. As a
example of this fragmentation is the orig- values than similar examples of the same general rule, most owners will not net
inal Martin herringbone dreadnought. Forty brand that are slightly different. Good more than 80 percent of the amount their
years ago, when demand for vintage D-28s examples of this phenomenon are 1923 instrument has been appraised for should
began to grow, there wasnt much differ- Gibson F-5 mandolins identical to the they choose to sell it.
ence between the value of a 1935 D-28 one played by Bill Monroe and early 60s For most people, an appraisal is a way
and one made a decade later. Today, Gretsch 6122 Country Gentleman elec- to get adequate insurance so they dont
however, the earlier version can be worth trics that match the one used by George have to worry about the possibility of
two or three times as much as the later Harrison. Contemporary artists, such as taking a huge financial hit if their guitar is
example, even though the differences Eric Clapton, can also add a significant lost, stolen, or damaged beyond repair.
appear minor to the average fan of old bonus to the value of instruments iden- For others, an appraisal is like checking
Martins. When differences in condition and tical to the model they routinely use in the financial pages for the current value
originality are considered, the values of performance. of their stock portfolio. Either way, its
two similar instruments can be even important to remember that any appraisal
further apart, or their positions can be Appraisal Numbers is a snapshot of your guitars current
reversed. For instance, a later herringbone and What They Mean approximate worth in an ever-changing
D-28 in excellent condition might be worth If you are having an instrument evaluated, market. ag
much more than an earlier example thats be sure you understand what the
far more rare, but has been highly modified appraised value means. An appraisal of Richard Johnston is co-founder of Gryphon
and heavily worn. This variation in one replacement value, for instance, is an Stringed Instruments and an Acoustic
guitar models value often has little or estimate of the amount you would probably Guitar contributing editor.
More reviews available at own. For instance, on Penny Lane, Juber who repossesses his farm, then steals his car.
AcousticGuitar.com/playlist somehow plays McCartneys bass line and the In All Choked Up Again, hes not sure
piccolo trumpet part simultaneously. But its whether hes strangled a man to death, or
not just Jubers considerable chops that even whether that man was his father. Either
impress and satisfy; its the subtle, jazzy chord way, theres a new level of control to the writ-
extensions (You Cant Do That), the tender ing, a precision that pushes these songs for-
John Mellencamp legatos (Here, There, and Everywhere), ward no matter how slow the tempo or bone
and, best of all, the reinvention of iconic gui- dry the delivery. Binghams fingerpicking
No Better Than This
tar parts, which here sound recognizable yet is firmly front and center, right where it needs
For their second studio col- fresh (Blackbird). The result is a keenly to be to deliver the intimate,timeless des-
laboration, seasoned rocker pleasurable journey through some of the best peration of these songs: I cant believe Im
John Mellencamp and heralded producer music ever created. (Solid Air Records) out again on the high lonesome road, he
T Bone Burnett went to considerable lengths PHIL CATALFO sings, reaching the middle ground between
to recreate a vintage vibe, and their efforts Bob Dylan and Merle Haggard. Lay my head
did not go unrewarded. Outfitted with only Justin Townes Earle down on the rail and sing my way back
one microphone and a 55-year-old Ampex home. (Lost Highway)
Harlem River Blues
mono reel-to-reel rig, the duo and a session KENNY BERKOWITZ
group including versatile guitarists Marc Opening with the buoyant,
Ribot and Andy York recorded tracks at three gospel-tinged title track (in Suzy Thompson and
historic Southern locations during Mellen- which the protagonist gleefully describes his Del Rey
camps 2009 tour of minor league ballparks intent to commit suicide by drowning), Justin
Hen Party
with Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan. Those Townes Earles third full-length album is the
locations included the First African Baptist logical extension of his stellar previous effort, Del Rey, who plays a synco-
Church in Savannah (North Americas first Midnight at the Movies. Fully at ease with his pated style of guitar based on prewar blues
black church), the legendary Sun Studios in craft, Earle, like his father Steve and name- and barrelhouse piano traditions, is one of the
Memphis, and room 414 of the Gunter Hotel sake Townes Van Zandt, combines weary best fingerpickers of this or any generation.
in San Antonio, where blues giant Robert vocals, effortless melodies, and unadorned Suzy Thompson is a consummate blues fid-
Johnsons first recordings were captured in guitar playing to weave emotionally affecting dler whos stolen more than her fair share of
1936. Predictably, given the recording envi- songs. On the wistful One More Night in music festivals with her room-filling, vibrato-
ronments and talent involved, distinct echoes Brooklyn, Earles simple, palm-muted finger- laden vocals. The pair has known each other
of inspirations past are unmistakable through- picking drives an initially spare arrangement for decades as members of the West Coast
out the new albums 13 roots-rich tracks. On that expands to include standup bass, synco- blues community, and that familiarity adds to
A Graceful Fall and No One Cares About pated electric guitar, restrained drumming, the richness of their debut album as a duo.
Me, signature Sun slap-back and hopped-up and sighing strings. Earle abruptly switches The 14 tunes here range from old jazz and
country blues predominate, while the title gears to the unrepentantly lustful Move Over vaudeville numbers to country blues, with a
track and Coming Down the Road churn Mama (Move over mama / Youve been healthy dose of Memphis Minnie, one of the
with propulsive rockabilly fire. Each Day of sleeping in the middle of the bed too long), a original female guitar heroes. Having per-
Sorrow references raw electric shuffle blues, rockabilly rave-up that makes it abundantly formed together countless times, Rey and
and a memorable handful of other cuts com- clear what he wants when he comes home Thompsontreat the studio as an extension of
bine folk, gospel, and more to compelling from a long tour. And somehow Earle can sing their stage shows, with Reys metal resonator
effect. (Rounder Records) a song about working for New Yorks MTA guitar and ukulele providing the groove and
MIKE THOMAS complete with swooning pedal steeland Thompsons fiddle the filigree, as they trade
make it sound like it could have been sung by a vocal duties or sing together in close harmony.
Laurence Juber weary railroad worker circa 1935. With Harlem Although blues based, this is essentially
River Blues, Earle has made one of the finest acoustic dance music, with even Sippie Wal-
LJ Plays the Beatles,
roots albums of the year. (Bloodshot) laces mournful Devil Dance Blues given just
Vol. 2
MARK SMITH enough of a vitamin B12 shot to get the toes
When it comes to Beatles tapping. All in all, its a welcome treat from
songs, nothing can displace the originals in Ryan Bingham two of the finest instrumentalists and arrang-
the popular imagination. But artful covers of ers in the business. (Hobemian)
Junky Star
their immortal compositions can deepen our IAN ZACK
appreciation of the inventive melodies, irre- Its been a good year for Ryan
sistible chord progressions, and boundless Bingham, who won a Grammy
creativity the Fab Four evinced in their bril-
liant catalog. Ace fingerstylist Laurence Juber,
for The Weary Kind, settled down in
Topanga Canyon, and started getting the
EDITORS PICKS
who spent three years recording and touring attention hes long deserved. Produced by DAN GABEL, editorial director and publisher:
with Paul McCartneys band Wings, is noted T Bone Burnett, this third album goes deeper Old Blind Dogs, Wherever Yet May Be
for (among other things) his Beatles interpre- than the first two, with less rock, more intro-
MARK SMITH, managing editor:
tations and has previously devoted one entire spection, and a sharper focus on Bingham as
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan, Hawk
album and many other album tracks to their a songwriter of road-weary, whiskey-soaked,
songlist. His second Beatles-exclusive collec- classic Americana. In Hallelujah, he lays SCOTT NYGAARD, senior editor:
tion, like the first, soars and swoops through dying on the street, bleeding out of a gunshot Heidi Talbot, The Last Star
the Lads musical derring-do and adds his wound. In Junky Star, he shoots the man
approaches to practicing scales and arpeggios. exercises with just one or two fingers. In this
way, youll be removing any reliance on muscle
memory and be learning the notes of the fret-
By Sean McGowan board by sight and by ear. You may also find
it helpful to say the names of the notes as you
play them. Practice this exercise with a metro-
nome until you can play and recite the notes
of the scale in time with the click.
Lets use this single-string approach to play
triad arpeggios (triads played one note at a
See video of WITH THE NEW YEAR fast approaching, theres no better time than the time). Using one finger, move up and down
the music examples at present to commit to some guitar-related resolutions and new ap- each string, playing only the notes of a
AcousticGuitar.com/ proaches to your practice routine. Part of the beauty of the guitar is that C-major triad (C, E, and G) as shown in
woodshed no matter how deep ones understanding of the instrument becomes, Example 2. Were sticking to the key of C for
there are always different ways of looking at it. Guitarists at all playing now, but once you can play comfortably in C,
levels can benefit from learning scale and arpeggio fingerings that push try the same exercise in other keys. You can
the boundaries of what theyre used to. even use this approach to play double-stops
In this article, well try to do all of the above, focusing on three distinct and un- on two strings (Example 3), or triad chords
conventional ways to approach your guitars fretboard. With careful practice, the on three strings (Example 4).
techniques outlined here have the power to expand your understanding of scales and
chords, deepen your knowledge of the general layout of the notes in standard tuning, Rethink Your Position
and enhance your overall soloing technique. When youre drilling the same scale patterns
again and again, its easy to convince yourself
Play Scales on One String that the only truly important notes of a scale
You may know enough scale and arpeggio fingerings to get through a chart or solo are the roots, and that the notes between
over a simple chord progression, but this lesson will help you develop complete them are just different ways to get between
mastery of the fretboardand its not as daunting as you might think. First, you can them. Obviously, thats not trueevery note of
break out of old scale, arpeggio, and chord patterns by tackling one string at a time. a scale is important. Lets revisit some familiar
To make it easy, lets start by working only within the key of C major. The first exer- scale patterns that travel across multiple
Ex. 1 Ex. 2
12 8 3 0
1 5 8 13
12 9 5 0
2 5 10 14
B 0 1 3 5 7 8 10 12 13 15 13 12 10 8 7 5 3 1 0 0 3 8 12 15
15 10 7 3
Ex. 3 Ex. 4
12 8 3 0
13 8 5 1 1 5 8 13 13 8 5 1
0 5 9 12 12 9 5 0 12 9 5 0 0 5 9 12 12 9 5 0
14 10 5 2 2 5 10 14 2 5 10 14 14 10 5 2 2 5 10 14
B 3
3
7 10 15 15 10 7
8 12 15
3 3
3
7 10 15 15 10 7
8 12 15
3
in a given fretting-hand position, regardless
of whether or not its a root. Similarly, in-
stead of ending on a root, lets continue play-
ing notes of the scale until we hit the highest
0 1 3 5 3
scale tone we can reach without changing 0 1 3 6 5 3
position. 0 2 5 4
02 3 7 53
Try an ascending C-major scale in open
position (Example 5). Notice the range of this
B 0 1 3
0 2 3 75 3
7 5 3
particular pattern: low E up to a G on the
Ex. 7
& 44
third fret of the first string. Next, simply move
up another two or three frets to another area
or position, and play a descending scale
(Example 6). Were not necessarily trying to
come up with practical fingerings for playing
0 3 8 12
fast passages; were simply exploring different 1 5 8 13
ways to play the same scale in an effort to 0 5 9 12
2 5 10 14
master the fretboard. There are about five dif-
ferent regions covering four frets each (one
B 0 3
3 7
8 12
10 15
Ex. 8
finger per fret) on the fretboard, and while
4
some of the fingerings will be familiar, others
& 4
will seem awkward at first. As we saw with
the single-string exercises, we can use this
same approach to work through arpeggios
(Example 7) and triads (Example 8).
0 3 8 12
1 1 5 5 8 8 13 13
Think Like a Pianist 0 0 0 5 5 5 9 9 9 12 12 12
2 2 2 5 5 5 10 10 10 14 14 14
Many common scale and arpeggio patterns
are actually quite impractical with regard to
B 3
3
3 7 7
8
10
12
10 15 15
15
Lavishly illustrated
with full-color
photographs
h ol ida y g ift!
A pe r f ect
ESSENTIAL fingering, picking patterns, and economy of seven-octave scale with minimal effort!
GUITAR
tures a somewhat random fingering pattern. achieve a similar sense of fluidity and even
By contrast, pianists use just one fingering for play long, three-octave scale patterns while
each octave in any given key, and can simply covering the entire length of the fretboard.
LESSONS
repeat that fingering through multiple oc- Lets try this with a major scale. To start,
taves. This is how they can burn through a divide the seven notes of the scale into groups
Ex. 9
INCLUDES
14 in-depth lessons for players of
all levels, taught and recorded by Fretting-hand fingering:
the master teachers at Acoustic 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 2 4 1 2 4
Guitar magazine. 7 8 10
8 10
7 9 10
LEARN TO 7 9 10
Play barre chords, solo with arpeg- B 8 10
7 8 10
gios, and use a capo.
Explore bluegrass in dropped-D Ex. 10
tuning, classic pop changes, clas-
sical etude variations, and modal
harmony.
Try out Celtic jigs and Hawaiian
1 2 4 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 4 1 2 4
slack-key.
10 12 14
8 10 12 13
7 9 11
By the Editors of Acoustic Guitar 5 7 9 10
Published by String Letter Publishing B 3 5 7 8
5 7 9
$19.95
Book and CD Ex. 11
Book
and CD
pack
4 3 1 4 2 1 1 4 3 1 4 2 1 1 4 3 1 4 2 1 1
15 14 12
15 13 12 10
12 11 9
12 10 9 7
B 10 9 7
10 8 7 5
Ex. 12
1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2
10
8 12
7
5 9
B 3 7
5
Ex. 13 Ex. 14
2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 4
ORDER ONLINE AT: 7 10 10 14 15
8 8 12
AcousticGuitar.com/books 4 7 7 11
OR CALL: (800) 637-2852 5 5 9
B 3
2 5
3 7
5 9
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octave by returning to your 1244 pattern,
followed by the 124 pattern on the G string
(Example 10). Notice that in standard tun- 831.427.1917
ing, youll have to move up one fret when 1521 Mission Street s Santa Cruz, CA 95060
crossing over to the B string from the G to
compensate for the third tuning. Youll want
to adjust your fingering depending on the
andack
Once you get into the rhythm, notice how
ORDER ONLINE AT:
easy it is to play this pattern up to as many as
three octavesthe repeating fingering makes AcousticGuitar.com/rhythm P
OR CALL: (800) 637-2852
this exercise less complicated than the scale
pattern from Example 9, and even extends the For dealer inquiries, please contact
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Bedell arrives on the scene with instruments (and personalized options) that sound
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professionals and aspiring professionals at a fraction of the cost one would expect
to pay.Tony Berg, Leading LA Producer, Zeitgeist Recording Studio owner.
Dont miss this opportunity to take home one of these gorgeous Bedell Guitars! Act now.
GIVEAWAY RULES: No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Each entry must be individually submitted using the Official Entry Form at AcousticGuitar.com/bedell and received by January 31, 2011; facsimiles may not
be substituted. Prize drawing will be made on or around February 15, 2011. The winner will be notified by mail. The prize will be fulfilled by Bedell Guitars within 60 days of receipt of winners written acceptance. Employees
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Giveaway, c/o Acoustic Guitar, PO Box 767, San Anselmo, CA 94979-0767. This offer ends on January 31, 2011. Taxes are the responsibility of the winner. No prize substitutions are permitted.
songbook
and I really wanted to capture it. For instance, when I hit the F#add4
Tripper in unison and then split off into harmony. Its a great sound, long part (which begins in measure 20), I
really pump the bass like a rock n roll player
chord in measure 17, I let the open B string ring against the fretted third and use a lot of dynamics to bring the chorus
string, causing a nice cluster of harmonies on the chorus. I suggest lis- to a crescendo before heading back to the
tening to the original Beatles recording and keeping the sound of the main riff. TOMMY EMMANUEL, CGP
Intro
E7
1965 SONY/ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC. COPYRIGHT RENEWED. ALL RIGHTS ADMINISTERED BY SONY/ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, 8 MUSIC SQUARE
WEST, NASHVILLE, TN 37203. INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT SECURED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF HAL LEONARD CORP.
3
1 1
1
3 3
H
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
2 0 4 0 2
B 0 3 4
2 2 2
5
*
H
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
2 0 4 0 2 0 4 0 2
B 0 3 4
2 2 2 2 2
0 3 4
2 2 2
* Low E note tied (held from previous measure) on repeat Slap strings with pick hand as you play them.
Verse A7 2 1
4 4 1
4
1
1
1
2 2 1
9 2 2 2 3
3 2 3
2 T T
5 4 2 0 5 4 2 0 5 3 2 0
0 0 3 3 0 0 2 0
2 2 1 1 2 0
2 0 4 0 2 2 0 0 4 0 2 2
B 0 3 4
2 2 2
0 3 4
2 2 2 0 3 4
1
1
2 1
4 1 2
3
14
T
5 4 2 0 2 0 2
3 0 2 0 0 0 0 2
4 0 2 1 3 1 3
0 2 0 x 0 4 0 2 4
B x 0 x 0
0 3 4
2 2 2 4
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
E /F F E /F F F 7 A7 G 7 C 7 9
2
3 1
4 4
1 2
1 3 2 2 3
2 1 1
1 1
3 2
19
1
1
S
4 2 0 2 0 0 0
5 2 0 2 2 2 2 8 7 7 5
4 3 1 3 3 3 6 5 4
2 2 5 5 5 3
B 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0
4
2 2 2 2 2 5 5 5
7
5
7
5
7
5
7
5
7
5
6
4 4 4
6
4 4 4 4 4
4
B 7sus4 E7
4
1
3
23 1
D /E E F /E E D /E
2 1 2
1 4
1 1
1 1 3
1
1
27
A /E E D /E E A /E E D /E E E5
2
1 4
3 3
1
30 1
0 0 0 0
3 7 10 9 7 9 3 7 10 9 7 9 5 5 5 5
2 7 9 9 7 9 2 7 9 9 7 9 4 4 4 4
2 7 11 9 7 9 2 7 11 9 7 9 2 2 2 2
B 2
0 0 0
x x
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
x x x 2
0 0 0
x x
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
x x x 2
0
2
0
2
0
2
0
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1988 Grit
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every year. ag
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