Yeah, the music-making gets slow when you don't have too many friends around. I was thinking about just dropping off the face of the map and ignoring this blog, but I decided to keep it for when we get back to school. So far, I've been learning quite a few new songs, but I really can't bring myself to record them without a vocalist, since it's about the same chord progression over and over again. Some new songs, though: Let Her Cry by Hootie and the Blowfish, Unwell by Matchbox 20, Mr. Jones by Counting Crows, and What Sarah Said by Death Cab for Cutie. New picking song: The Devil's Tears by Julia and Angus Stone.
On another note, I've been getting back into photography again, so I may post a link here if I get something going.
Showing posts with label the music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the music. Show all posts
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Finally: Collide
So, now that we're just days from leaving for the summer, we finally got to recording Collide. Yesterday, we spent the evening coming up with a new set for next year's Open Mic-- we've got some awesome songs lined up. We'll definitely do Collide, and we're also working on You and Me by Lifehouse. The next thing we're working on is a duet for Hallelujah. Last, we're going to try and get enough people to perform Ed Sheeran's cover of Wayfaring Stranger. Miguel's got the perfect voice for it, and he and Rose may end up doing a duet.
A word on Hallelujah before I post Collide: We were practicing last night, first with guitar and viola, then with guitar and voice. The chords are easy enough, minus the barre chords which are slowly ruining my hand. The rhythm was also decently easy to pick up on, once I found the right video to practice with. So, we we're playing, and Miguel went at it with the viola, which sounded great. Then we moved to a study room, and he started singing...and holy shit. I mean, holy shit. I knew he was a good singer-- but this is just crazy. I mean it, I'm trying to convince him to record it with me, because he absolutely blew me away. We were playing, and we got to the second verse, and then all of the sudden I just missed a chord cause I was too busy listening to him sing. The notes he hits and the quality of his voice are just incredible. I can't wait to record that one.
But before then, here's our video of Collide by Howie Day. The strange frame is because we had to use my phone to record, since we blew out the mic on my computer with this song before. Below is the tab, as usual. Sorry you can't see my strumming hand, but the pattern is consistent throughout the song, so you should be able to get it by listening to the intro.
Verse and Chorus:
G Dsus2 Em7 Cadd9
e |-------3-------3-------3-------3-------|
B |-------3-------3-------3-------3-------|
G |-------0-------2-------0-------0-------|
D |-------0-------0-------2-------2p0h2---|
A |-------2-------0-------2---3---3-------|
E |---3---3---2---2---0---0-------x-------|
Bridge:
e |--------3-----------3----2-------------|
B |--------3-----------1----3-------------|
G |--------0-----------0----2-------------|
D |-----2--2-------2---2----0-------------|
A |--2-----2---3-------3----0-------------|
E |--------0-----------x----x-------------|
The dawn is breaking
A light shining through
You're barely waking
And I'm tangled up in you, yeah
I'm open, you're closed
Where I follow, you'll go
I worry I won't see your face
Light up again
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills my mind
I somehow find you and I collide
I'm quiet you know
You make a first impression
I've found I'm scared to know
I'm always on your mind
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the stars refuse to shine
Out of the back you fall in time
I somehow find you and I collide
Don't stop here
I lost my place
I'm close behind
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills your mind
You finally find you and I collide
You finally find you and I collide
You finally find you and I collide
A word on Hallelujah before I post Collide: We were practicing last night, first with guitar and viola, then with guitar and voice. The chords are easy enough, minus the barre chords which are slowly ruining my hand. The rhythm was also decently easy to pick up on, once I found the right video to practice with. So, we we're playing, and Miguel went at it with the viola, which sounded great. Then we moved to a study room, and he started singing...and holy shit. I mean, holy shit. I knew he was a good singer-- but this is just crazy. I mean it, I'm trying to convince him to record it with me, because he absolutely blew me away. We were playing, and we got to the second verse, and then all of the sudden I just missed a chord cause I was too busy listening to him sing. The notes he hits and the quality of his voice are just incredible. I can't wait to record that one.
But before then, here's our video of Collide by Howie Day. The strange frame is because we had to use my phone to record, since we blew out the mic on my computer with this song before. Below is the tab, as usual. Sorry you can't see my strumming hand, but the pattern is consistent throughout the song, so you should be able to get it by listening to the intro.
Verse and Chorus:
G Dsus2 Em7 Cadd9
e |-------3-------3-------3-------3-------|
B |-------3-------3-------3-------3-------|
G |-------0-------2-------0-------0-------|
D |-------0-------0-------2-------2p0h2---|
A |-------2-------0-------2---3---3-------|
E |---3---3---2---2---0---0-------x-------|
Bridge:
e |--------3-----------3----2-------------|
B |--------3-----------1----3-------------|
G |--------0-----------0----2-------------|
D |-----2--2-------2---2----0-------------|
A |--2-----2---3-------3----0-------------|
E |--------0-----------x----x-------------|
The dawn is breaking
A light shining through
You're barely waking
And I'm tangled up in you, yeah
I'm open, you're closed
Where I follow, you'll go
I worry I won't see your face
Light up again
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills my mind
I somehow find you and I collide
I'm quiet you know
You make a first impression
I've found I'm scared to know
I'm always on your mind
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the stars refuse to shine
Out of the back you fall in time
I somehow find you and I collide
Don't stop here
I lost my place
I'm close behind
Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills your mind
You finally find you and I collide
You finally find you and I collide
You finally find you and I collide
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Time for Three and some new tabs
So, my friends and I went to this concert about a week ago where Time for Three played with our orchestra-- and they were amazing. Solo, they played a bunch of songs, including a cover of Hallelujah. Miguel turned to me after they had finished, eyes and mouth wide open. The first thing out of his mouth was, "Can we play that?" He sounded like a little kid asking for the biggest birthday present. What could I say? Of course the answer was yes, I just had to find some tabs. Fast forward to Thursday night, when classes are over and a few of us are hanging in the lounge. Béa fell asleep on the couch, she was so tired, but Miguel and I stayed up listening to some music I hadn't shown him before.
And that was when one of his comments really struck me. First, we were testing out our ranges, and he was trying to figure out how high my chest voice goes-- kinda hard when you can't do scales. But after that, I was showing him some things we could try for Open Mic: Hang You Up by Yellowcard, Hallelujah (of course), Cascada by Jesse Cook. Then we were discussing Time for Three, and I remebered a song I wanted to show him. Cook's Bay by Regina Carter has the most gorgeous strings part. So, we're listening to it, and he's echoing it to figure out the notes, and pretty confident that he can learn it. Then he asked if there was a guitar part, and I said no, it's mostly strings drums and piano, and he responded, "Oh, well it's not worth it then."
That was what really got me. One, because I was thinking, how could it not be worth it to learn that song just because there isn't a part for me to play? Then I realized, everything we had been discussing was for practicing together and performing together. More than half the fun is having someone to collaborate with, having someone to help arrange the song. So I started thinking, what we might try is to translate the piano and percussion to the guitar, and work something out that way.
Cause that's where the fun lies, right? Taking on something you think can't be done. So go have fun with it!
-Kal
And that was when one of his comments really struck me. First, we were testing out our ranges, and he was trying to figure out how high my chest voice goes-- kinda hard when you can't do scales. But after that, I was showing him some things we could try for Open Mic: Hang You Up by Yellowcard, Hallelujah (of course), Cascada by Jesse Cook. Then we were discussing Time for Three, and I remebered a song I wanted to show him. Cook's Bay by Regina Carter has the most gorgeous strings part. So, we're listening to it, and he's echoing it to figure out the notes, and pretty confident that he can learn it. Then he asked if there was a guitar part, and I said no, it's mostly strings drums and piano, and he responded, "Oh, well it's not worth it then."
That was what really got me. One, because I was thinking, how could it not be worth it to learn that song just because there isn't a part for me to play? Then I realized, everything we had been discussing was for practicing together and performing together. More than half the fun is having someone to collaborate with, having someone to help arrange the song. So I started thinking, what we might try is to translate the piano and percussion to the guitar, and work something out that way.
Cause that's where the fun lies, right? Taking on something you think can't be done. So go have fun with it!
-Kal
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Is the road to social robots a Boulevard of Broken Dreams?*
Two posts in one!!!
So, I realized it's been a while since I posted any new songs for practicing. I was practicing Boulevard of Broken Dreams a few days ago when it reminded me of the book I'm reading for an English paper. In the first section of "Alone Together", Turkle talks a lot about sociable robots and what they offer, but also why they seem so appealing. She talks about their highlights, but also their dark sides. Through her research, she has come to the idea that what sociable robots really do is make up for the vulnerabilities we feel as humans-- and in the end, they keep us from truly learning how to relate to and interact with each other.
Here are just a few examples, if you're looking for a reference point:
- Cog
- Kismet
- Leonardo
- Domo
So, the thing that got me relating it to the "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" was Turkle's point that perhaps we are expecting far too much out of these robots; that when they don't perform up to par, we tend to dumb ourselves down, stooping to what we know the robot can accomplish, in order to make it appear as though it meets our needs. And meanwhile, we're totting around the idea that robots will eventually replace us in caring for children and the elderly. As the children she's interviewed have asked: "Don't we have people for those jobs?"
Anyway, on that note, here's a new song for you to practice. Excuse the fact that this song is very much at the low end of my range. As per usual, the tab can be found below.
(Em,G,D,A)2x Capo 1
I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone
(Em,G,D,A)
Em G
I walk this empty street
D A Em
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
G
Where the city sleeps
D A Em
and I'm the only one and I walk alone
G,D A Em
I walk alone, I walk alone
G,D A
I walk alone, I walk a...
[Chorus] (Solo is the same)
C G D Em
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
C G B
'Til then I walk alone
Em G D A Em
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah,
G D A
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah
Em G
I'm walking down the line
D A Em
That divides me somewhere in my mind
G
On the border line
D A Em
Of the edge and where I walk alone
Em,G,D,A,
Em G
Read between the lines
D A Em
What's fucked up and everything's alright
G
Check my vital signs
D A Em
To know I'm still alive and I walk alone
G,D
A
I walk alone
Em
I walk alone
G,D
A
I walk alone
I walk a...
[Chorus]
C G D Em
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
C G D Em
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
C G D Em
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
C G B
'Til then I walk alone
Em G D A Em
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah
G D
Ah-ah, Ah-ah
A
I walk alone
I walk a...
Solo (C,G,D,Em)3x
(C,G,B)
Em G
I walk this empty street
D A Em
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
G
Where the city sleeps
D A
And I'm the only one and I walk a...
(Repeat chords for chorus)
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone...
-Kal
So, I realized it's been a while since I posted any new songs for practicing. I was practicing Boulevard of Broken Dreams a few days ago when it reminded me of the book I'm reading for an English paper. In the first section of "Alone Together", Turkle talks a lot about sociable robots and what they offer, but also why they seem so appealing. She talks about their highlights, but also their dark sides. Through her research, she has come to the idea that what sociable robots really do is make up for the vulnerabilities we feel as humans-- and in the end, they keep us from truly learning how to relate to and interact with each other.
Here are just a few examples, if you're looking for a reference point:
- Cog
- Kismet
- Leonardo
- Domo
So, the thing that got me relating it to the "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" was Turkle's point that perhaps we are expecting far too much out of these robots; that when they don't perform up to par, we tend to dumb ourselves down, stooping to what we know the robot can accomplish, in order to make it appear as though it meets our needs. And meanwhile, we're totting around the idea that robots will eventually replace us in caring for children and the elderly. As the children she's interviewed have asked: "Don't we have people for those jobs?"
Anyway, on that note, here's a new song for you to practice. Excuse the fact that this song is very much at the low end of my range. As per usual, the tab can be found below.
I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's home to me and I walk alone
(Em,G,D,A)
Em G
I walk this empty street
D A Em
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
G
Where the city sleeps
D A Em
and I'm the only one and I walk alone
G,D A Em
I walk alone, I walk alone
G,D A
I walk alone, I walk a...
[Chorus] (Solo is the same)
C G D Em
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
C G B
'Til then I walk alone
Em G D A Em
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah,
G D A
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah
Em G
I'm walking down the line
D A Em
That divides me somewhere in my mind
G
On the border line
D A Em
Of the edge and where I walk alone
Em,G,D,A,
Em G
Read between the lines
D A Em
What's fucked up and everything's alright
G
Check my vital signs
D A Em
To know I'm still alive and I walk alone
G,D
A
I walk alone
Em
I walk alone
G,D
A
I walk alone
I walk a...
[Chorus]
C G D Em
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
C G D Em
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
C G D Em
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
C G B
'Til then I walk alone
Em G D A Em
Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Ah-ah, Aaah-ah
G D
Ah-ah, Ah-ah
A
I walk alone
I walk a...
Solo (C,G,D,Em)3x
(C,G,B)
Em G
I walk this empty street
D A Em
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
G
Where the city sleeps
D A
And I'm the only one and I walk a...
(Repeat chords for chorus)
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone...
-Kal
Friday, April 20, 2012
Just because you're not speaking doesn't mean you have to be silent
So, there was a bit of confusion over Day of Silence, but my friends and I celebrated it yesterday. I ended up having to talk during my bio lab since we were planning an experiment, but other than that I lasted the entire day.
Now of course, one fo the interesting conflicts was my love of singing and playing. There are plenty of songs that I've been working on, and songs where I want nothing more than to sing with the strumming of the strings. One of the great things though, was that since I knew I wasn't supposed to be singing or speaking, all my attention was focused on the chords. I actually started looking at a few new songs yesterday: Goodbye Days by Yui has a very interesting chord progression, and one that's actually pretty difficult at first.
Aside from that, I took a look at Hang You Up by Yellowcard, which I'll post just as soon as I have a singer. That one's just three chords, but the progression takes some concentration.
There's also For One Day by Evermore, which I really haven't touched in a while. That has some pretty strange chords, for which I'm not even sure there are proper names.
Point is that sometimes our attention gets drawn away from what's really important to us (I actually wrote about this in my essay yesterday-- Thoreau's sacred spaces and such). I've been so caught up in the idea of performing that I've stuck with songs that are easy and safe. I have to say though, it's much more satisfying when you come back to a song that you haven't been able to play for weeks, and you finally understand the chord progression or the finger positions. In addition, it's definitely worth checking back at ultimate-guitar every month or so, since new tabs are posted.
I actually didn't realize this part at first; like we read in English (Barlow), our generation sorta tends to see the Internet as a product (like a printed book) instead of a process. Of course if you're reading a blog or on Facebook it's different; you expect it to change. But information for us has always been steady, constant. For updated information, you would just find the most recent edition of a book-- and even then, not a lot had changed. With web databases though, which can be updated whenever, new info can pop up any time. So, it's definitely worth checking on some new tabs when you start to get frustrated.
-Kal
Now of course, one fo the interesting conflicts was my love of singing and playing. There are plenty of songs that I've been working on, and songs where I want nothing more than to sing with the strumming of the strings. One of the great things though, was that since I knew I wasn't supposed to be singing or speaking, all my attention was focused on the chords. I actually started looking at a few new songs yesterday: Goodbye Days by Yui has a very interesting chord progression, and one that's actually pretty difficult at first.
Aside from that, I took a look at Hang You Up by Yellowcard, which I'll post just as soon as I have a singer. That one's just three chords, but the progression takes some concentration.
There's also For One Day by Evermore, which I really haven't touched in a while. That has some pretty strange chords, for which I'm not even sure there are proper names.
Point is that sometimes our attention gets drawn away from what's really important to us (I actually wrote about this in my essay yesterday-- Thoreau's sacred spaces and such). I've been so caught up in the idea of performing that I've stuck with songs that are easy and safe. I have to say though, it's much more satisfying when you come back to a song that you haven't been able to play for weeks, and you finally understand the chord progression or the finger positions. In addition, it's definitely worth checking back at ultimate-guitar every month or so, since new tabs are posted.
I actually didn't realize this part at first; like we read in English (Barlow), our generation sorta tends to see the Internet as a product (like a printed book) instead of a process. Of course if you're reading a blog or on Facebook it's different; you expect it to change. But information for us has always been steady, constant. For updated information, you would just find the most recent edition of a book-- and even then, not a lot had changed. With web databases though, which can be updated whenever, new info can pop up any time. So, it's definitely worth checking on some new tabs when you start to get frustrated.
-Kal
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
So where do I find all these tabs anyway?
When you first start out looking for music, you'll probably type something like "collide howie day tab" into Google. You'll get a zillion hits from sites like www.e-chords.com, www.911tabs.com, www.azchords.com, and of course, YouTube. I will tell you right now though, your best bet is this little thing called www.ultimate-guitar.com.
If you simply go to the site, it can be pretty overwhelming. You can search for songs, artists, albums; you can find tabs, chords, drum tabs, bass tabs, solo tabs, acoustic tabs and chords. They also have this thing called "pro tabs". This will show you the tab and will also play the song, allowing you to follow along. Sort of like a sing-along.
Point is, the site itself is a little difficult to navigate if you don't know what you're looking for. Or even if you do. What I like to do is search something like "howie day tab" on Google, and click on the ultiamte-guitar link that says "Howie Day Tabs: 89 Tabs total @ Ultimate-Guitar.com". They always mention the number of tabs available; that's how you'll know you've got the right link. I try to avoid 911tabs because although the site shows up frequently, it's often just a bunch of reposting of the same tabs.
So, what do you do once you get to this page? You'll see an alphabetical listing by song title of every song by this artist that has been tabbed by ultimate-guitar users. If the song is a "tab" that means you'll get this notation:
e|------3-3-3-------3-3-3---|------3-3-3-------3-3-3-------| B|------1-1-1-------1-1-1---|------1-1-1-------1-1-1-------| G|------0-0-0-------0-0-0---|------0-0-0-------0-0-0-------| D|------2-2-2-------2-2-2---|------0-0-0-------0-0-0-------| A|---3--3-3-3---3---3-3-3---|---2--2-2-2---2---2-2-2------|
E|--------------------------|------------------------------|
------0-0-0-------0-0-0---|------0-0-0--0----0-0--0-0-----| ------1-1-1-------1-1-1---|------1-1-1--1----1-1--1-1-----| ------2-2-2-------2-2-2---|------2-2-2--0h2--2-2--0-0-----| ------2-2-2-------2-2-2---|---3--3-3-3--3----3-3--0-0-----| ---0--0-0-0---0---0-0-0---|-------------------------------|
--------------------------|-------------------------------|
If the song is in "chord" notation, you'll get a set of lyrics with the chords listed out above the words, like this:
CAPO 4
G- 320033
Dsus2- 200233
Em7- 022033
Cadd4- 032033
Em7 Cadd4
And I'm tangled up in you
The great thing about ultimate-guitar is that there's almost always both; and if it's an electric song, chances are there will be a tab for an acoustic version, too. So, take your pick! Eventually, you'll get an idea of which you prefer.
Now on to your next question... Since users contribute tabs to the site, there can be upwards of 20 tabs for just one song. If there are that many, how do you know which to pick? Well, the site also lets users rate their tabs. If you see a tab that's rated 5 stars by at least 20 people, that's probably the one you're looking for. These highest rated songs (and the ones with lots of votes, not just one or two) are a great place to start. If something doesn't sound quite right, or you want to see what other people have done, just go back and click on another. I usually try and stick with 4-5 star tabs. Even 4 star tabs are pretty good, even if they might need some tweaking. Stars and votes are something you have to look at in concert: if one tab has 5 stars with 2 votes versus another with 4 stars and 20 votes, the latter is probably a safer bet.
Another benefit of having so many tabs on one site: some songs (case in point, Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls), excuse my Japanese, are A BITCH to tune. Iris, by happenstance, is EBBBBB when played live. No one wants to do that. Often though, users will transpose these tabs into "normal people" terms, so you can keep your guitar nice and happy and in tune.
The last thing to watch out for (on any tablature site) is that some people won't tell you if a song needs a capo. My favorite case of this was when I found the tab for Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer. It had 4 stars, 38 votes (that's pretty good by my standards), so I went to play and DAMN it was awful. I don't know what possessed me to start playing around with the capo, but I think I may have found another tab that suggested capoing the 3rd fret. And poof, the song sounded perfect. Moral of the story: feel free to explore other tabs, feel free to combine them, and don't be afraid to just play around.
Hope this helps, and if anyone needs a little more guidance in navigating ultimate-guitar or has a tab that they absolutely can't find, feel free to comment and I'll see what I can do.
Also, this totally isn't a plug, but ultimate-guitar also has an app which is epically amazing for looking up tabs on the spot. It's also a little easier to navigate than the comprehensive site.
-Kal
If you simply go to the site, it can be pretty overwhelming. You can search for songs, artists, albums; you can find tabs, chords, drum tabs, bass tabs, solo tabs, acoustic tabs and chords. They also have this thing called "pro tabs". This will show you the tab and will also play the song, allowing you to follow along. Sort of like a sing-along.
Point is, the site itself is a little difficult to navigate if you don't know what you're looking for. Or even if you do. What I like to do is search something like "howie day tab" on Google, and click on the ultiamte-guitar link that says "Howie Day Tabs: 89 Tabs total @ Ultimate-Guitar.com". They always mention the number of tabs available; that's how you'll know you've got the right link. I try to avoid 911tabs because although the site shows up frequently, it's often just a bunch of reposting of the same tabs.
So, what do you do once you get to this page? You'll see an alphabetical listing by song title of every song by this artist that has been tabbed by ultimate-guitar users. If the song is a "tab" that means you'll get this notation:
e|------3-3-3-------3-3-3---|------3-3-3-------3-3-3-------| B|------1-1-1-------1-1-1---|------1-1-1-------1-1-1-------| G|------0-0-0-------0-0-0---|------0-0-0-------0-0-0-------| D|------2-2-2-------2-2-2---|------0-0-0-------0-0-0-------| A|---3--3-3-3---3---3-3-3---|---2--2-2-2---2---2-2-2------|
E|--------------------------|------------------------------|
------0-0-0-------0-0-0---|------0-0-0--0----0-0--0-0-----| ------1-1-1-------1-1-1---|------1-1-1--1----1-1--1-1-----| ------2-2-2-------2-2-2---|------2-2-2--0h2--2-2--0-0-----| ------2-2-2-------2-2-2---|---3--3-3-3--3----3-3--0-0-----| ---0--0-0-0---0---0-0-0---|-------------------------------|
--------------------------|-------------------------------|
If the song is in "chord" notation, you'll get a set of lyrics with the chords listed out above the words, like this:
CAPO 4
G- 320033
Dsus2- 200233
Em7- 022033
Cadd4- 032033
G Dsus2
The dawn is breaking
Em7 Cadd4
A light shining through
G Dsus2
You're barely waking
Em7 Cadd4
And I'm tangled up in you
The great thing about ultimate-guitar is that there's almost always both; and if it's an electric song, chances are there will be a tab for an acoustic version, too. So, take your pick! Eventually, you'll get an idea of which you prefer.
Now on to your next question... Since users contribute tabs to the site, there can be upwards of 20 tabs for just one song. If there are that many, how do you know which to pick? Well, the site also lets users rate their tabs. If you see a tab that's rated 5 stars by at least 20 people, that's probably the one you're looking for. These highest rated songs (and the ones with lots of votes, not just one or two) are a great place to start. If something doesn't sound quite right, or you want to see what other people have done, just go back and click on another. I usually try and stick with 4-5 star tabs. Even 4 star tabs are pretty good, even if they might need some tweaking. Stars and votes are something you have to look at in concert: if one tab has 5 stars with 2 votes versus another with 4 stars and 20 votes, the latter is probably a safer bet.
Another benefit of having so many tabs on one site: some songs (case in point, Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls), excuse my Japanese, are A BITCH to tune. Iris, by happenstance, is EBBBBB when played live. No one wants to do that. Often though, users will transpose these tabs into "normal people" terms, so you can keep your guitar nice and happy and in tune.
The last thing to watch out for (on any tablature site) is that some people won't tell you if a song needs a capo. My favorite case of this was when I found the tab for Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer. It had 4 stars, 38 votes (that's pretty good by my standards), so I went to play and DAMN it was awful. I don't know what possessed me to start playing around with the capo, but I think I may have found another tab that suggested capoing the 3rd fret. And poof, the song sounded perfect. Moral of the story: feel free to explore other tabs, feel free to combine them, and don't be afraid to just play around.
Hope this helps, and if anyone needs a little more guidance in navigating ultimate-guitar or has a tab that they absolutely can't find, feel free to comment and I'll see what I can do.
Also, this totally isn't a plug, but ultimate-guitar also has an app which is epically amazing for looking up tabs on the spot. It's also a little easier to navigate than the comprehensive site.
-Kal
Monday, April 2, 2012
A New Cover
So, I know that we promised you a cover of Collide, which Miguel and I have been working on, I swear. This is a really busy week, and we really haven't gotten a chance to actually record it. Plus with Open Mic Night coming up this week, I may end up memorizing another monologue if we can't pull our act together with the songs we were arranging.
However. In lieu of this song*, I decided to record another cover in order to illustrate a point I've been meaning to make. So, here's another recording of Say It's Possible by Terra Naomi:
Now, I know we've done this one before (see Beginner Song: Say It's Possible for the chords)-- Rose and I covered this for Open Mic, and she's a wonderful singer. I've tried singing this before, and I absolutely cannot hit the notes in the chorus. I've discovered a neat little trick, though. I'm sure this has some basis in music theory, and I'll ask Miguel if he can explain it to me later. But the idea is, since the song is usually capo'd on fret 2, I can just ditch the capo and drop the song to a lower pitch-- one that's within my voice range. I can also put the capo two frets up (4th fret, in this case), and raise the pitch. I'm pretty sure the only time this works is when the song is played on the 2nd, 4th, or 8th fret, or open strings.
Other songs this works for:
- Collide by Howie Day (originally 4th fret)
- It's Been a While by Staind (originally tuned half a step down, but can be played capo 1)
- Swing Life Away (also half a step down, but can be played capo 1. I also think this can be played open frets if you're really lazy, though I'm not sure musically why that works)
I'll let you know if I find any others, but play around with it. It's a great trick to bring songs into your range.
Another quick thing to note, is that sometimes when you do switch the pitch of a song, it can be a bit weird to sing if you haven't practiced. It takes a little bit of trial and error to hit the appropriate notes (take note of my little slip at the beginning of the final chorus, when I slip down almost an octave). With some practice though, you'll be able to tell when you're hitting the right notes.
Also, sorry if I blew out the mic. I put some fabric around the computer to absorb the sound, but the acoustic is really loud and the mic is really bad.
-Kal
However. In lieu of this song*, I decided to record another cover in order to illustrate a point I've been meaning to make. So, here's another recording of Say It's Possible by Terra Naomi:
Now, I know we've done this one before (see Beginner Song: Say It's Possible for the chords)-- Rose and I covered this for Open Mic, and she's a wonderful singer. I've tried singing this before, and I absolutely cannot hit the notes in the chorus. I've discovered a neat little trick, though. I'm sure this has some basis in music theory, and I'll ask Miguel if he can explain it to me later. But the idea is, since the song is usually capo'd on fret 2, I can just ditch the capo and drop the song to a lower pitch-- one that's within my voice range. I can also put the capo two frets up (4th fret, in this case), and raise the pitch. I'm pretty sure the only time this works is when the song is played on the 2nd, 4th, or 8th fret, or open strings.
Other songs this works for:
- Collide by Howie Day (originally 4th fret)
- It's Been a While by Staind (originally tuned half a step down, but can be played capo 1)
- Swing Life Away (also half a step down, but can be played capo 1. I also think this can be played open frets if you're really lazy, though I'm not sure musically why that works)
I'll let you know if I find any others, but play around with it. It's a great trick to bring songs into your range.
Another quick thing to note, is that sometimes when you do switch the pitch of a song, it can be a bit weird to sing if you haven't practiced. It takes a little bit of trial and error to hit the appropriate notes (take note of my little slip at the beginning of the final chorus, when I slip down almost an octave). With some practice though, you'll be able to tell when you're hitting the right notes.
Also, sorry if I blew out the mic. I put some fabric around the computer to absorb the sound, but the acoustic is really loud and the mic is really bad.
-Kal
There is no spoon*
So, we watched The Matrix in class a few days ago, which was probably one of the most epic classes ever. We spent a lot of time afterwards discussing the symbolism-- what the glasses mean, the roll of the robots, the significance of the telephone as the connection between the worlds-- but of course the one thing that stuck out to me again was everyone's favorite line, "Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth.There is no spoon...
Then you'll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself."
I thought this was an awesome quote the first time I watched the movie-- and of course I immediately went home and tried to bend a spoon, so obviously I missed the point of it the first time around. And admittedly, this time it took me at least until I got back to my dorm to make the connection.
But, just a few days ago, I picked up my electric (now named Moonlight), and set my mind to finger picking. I tuned the guitar down half a step (see Tuning...and its Hazards for more info) and decided to leave it like that, since a bunch of my favorite songs are tuned as such, and I'm quite lazy. The first song I chose was Broken (Seether, feat. Evanescence's Amy Lee), since the picking is very distinct. I barely even thought about it, just looked at the tab (shown below) named the positions in my head, and started playing. And lo and behold. The technique that for almost a year has been the bane of my guitarist existence suddely just...happened. I don't really know how to explain it otherwise. I sat down, and I decided to take a different approach. Since chords are my strength, I looked at where in the song I could keep my fingers planted, and tried to relate them to chord positions I already know:
D
e-2h3-------3--3---------3------------2h3-----3---3--------3------------|
B-------(0)------3------3----3-------3------0--------3-----3----3------3-|
G---------0------0---0-------------0-----------0------0---0-----------0---|
D-2------------------------------0-------2-----------------------------0-----|
A-----------------3--------------------------------------3---------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D
e-2h3------3--3--------3-----------0h2-----3p2----0h2-|--------3p2-----|
B-------0-------3------3---3------3------3----------3-------|-3---3-----3----|
G---------0-----0---0-----------0-----------2----------------|----2---------0--|
D-2----------------------------0------0------------------0----|------------------|
A----------------3----------------------------------------------|------------------|
E----------------------------------------------------------------|------------------|
The first position reminds me of a D chord (xx0232), so that's what I named it. A little later in the song, an actual D chord position comes up, so I named that one as well. Once I was able to figure out those positions, I was able to just focus on my plucking hand.
Then I guess as I was playing, that's when it sort of hit me. About the spoon comment I mean-- it's like mind over matter. Once you overcome that mental construction of yourself that can't play, it's no longer a self-defeating construct. Like he points out, the spoon isn't bending-- likewise, the guitar isn't complying, because it's not the guitar that's the issue. You instead, bend around the guitar. You learn to move with it, to work with what you're given, your strengths and weaknesses. You learn how to relate what you can't understand into terms that you can.
And well...I'm still working on that with the acoustic, since it's a lot tougher on your hands. But don't forget-- THERE IS NO SPOON!!!
Till next time.
-Kal
I thought this was an awesome quote the first time I watched the movie-- and of course I immediately went home and tried to bend a spoon, so obviously I missed the point of it the first time around. And admittedly, this time it took me at least until I got back to my dorm to make the connection.
But, just a few days ago, I picked up my electric (now named Moonlight), and set my mind to finger picking. I tuned the guitar down half a step (see Tuning...and its Hazards for more info) and decided to leave it like that, since a bunch of my favorite songs are tuned as such, and I'm quite lazy. The first song I chose was Broken (Seether, feat. Evanescence's Amy Lee), since the picking is very distinct. I barely even thought about it, just looked at the tab (shown below) named the positions in my head, and started playing. And lo and behold. The technique that for almost a year has been the bane of my guitarist existence suddely just...happened. I don't really know how to explain it otherwise. I sat down, and I decided to take a different approach. Since chords are my strength, I looked at where in the song I could keep my fingers planted, and tried to relate them to chord positions I already know:
D
e-2h3-------3--3---------3------------2h3-----3---3--------3------------|
B-------(0)------3------3----3-------3------0--------3-----3----3------3-|
G---------0------0---0-------------0-----------0------0---0-----------0---|
D-2------------------------------0-------2-----------------------------0-----|
A-----------------3--------------------------------------3---------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D
e-2h3------3--3--------3-----------0h2-----3p2----0h2-|--------3p2-----|
B-------0-------3------3---3------3------3----------3-------|-3---3-----3----|
G---------0-----0---0-----------0-----------2----------------|----2---------0--|
D-2----------------------------0------0------------------0----|------------------|
A----------------3----------------------------------------------|------------------|
E----------------------------------------------------------------|------------------|
The first position reminds me of a D chord (xx0232), so that's what I named it. A little later in the song, an actual D chord position comes up, so I named that one as well. Once I was able to figure out those positions, I was able to just focus on my plucking hand.
Then I guess as I was playing, that's when it sort of hit me. About the spoon comment I mean-- it's like mind over matter. Once you overcome that mental construction of yourself that can't play, it's no longer a self-defeating construct. Like he points out, the spoon isn't bending-- likewise, the guitar isn't complying, because it's not the guitar that's the issue. You instead, bend around the guitar. You learn to move with it, to work with what you're given, your strengths and weaknesses. You learn how to relate what you can't understand into terms that you can.
And well...I'm still working on that with the acoustic, since it's a lot tougher on your hands. But don't forget-- THERE IS NO SPOON!!!
Till next time.
-Kal
Thursday, March 22, 2012
For What It's Worth...*
...here is all the knowledge and experience I have with finger picking.
The two ways you can begin picking are 1) with just your thumb, or 2) with all your fingers. Usually it's just about what feels comfortable, and sometimes beginners feel more comfortable relying on just their thumb. I know I do. But when he saw me finger picking, Senpai suggested that you try to pick with all your fingers, by assigning each finger to a string. Even if you don't feel comfortable picking with your ring finger or pinky (watch the video to see just how uncomfortable I am with this), practice with your first three fingers and work up to that point. You'll be able to pluck a lot faster once you get the hang of it.
Next thing is that you can pick with your bare fingers, which is fine, or you can get these really cool picks that slide onto your fingers and make the sounds a lot more crisp. It's like the difference between strumming with your fingernails and strumming with a pick. The sound is just a lot less murky with the plastic. As you'll see in the video, I only have the pick that slides onto my thumb, but they make ones for your fingers too. And as you'll see from the video, I haven't used that pick in a while and I'm sort of messy with it. In fact, I abandoned it all together until I picked a song on just one string.
Lastly, there are three techniques that come into play with picking: hammer-ons (placing your finger on a fret after you've plucked the string), pull-offs (the opposite of hammer-on), and sliding (smooth transition, sliding your finger from one fret to a higher or lower one).
Tabs used:
Time- Hootie and the Blowfish
Dsus4
-------------------------3----------------------------3--
---------3------------3----3---------3------------3------
------2------------2--------------2------------2---------
--0--------0-h-2---------------0-------0-h-2-------------
----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
Sunny Came Home- Shawn Colvin
e------------------------------------------------|
b------------------------------------------------|
g------------------------------------------------|
d--------0-2-0------------------0-2-0-2-4--|
a—2/4---------4-2-0-0---2/4---------------|
E------------------------------------------------|
e---------------------------------------------------|
b---------------------------------------------------|
g---------------------------------------------------|
d--------0-2-2/0--------------------0-2-0------|
a—2/4------------4-2-0-0---2/4---------4-2-|
E---------------------------------------------------|
The Tain- The Decemberists
E|--0--3--7--6/7/6--3--0--3--7/10--11--12-----------------------|
E|--0--3--7--6/7/6--3--0-3--7/10--11--12-------------------------|
Here upon this pillow
E|--0--3--7--6/7/6--3--0--3--7/10--11--12------------------------|
Made of reed and willow. You're
E|--0--3--7--6/7/6---3-0-3---5--7--0---12-11-12-----------------|
a fickle little twister, are you sweet on your sister? Your
E|--0--3--7--6/7/6--3--0--------------------------------|
fallow won't leave you alone.
-Kal
The two ways you can begin picking are 1) with just your thumb, or 2) with all your fingers. Usually it's just about what feels comfortable, and sometimes beginners feel more comfortable relying on just their thumb. I know I do. But when he saw me finger picking, Senpai suggested that you try to pick with all your fingers, by assigning each finger to a string. Even if you don't feel comfortable picking with your ring finger or pinky (watch the video to see just how uncomfortable I am with this), practice with your first three fingers and work up to that point. You'll be able to pluck a lot faster once you get the hang of it.
Next thing is that you can pick with your bare fingers, which is fine, or you can get these really cool picks that slide onto your fingers and make the sounds a lot more crisp. It's like the difference between strumming with your fingernails and strumming with a pick. The sound is just a lot less murky with the plastic. As you'll see in the video, I only have the pick that slides onto my thumb, but they make ones for your fingers too. And as you'll see from the video, I haven't used that pick in a while and I'm sort of messy with it. In fact, I abandoned it all together until I picked a song on just one string.
Lastly, there are three techniques that come into play with picking: hammer-ons (placing your finger on a fret after you've plucked the string), pull-offs (the opposite of hammer-on), and sliding (smooth transition, sliding your finger from one fret to a higher or lower one).
Tabs used:
Time- Hootie and the Blowfish
Dsus4
-------------------------3----------------------------3--
---------3------------3----3---------3------------3------
------2------------2--------------2------------2---------
--0--------0-h-2---------------0-------0-h-2-------------
----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
Sunny Came Home- Shawn Colvin
e------------------------------------------------|
b------------------------------------------------|
g------------------------------------------------|
d--------0-2-0------------------0-2-0-2-4--|
a—2/4---------4-2-0-0---2/4---------------|
E------------------------------------------------|
e---------------------------------------------------|
b---------------------------------------------------|
g---------------------------------------------------|
d--------0-2-2/0--------------------0-2-0------|
a—2/4------------4-2-0-0---2/4---------4-2-|
E---------------------------------------------------|
The Tain- The Decemberists
E|--0--3--7--6/7/6--3--0--3--7/10--11--12-----------------------|
E|--0--3--7--6/7/6--3--0-3--7/10--11--12-------------------------|
Here upon this pillow
E|--0--3--7--6/7/6--3--0--3--7/10--11--12------------------------|
Made of reed and willow. You're
E|--0--3--7--6/7/6---3-0-3---5--7--0---12-11-12-----------------|
a fickle little twister, are you sweet on your sister? Your
E|--0--3--7--6/7/6--3--0--------------------------------|
fallow won't leave you alone.
-Kal
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Like an artist with no artform...*
I know I've posted before on why I'm doing this, but I feel the need to express it again, maybe because I didn't do so adequately the first time. This might seem a little weird to try and say in words, but there's just this feeling in my chest now, and the overwhelming need to communicate it to someone. It feels almost like a moment of enlightenment, and like I want someone else to be able to feel that. It's like watching a sunset and not having anyone to share it with, or like singing your feelings to an empty room. The point is, I think that's why I'm doing this. I've been through so many "artforms"-- there's dance and gymnastics, writing, poetry, theres drawing and sculpting, and there's music. All these ways of expressing yourself, in the hopes that maybe, maybe someone will understand what you meant when you painted it or wrote it or performed it. Like the song says, "if I get it all down on paper it's no longer inside of me, threatening the life it belongs to". Maybe it seems elementary, but I started this because it became a way of expressing myself when words escaped me. Before I was a guitarist I was a writer, and before I was a writer, I was an artist. Maybe this is just another phase, but if it's a way of getting me to the next wave, then I'll go with it. Right now, this is my way of reaching other people, of finding that connection we all so crave. Right now, the guitar is my release when no other exists. Right now, my guitar expresses everything that I can't.
-Kal
-Kal
Thursday, March 15, 2012
But Honestly: A Special Song for a Special Someone
So, here's a quick practice session to demonstrate how much easier it is on the electric. (To see the tab, view the video in YouTube and check the description).
Of course I'm a newbie at this part, so I spent a lot of time fiddling with the balance and the volume (and my mic is still not that great), but if you can get the EQ just right, the notes sound so perfectly crisp. I can hit the highest fret (21st) with no problem, and my fingers slide so easily down the strings (very important for this song). Actually, for someone who's used to rough strings, it's a little hard to judge where my fingers are on the fretboard if I'm not paying attention.
Quick disclaimer, the strings are probably not entirely in tune since I did them by ear again.
And of course, I do have to mention that this video is for a certain someone by the name of Will, who is the reason I've been working at this song since I started playing. I remember when I first got Carmine I was so excited, and I really wanted to do somethign special for him-- but of course, our taste in music had a very narrow margin of overlap, and there weren't a whole lot of acoustic songs I could play for him. This I suppose, was our compromise, since Everlong and Best of You were way above my skill level at the time. Now at least, I can start paying him back, on this appropriately special day.
Now, I know you Foo Fighters fans reading this are ranting in your heads about how I changed the tab to make it easier and I didn't play the song all the way through I didn't even get to the solo. Patience, patience, I just started on the electric yesterday, and I've barely started to practice picking yet. Next on my list is definitely the picking and slide intros I was never able to do on the acoustic.
Anyway, next chance I get, I'll try to do a post on the basics of an electric guitar, which will probably be a lot of me fiddling with the EQ. Till then!
-Kal
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Well That Was Anticlimactic
So, not a whole lot happened yesterday. We went shopping (no incident there), and even walked to the train station. I didn't have my phone and I didn't need my phone. I felt no need to be texting anyone or checking my email while I was walking, even though that's something I'll do out of habit. The biggest thing for me was the instinctively checking to make sure my phone was in my pocket-- which obviously it wasn't. Basically, I'm just really paranoid about losing it. The times I was wishing I had it were to listen to music, and to jot down a note. We were sitting on the bus when a song came on and I thought, "wow, this would be great for Open Mic Night"-- only I couldn't figure out the song, nor could I write it down, since I didn't have my phone.
So other than that, no big issue. And really, I didn't even play my guitar or read all that much yesterday. The time I did grab my guitar out was in the evening, past quiet hours, with a couple friends in the lounge. We were decorating a poster, and Dave was talking about how he hadn't played in a while, so I went to grab Carmine (my guitar, for those of you who don't know). We had a pretty cool discussion about different playing styles, and I discovered that he's way more into finger picking than me. He started playing the melodies for Sweet Home Alabama, and a bunch of other songs: Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, everything that I had started to learn on the violin in middle school. It was actually pretty interesting; he said that finger picking was way easier for him than strumming, which was a pretty big revelation for me. He said for him, it's easier to keep track of two hands, rather than two fingers. So, if he can keep his fingers in the same position, and pluck the strings in a certain order, that's what works for him. With me, it's totally the opposite-- my plucking hand is much harder for me to keep track of, but I'm fine (now) at changing chords. Maybe it has something to do with the way I started off: I worked really hard at changing chords in the beginning.
So, I guess the point is that different people have different preferences. For me, picking will take a lot more brain power to learn. For Dave, the chords are too much to keep track of at once. My brain focuses on the chord hand, his on the strumming/picking hand. In the end though, the best part was exchanging ideas. He showed me a really easy picking song (Time, Hootie and the Blowfish), which I can also use to practice hammering on (placing your finger on the string after you've plucked it). I told him that the way I started practicing chords was keeping two finger planted, so you only had two more to keep track of.
Basically, it's all about experimenting, and finding out what works for you.
-Kal
So other than that, no big issue. And really, I didn't even play my guitar or read all that much yesterday. The time I did grab my guitar out was in the evening, past quiet hours, with a couple friends in the lounge. We were decorating a poster, and Dave was talking about how he hadn't played in a while, so I went to grab Carmine (my guitar, for those of you who don't know). We had a pretty cool discussion about different playing styles, and I discovered that he's way more into finger picking than me. He started playing the melodies for Sweet Home Alabama, and a bunch of other songs: Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, everything that I had started to learn on the violin in middle school. It was actually pretty interesting; he said that finger picking was way easier for him than strumming, which was a pretty big revelation for me. He said for him, it's easier to keep track of two hands, rather than two fingers. So, if he can keep his fingers in the same position, and pluck the strings in a certain order, that's what works for him. With me, it's totally the opposite-- my plucking hand is much harder for me to keep track of, but I'm fine (now) at changing chords. Maybe it has something to do with the way I started off: I worked really hard at changing chords in the beginning.
So, I guess the point is that different people have different preferences. For me, picking will take a lot more brain power to learn. For Dave, the chords are too much to keep track of at once. My brain focuses on the chord hand, his on the strumming/picking hand. In the end though, the best part was exchanging ideas. He showed me a really easy picking song (Time, Hootie and the Blowfish), which I can also use to practice hammering on (placing your finger on the string after you've plucked it). I told him that the way I started practicing chords was keeping two finger planted, so you only had two more to keep track of.
Basically, it's all about experimenting, and finding out what works for you.
-Kal
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
More of a Challenge: I Miss You
This song is more difficult, simply because of the strumming pattern. The chord changes are also more frequent during the chorus portion, but the chords themselves are about the same level of difficulty. Below is a video of me playing (and singing), so you can discern the strumming pattern.
Tab used:
G Dsus4 (xx0233)
Hello there, the angel from my nightmare
Em7 Dsus4/F# (2x0233)
The shadow in the background of the morgue
G Dsus4
The unsuspecting victim of darkness in the valley
Em7 Dsus4/F#
We can live like Jack and Sally if we want
G
Where you can always find me
Dsus4
We'll have Halloween on Christmas
Em7 Dsus4/F#
And in the night we'll wish this never ends
G [this is also the starting chorus chord]
We'll wish this never ends
Chorus (G Em7 Dsus4 Cadd9)
G A7Sus4 (x02033) Em7* Dsus4
Cadd9 Dsus4/F# Cadd9
(I miss you,miss you)
You'll notice that this one is particularly difficult for me to sing. I miss my cue, and the strumming pattern makes it hard to sing while I'm playing. It's like trying to rub your head and pat your stomach at the same time, for lack of a better analogy.
You also might notice as you begin to play, that first working out the chords can be a chore. Your brain will know where it wants your fingers to move, but it takes quite a bit of effort and mental power to get your fingers to cooperate. Ever tried that little trick where you link your fingers together and flip your hands, so that your left hand is to your right and visa versa? A friend points to a finger you have to lift up, and more often than not, you'll lift the wrong one. It feels sort of like that.
Anyway, this song also made me think back to my first college concert: Blink-182. I was so proud that I had score tickets-- I was so excited when I saw them on sale that I didn't even think of how I would get there. Turns out the closes bus drops you about a 20 minute walk away, which really isn't that bad if you think about it. I walk everywhere in my hometown. What I didn't bargain for was walking along our lovely local pseudo-highway. Traffic lights, sure, but three lanes of traffic traveling about 50 mph.
What we talked about in class today reminded me of this moment. We had been talking about that "coming of age" moment, that moment when you realize that you are truly, utterly alone, with no one to rely on but yourself. The point of the conversation was that this is changing, now that everyone has a cell phone, and we can be alone without really being "alone". And yes, when I made this venture, I did have my phone, albeit my dinosaur flip phone from 8th grade that was too thick to fit comfortably on my pocket.
But even with my phone, the police at my fingertips if it came down to it, I felt at that moment utterly alone. And it's terrifying. I had done all the research I could beforehand, printed out a map of the area, planned my route; but the bus dropped me off in a different location than what I was expecting. So I stood there for a few seconds, then tried to discern which direction was the right one. Eventually, I stopped and knocked on a random door, asking which way the concert hall was. The man was nice enough, pointed me in the right direction, and wished me luck as if I were setting out on some medieval quest. I kind of felt like it, backpack slung over my shoulders, walking down a stretch of road with no highway, with a prepaid phone that had about 10 minutes worth left on it. I finally got to the pseudo-highway, but it only gets better from here. Those ditches by the side of the road? Well, it was my honorable option to walk either on the road side, and be whipped past by speeding cars, or tread safely through the brambles and burrs on the other side. I chose the latter. I won't go into details about how unpleasant it was, how scared I was, or how stupid I felt (mostly stupid by this point, since I could see the road with the concert hall). I came out in the parking lot covered in those burrs with the hooks on them. They were stuck to me, my bag, my towel.
But once I got there, I was fine. I was alone, and I was wary of my stuff and of everyone around me. But the concert was good, minus the constant weed smoking. I thought I'd be bright and leave a little early, since everyone would be calling taxis to pick them up. My second "coming of age" experience came the same night. I left at maybe 10:30 or 11pm, called a taxi and waited out front. I called back multiple times, but every time a taxi pulled up, it was for more than one person. And then they stopped coming. I found out later (much later) that by that point, they weren't allowing cars right by the hall, that you had to wait at the corner of the drive and this pseudo-highway. When I called back about the 5th time, the woman told me to wait at the end of the drive. So I did. It was almost midnight. And then it was 12:30. And that's when the last cop car at the end of the drive pulled away. It's always brightest right before it goes pitch black, right? And it was pitch black. I ended up calling my roommate for a ride. Turns out she had been at the same concert.
Well, point being that yes, while still being tethered with a (granted, crappy) phone, I still felt that gripping fear of being alone, way after dark, in an unfamiliar town. If I'd had to get back to campus by myself, that would've been a completely different story-- I probably wouldn't have gone to the concert in the first place. But that was my real coming of age moment (and twice in one night!). At least now though, I know that I won't flinch in the face of being alone at night with no one else to rely on.
-Kal
You also might notice as you begin to play, that first working out the chords can be a chore. Your brain will know where it wants your fingers to move, but it takes quite a bit of effort and mental power to get your fingers to cooperate. Ever tried that little trick where you link your fingers together and flip your hands, so that your left hand is to your right and visa versa? A friend points to a finger you have to lift up, and more often than not, you'll lift the wrong one. It feels sort of like that.
Anyway, this song also made me think back to my first college concert: Blink-182. I was so proud that I had score tickets-- I was so excited when I saw them on sale that I didn't even think of how I would get there. Turns out the closes bus drops you about a 20 minute walk away, which really isn't that bad if you think about it. I walk everywhere in my hometown. What I didn't bargain for was walking along our lovely local pseudo-highway. Traffic lights, sure, but three lanes of traffic traveling about 50 mph.
What we talked about in class today reminded me of this moment. We had been talking about that "coming of age" moment, that moment when you realize that you are truly, utterly alone, with no one to rely on but yourself. The point of the conversation was that this is changing, now that everyone has a cell phone, and we can be alone without really being "alone". And yes, when I made this venture, I did have my phone, albeit my dinosaur flip phone from 8th grade that was too thick to fit comfortably on my pocket.
But even with my phone, the police at my fingertips if it came down to it, I felt at that moment utterly alone. And it's terrifying. I had done all the research I could beforehand, printed out a map of the area, planned my route; but the bus dropped me off in a different location than what I was expecting. So I stood there for a few seconds, then tried to discern which direction was the right one. Eventually, I stopped and knocked on a random door, asking which way the concert hall was. The man was nice enough, pointed me in the right direction, and wished me luck as if I were setting out on some medieval quest. I kind of felt like it, backpack slung over my shoulders, walking down a stretch of road with no highway, with a prepaid phone that had about 10 minutes worth left on it. I finally got to the pseudo-highway, but it only gets better from here. Those ditches by the side of the road? Well, it was my honorable option to walk either on the road side, and be whipped past by speeding cars, or tread safely through the brambles and burrs on the other side. I chose the latter. I won't go into details about how unpleasant it was, how scared I was, or how stupid I felt (mostly stupid by this point, since I could see the road with the concert hall). I came out in the parking lot covered in those burrs with the hooks on them. They were stuck to me, my bag, my towel.
But once I got there, I was fine. I was alone, and I was wary of my stuff and of everyone around me. But the concert was good, minus the constant weed smoking. I thought I'd be bright and leave a little early, since everyone would be calling taxis to pick them up. My second "coming of age" experience came the same night. I left at maybe 10:30 or 11pm, called a taxi and waited out front. I called back multiple times, but every time a taxi pulled up, it was for more than one person. And then they stopped coming. I found out later (much later) that by that point, they weren't allowing cars right by the hall, that you had to wait at the corner of the drive and this pseudo-highway. When I called back about the 5th time, the woman told me to wait at the end of the drive. So I did. It was almost midnight. And then it was 12:30. And that's when the last cop car at the end of the drive pulled away. It's always brightest right before it goes pitch black, right? And it was pitch black. I ended up calling my roommate for a ride. Turns out she had been at the same concert.
Well, point being that yes, while still being tethered with a (granted, crappy) phone, I still felt that gripping fear of being alone, way after dark, in an unfamiliar town. If I'd had to get back to campus by myself, that would've been a completely different story-- I probably wouldn't have gone to the concert in the first place. But that was my real coming of age moment (and twice in one night!). At least now though, I know that I won't flinch in the face of being alone at night with no one else to rely on.
-Kal
Beginner Song: Say It's Possible
So, if you're looking for a song that has some easy chords for you to practice, I'd suggest something like Say It's Possible by Terra Naomi. The chords used are:
Em7 (022033) Cadd9 (032033)
G (320033) G/f# (200033)
This song is great because the chords are merely variations of each other; that is, two of your fingers stay in the same place for the entire song. This is good for two reasons: one, you can work on transitioning between chords (if you've never done this before, it takes quite a bit of coordination), and second, it helps to build strength in your hands. You might not realize it, but holding down your fingers in the same position for the entire song is actually quite difficult. Even now, my hands get tired playing this song all the way through.
I want to point out something quickly about the tab: you'll notice that the capo is on the second fret. All chords, when listed, are still relative to the capo. You can imagine how confusing it would be if I listed the finger notation with no regard for the capo. I've seen chords listed as, for example, Em7 (044055), and I think to myself, "that's not an Em7 chord". Then when I get my hand around the guitar, I realize that the notation isn't relative to the capo.
The video is posted below so that you can hear the strumming pattern. These are the only four chords used, and they are repeated in the same pattern for the entire song.
Em7 (022033) Cadd9 (032033)
G (320033) G/f# (200033)
This song is great because the chords are merely variations of each other; that is, two of your fingers stay in the same place for the entire song. This is good for two reasons: one, you can work on transitioning between chords (if you've never done this before, it takes quite a bit of coordination), and second, it helps to build strength in your hands. You might not realize it, but holding down your fingers in the same position for the entire song is actually quite difficult. Even now, my hands get tired playing this song all the way through.
I want to point out something quickly about the tab: you'll notice that the capo is on the second fret. All chords, when listed, are still relative to the capo. You can imagine how confusing it would be if I listed the finger notation with no regard for the capo. I've seen chords listed as, for example, Em7 (044055), and I think to myself, "that's not an Em7 chord". Then when I get my hand around the guitar, I realize that the notation isn't relative to the capo.
The video is posted below so that you can hear the strumming pattern. These are the only four chords used, and they are repeated in the same pattern for the entire song.
I just want to say, thanks so much to Rose for recording this with me-- it's a completely different feeling, recording with a friend versus singing and playing by myself. Aside from the fact that I can barely hit these notes, and she has a gorgeous voice, this was just a lot of fun. It did require some patience (this is our third take), and we couldn't even upload the high quality version because of some technical issues.
There were a few more things I wanted to mention, relating to the reading we talked about in my English class today. I actually started this post before class, and I just left the building about five minutes ago. Before class though, I had been thinking about a very minor point at the end of the chapter, about "living them [conflicts about self presentation] out in public, sharing every mistake and false step" (Turkle). While life mistakes lived on Facebook and such might be embarrassing, I also find the concept liberating in a sense. I mean, that's part of what this blog is about. I'm not perfect, I'm not a perfect guitarist-- if you listen to the video, you'll hear the metallic vibration of loose strings against the fretboard, because my hands were getting tired. We went through a few takes, editing, re-editing, knowing we weren't going to be perfect. But that's ok with me. I'm not trying to be perfect; I'm putting myself out there, with the level of experience I have, and nothing more.
And now, this brings me to the point of identity. I've been grappling with this idea of trying to go against what Turkle says about only presenting "the best" or "a fragment" of ourselves. I'm trying to write as myself, about my life, my experience, and my mistakes. But in a way I suppose, that's also presenting a "form" of myself. I'm trying not to appear perfect, trying to prove that I make mistakes. And in a sense, that itself is only a sliver of who I am. In reality, I've been known to be insecure about my short-comings, afraid of performing and presenting. So in reality, maybe this is blog is just a reflection of the part of me that wants to be fearless and confident. Maybe that was some of the reasoning behind why I started this blog.
It seems like a bit of a contradiction, an oxymoron, when you think about it. I'm trying to be myself, but in doing so, I'm presenting a self that I want to be, that I strive towards. To me though, that's ok-- it's not a self that's perfect, that's skinny, smiling, and a perfect guitar player. It's a self that makes mistakes and is ok with that. It's a self that's trying to share her experience, and a well-rounded and complex self that I want to live for. If technology is making me present a sliver of myself, then I'll turn that on its head, and make it a way to improve my life instead of a force that diminishes it.
There were a few more things I wanted to mention, relating to the reading we talked about in my English class today. I actually started this post before class, and I just left the building about five minutes ago. Before class though, I had been thinking about a very minor point at the end of the chapter, about "living them [conflicts about self presentation] out in public, sharing every mistake and false step" (Turkle). While life mistakes lived on Facebook and such might be embarrassing, I also find the concept liberating in a sense. I mean, that's part of what this blog is about. I'm not perfect, I'm not a perfect guitarist-- if you listen to the video, you'll hear the metallic vibration of loose strings against the fretboard, because my hands were getting tired. We went through a few takes, editing, re-editing, knowing we weren't going to be perfect. But that's ok with me. I'm not trying to be perfect; I'm putting myself out there, with the level of experience I have, and nothing more.
And now, this brings me to the point of identity. I've been grappling with this idea of trying to go against what Turkle says about only presenting "the best" or "a fragment" of ourselves. I'm trying to write as myself, about my life, my experience, and my mistakes. But in a way I suppose, that's also presenting a "form" of myself. I'm trying not to appear perfect, trying to prove that I make mistakes. And in a sense, that itself is only a sliver of who I am. In reality, I've been known to be insecure about my short-comings, afraid of performing and presenting. So in reality, maybe this is blog is just a reflection of the part of me that wants to be fearless and confident. Maybe that was some of the reasoning behind why I started this blog.
It seems like a bit of a contradiction, an oxymoron, when you think about it. I'm trying to be myself, but in doing so, I'm presenting a self that I want to be, that I strive towards. To me though, that's ok-- it's not a self that's perfect, that's skinny, smiling, and a perfect guitar player. It's a self that makes mistakes and is ok with that. It's a self that's trying to share her experience, and a well-rounded and complex self that I want to live for. If technology is making me present a sliver of myself, then I'll turn that on its head, and make it a way to improve my life instead of a force that diminishes it.
-Kal
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Practice 1: Breathe 2am
Anyway, here's Breathe 2am, which is the first song my vocalist and I performed live. Listening to me sing, you'll notice that I have a somewhat harsh, and very alto voice (especially for a girl). One thing you'll notice about the tab (which I'll post below), is that when compared with the video, I changed some of the chords. The Bm in the chorus is a bar chord (x24432-- I'll go over this notation in a later post), which I find incredibly difficult. The one I'm using here is a G (320033). Not perfect, but totally legitimate (much preferable to the guitar strings twanging terribly).
Here's the tab:
Chords used:
Aadd9 - xx7650
G - 355433 or 320033 (during chorus)
D - xx0232
A - x02220
Bm - x24432
Verse
2am and she calls me 'cause I'm still awake
Can you help me unravel my latest mistake?
I don't love him, Winter just wasn't my season
Aadd9 (xx7650) G
Yeah, we walk through the door so accusing their eyes
D
Like they have any right at all to criticize
Aadd9
Hypocrites you're all here for the very same reason
Chorus (and bridge)
Bm (x24432)
'Cause you can't jump the track
D
We're like cars on a cable and
A E
Life's like an hourglass glued to the table
Bm D
No one can find the rewind button, girl
A E
So cradle your head in your hands
G D Aadd9 G D Aadd9
And breathe, just breathe, whoa breathe, just breathe
Verse
Aadd9 G
May he turned 21 on the base of Fort Bliss
D
Just today he sat down to the flask in his fist
Aadd9
Ain't been sober since maybe October of last year
Aadd9 G
Here in town you can tell he's been down for a while
D
But my god it's so beautiful when the boy smiles
Aadd9
Wanna hold him maybe I'll just sing about it
Chorus
Bm
'Cause you can't jump the track
D
We're like cars on a cable and
A E
Life's like an hourglass glued to the table
Bm D
No one can find the rewind button, boys
A E
So cradle your head in your hands
G D Aadd9 G D Aadd9
And breathe, just breathe, whoa breathe, just breathe
Bridge (same as chorus)
There's a light at each end of this tunnel you shout
Cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out
These mistakes you've made, you'll just make them again
If you'll only try turnin' around
Verse
2am and I'm still awake writing a song
If I get it all down on paper it's no longer
Inside of me, threatnin' the life it belongs to
Aadd9 G
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
D
Cause these words are my diary screamin' out loud
Aadd9
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to
Chorus
Bm (x24432)
'Cause you can't jump the track
D
We're like cars on a cable and
A E
Life's like an hourglass glued to the table
Bm D
No one can find the rewind button now
A E
Sing it if you understand
G D Aadd9 G D Aadd9
And breathe, just breathe, whoa breathe, just breathe
Chords used:
Aadd9 - xx7650
G - 355433 or 320033 (during chorus)
D - xx0232
A - x02220
Bm - x24432
Verse
2am and she calls me 'cause I'm still awake
Can you help me unravel my latest mistake?
I don't love him, Winter just wasn't my season
Aadd9 (xx7650) G
Yeah, we walk through the door so accusing their eyes
D
Like they have any right at all to criticize
Aadd9
Hypocrites you're all here for the very same reason
Chorus (and bridge)
Bm (x24432)
'Cause you can't jump the track
D
We're like cars on a cable and
A E
Life's like an hourglass glued to the table
Bm D
No one can find the rewind button, girl
A E
So cradle your head in your hands
G D Aadd9 G D Aadd9
And breathe, just breathe, whoa breathe, just breathe
Verse
Aadd9 G
May he turned 21 on the base of Fort Bliss
D
Just today he sat down to the flask in his fist
Aadd9
Ain't been sober since maybe October of last year
Aadd9 G
Here in town you can tell he's been down for a while
D
But my god it's so beautiful when the boy smiles
Aadd9
Wanna hold him maybe I'll just sing about it
Chorus
Bm
'Cause you can't jump the track
D
We're like cars on a cable and
A E
Life's like an hourglass glued to the table
Bm D
No one can find the rewind button, boys
A E
So cradle your head in your hands
G D Aadd9 G D Aadd9
And breathe, just breathe, whoa breathe, just breathe
Bridge (same as chorus)
There's a light at each end of this tunnel you shout
Cause you're just as far in as you'll ever be out
These mistakes you've made, you'll just make them again
If you'll only try turnin' around
Verse
2am and I'm still awake writing a song
If I get it all down on paper it's no longer
Inside of me, threatnin' the life it belongs to
Aadd9 G
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
D
Cause these words are my diary screamin' out loud
Aadd9
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to
Chorus
Bm (x24432)
'Cause you can't jump the track
D
We're like cars on a cable and
A E
Life's like an hourglass glued to the table
Bm D
No one can find the rewind button now
A E
Sing it if you understand
G D Aadd9 G D Aadd9
And breathe, just breathe, whoa breathe, just breathe
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)