Folk Music and the Acoustic Guitar
John Ulrich (JK)
jkulrich@uic.edu.hk
www.uic.edu.hk/~jkulrich
BLOWIN IN THE WIND [by Bob Dylan] (D Harp)
D
G
D
G
D
G
A
How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?
D
G
D
G
D
G
A
How many seas must a white dove sail before she can sleep in the sand?
D
G
D
G
D
G
A
How many times must the cannon balls fly before they are forever banned?
G
A
D
G
The answer my friend, is blowin' in the wind.
GD
A
D
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
D
G
D
G
D
G
A
How many years can a mountain exist before it's washed to the sea?
D
G
D
G
D
G
A
How many years can some people exist before they're allowed to be free?
D
G
D
G
D
G
A
How many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see?
D
G
D
G
D
G
A
How many times must a man look up before he can see the sky?
D
G
D
G
D
G
A
How many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry?
D
G
D
G
D
G
A
How many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died?
INTRODUCTION
Outline of presentation:
– 3 Types of modern guitars
•
•
Vocabulary of acoustic guitar
Accessories
– Written Music
•
•
•
Sheet music
Tabs
Chords
– Demonstrations
•
•
Fake Books
Changing Key
– Conclusion
•
•
•
Summary of key concepts
Web resources
Questions
TYPES OF MODERN GUITARS
Acoustic Guitars
• Classical (i.e. ‘nylon string’)
• Acoustic (i.e. ‘steel string’)
Electric Guitars
Vocabulary of Acoustic Guitar
• Head
– Tuning pegs
• Neck
– Frets
– Strings
• Body
– Cut away
– Pick guard
– Bridge
– Pick-up
Guitar Accessories
• Pick (plectrum)
• Capo
• Slides
• Pick-up
FATHER AND SON [by Cat Stevens] (G Harp)
G
D
C
Am7
It's not time to make a change, just relax and take it easy
G
Em
Am
D
You're still young that's your fault, there's so much you have to know
G
D
C
Am7
Find a girl, settle down, if you want to you can marry
G
Em
Am C D
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy
G
Bm7
C
Am7
I was once like you are now, and I know that its not easy
G
Em
Am C D
to be calm, when you've found something going on
G
Bm7
C
Am7
But take your time, think a lot, why think of everything you've got
G
Em
D
G G-C G-C
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not
G
Bm
C
Am7
How can I try to explain? when I do he turns away again
G
Em
Am C D
it's always been the same, same old story
G
Bm
C
Am7
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen
G
Em
D
G
D
C
G G-C G-C
now there's a way and I know that I have to go away; and I know I have to go
WRITTEN MUSIC
• Sheet Music
– Indicates pitch and rhythm
• Tabs
– Indicates fingering
• Chords (or ‘Fake Books’)
– Names of the notes with lyrics
Sheet Music
Treble Clef
Bass Clef
the grand staff
sample score
•Easter
•Bunnies
•Get
•Drunk
•At
•Easter
Guitar Tablature (Tabs)
the fret board
ABCDEFG / A Bb B C Db D Eb E F Gb G
sample tabs
My Girl
JUST MY IMAGINATION [by Temptations]
C
F
C
C
F
C
Each day through my window, I watch up as she passes by; I say to myself, You're such a lucky guy
C
F
C G~
F
C
F
C G~
To have a girl like her, is truly a dream come true; Out of all the fellas in the world, she belongs to
you
C
F C
F
But it was just my 'magination; runnin' away with me
C
F
C
C
F
C
Soon we'll be married and raise a family; A cozy little home out in the country, with two children,
maybe three
C
F
C
C
F
C G~ F
I tell you, I-------I can visualize it all; This couldn't be a dream, I tell you how real it all seems
[Chorus]
C
F
C
F
Every night, on my knees, I pray; Dear Lord, hear my plea
C
F
G7
Don't ever let another take her love from me; Or I would surely die
C
F
Her love is heavenly; When her arms enfold me
C
F
C
F
I feel a tender love, so deep; But in reality, she doesn't even know me
Guitar Chords & ‘Fake’ Books
Demonstrations
changing “key”:
www.chordie.com
SOUND OF SILENCE [by Simon & Garfunkel] (Capo 5th fret)
Am
G
Am
Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again,
F
C
F
C
Because a vision softly creeping, Left it's seeds while I was sleeping,
F
F/C
C
Am
And the vision that was planted in my brain, Still remains
G
Am
Within the sound of silence.
Am
G
Am
In restless dreams I walked alone, Narrow streets of cobblestone,
F
C
F
C
'Neath the halo of a street lamp, I turned my collar to the cold and damp
F
F/C
C
Am
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light, That split the night
G
Am
And touched the sound of silence.
Am
G
Am
And in the naked light I saw, Ten thousand people, maybe more.
F
C
F
C
People talking without speaking, People hearing without listening,
F
F/C
C
Am
People writing songs that voices never share, And no one dare
G
Am
Disturb the sound of silence.
AS TEARS GO BY [by Rolling Stones] (D Harp)
D
E7
G A7 D
E7
G A7
It is the evening of the day;
I sit and watch the children play
G
A7
D
Bm G
F#m Em7 A7
Smiling faces I can see, but not for me; I sit and watch as tears go by
D
E7
G A7 D
E7
G A7
My riches can't buy ev'rything;
I want to hear the children sing
G
A7
D
Bm
G
F#m Em7 A7
All I hear is the sound of rain falling on the ground; I sit and watch as tears go by
D
E7
G A7 D
E7
G A7
It is the evening of the day;
I sit and watch the children play
G
A7
D
Bm G
F#m Em7 A7
Doin' things I used to do they think are new; I sit and watch as tears go by
G
F#m
I sit and watch as tears
G
F#m
I sit and watch as tears
Em7 A7
go by
Em7 A7
go by
COUNTRY HONK [by Rolling Stones]
G
C
I'm sittin' in a bar tippling a jar in Jackson
G
A
D
And on the street the summer sun it shines
G
C
There's many a bar-room queen I've had in Jackson
G
D
G
But I just can't seem to drink you off my mind
GD
G
It's the honky tonk women
G
D
G
Gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues
G
C
I laid a divorcee in New York City
G
A
D
I had to put up some kind of a fight
G
C
The lady she all dressed me up in roses
G
D
G
She blew my nose and then she blew my mind
FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE [by the Cure]
D
G
D
A
I don't care if Monday's blue; Tuesday's gray and Wednesday too
Bm
G
D
A
Thursday, I don't care about you; It's Friday, I'm in love
D
G
D
A
Monday you can fall apart; Tuesday, Wednesday break my heart
Bm
G
D
A
Or Thursday doesn't even start; It's Friday I'm in love
G
A
Bm
G
D
A
Saturday waits; Sunday always comes too late; But Friday never hesitates
D
G
D
A
I don't care if Monday's black; Tuesday, Wednesday heart attack
Bm
G
D
A
Thursday never looking back; It's Friday I'm in love
D
G
D
A
Monday you can hold your head; Tuesday, Wednesday stay in bed
Bm
G
D
A
Or Thursday watch the walls instead; It's Friday I'm in love
[Chorus]
500 MILES [by Hedy West]
C
Am
Dm
F
If you miss the train I’m on, you will know that I am gone
F
G7
C
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles,
C
Am
Dm
F
A hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles,
F
G7
C
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.
C
Am
Dm
F
Lord I’m one, lord I’m two, lord I’m three, lord I’m four,
F
G7
Lord I’m five hundred miles away from home.
C
Am
Dm
F
Away from home, away from home, away from home, away from home,
F
G7
C
Lord I’m five hundred miles away from home.
C
Am
Dm
F
Not a shirt on my back, not a penny to my name
F
G7
Lord I can’t go back home this a way
C
Am
Dm
F
F
G7
C
This a way, this a way, this a way, this a way, Lord I can’t go a home this a way.
COMFORTABLY NUMB [by Pink Floyd]
Bm
A
G
F# Em
Hello, Is there any body in there? Just nod if you can hear me,
Bm
A
G
F# Em
Bm
Is there anyone at home?
Bm
Come on, now, I hear your feeling down; I can ease your pain, get you on your feet again.
A
G
F# Em
Bm
Relax, I need some information, first; just the basic facts, Can you show me where it hurts
D
A
D
A
BC
There is no pain you are receding; A distant ships smoke on the horizon,
C
G
C
G
You are only coming through in waves; Your lips move, but I can't hear what your saying,
D
A
D
A
B
When I was a child, I had a fever; my hands felt just like, two balloons,
C
G
C
Now I've got that feeling once again; I can't explain, you would not understand,
G
This is not how I am,
A BC
G
D
I...
have become, comfortably numb.
SO SAD ABOUT US [by The Who]
A D
A Asus2 A Asus4
A D
A Asus2 A Asus4
So sad ‘bout us;
So sad ‘bout us
F#m
Bm
Sad that the news is out now; Sad 'spose we can't turn back now
DE
A Asus2 A Asus4 A Asus2 Asus4
Sad 'bout us
A D
A Asus2 Asus4 A D
A Asus2 Asus4
So bad 'bout us;
So bad 'bout us
F#m
Bm
Bad, never meant to break up; Bad, 'spose we'll never make up
DE
A Asus2 Asus4 A Asus2 Asus4
Bad 'bout us
F#m
Bm
Apologies mean nothing when the damage is done
D
E
But you can't switch off my lovin' like you can't switch off the sun
A
F#m D
Bm
A
Ohhhh; Ohhhh; Ohhhh; Ohhhh; Ohhhh
CONCLUSION
• Acoustic Guitar & Vocabulary
– Classical vs. Acoustic
• classical: nylon strings
• acoustic: steel strings
– Accessories (picks & capos)
• Written Music
– Sheet Music
– Tabs
– Chords
• Breakdown of song
– verse, chorus, bridge
– key
Web Resources
 www.chordie.com
 www.azchords.com
 www.harmonicatunes.com
www.uic.edu.hk/~jkulrich
I’M A BELIEVER [by Neil Diamond]
Bm7 E
E
B
E
E
B
E
I thought love was only true in fairy tales, Meant for someone else but not for me.
A
E
A
E
A
Love was out to get me (da-da da-da); That's the way it seemed (da-da da-da),
E
B7
Disappointment haunted all my dreams.
E A
E A
Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer.
E A
E A
Not a trace of doubt in my mind,
E A
E
D
Bm7
I'm in love, I'm a believer, I couldn't leave her if I tried.
E
B
E
E
B
E
I thought love was more or less a given thing, It seems the more I gave the less I got.
A
E
A
E
A
What's the use in trying (da-da da-da); All you get is pain (da-da da-da),
E
B7
When I needed sunshine I got rain.
[Chorus]
COME TOGETHER [by the Beatles]
Dm
Here come old flat top, He come grooving up slowly,
Dm
He got Joo Joo eyeball, He one holy roller
A7
G7
He got hair down to his knee; Got to be a joker, he just do what he please
Dm
He wear no shoe shine, He got toe jam football
Dm
He got monkey finger, He shoot co-ca cola
A7
G7
He say, "I know you, you know me"; One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
Bm
G A
Dm~
Come Together, Right now ...over me
Dm
He bag production, He got wal-rus gumboot
Dm
He got O-no sideboard, He one spinal cracker
A7
G7
He got feet down below his knee; Hold you in his armchair, you can feel his disease
[Chorus] [Verse 4] [Chorus]
Thank You!
Music Recommendations:
•Neil Diamond
•Bob Dylan
•Tom Petty
•Neil Young
CHILDREN’S FAIRY TALE
G
Em
C
D
Forgot how long it’s been, since I last heard you; telling me, that your favorite story
G
Em
C
D
But for a long time, I began to worry, is it me who did something wrong
Bridge:
Bm
Em
You cried and said to me, that fairy tales are all just lies
C
D
I couldn’t be, your fairy tale prince
Bm
Em
But you don’t understand, since you gave me your hand
C
D
Stars in my sky, began to shine
Chorus:
G(A)
Em(F#m)
I’m willing to, change into the angel in those fairy tales
C(D)
D(E)
G(A)
Just turn my arms, into wings and hold you near
C(D)
D(E)
G(A) Bm(C#m)Em(F#m)
You must believe, believe that we will be a fairy
tale
C(D)
D(E)
G(A) G C Bm D G
And admit happiness and love
A
F#m
I want to be your fantasy, the angel that you used to love
C(D)
D(E)
G(A)
And admit happiness and love
Folk Music and the Acoustic Guitar
John Ulrich (JK)
jkulrich@uic.edu.hk
www.uic.edu.hk/~jkulrich