Guitarist's Forum

[ragtime]

Actually I remember You Make Me Feel Good from the Streets album as being in open G. Try it with a D7 type shape on the  3rd/4th fret,then back down to 1st/2nd fret, and use some open tuning barre chords as well. Its a lovely mellow sound, very jazzy and different from the more bluesy open D. I think Sweet Forgiveness is in open G too? Maybe Ralph was experimenting with the tuning in that period.

Chris

[Geoff]

The Fairground
This is perhaps one of Ralph’s more obscure songs (has he ever done it live?),

I've heard him perform it (at the RNCM, Manchester, I think), very many years ago.  (late 70's?)

[MAJ]

I think Sweet Forgiveness is in open G too?

'Streets' songbook has this in D with DFsharpDGBE as the tuning...

[ragtime]

I think Sweet Forgiveness is in open G too?

'Streets' songbook has this in D with DFsharpDGBE as the tuning...

Oh OK. I'm wrong about that. I didn't have the book to hand. (Of course the song is really called Seeds of Heaven). But You Make Me Feel Good is in open G. Obviously a Ralph rarity.

Chris

[MAJ]

I am wondering how many of Ralph's songs/instrumentals are NOT in one of his song books, and why.  The Fairground isn't we know......

......back later with some info but not 'why' ......

[Al]

I am wondering how many of Ralph's songs/instrumentals are NOT in one of his song books, and why. The Fairground isn't we know......

......back later with some info but not 'why' ......

There's quite a lot of them thats for sure.

I was curious to see that the last tab book doesn't appear to have sold the 1000 copies yet or am I making the wrong assumption ie that all the ones sold so far are from that limited run of 1000 signed editions and they sell unsigned ones at gigs etc.

As one who has spent ages tabbing things, some of them Ralph's, its extemely labour intensive and to achieve the quality such as has been the case with the Roger Brown books for Ralph takes some doing - if they are really selling in such small numbers then we should be even more grateful that they are available at all 

[Paul]

Have you tried Siballius G7 for Tab setting? I find it really useful.

I have to declare a slight interest, as I was a beta tester for the latest version, but I get no financial gain from the company.

Paul

[Al]

Have you tried Siballius G7 for Tab setting? I find it really useful.

I have to declare a slight interest, as I was a beta tester for the latest version, but I get no financial gain from the company.

Paul

Hi Paul, I haven't, I use Tabledit which seems more than fine for my needs - I really like it 

[Gibson]

Briefly going back to the question of why Ralph continues to play a Yamaha, I've just noticed on the Yahama Europe website that Ralph is listed as one of their guitar playing artists.
 

[Al]

Briefly going back to the question of why Ralph continues to play a Yamaha, I've just noticed on the Yahama Europe website that Ralph is listed as one of their guitar playing artists.
 

Great piece of detective work  Wonder if Yamaha will ever issue a Ralph McTell limited edition 

[ragtime]

Wonder if Yamaha will ever issue a Ralph McTell limited edition 

I'd much rather Gibson issued a Ralph McTell limited edition.

Chris

[Al]

Wonder if Yamaha will ever issue a Ralph McTell limited edition

I'd much rather Gibson issued a Ralph McTell limited edition.

Chris

Well, me too, of course, but I somehow doubt it so thought that it seems he has some official tie-in with Yamaha they might be moved to do one 

[ragtime]

Fair point Al. I'd settle for a Yamaha if they gave me one!    But I don't know whether there are any special features of the ones Ralph plays, or whether they are off the shelf models.

Chris

[Leighton]

I was wondering if there is any songbook with "Up" in ?

I play the first line with D D/C D/B with a "finger pull off" on D/B back down to D.

Firstly I am patenting the phrase, "finger pull off" as I have no idea what the correct term is.

I am also unsure if it is the correct chord sequence, and I am sure someone will put me right, but it works for me.

[ragtime]

That sounds about right. He plays it with the 6th string tuned down one tone to D. Your chord sequence is good. For the bass notes, start on the 4th string (D), then as you say go to C, B, "pull-off" (a familiar term) to A, then put your finger on the third fret of the 6th string (F) and bend it inwards before playing the open 6th string (low D). This is a trick he uses quite often, originally from the country blues players of course.

The rest of the song uses the same opening  riff, then G, D, A and Em chords. The shapes of these are slightly altered from their familiar positions because of the dropped D bass string. You have to do some stretching to get the right bass notes. You can find these shapes in the tab for Heron Song for example.

Hope this helps.

Chris

[Leighton]

Cheers Chris,

Much appreciated. Yes I missed the drop down D.

Is there no Bmin in the chorus ?

[MAJ]

I was wondering if there is any songbook with "Up" in ?

Sadly, not that I know of - and I appear to have them all (except for the Kicking Mule 'Easy' one, but no doubt I'll find a copy of that one too eventually)

MAJ
Book worm

[ragtime]

Is there no Bmin in the chorus ?

Yes you're right Leighton, Bm not Em

I make the full chart as follows:

D/d'  D/c  D/b D/b-a  D/f~f#  D/d.. (x2)

D/d'  D/c  D/b D/b-a  D/f   

G  D/f#  A  D

G  D/f#  A  -

chorus

Bm  G  D/f#  A

Bm  G  D/f#  A

Bm  G  A  -
      between the G and A here he puts in a pull off from A to G (2nd fret to open) on the 3rd string

I notice that this is played without using the top string at all, concentrating on the bass end of things. The G chord is just 3rd finger on the 5th fret 6th string which allows the D/f# to be played by moving the 3rd finger down to the 4th fret with the rest of the chord played on the 2nd &3rd strings only. This gives the whole bass line a simple and coherent shape - something Ralph is very aware of in all his compositions.

Chris


Chris

[ragtime]

revise that:

there is an Em

the last line of the verse should be:

G  Em  A

the Em shape becomes just 2nd fret 6th string and 2nd fret 4th string if you don't play the 5th string.
Also the whole piece becomes easier to play if the A's are fingered as A7.

Chris

[Leighton]

Chris,

Thanks for all the info. - well explained.

You're right about stretching for the bass., it takes a bit of getting used to, but well worth it.

Thanks again.