 |
|
Advanced. Interlude for "In My Life" standard tuning
|
I think most people my age...? need only one or two measures to recognize where this piece of music
comes from. It is the famous piano interlude written and played by Beatles producer George Martin in
the famous John Lennon song. This is one of the first things I ever arranged on the guitar and still
may be one of my best efforts. This has become a favorite in class through the years and is really a
study on the economy of motion for the left and right hand. It will help you to play the guitar without
looking, and also might help you to start thinking about dynamics in your playing.
What most
student guitarists have learned so far is that back and forth alternating bass line done with the right
hand thumb. We touched on the fact that we don't need so much movement in the bass line with the Eighth
of January (session 6), where the bass line is alternating on the first and third beat. This gives
the melody a little more breathing room and in a sense makes the guitar do the work instead of your thumb.
In these 8 short measures you'll notice the bass line to be even more sparse. The bass line is playing
what is known as "pedal" notes. A pedal note is a bass note that sustains throughout the entire measure
and supports the melody. You'll notice long lines coming off the bass notes and sustaining throughout
the measure. Make it a rule to just play the bass notes with your right hand thumb and all other notes
with your index and middle finger. After the bass line and its fingering is understood, look at the
melody line.
The melody is relatively easy except for the 4th string 4th fret (F#) going to
the 3rd string first fret (G#) on line one 3rd measure. One of my favorite passages happens on the first
and second measure of line 2. Put your left hand in the D major 7 position (D chord with the triangle
symbol). Keep your hand in that position until the last note of that measure. Then simply lower your
middle finger (2) 1/2 step to the 6th fret and slide back up to the 7th fret. At that point, make the
d- position as diagramed. Do this 100 times or so...... Then go on to pinch the 5th, 3rd, and 2nd strings
of the d- as shown in the tab. Drag, or brush your right hand index finger across the 1st, 2nd and 3rd
strings as a triplet. What you're about to do is called a delayed pull off. After the triplet is done
you pull off the second string to the open position and the left hand index finger used for that pull
off moves over to the 4th string 6th fret to finish the phrase. In class I make everybody repeat this
1st and 2nd measure over and over as a loop until they get it.
Notice the half capo (bar)
on the 2nd fret for the A chord on line one first and third measure. After getting these eight measures
under your fingers, try closing your eyes and letting the melody dictate to your hands. This is a very
regal piece of music and should be played with a Baroque feel.
|
TABULATURE
you need Adobe Acrobat
Reader to open this. If you
don't have it, go HERE.
MP3s....a fast and slow
version. Listen to the fast
version a few times to
get the feel of
the tune.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
questions, problems with guitar? ericlugosch@yahoo.com
problems with the site? webmasterlugosch@gmail.com
|
|
|
|
