Folk Music and the Acoustic GuitarJohn Ulrich (JK)John Ulrich (JK)

jkulrich@uic.edu.hkjkulrich@uic.edu.hkwww.uic.edu.hk/~jkulrichwww.uic.edu.hk/~jkulrich

BLOWIN IN THE WIND [by Bob Dylan] (D Harp) D G D G D G AHow many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?D G D G D G AHow many seas must a white dove sail before she can sleep in the sand?D G D G D G AHow 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. G D A DThe answer is blowin' in the wind. D G D G D G AHow many years can a mountain exist before it's washed to the sea?D G D G D G AHow many years can some people exist before they're allowed to be free? D G D G D G AHow many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see?  D G D G D G AHow many times must a man look up before he can see the sky? D G D G D G AHow many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry?D G D G D G AHow many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died?

INTRODUCTIONOutline 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 GUITARSAcoustic 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 Am7It's not time to make a change, just relax and take it easy G Em Am DYou're still young that's your fault, there's so much you have to know G D C Am7Find a girl, settle down, if you want to you can marry G Em Am C DLook at me, I am old, but I'm happy G Bm7 C Am7I was once like you are now, and I know that its not easy G Em Am C Dto be calm, when you've found something going on G Bm7 C Am7But take your time, think a lot, why think of everything you've got G Em D G G-C G-CFor you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not  G Bm C Am7How can I try to explain? when I do he turns away again G Em Am C Dit's always been the same, same old story G Bm C Am7From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen G Em D G D C G G-C G-Cnow 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 MusicTreble Clef

Bass Clef

the grand staff

sample score

Guitar Tablature (Tabs)the fret board

•Easter•Bunnies•Get•Drunk•At•Easter ABCDEFG / A Bb B C Db D Eb E F Gb G

sample tabsMy Girl

JUST MY IMAGINATION [by Temptations]

C F C C F CEach day through my window, I watch up as she passes by; I say to myself, You're such a lucky guyC 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 FBut 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~ FI 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 pleaC F G7 Don't ever let another take her love from me; Or I would surely die C FHer love is heavenly; When her arms enfold me C F C FI 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 CBecause a vision softly creeping, Left it's seeds while I was sleeping, F F/C C AmAnd the vision that was planted in my brain, Still remains G AmWithin 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 AmWhen my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light, That split the night G AmAnd touched the sound of silence. Am G Am And in the naked light I saw, Ten thousand people, maybe more. F C F CPeople talking without speaking, People hearing without listening, F F/C C AmPeople writing songs that voices never share, And no one dare G AmDisturb the sound of silence.

AS TEARS GO BY [by Rolling Stones] (D Harp)

D E7 G A7 D E7 G A7It is the evening of the day; I sit and watch the children playG A7 D Bm G F#m Em7 A7Smiling faces I can see, but not for me; I sit and watch as tears go by D E7 G A7 D E7 G A7My riches can't buy ev'rything; I want to hear the children singG A7 D Bm G F#m Em7 A7All 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 A7It is the evening of the day; I sit and watch the children playG A7 D Bm G F#m Em7 A7Doin' things I used to do they think are new; I sit and watch as tears go by G F#m Em7 A7I sit and watch as tears go byG F#m Em7 A7I sit and watch as tears go by

COUNTRY HONK [by Rolling Stones] G CI'm sittin' in a bar tippling a jar in Jackson G A D And on the street the summer sun it shines G CThere's many a bar-room queen I've had in Jackson G D GBut I just can't seem to drink you off my mind  G D GIt's the honky tonk womenG D GGimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues  G CI laid a divorcee in New York City G A D I had to put up some kind of a fight G CThe lady she all dressed me up in roses G D GShe blew my nose and then she blew my mind 

FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE [by the Cure] D G D AI don't care if Monday's blue; Tuesday's gray and Wednesday tooBm G D AThursday, I don't care about you; It's Friday, I'm in loveD G D AMonday you can fall apart; Tuesday, Wednesday break my heart Bm G D AOr Thursday doesn't even start; It's Friday I'm in love G A Bm G D ASaturday waits; Sunday always comes too late; But Friday never hesitates D G D AI don't care if Monday's black; Tuesday, Wednesday heart attackBm G D AThursday never looking back; It's Friday I'm in love  D G D AMonday you can hold your head; Tuesday, Wednesday stay in bed Bm G D AOr Thursday watch the walls instead; It's Friday I'm in love

[Chorus]

500 MILES [by Hedy West]  C Am Dm FIf you miss the train I’m on, you will know that I am gone F G7 CYou can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles, C Am Dm FA hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, F G7 CYou can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.

C Am Dm FLord I’m one, lord I’m two, lord I’m three, lord I’m four, F G7Lord I’m five hundred miles away from home. C Am Dm FAway from home, away from home, away from home, away from home, F G7 CLord I’m five hundred miles away from home.  C Am Dm FNot a shirt on my back, not a penny to my name F G7Lord I can’t go back home this a way C Am Dm F F G7 CThis 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 BmHello, Is there any body in there? Just nod if you can hear me, Is there anyone at home?Bm A G F# Em BmCome on, now, I hear your feeling down; I can ease your pain, get you on your feet again. A G F# Em BmRelax, I need some information, first; just the basic facts, Can you show me where it hurts D A D A B C There is no pain you are receding; A distant ships smoke on the horizon,C G C GYou are only coming through in waves; Your lips move, but I can't hear what your saying, D A D A BWhen I was a child, I had a fever; my hands felt just like, two balloons,C G CNow I've got that feeling once again; I can't explain, you would not understand, GThis is not how I am,

A B C G DI... have become, comfortably numb.

SO SAD ABOUT US [by The Who]A D A Asus2 A Asus4 A D A Asus2 A Asus4So sad ‘bout us; So sad ‘bout us F#m BmSad that the news is out now; Sad 'spose we can't turn back nowD E A Asus2 A Asus4 A Asus2 Asus4Sad 'bout us A D A Asus2 Asus4 A D A Asus2 Asus4So bad 'bout us; So bad 'bout usF#m BmBad, never meant to break up; Bad, 'spose we'll never make upD E A Asus2 Asus4 A Asus2 Asus4Bad 'bout us F#m Bm Apologies mean nothing when the damage is doneD E But you can't switch off my lovin' like you can't switch off the sun 

A F#m D Bm AOhhhh; 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 EI thought love was only true in fairy tales, Meant for someone else but not for me.A E A E ALove was out to get me (da-da da-da); That's the way it seemed (da-da da-da), E B7Disappointment haunted all my dreams.  E A E AThen I saw her face, now I'm a believer. E A E ANot a trace of doubt in my mind, E A E D Bm7I'm in love, I'm a believer, I couldn't leave her if I tried. E B E E B EI thought love was more or less a given thing, It seems the more I gave the less I got.A E A E AWhat's the use in trying (da-da da-da); All you get is pain (da-da da-da), E B7When 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 G7He 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 footballDm He got monkey finger, He shoot co-ca cola A7 G7He 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 gumbootDm He got O-no sideboard, He one spinal cracker A7 G7He got feet down below his knee; Hold you in his armchair, you can feel his disease

[Chorus] [Verse 4] [Chorus]

Thank You!Thank You!

Music Recommendations:•Neil Diamond

•Bob Dylan•Tom Petty•Neil Young

CHILDREN’S FAIRY TALE G Em C DForgot how long it’s been, since I last heard you; telling me, that your favorite story G Em C DBut for a long time, I began to worry, is it me who did something wrongBridge: Bm EmYou cried and said to me, that fairy tales are all just lies C DI couldn’t be, your fairy tale prince Bm EmBut you don’t understand, since you gave me your hand C DStars in my sky, began to shineChorus: 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 GAnd admit happiness and love  A F#mI 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)John Ulrich (JK)jkulrich@uic.edu.hkjkulrich@uic.edu.hk

www.uic.edu.hk/~jkulrichwww.uic.edu.hk/~jkulrich