Guitarist's Forum

[Skipper]

Favourites? How can you pick?? I love playing Mrs Adlams Angels, Nannas Song, Kew Gardens & Hesitation blues. Just getting the hang of Winnies Rag but I'll be buggered if I can get my fingers around Hands of Joseph!! >: (Suggestions anyone?)

[Henrik]

Favourites? How can you pick?? I love playing Mrs Adlams Angels, Nannas Song, Kew Gardens & Hesitation blues. Just getting the hang of Winnies Rag but I'll be buggered if I can get my fingers around Hands of Joseph!! >: (Suggestions anyone?)

Keep practicing !!!   In the end your poor fingers will get the message(s)  .....

I guess, I must have played HOJ hundreds of times by now, if not more, and it seems to be flowing more naturally
now than ever - after several years (10+), as I worked it out bit for bit all by myself   

In my experience it IS the constant exposure to your fingers and hands that is the key to success  - Surprise, Surprise !   

SO never mind, if it doesn't sound great at first and the timing is all over the place and you don't
seem to be getting anywhere at all ! . In my experience it even seems to help, if you deliberately play
such relatively difficult pieces more sloppy or "strangely" and more laid back, as your fingers  - and you ! -
are then able to be much more relaxed and more receptive to the repetitive training of all the patterns of
movements. And so your poor fingers will adjust to move more efficiently and relaxed in anticipation of the
next chord, hammer on, pull off and base run etc. This will enable you to cut all the little corners that
in the end will make the piece more fluent and better sounding ( more continuous / less abrupt  ) - all the 
little things which are normally too difficult or too troublesome to explain in a tab - or maybe are not even
realized by the tab-writers / artists themselves. So look for cheats and tricks .... 


You can also gain A LOT by using a version of a grip that makes the next transition easier, and if possible
only use as much of a chord as is nescessary - sometimes 2 fingers are enough as in parts of the basic riff
in First Song and in Nettle Wine. ( If you haven't tried those two, there are lots of exciting challenges
and lots of work - and rewards ! - for you in them as well  ).


But since you are able to play Winnies Rag, which is not exactly easy either, I am sure you will be able to
nail HOJ "soon". And I guess you therefore probably already know all what I am trying to say here, so
I will finish for now by wishing you happy picking & sweatty practicing with HOJ and all the other Ralph treasures.


Henrik

[Al]

Henrik makes some good points about tab ... it can only ever be a guide. I like to tab stuff when I have worked it out ( although I never seem to ever forget anything anyway once I have learnt it  ) but its impossible to capture all the variantions or nuances, or even the sort of phrases involving a mix of brush strokes and pickign etc.

The tab books with Ralph's material in it are as good as any I have ever seen but I hardly ever find the way they are written down totally satisfying. Working it so it sounds right to you is part of the magic I always feel  Also, it shouldn't be assumed that the tab writer heard it right anyway.

ps Henrik, I will tab "Red And Gold" shortly, I've hardly been at the home the last few days 

[Skipper]

Thanks fellas. I'll keep trying but it would help if I could find the right key for starters! That's the problem I had with Hesitation Blues all those years ago! I've been playing that for 10 years or so. The end of HOJ I can manage, it's just that intro ..... I'm convinced Ralph has 8 fingers on his left hand ! thanks for the help though!

[Henrik]

Thanks fellas. I'll keep trying but it would help if I could find the right key for starters! That's the problem I had with Hesitation Blues all those years ago! I've been playing that for 10 years or so. The end of HOJ I can manage, it's just that intro ..... I'm convinced Ralph has 8 fingers on his left hand ! thanks for the help though!

Hi Skipper  

Well, he actually has 9 fingers on his left hand and 6 on his right, but don't tell anyone, OK ? 
We don't want to completely discourage all the aspiring guitar pickers in here  .....


There is a very good tab of HOJ in the TAB-book called Songs For Six Strings - including the Joseph Spence instrumental
"Sweet Dreams of Heaven" ( on which the song itself is based, I guess - at least Ralph stated something to that effect at a
concert here in the 80's ).

Alas I only have access to an old fash. printer scanner here, and I am NOT going to run my newly aquired
and autographed SFSS-tab book ( no. 812 of 1000 !!!   ) through that one  *ROFL* ( it CAN'T go through, you see -
only paper sheets and photos in a special sheet holder *SIGH*), so you will either have to buy this great tab book -
I recommend it very much !!! - or hope that somone else here take pity in you.

( or maybe pray very humbly that I get near a photo copier or descent scanner any time soon   )


Some hints for you :

1) The song is in the key of D, but Ralph plays it in dropped-D tuning - ie. the low E string tuned down to D
( so tune it along with the 7'th fret on the A-string , or the D -string  )
I am myself in the process of learning how to play it using this special tuning - but it can actually be played in
an ok version even without using this special tuning (easier), but wil then of course lack the effect of the
"slappy", deep open "D"-string (E-string).
l

2) The intro begins with a slide from 1 to 2 on the high E-string  ( ("Dmin" ?)  --> D  - so use a clever fingerering here !  )


     Intro.              D                                    G               A
    ----------1-----|-----2----2------------------------|----------------------0-------------
    -----------------|----------------3-----------3------|------------3---------------2------
    -----------------|-----------------------2------------|-----4------------------------------    ......  ?    [ You take a pick   ]
    -----------------|----------------0-----------0------|------------0---------------2------
    -----------------|------------------------------------|----------------------0-------------  
    -----------------|-----0----------------4------------|-----5------------------------------
              s->


3) The instrumental begins part with a D on the 5'th fret  (  [ 0 0 0 7 7 5 ] ), then it's down to G(6) etc.



OK, I hope these little hints will guide you in the right direction(s) .....

Enjoy "Hands of Joseph"  - I do "all the time" ....
Henrik

[Henrik]

Correction :

The G should be above the [5--4--] in the 3'rd bar AND the A above the [-0---0] ,
the D of course above the [0----2] in the first.

Henrik

[Henrik]

Henrik makes some good points about tab ... it can only ever be a guide. I like to tab stuff when I have worked it out ( although I never seem to ever forget anything anyway once I have learnt it  ) but its impossible to capture all the variantions or nuances, or even the sort of phrases involving a mix of brush strokes and pickign etc.

The tab books with Ralph's material in it are as good as any I have ever seen but I hardly ever find the way they are written down totally satisfying. Working it so it sounds right to you is part of the magic I always feel  Also, it shouldn't be assumed that the tab writer heard it right anyway.

ps Henrik, I will tab "Red And Gold" shortly, I've hardly been at the home the last few days 

Thank you , Al - and thanks for the kind offer - I shall look very much forward
to seeing and trying the real deal   

Henrik

[Henrik]

Right now I am playing around with North American Indian music ... now where did I leave my headdress 

So you need a headdress when you're playing your axe?

When my book of Aboriginal tunes arrives I need to get a Didgeridoo, I like to get in character   

Hmmm, Al - I am getting worried that you will really be using this didgeridoo for smoking that
very special sort "tobacco" that the two Hobbits Pippin and Merry smoke in Lord of The Rings
(Return of the King) .....

My, my - what sniffing your guitar can lead you into    ... and he was even such a talented guy - that poor Al fellow ....

Henrik

[Henrik]

.....

The tab books with Ralph's material in it are as good as any I have ever seen but I hardly ever find the way they are written down totally satisfying. Working it so it sounds right to you is part of the magic I always feel  Also, it shouldn't be assumed that the tab writer heard it right anyway.

OK, nice to know that I may not be a complete fool after all, when I feel that there are some small "errors" - or differences rather - in this notation as compared to what Ralph actually plays - or little, but in my opinion important details left out (for instance between the first two 2's on the E-string in the intro) - maybe too keep it simpler for the "new" guitar player ?

Anyway it is still possible using this TAB as a foundation and starting inspiration to come pretty close to what Ralph plays,
if you invest the extra time and effort to listen closely and dare making experimentsand variations, Skipper   

Al, would you happen to know which version of HOJ this TAB is closer too ?
And have you ever heard the accompanying midi-version of HOJ ? or Roger Brown's version even ?
( Didn't the midi-CD come for free with the first few copies of SFSS btw. ? )


Henrik

[MAJ]

( Didn't the midi-CD come for free with the first few copies of SFSS btw. ? )
Henrik

I thought you had to send for the CD with the midi files on...? I have a *very* low numbered copy of the SfSS book and mine didn't come with it. 

[peluche (Chris)]

There is a very good tab of HOJ in the TAB-book called Songs For Six Strings - including the Joseph Spence instrumental
"Sweet Dreams of Heaven" ( on which the song itself is based, I guess - at least Ralph stated something to that effect at a
concert here in the 80's ).
Henrik

I've got a tab version (1982 Misty River Music) which is excactly as Henrik tabbed it out above. However, I always play this in a standard tuning, using my thumb on second fret to make the D/Fsharp ... dead easy that way !!!
Chris

[Henrik]

( Didn't the midi-CD come for free with the first few copies of SFSS btw. ? )
Henrik

I thought you had to send for the CD with the midi files on...? I have a *very* low numbered copy of the SfSS book and mine didn't come with it. 

OK, You are probably right, MAJ - as always.
Just my poor memory leaking again, I guess   

And what would that low number of your SFSS book be ?  Numero Uno ? 

Henrik

[Henrik]

I've got a tab version (1982 Misty River Music) which is excactly as Henrik tabbed it out above. However, I always play this in a standard tuning, using my thumb on second fret to make the D/Fsharp ... dead easy that way !!!
Chris

I see    Thank you, Chris - I miss some parts in this TAB compared to his more recent (live) version(s) - eg. the amazing base riffs
( not the long descending one)

Yes, good point - use 2'nd fret F# on the E-string with your thumb, when appropriate ( D), and you don't have to
compensate for the open D (in the dropped D-tuning), when playing "on" some of the other chords. But you do lose
some deep base options, the "slappy" sound and some variation of the G-chord for example

Well, "dead easy" once it sits there *LOL* - but took a very long time for me to get it right. 

Cheers
Henrik

[Henrik]

The mini mpeg on folking.com at the moment has him playing it. Usual break neck pace at the end.  Usual perfection.

I have just started working on Babe, so expect me to arrive at the goal posts in about 10 years or so  ...   

And I am trying to implent the droppped D-tuning along with my "own" version of Hands of Joseph -
actually seems to be progressing ok now, as I get used to the weird chords.

How about our other pickers here ? Any long term Ralphinian projects that you are working on ?
Have you "suddenly" found yourself being able to play stuff you never dared dreaming of ? 
Managed to get past hurdles that seemed invinsible ? 


Henrik

[Geoff]

The mini mpeg on folking.com at the moment has him playing it. Usual break neck pace at the end.  Usual perfection.

Yeah!   Grrrr! <smashes guitar in frustration, and takes up knitting>

[Henrik]

The mini mpeg on folking.com at the moment has him playing it. Usual break neck pace at the end.  Usual perfection.

Yeah!   Grrrr! <smashes guitar in frustration, and takes up knitting>

Sorry to learn this, Geoff            *ROFL* 
Is it beyond repair ? 1 Gibson de Luxe for sale cheaply ?   

H.

[Geoff]

The mini mpeg on folking.com at the moment has him playing it. Usual break neck pace at the end.  Usual perfection.

Yeah!   Grrrr! <smashes guitar in frustration, and takes up knitting>

Sorry to learn this, Geoff            *ROFL* 
Is it beyond repair ? 1 Gibson de Luxe for sale cheaply ?   

H.

trying to knit a Tanglewood....but just keep tangling my knitting!

[Henrik]

tryinng to knit a Tanglewood....but just keep tangling my knitting!

Just keep practicing and practing and .... 
Same as with the string picking really ..... 

A Tanglewood ?  Is that a guitar brand ?  ( and a pun  )

H.

[MAJ]

tryinng to knit a Tanglewood....but just keep tangling my knitting!

A Tanglewood ?  Is that a guitar brand ?  ( and a pun  )

H.

Sure is and sure is.  A good one too on both counts.

Does that make sense?

[Geoff]

tryinng to knit a Tanglewood....but just keep tangling my knitting!

A Tanglewood ?  Is that a guitar brand ?  ( and a pun  )

H.

Sure is and sure is.  A good one too on both counts.

Does that make sense?

 
Don't encourage me when it comes to puns!  I perpetually needle my family with them, when I'm not pulling the wool over their eyes, and getting them in stitches.   
To get this 'thread' back on track - I don't think I'll ever be able to play "That'll do, Babe" with any degree of competence...I'm stilll working on the twiddly "F#" bit of "Ferryman".  I live in hope though!