Nick Drake Tuning
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Nick drake tuning Continue From March to April 2019, THE release of the acoustic guitar by ADAM PERLMUTTERNick Drake achieved scant commercial success in his short life, but after an overdose of antidepressants in his children's bedroom in 1974, at the age of 26, the British singer-songwriter became a true cult hero, revered equally by musicians, fans and fans. His music has long been a rich source of inspiration for a wide range of artists, from singers such as Elton John and Nora Jones, to jazz musicians such as pianist Brad Meldau and vocalist Lizz Wright. Much has certainly been made about Drake's reclusive persona as well as his clever, impressionistic lyrics - he was an English student at Cambridge and his haunted voice. As a guitarist, Drake was just as wonderful, both huge and inventive. While clearly inspired by British contemporaries such as Bert Jansch and John Renborn, Drake has developed his own voice based on the use of unusual settings and strategic capo placement, not to mention a penchant for mixing folk and jazz strains in quietly exciting ways. The unorthodox settings made it possible for Drake to create complex harmonies from one- and two-finger chord shapes, freeing him up to focus on his highly detailed choice of models. In the process, he often spun a tight contrapuntal web that was as integral to his songs as his lyrics and vocals-every melody revelation. In this lesson, we look under the microscope at the guitar parts of eight songs from Three Studio Albums by Drake: Five Leaves Left (1969), Bryter Layter (1971) and Pink Moon (1972) - grouped into four different tunings. Illustration by Olivia Wisestandard In TUNING ONLYThough known by guitarists for his unusual settings, Drake actually play a bunch of songs in standard setting, among them, River Man and Things Behind the Sun. The first, which is the inspiration for Example 1, appears on the five leaves on the left (the title refers to the refill warning in bundles of Rizla rolling documents) and is a perfect example of the singer- songwriter's deft approach to harmony. Although the song is in key minor (sounding like C minor, due to capo on the third fret), it starts on a sunny note, and has a colorful one on it. As pictured in the intro (bar 1), instead of the main open chord, Drake chose the more fragrant Aadd9. But the mood darkens at the beginning of the verse (bar 2), with the introduction of a tonic minor chord, Am (add9). The verse winds its way back to Aadd9 before returning to Am (add9) for a repetitive-smart pitch lending emotional weight, reinforced by deep string arrangements of the original recording. To play Ex. 1, hold each chord shape for the duration, selecting bass notes on strings 5 and 6 with great and chords above with your index, middle and unnamed fingers. Note that the song is in Five-quarter notes per measure-meter not usually associated with popular music, jazz pianist Dave Brubeck's crossover hit Take Five is a notable exception. If it's easier, you can think of it, not as alternating bars 3/4 and 2/4. Try playing along with the original recording to copy her characteristic gait. Things Behind the Sun, from Pink Moon, begins on a harmoniously ambiguous chord, Asus2 (sounding like C'sus2 because of the capo on the fourth fret). But the song's dark, insignificant mood was firmly established with the introduction of the Am chord. Notation here (Example 2) takes its cue from the song intro (bars 2-6), which also forms the basis of the verse. Hand selection plays a pretty important role in Ex. 2, so it is important to avoid excessive tension in this hand. The passage, with its syncopes, is also very rhythmic, so you want to feel it with precision. It can be helpful to rest, that is, take the music in the eighth note rather than the quarters, as you would normally be in 4/4 time. Be sure, too, to take a moment to listen carefully to interesting harmonies, especially the movement between E and F6/9 (#4). WRINKLE SLIGHTIn two of his tunes, Cello Song and Mary Jane's Thoughts, which sit next to each other on the side of the B five leaves on the left, Drake used a setting that represents only a slight deviation from the norm-low to high, E A D F B E-third row down half a step from the standard. But this little adjustment makes for some beautifully different effects. Example 3 is based on a part of the intro on cello songs. Throughout, the thumb picked up an open string (sounding like Eb), played in a steady quarter of notes, giving the driving feel. The first eight bars are based on the IV chord, the A7, but there are plenty of variations to be had as melody notes work their way up the mixolidian mode (A B C E F e G). On the original recording, Drake plays this role on an impressively lively clip that is best run up slowly. When you practice a figure, pay close attention to where the top and bottom notes fall simultaneously (as on strokes 1 and 4 bar 1). For A7 measures, use the second and first fingers to stop the notes on frets 2 and 1, respectively, and go for smoothness and rhythmic precision throughout. Many fans consider Drake a dark and mysterious songwriter, but Mary Jane's Thoughts reveals a brighter side. The intro and verse sections of this song are the benchmark for Example 4, with its sharp harmonies and rolling arpeggios. The key to reproducing this passage successfully makes it gently, with even collecting the attack between the thumb, index and unnamed fingers, and smoothly. Look for the most effective finger carving as well. For example, I recommend playing Amaj7 with your fingers 1, 2 and 3 on 4, 3 and 2 respectively. So all you have to do is raise your second finger to get access to the subsequent A6 chord, and then, with the third finger still on line 2, you can grab line 4 on fret 1 with your first finger to form a chord B9/A. TUNING DOWNIn songs such as Hazey Jane I, Hazey Jane II, Which Will, and Pink Moon (see full transcription on page 60), Drake used a unique weakened tuning, low string to the highest, C C To get into this setting from the standard, the bottom line is 6 by two whole steps and lines 5, 4 and 3 in a whole step each; Raise a string of 2 by half a step. If you want to spend any amount of time in this setup, it would be optimal to use heavy strings, but it should work well enough with light or medium strings. Hazey Jane I, by Bryter Layter, begins with a flurry of notes on an acoustic guitar, supported by bass, strings and drums. Example 5 is a guitar-style piece in which a series of jazz chords is interspersed with insults between one carved note and their respective open strings. This is a huge figure, so if necessary, isolate any problem areas like retractable and hammer-ons in a two-beat pickup measure and elsewhere until you've perfected them. Throughout, choose four notes of chords with thumb, index, middle and ring fingers, or strum them briskly with your thumb or, alternatively, index finger. If, by the way, these chords feel uncomfortable to choose from, you can eliminate the lowest note in each voiceover, such as the fourth line D on the Dm9 chord. 5, you will need to smoothly move between one note and the strummed part, and the best way to confirm that you are doing so is to use a metronome. On Which Will, from Pink Moon, based on Example 6, Drake took a similar approach to Hazey Jane I, decorating one-foot nuggets with chord straps to create a textured and harmoniously sophisticated accompaniment. When playing Ex. 6, unlike previous examples, you have to give up the capo; So you can enjoy the extended low end provided by the setting as well as the match Drake's original studio recording. As is the case with Hazey Jane I, practice the figure slowly, isolating any complex spots before stitching everything together, and carefully calculate the rhythms throughout. LOWER STILLGet stories like this in your inboxDrake used an even more weakened setting-B E B E E, open strings forming Bsus4 or E5 chord-in songs like The Man in the Shed and Fly. From the standard setting, the bottom line is 3 to a small third, so it sounds octave lower than the first line. Do that most with line 4, which should then be an octave below line 2. Next, below 5 and 6 on the fifth each, or an octave below lines 3 and 4, respectively. At The Man in the Shed (Five Leaves left), Drake made the most of a two-finger chord clutch, carved on rows 4 and 5 along with open strings, as in approximately example 7. To play this number, start by stopping the fourth and fifth rows on fret 4 with the second and third fingers the same shape that you will use before B5 (sounds like D5) in Bar 2 and then resume at the beginning of bar 3. Be sure to appreciate the colorful harmonies that are the result of the interaction between this form and open strings as you slide down in half: Emaj7/G, Em7/G, F-7sus4, etc.