Folk Music and the Acoustic Guitar

1. Folk Music and the Acoustic Guitar John Ulrich (JK) jkulrich@uic.edu.hk www.uic.edu.hk/~jkulrich

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

3. INTRODUCTION Outline 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

4. TYPES OF MODERN GUITARS Electric Guitars Acoustic Guitars • Classical (i.e. ‘nylon string’) • Acoustic (i.e. ‘steel string’)

5. Vocabulary of Acoustic Guitar • Head • Tuning pegs • Neck • Frets • Strings • Body • Cut away • Pick guard • Bridge • Pick-up

6. Guitar Accessories • Pick (plectrum) • Capo • Slides • Pick-up

7. FATHER AND SON [by Cat Stevens](G Harp) G D C Am7 It's not time to make a change, just relax and take it easy G Em Am D You're still young that's your fault, there's so much you have to know G D C Am7 Find a girl, settle down, if you want to you can marry G Em Am C D Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy G Bm7 C Am7 I was once like you are now, and I know that its not easy G Em Am C D to be calm, when you've found something going on G Bm7 C Am7 But take your time, think a lot, why think of everything you've got G Em D G G-C G-C For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not G Bm C Am7 How can I try to explain? when I do he turns away again G Em Am C D it's always been the same, same old story G Bm C Am7 From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen G Em D G D C G G-C G-C now there's a way and I know that I have to go away; and I know I have to go

8. WRITTEN MUSIC • Sheet Music • Indicates pitch and rhythm • Tabs • Indicates fingering • Chords (or ‘Fake Books’) • Names of the notes with lyrics

9. Sheet Music Treble Clef Bass Clef

10. the grand staff

11. sample score

12. Guitar Tablature (Tabs)the fret board • Easter • Bunnies • Get • Drunk • At • Easter ABCDEFG / A Bb B C Db D Eb E F Gb G

13. sample tabsMy Girl

14. JUST MY IMAGINATION [by Temptations] C F C C F C Each day through my window, I watch up as she passes by; I say to myself, You're such a lucky guy C 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 F But 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~ F I 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 plea C F G7 Don't ever let another take her love from me; Or I would surely die C F Her love is heavenly; When her arms enfold me C F C F I feel a tender love, so deep; But in reality, she doesn't even know me

15. Guitar Chords & ‘Fake’ Books

16. Demonstrations changing “key”: www.chordie.com

17. 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 C Because a vision softly creeping, Left it's seeds while I was sleeping, F F/C C Am And the vision that was planted in my brain, Still remains G Am Within 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 Am When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light, That split the night G Am And touched the sound of silence. Am G Am And in the naked light I saw, Ten thousand people, maybe more. F C F C People talking without speaking, People hearing without listening, F F/C C Am People writing songs that voices never share, And no one dare G Am Disturb the sound of silence.

18. AS TEARS GO BY [by Rolling Stones] (D Harp) D E7 G A7 D E7 G A7 It is the evening of the day; I sit and watch the children play G A7 D Bm G F#m Em7 A7 Smiling faces I can see, but not for me; I sit and watch as tears go by D E7 G A7 D E7 G A7 My riches can't buy ev'rything; I want to hear the children sing G A7 D Bm G F#m Em7 A7 All 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 A7 It is the evening of the day; I sit and watch the children play G A7 D Bm G F#m Em7 A7 Doin' things I used to do they think are new; I sit and watch as tears go by G F#m Em7 A7 I sit and watch as tears go by G F#m Em7 A7 I sit and watch as tears go by

19. COUNTRY HONK [by Rolling Stones] G C I'm sittin' in a bar tippling a jar in Jackson G A D And on the street the summer sun it shines G C There's many a bar-room queen I've had in Jackson G D G But I just can't seem to drink you off my mind G D G It's the honky tonk women G D G Gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues G C I laid a divorcee in New York City G A D I had to put up some kind of a fight G C The lady she all dressed me up in roses G D G She blew my nose and then she blew my mind 

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

21. 500 MILES [by Hedy West] C Am Dm F If you miss the train I’m on, you will know that I am gone F G7 C You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles, C Am Dm F A hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, F G7 C You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles. C Am Dm F Lord I’m one, lord I’m two, lord I’m three, lord I’m four, F G7 Lord I’m five hundred miles away from home. C Am Dm F Away from home, away from home, away from home, away from home, F G7 C Lord I’m five hundred miles away from home. C Am Dm F Not a shirt on my back, not a penny to my name F G7 Lord I can’t go back home this a way C Am Dm F F G7 C This a way, this a way, this a way, this a way,Lord I can’t go a home this a way.

22. COMFORTABLY NUMB [by Pink Floyd] Bm A G F# Em Bm Hello, Is there any body in there? Just nod if you can hear me, Is there anyone at home? Bm A G F# Em Bm Come on, now, I hear your feeling down; I can ease your pain, get you on your feet again. A G F# Em Bm Relax, 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 G You are only coming through in waves; Your lips move, but I can't hear what your saying, D A D A B When I was a child, I had a fever; my hands felt just like, two balloons, C G C Now I've got that feeling once again; I can't explain, you would not understand, G This is not how I am, A B C G D I... have become, comfortably numb.

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

24. 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

25. Web Resources • www.chordie.com • www.azchords.com • www.harmonicatunes.com www.uic.edu.hk/~jkulrich

26. I’M A BELIEVER [by Neil Diamond] Bm7 E E B E E B E I thought love was only true in fairy tales, Meant for someone else but not for me. A E A E A Love was out to get me (da-da da-da); That's the way it seemed (da-da da-da), E B7 Disappointment haunted all my dreams. E A E A Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer. E A E A Not a trace of doubt in my mind, E A E D Bm7 I'm in love, I'm a believer, I couldn't leave her if I tried. E B E E B E I thought love was more or less a given thing, It seems the more I gave the less I got. A E A E A What's the use in trying (da-da da-da); All you get is pain (da-da da-da), E B7 When I needed sunshine I got rain. [Chorus]

27. 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 G7 He 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 football Dm He got monkey finger, He shoot co-ca cola A7 G7 He 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 gumboot Dm He got O-no sideboard, He one spinal cracker A7 G7 He got feet down below his knee; Hold you in his armchair, you can feel his disease [Chorus] [Verse 4] [Chorus]

28. Thank You! Any Questions? • Music Recommendations: • Neil Diamond • Bob Dylan • Tom Petty • Neil Young

29. CHILDREN’S FAIRY TALE G Em C D Forgot how long it’s been, since I last heard you; telling me, that your favorite story G Em C D But for a long time, I began to worry, is it me who did something wrong Bridge: Bm Em You cried and said to me, that fairy tales are all just lies C D I couldn’t be, your fairy tale prince Bm Em But you don’t understand, since you gave me your hand C D Stars in my sky, began to shine Chorus: 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 G And admit happiness and love A F#m I want to be your fantasy, the angel that you used to love C(D) D(E) G(A) And admit happiness and love

30. Folk Music and the Acoustic Guitar John Ulrich (JK) jkulrich@uic.edu.hk www.uic.edu.hk/~jkulrich