The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #51726   Message #789864
Posted By: Phil Cooper
23-Sep-02 - 06:31 PM
Thread Name: Tune Req: Talking Blues (guitar tab)
Subject: RE: Talking Blues Guitar..... tab?
This isn't tab, I know. But, I am fond of "Talking Vietnam Potluck Blues." When I used to teach beginning guitar I would tell students that the talking blues for songs like that (or Paxton's "talking pop art") started with a G chord.

Using a thumb on the bass note and then strum for the chord play the low E (fretted at the third Fret), strum the G chord, then play the A string (fretted at the second fret), then strum the chord. Switch to the C chord and play the A string at the third fret, then strum the C chord. Then, play the D string, fretted at the second fret, and play the C chord. Now, switch to the D chord, play the open D string and strum the D chord. Then, play the low E string open, then fretted at the second fret, then fretted at the third fret, then strum the G chord. That's the basic pattern. Other than the bass run, you're alternating bass notes and chord strumming.

You're also walking your bass notes up,till you go back to that three note bass run, back to the G chord. Hope I was able to explain that clearly, without resorting to tab.