[mojomaniac]

Hey, I've been getting into a total acoustic phase as of late, and I'm utterly amazed by the slapping and harmonics and tapping techniques on acoustic, particularly with Kaki King and Michael Hedges.
My biggest upset is that I have no idea how to replicate these sounds. I'm talking about the sort of things King does in 'Kewpie Station' and in 'Sofa No 1' by Hedges where he does string slaps and harmonics and whatnot. Anybody able to guide us through some of the techniques these guys tend to use? Rapping the body, string slaps, harmonics, that sort of stuff. Or provide a link to a site that does explain the stuff? With tab? And videos?
Cheers.

[evileye]

CODE

Kaki King - Happy As A Dead Pig In The Sunshine
Artist: Kaki King
Title: Happy as a dead pig in the mud
Album: Everybody Loves You (Velour)
Tuning: CGDGAD
Tabbed by: Cian Clarke


Not 100% (but the only person who can provide a 100% accurate tab is Kaki herself...) All track times refer to the album times.
(R) - Means let notes ring, usually above a pull off or hammer on means let the notes ring.
P   - Pull Off
H   - Hammer on
S   - Slide
(X) - Don't mute, but rather slap strings with the fingers of your right hand precussively.
(?) - Means I haven't got a clue what's going on here, but I've shoved in something to fill the gap...
(opt) means optional notes, the brackets enclose the optional part of the tab.






0:01    (R)                (R)                  (R)
D|-3-X---3-----------0-x---0---X----------------------------------------------------------------
A|-3-X---3h5p3-------0-x---0---X----------------------------------------------------------------
G|-5-X---5-----------2-x---2h3-X----------------------------------------------------------------
D|-3-X-3-3---------0-0-x-0-0---X-----3X3-3---3h5---5p3p0----------------------------------------
G|-----------------------------X-----3X3-3---3-----3--------------------------------------------
C|-----------------------------X---3--------3----3----------------------------------------------


0:08    (R)                (R)                  (R)
D|-3-X---3-----------0-x---0---X----------------------------------------------------------------
A|-3-X---3h5p3-------0-x---0---X----------------------------------------------------------------
G|-5-X---5-----------2-x---2h3-X----------------------------------------------------------------
D|-3-X-3-3---------0-0-x-0-0---X-----3X3-3---3h5---5-X----5s7-----------------------------------
G|-----------------------------X-----3X3-3---3-----3-X----3s5-----------------------------------
C|-----------------------------X---3--------3----3---X--3--s5-----------------------------------

 
0:14        (R)       (R)
D|---------------------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------
D|---3X-3-3---3s5-5s7-5s3p0----3X3-3--5X---5s7-------
G|---0X-0-0---0---0s--0--------0X0-0--3X---3s5-------
C|-0--------0-----------------0------3----3----------


0:21
D|---------------------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------
D|---3X-3-3---3s5-5s7-5s3p0----3X3-3--5X---5s7-------
G|---0X-0-0---0---0s--0--------0X0-0--3X---3s5-------
C|-0--------0-----------------0------3----3----------


0:28       (R)      (?)         (R)   (?)        (R)    (?)              
D|-------------------X-----------------X-----------------X------------------------------------
A|-------------------X-----------------X-----------------X-----------------------------------
G|-------------------X-----------------X-----------------X-----------------------------------
D|--8-8-8-8-7-5---3--X--8-8-8-8-7-5--3-X--8-8-8-8-7-5--3-X-----------------------------------
G|--0-0-0-0-0-0---0--X--0-0-0-0-0-0--0-X--0-0-0-0-0-0--0-X-----------------------------------
C|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


0:37    (R)                (R)                  (R)
D|-3-X---3-----------0-x---0-----------------------------------------------------------------
A|-3-X---3h5p3-------0-x---0-----------------------------------------------------------------
G|-5-X---5-----------0-x---2h3-3h5p3p0-------------------------------------------------------
D|-3-X-3-3---------0-0-x-0-0-------------------3X3-3---3h5---5p3p0---------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------3X3-3---3-----3-------------------------------
C|-------------------------------------------3--------3----3---------------------------------


0:44    (R)                (R) (!)                 (R)
D|-3-X---3-----------0-x---0-----------------------------------------------------------------
A|-3-X---3h5p3-------0-x---0-----------------------------------------------------------------
G|-5-X---5-----------0-x---2h3-3h5p3p0-------------------------------------------------------
D|-3-X-3-3---------0-0-x-0-0-------------------3X3-3---3h5---5p3p0---------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------3X3-3---3-----3-------------------------------
C|-------------------------------------------3--------3----3---------------------------------


0:50          (R)       (R)
D|---------------------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------
D|---3X-3-3---3s5-5s7-5s3p0----3X3-3--5X---5s7-------
G|---0X-0-0---0---0s--0--------0X0-0--3X---3s5-------
C|-0--------0-----------------0------3----3----------


0:56
D|---------------------------------------------------
A|---------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------------------------------------
D|---3X-3-3---3s5-5s7-5s3p0----3X3-3--5X---5s7-------
G|---0X-0-0---0---0s--0--------0X0-0--3X---3s5-------
C|-0--------0-----------------0------3----3----------


1:03       (R)      (?)         (R)   (?)        (R)    (?)              
D|-------------------X-----------------X-----------------X-----------------------------------
A|-------------------X-----------------X-----------------X-----------------------------------
G|-------------------X-----------------X-----------------X-----------------------------------
D|--8-8-8-8-7-5---3--X--8-8-8-8-7-5--3-X--8-8-8-8-7-5--3-X-----------------------------------
G|--0-0-0-0-0-0---0--X--0-0-0-0-0-0--0-X--0-0-0-0-0-0--0-X-----------------------------------
C|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


1:13       (R)   ( opt  )                   (  opt   )                    (  opt )
D|-2-2p0X-3p2X-0-------------2-2o0X-3p2X-0-----------------2-2p0X-3-p2X-0---------------------------
A|-3-3--X-3--X-1-0h1p0-------3-3--X-3--X-0h1-0h1p0---------3-3--X-3---X-1-0h1p0---------------------
G|---------------------0---------------------------0----------------------------0-------------------
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------1-0----------------------------1-0---------------------------1-0-----------
G|-----0--------0------------0---------0-------0------------0---------0-------0-----------0---------
D|---3---3----5---5----0-------0-----3---3---5---5----0-------0-----3---3---5---5---0-------0-------
G|-3-------5---------0-------------3-------5--------0-------------3-------5-------0-----------------
C|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(From here on there is a piece which is either dubbed over or else the notes are tapped over this rythem). -5 7 3

D|----5--------5s7-3---3----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------1-0-1-0-------0-------0-0-------------------------------
G|-------------------0-----------------------------0-----------------2-------2-2--5-2-3--------------------------
D|--0---0----0------3--3-----3h5-5-------3-------3---3-----------3-------3-----------------------------------------------
G|-0-------0-------3-------3----------3--------3-----------3---3-------3------------------------------------------
C|------------------------3---------3-------------------------------------------------------------------

D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|-----------------------Incomplete - do not submit-----------------------------------------
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
C|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copy the above, paste into notepad - should work.
A work in progress, i'm not finished yet. Please do not try to submit it to GTU yet.

Also, courtesy of John (Dadfad):

Hi Cian,

Yes you can get started on the technique. Just go to an open tuning (sometimes those guys will use a "split-tuning" too so they can hammer across keys, etc. Here's a very simple little hammered-chord riff. (Isn't anything in particular, just something simple to mess with). Use open-D DADF#AD. Now when it says hammer (--h3---, etc) use a lot of force. Really slam your finger down hard across the strings (Preston Reed often hammers from above with his thumb). Sort of almost a great "pinch" on the neck....thumb behind it, finger (even doubled fingers) slamming down hard so the strings sound loudly for the hammer. If you want, you can add percussive taps to the body of the guitar (different places on the top or sides have a different tone too). Just play a riff slowly and try to add some rhythmic stuff to it. Just experiment and fool around with it. Anyway, here's a VERY simple little strum/hammer/pull-off kind of thing...

CODE

D|--------------------------------------------
A|--------------------------------------------
F#|--------------------------------------------
D|--0---h3---0---h5---3p0---------3p0---------
A|--0---h3---0---h5--------(slap)-------(pop)-etc, etc
D|--0---h3---0---h5---3p0--(top)--3p0---------

....to begin with. Experiment with taps, or pulloffs, maybe a short fingerstyle phrase or two added. Maybe it'll give you some ideas, at least in so far as kind of how it works.

John

_________________________________________________________


-The above should get you started, it's pretty amazing stuff allright. IM me on MSN if you want a video of Kaki playing, or some Michael Hedges tunes, I've got Live On The Double Planet and Aerial Bounderies, and the new Kaki album.

[evileye]

http://www.rootwitch.com/mpeg_tut.htm
Mpeg tuturials to some of Hedges' stuff.

[annoying_2001]

that's a pretty cool site cian. i think i'm gonna look to get some of hedges stuff to see what it sounds like, based on how that guy was playing.

[evileye]

"Beyond Boundries" is a good album to start with, or also "Live on the double planet".

[annoying_2001]

cool, thanks for the info.

[superwinkie]

Cian you're awesome

[mojomaniac]

Cheers Cian, thats great. I've seen that Michael Hedges site before, and it's pretty cool, except I can't find any of the songs that the video's are made for I'm learning 'Sofa No. 1' but I'm stuck when he starts slapping, I can't tell what he's doing and the tab I got doesn't explain it very well.
I'll add you as soon as my MSN lets me in In the meantime do you know where I can find any other vids of Kaki or Hedges?
Thanks heaps.

[dadfad]

You might also want to check out a guy named Preston Reed. He does some pretty nice stuff in the same style and has been around for awhile. Preston occassionally gives workshops.

Preston Reed Clip

[annoying_2001]

that's a very cool video john. i like how he takes the time to explain exactly what he's doing. great stuff, i'll try to find some of his stuff too, if i can.

[evileye]

Cheers Cian, thats great. I've seen that Michael Hedges site before, and it's pretty cool, except I can't find any of the songs that the video's are made for I'm learning 'Sofa No. 1' but I'm stuck when he starts slapping, I can't tell what he's doing and the tab I got doesn't explain it very well.
I'll add you as soon as my MSN lets me in In the meantime do you know where I can find any other vids of Kaki or Hedges?
Thanks heaps.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Theres very little online, if I see you on MSN I'll send you plenty though.

Sammy -

[evileye]

-Right, I've started Kaki's Carmine street, I've got the first 25 seconds so far, the rest won't be so easy though.

[pigfarmerjr]

The December 04 issue of GuitarOne has a brief article on Kaki King (under the influence)

In it she describes the differences between Hedge's tapping and her own, which is derived or copied from Preston Reed. "Preston... turns his left hand over the neck and taps out the bass lines, and then comes over with his right hands for the melody."

Not much help, but at least you have something you can read if you get the guitar mags.

Pig

[evileye]

I've heard about that. Does it give any tabs?

[msuarez]

So does anyone actually have the open tuning for Carmine Street, yet?

Would save so much time.

Thanks in advance.

M