[dadfad]

This is the second tune I've used to try to introduce playing alternating-bass fingerstyle easy to get into. Like the first one I did earlier, it's the main progression tabbed, then each individual line tabbed separately again and explained in detail as to how to approach it. Then a few examples of how to improvise and syncopate a bit more within the progression.

The Sound-Click byte follows the same way... The main progression and then played with a verse added. Then each individual line played slowly. The progression played several times with more improvisation and syncopation. Finally, a passage of the tune by the artist.

I used the tune "Freight Train Blues" by Elizabeth Cotton. It's a perfect example of nearly flawless alternating-bass. This tune is often thought of by many as sort of a "mark of passage" in playing alternating-bass fingerstyle. Being able to play it well demonstrates one's achievement in the style. Not terribly difficult or anything, but a perfect example of the style.

Of course here are the usual apologies and disclaimers.... Sorry if it's too basic and over-explained. It sounds kind of crappy (but still functional as a tool) because it was done with a free cheesy sound-program; not the best guitar (but the only one available to use to comp-record with) and an old dictation-microphone. Blah-blah-blah....

Anyway here's The Link (That tune is near the bottom of the list.). Below is the tab, etc. I always appreciate any input and/or suggestions. I hope it helps someone.

CODE

FREIGHT TRAIN BLUES
By Elizabeth Cotten (rec. 1957)

Freight train, freight train, runnin' so fast
Freight train, freight train, runnin' so fast
Please don't tell what train I'm on,
They won't know what route I've gone.

When I am dead and in my grave
No more good times here shall I crave.
Place a stone at my head and feet.
Tell them all that I've gone to sleep.

When I die, Lord, bury me deep
Way down on old Chestnut Street
Then I can hear old Number 9
As she comes rolling by.

Freight train, freight train, runnin' so fast
Freight train, freight train, runnin' so fast
Please don't tell what train I'm on,
They won't know what route I've gone.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This tab is made to work with a sound-byte segment
I've recorded (forgive the poor recording quality).
On that sound-byte is:

0:00-0:26 -Two basic instrumental progressions of the tune
0:27-0:55 -A progression where I've added the first verse
0:56-1:42 -Each line (1-9) of the tab/progression played slowly
1:43-2:47 -Played at full speed using improvs and syncopation
2:48-4:06 -The Real-Deal... Elizabeth herself live in 1966

Below is:

-The complete tab for the first part.
-The progression positions chorded over a verse.
-Each line 1 through 9 explained in greater detail.
-Some alternative ways to improv and syncopate
-A brief biography of Elizabeth Cotton


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Complete Tab For The First Progression


E)--3-------0--------------------------------
B}-------------------3---------1-------------
G)------0-------0---------0---------0--------
D)------2-------2---------2---------2--------
A)--3----------------3-----------------------
E)----------3------------------3-------------

E)---------------3-----1---------------------
B}--0---0------------------------------------
G)------------------------0--------0---------
D)------0--------0--------0--------0---------
A)-------------------------------------------
E)--3-------3---------3-------3--------------

E)--3-------1-------0------------------------
B}--------------------------3----------------
G)------0-------0-------0-------0------------
D)------0-------0-------0-------0------------
A)-------------------------------------------
E)--3-------3-------3-------3----------------

E)----------------3-----0--------------------
B}--1---1------------------------------------
G)----------------------------0-------0------
D)------2---------2-----------2-------2------
A)--3-------------------3--------------------
E)----------3---------------------3----------

E)--0-----------------0----------------------
B}---------------0------------------3--------
G)------1-----------------1------------------
D)------2--------2--------2------------------
A)--2-------------------------------2--------
E)----------0---------0--------0-------------

E)-------------------------------------------
B}--1-----------3----1-------1----3----------
G)------2----------------2-------------------
D)------3-------3--------3--------3----------
A)-------------------------------------------
E)--1-------1--------1-------1---------------

E)---0---------------------------
B}--------------1----------------
G)--------0----------------------
D)--------2----------------------
A)---3----------3----------------
E)-------------------------------

E)------------------------------------------------------
B}--------------0------------------------1--------------
G)---0-----0---------0----(to C-chord)--------0---------
D)---------0---------0------------------------2---------
A)--------------2------------------------3--------------
E)---3--------------------------------------------------

E)----------------------------------------------------
B}-------0--------------------------1-----------------
G)---0-------(0)-----(to C-chord)---------------------
D)------------0---------------------------------------
A)----------------------------------3-----------------
E)---3------------------------------------------------

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

In its simplest form, here is the tune showing where the simple chord-changes are:

[C]Freight train, freight train, [G]runnin' so fast
Freight train, freight train, [C]runnin' so fast
[E]Please don't tell what [F]train I'm on,
They won't [C]know what [G]route I've [C]gone. [G][C]



++++++++ PLAYING IT LINE BY LINE ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Notes for playing line-by-line:

I'll take each line above one at a time as simply as possible. This entire arrangement
can be played using only the thumb and index fingers for picking. I'll give a "starting
position" to begin the line from and then how to pick and make changes for the complete
line. For the sake of brevity below I'll use just "s" and "f" to mean string and fret.
For example 4th-string/2nd-fret will be shown 4s/2f, 3rd-string played open would be
3s/0, etc.



E)--3-------0-------------------------------- (Line 1, out of the C-chord)
B}-------------------3---------1-------------
G)------0-------0---------0---------0--------
D)------2-------2---------2---------2--------
A)--3----------------3-----------------------
E)----------3------------------3-------------

First, hold a C-chord X32010 using XRMOIO. (You're going to be adding your
pinky on and off the treble strings and also moving your ring finger back
and forth alternating between the 5th and 6th-strings.) Add your pinky on
the 1st-string/3rd-fret. Now, begin by pinching the 5s/3f and 1s/3f with
the thumb and index. Then thumb the 4s/2f and 3s/O. Moving your ring-finger
over to the 6th-string and raising your pinky up, pinch the 6s/3f and 1s/O.
Thumb the 4s/2f and 3s/O again. Moving your ring-finger BACK to the 5-string
again and also putting your pinky down on the 2nd-string, pinch the 5s/3f
and 2s/3f. Thumb the4s/2 and 3s/O again. Ring goes back to the 6th-string and
pinch 6s/3f and 2s/1f. Thumb the 4s/2f and 3s/O.



E)---------------3-----1--------------------- (Line 2, out of the G-chord)
B}--0---0------------------------------------
G)------------------------0--------0---------
D)------0--------0--------0--------0---------
A)-------------------------------------------
E)--3-------3---------3-------3--------------

You're going to start with the G-chord 320003. You need to hold it in this
way RMOOOP for making changes in the treble notes and switching to and from
the C-chord more easily. Pinch the 6s/3f and 2s/0, then pinch the 4s/O and
2s/O. Thumb the 6s/3f. Pinch the 4s/O and 1s/3f. Lifting your pinky, add your
index to the 1s/1f (making a G7-chord) and pinch it with the the 6s/3f. Thumb
the 4s/O and 3s/O. Thumb the 6s/3f, and then thumb the 4s/O and 3s/O.




E)--3-------1-------0------------------------ (Line 3, still out of G)
B}--------------------------3----------------
G)------0-------0-------0-------0------------
D)------0-------0-------0-------0------------
A)-------------------------------------------
E)--3-------3-------3-------3----------------

Pinky back down on the 1s/3f, pinch 6s/3f and 1s/3f. Thumb the 4s/O and 3s/O. Lifting
your pinky and adding you index again, pinch the 6s/3f and 1s/1f. Thumb the 4s/O and
3s/O. Pinch the 6s/3f and 1s/O. Thumb 4s/O and 3s/O. Now put your pinky on the 2s/3f
and pinch it with the 6s/3f. Thumb the 4s/O and 3s/O.



E)----------------3-----0-------------------- (Line 4, back to C-chord)
B}--1---1------------------------------------
G)----------------------------0-------0------
D)------2---------2-----------2-------2------
A)--3-------------------3--------------------
E)----------3---------------------3----------

Pinch 5s/3f and 2s/1f. Pinch 4s/2f and 2s/1f. Move ring-finger over to the 6s/3f
and thumb it. Put your pinky on the 1s/3f and pinch that with the 4s/2f. Moving
your ring-finger back over again to the 5-string, pinch the 5s/3f and 1s/O. Thumb
the 4s/O and 3s/O. Ring back to the 6-string again, thumb 6s/3f. Then thumb 4s/O
and 3s/O.



E)--0-----------------0---------------------- (Line 5, out of the E-chord)
B}---------------0------------------3--------
G)------1-----------------1------------------
D)------2--------2--------2------------------
A)--2-------------------------------2--------
E)----------0---------0--------0-------------

Hold the E-chord 022100 OMRIOO. Pinch the 5s/2f and 1s/O. Thumb the 4s/2f and 3s/1f.
Thumb the 6s/O. Pinch the 4s/2f and 2s/O, then pinch 6s/O and 1s/O. Thumb 6s/O. Then
thumb4s/2f and 3s/1f again. Thumb 6s/O. Now, adding your pinky to the 2nd-string on
the third fret (to form an E7-chord), pinch the 5s/2f and 2s/3f.



E)------------------------------------------- (Line 6, out of an F-chord)
B}--1-----------3----1-------1----3----------
G)------2----------------2-------------------
D)------3-------3--------3--------3----------
A)-------------------------------------------
E)--1-------1--------1-------1---------------

Use this F-chord 10321X held TORMIX. You'll need it to easily make the simple change in
this position. You can make the common F barre-chord if you want but it's MUCH easier
this way. Pinch the 6s/1f and 2s/1f. Thumb the 4s/3f and 3s/2f. Thumb the 6s/O. Pinch
the 4s/3f and (adding your pinky to the 2nd-string) 2s/3f. Pinky back off and pinch 1s/O
and 2s/1f. Thumb the 4s/3f and 3s/2f. Pinch the 6s/1f and 2s/1f again. Then (pinky back
down again) pinch 4s/3f and 2s/3f.



E)---0--------------------------- (Line 7, a quick C-chord)
B}--------------1----------------
G)--------0---------0------------
D)--------2---------2------------
A)---3----------3----------------
E)-------------------------------

Pinch the 5s/3f and 1s/O. Thumb 4s/2f and 3s/1f. Pinch 5s/3f and 2s/1f. Thumb 4s/2f
and 3s/1f.



E)------------------------------------------------------ (Line 8, a quick G to C
B}--------------0------------------------1-------------- combination)
G)---0-----0---------0----(to C-chord)--------0---------
D)---------0---------0------------------------2---------
A)--------------2------------------------3--------------
E)---3--------------------------------------------------

Pinch 6s/3f and 3s/O. Thumb 4s/O and 3s/O. Pinch 5s/2f and 2s/O. Thumb 4s/O and 3s/O.
Then (changing to a C-chord) pinch 5s/3f and 2s/3f and thumb 4s/2f and 3s/O.



E)--------------------------------------------------- (Line 9, an even quicker
B}--------0------------------------1----------------- little G-to-C end-tag to
G)---0-------0------(to C-chord)--------------------- the progression)
D)-----------0---------------------------------------
A)---------------------------------3-----------------
E)---3-----------------------------------------------

Change back to the G-chord pinching the 6s/3f and 2s/1f. Then use the index to pick
the 2s/O and quickly thumb the 4s/O and 3s/O in sort of a combination move with a
sort of "twist" to it. (Like playing "dum a-dum"). Change to the C-chord and resolve
the progression by pinching the 5s/3f and 2s/1f.

And that's it!


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



ALTERNATE WAYS OF PLAYING POSITIONS IN THE PROGRESSION ABOVE

These are some alternate ways to play parts within the progression. They
aren't necessarily tabbed as a complete progression below, just a bit of
variations that can be substituted in parts of the above tab which might
add a bit of vaiety and syncopation, similarly to how I played the more
stylized syncopated progression in the sound-byte. I won't try to explain
each little move on them because once you've done the lines above it's
pretty apparent how to do these below. Anyway, just a few ideas to try.  


E)--3--------0-------------------------------------------- from C
B}-----1-----------------3---------1----------------------
G)--------0--------0--------0-------------0---------------
D)-----------------2-----------2----------2---------------
A)--3--------------------3--------------------------------
E)--------------3----------------------3------------------

E)-----------------------------------1------------------ from G
B}------------------0--------3--------------------------
G)---0------2-------------------------------------------
D)------0---------------0--------0----------0-----------
A)------------------------------------------------------
E)---3---------3-------------3-----------3--------------

E)--3----------0--------------------------------------- from G
B}-----0----------------3---------0--------------------
G)-------0---------0-------0---------------------------
D)-----------------0---------0---------0---------------
A)-----------------------------------------------------
E)--3----------3--------3----------3-------------------

E)----------------------------------------------------- from C
B}--0h1------------------------------------------------
G)-------0---------------------------------------------
D)-------2---------------------------------------------
A)---3-------------------------------------------------
E)-----------------------------------------------------


E)--------------0--------------0----------------------------- from E
B}---------------------0------------------3------------------
G)---0h1------------------(1)------(1)----------(to F-chord)-
D)--------2----------------2--------2-----2------------------
A)-----------------------------------------------------------
E)----0------------0-----------0-----------------------------


E)---------------------------------------------0------------ from F
B}---1----------3----------------------1-------------1------
G)------2----------(F into a D9-chord)-------------------2--
D)------3-------3---------------------------0------------0--
A)----------------------------------------------------------
E)---1-----1--------(move thumb up)----2----------2---------

E)------------------------------------------------------------ from G
B}--------------------0--------------------------1------------
G)--0-------2-----------------(into C-chord)---------0--(etc)-
D)------0-----------------0--------------------------2--------
A)-----------------------------------------------3------------
E)--3------------3--------------------------------------------

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ELIZABETH COTTEN

Elizabeth Cotten was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1895. She
began playing at about age eight on her brother's banjo. She soon learned
guitar as well, playing her brother's and her father's instruments. This
is one of the reasons her exact fingerstyle pattern is so hard to play
exactly like she did. She was left handed and because she had no guitar
of her own she simply reversed the position of those normal right-hand
strung guitars and played them with the strings upside-down, picking with
her left hand, fretting with her right. Her thumb picking the treble
lines while her fingers picked the bass. Unless you are a left-handed
guitarist who learned the same way she did (like Robert Cray for example),
it would be extremely difficult to duplicate exactly the way she played.

She'd become a single-mother and a domestic by her early teen years. When
she joined the church, she gave up playing (many Black churches back then
believed the guitar "the Devil's instrument" in a very literal way). She
eventually moved north, living in New York City and still working as a
maid. Her affiliation with the Pete Seeger family actually began shortly
after moving to Washinton, DC. when Mrs. Seegar was shopping in a downtown
department store. Her young daughter had wandered away and gotten lost.
Elizabeth found the child and returned her to Mrs. Seeger. The grateful
Mrs. Seeger offered her a job as the Seeger's maid.

One day while cleaning alone in Seeger's music-room, she took a guitar down
from the wall and began playing it. Seeger came in and she was afraid she
would lose her job and quickly hung it back up and apologized, but instead
he asked her to play some more and was extremely impressed by her skill.
Soon afterwards Seeger, who was quite a popular musician, fell out of favor
with the public and record labels in that McCarthy Era because he was a Com-
munist. A few years later as that era wound down and he regained popularity
again, he helped establish Cotten's career as a folk-blues artist during the
Folk Revival of the early '60s. She toured a great deal and was recorded by
several blues historians. She also appeared several times on television,
including Pete Seeger's public-TV show "Rainbow Quest." She retired as a
domestic around 1970 and not long after began to tour full-time. Near the
end of her life she was given a National Endowment for the Arts National
Heritage Fellowship Award as a living national treasure and also won a
Grammy as well in 1979 for a compilation of her tunes in the best Tradi-
tional Music category.

In the years before she died she continued to play until very near the end.
I was fortunate enough to see her in concert in very early 1987 where she
shared the bill with (of all people) Donovan. While her playing was weakened
by her age, it was still delicate and beautiful, her voice clear. She died
at the age of 92 on June 29th, 1987.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ END +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[ibanez6]

John,

It has helped already and I haven't even tried to play it yet!

I should get time to try it over the next couple of days and I'll let you know how it goes.

cheers.

[rasav]

*Bows Reverantly*

Gee all I wanted was change for a buck.
While no where near as cool wouldn't a carter family piece be an easier intro to alternating bass?

[dadfad]

Yes, an old Carter Family tune (or something similar) probably would be easier, but those kinds of tunes are mostly nothing but alternating-bass in sort of what's often called the "boom-chuck boom-chuck" style with not a lot of treble-lines added (if any). They could even be played with a pick. I was trying to use something that not only had an alternating-bass but a treble-line as well. With more of a fingerstyle to it like the old Piedmont blues tradition (like John Hurt, John Jackson, Cotten, etc). That tab could be played simply omitting any changes in the treble notes and it would then be a simple alternating-bass rhythm.

[rasav]

I grok.

[ibanez6]

DADFAD

I had a go at this over the weekend. I've never heard the song before so the sound bite was vital for me.

Played for about an hour and got a pretty good rendition of the tune down.

Your TAB is spot on and i am now throwing in a few hammer-ons etc following your lead. I found this one easier than South Carolina Rag which I am still fumbling around with.

So, thanks again for your work, rest assured that you have put a smile on my face (and a cramp in my hand)

By the way, do you think when learning alternating bass you should start with "boom-chuck boom-chuck" and then introduce treble line melody runs? This is the way I have taught myself but I do find it hard now for my brain to tell my fingers that sometimes the thumb and fingers work together and sometimes opposite. Are there tricks or exercises to get your brain (or thumb?) into gear quicker? Whenever I try to play something like "freight train" I find it hard to get away from "boom-chuck boom-chuck".

This post has been edited by ibanez6: 06 November 2005 - 09:00 PM

[dadfad]

DADFAD

I had a go at this over the weekend. I've never heard the song before so the sound bite was vital for me.

Played for about an hour and got a pretty good rendition of the tune down.

Your TAB is spot on and i am now throwing in a few hammer-ons etc following your lead.  I found this one easier than South Carolina Rag which I am still fumbling around with.

So, thanks again for your work, rest assured that you have put a smile on my face (and a cramp in my hand) 

By the way, do you think when learning alternating bass you should start with "boom-chuck boom-chuck" and then introduce treble line melody runs? This is the way I have taught myself but I do find it hard now for my brain to tell my fingers that sometimes the thumb and fingers work together and sometimes opposite. Are there tricks or exercises to get your brain (or thumb?) into gear quicker? Whenever I try to play something like "freight train" I find it hard to get away from "boom-chuck boom-chuck".

Thanks for the input, and I'm really glad it helped. The way you are approaching alternating-bass is probably the best way. It's just a matter of time and practice. Not too many tips really. John Jackson said he used to just sit for hours and play nothing but the alternating "boom-chuck" lines, listening to the radio or while carrying on a conversation and suggested I do the same thing, while watching TV or even while reading (he'd never learned to read himself until shortly before his death). Bowling Green John Cephas gave me the same advice. Just practice while doing something else. That it helps the thumb-movement become totally secondary to what your brain is concentrating on, and that's pretty much what you want. For your thumb to become almost totally independent on its own with little or no thought on what it has to do. As it gets more and more second-nature, add a few little treble lines here and there to it. You don't have to even worry about making chord-changes for a real progression as such, just the alternating-thumb work within a single chord, and switch periodically to another chord and do the same thing (it doesn't even have to be a chord used in that chord's progression). It'll come. Once it becomes pretty familiar, you might want to do the same thing using a "double-alternation" for example on strings 6-then-4, then 5-then-3 (or 5-then-4) repeating that double-alternation over and over. Double-alternation isn't used quite as often as single-alternation and single-alternation will almost always work adequately, but it's good to know and frequently makes an alternating-bass line even more interesting. That tab for "Freight Train" used a simple double-alternation in the C-part. As you can see, it sounds much better than if you'd used only 5-then-4 repetatively for its bass-line. And once the single-alternation is easy to you, adding the double is relatively simple from there. The more syncopated treble work will just sort of come much more easily once that alternating-bass stuff is down to a no-thought kind of process. Your guitar fretboard will almost sort of "separate" itself psychologically down the middle, one side bass and one side treble. You'll give it little more thought than you would a bassman or drummer standing next to you doing his thing playing in a band. (Of course it isn't quite as strictly divided as that. As you get into it further you'll find lines the finger(s) plays on the bass half, or vice-versa with the thumb playing higher strings, but generally that's how it will seem in your head. So that's it. It just comes down to time and practice. And not a difficult thing to practice either, just a sort of "in-graining" mentally that will soon take place from pure repitition.

[ibanez6]

Thanks for the advice, thats pretty much what I have heard and read elsewhere. Its good to know we all have to go through the same process. Its amazing how the thumb and fingers just seem to get an intelligence all of their own once the patterns are ingrained.

Good stuff thanks

[dadfad]

Thanks for the advice, thats pretty much what I have heard and read elsewhere. Its good to know we all have to go through the same process. Its amazing how the thumb and fingers just seem to get an intelligence all of their own once the patterns are ingrained.

Good stuff  thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Had John Jackson been born fifty years later, he probably would have just called it simultaneous multi-tasking!