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Transcription Notes and some thoughts
Transcription & all notes written by: Erica Reese
I've separated this song into 2
parts. The Black tabs which are at the top of the page are for guitar
1 which was the rhythm guitar part. The Blue tabs are below them if you
scroll down and are for the guitar 2 lead guitar parts.
I'll give you some lesson thoughts since Jeff didn't do a video for this one
because that wasn't the plan. There may be a video lesson added for
this song at some point though.
You don't have to listen to me because I'm nobody, but I do know a thing or
two about writing music and I work here. For guitar 1 I thought what Jeff did was
pretty clever. His creative process is always fun to watch, and it's
also why I
always sucker him into helping me write my class projects.
Jeff took the basic strummy C, G, Dm, G etc. chord change of the Chipmunk song and
turned the pitches of the chords into a very cool Van Halen sounding dropped C
tuning riff. Or several riffs to be exact. The thing to remember is that the
rhythm part makes this song track. Along with Mick the Mixer's
brilliant bass line that walks the song along and keeps it moving.
Please keep in
mind that the lead parts
wouldn't have the impact that they have without the well thought out rhythm part.
The leads are simple. Jeff did the vocal melody of the Chipmunks with
some delay and chorus. Big whoop right?! It sounds really
dramatic and cool because of the guitar 1 riffing and bass line. If
that part was just chunking power chords the song would have no feel to it
what so ever and would just be some generic anyone could come up with it piece
of whatever.
Since I don't do a lot of text on the site usually, and nobody is around
right now, I'll take this opportunity to say
that I think these very concepts are one of the things you get from jfrocks.com that you don't
get a lot of other places. So please don't skip the guitar 1
part in favor of a play along with guitar 2 or with the jam track. I'm here to tell you that the real
lesson is in the rhythm and how the chords to the actual song were
altered and riffed out. It's very neat riffing and it'll really help you
understand the creative process that goes on when Jeff and Mick do a remake
of something. Jeff rarely just power chords out a simple chord
pattern. Normally the song as below is rewritten and turned into
something totally different that resembles the original song in melody only.
For a clear picture of this song's rhythm section please check out the guitar 2
jam track on the jam track page. Use this as some ideas for your
own creativity with simple strummy chord songs. You can make
ANYTHING into a really cool guitar tune if you understand the pitches
contained within the chords and the basic mode of the song. Which for
our song here by the way is "Mixolydian" (Major scale
with a minor 7th in it)
and "Ionian" (Basic Major scale).
My transcription of this piece is below, my voice opens the song, and I
played the guitar 1 part on the totally awesome White Kramer which I just
totally love the sound of. It's an amazing guitar. If it
ever gets stolen I'll be the prime suspect!
Have a happy holiday everyone - Erica
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Guitar 1 - Rhythm part - Shuffle
feel 3/4 time
*Please remember our guitars
are tuned 1/2 step flat, then the low string is dropped to the pitch of "C".
So the actual guitar tuning is, Cb, Ab,
Db, Gb, Bb,
Eb
**Tuning Tip, whenever you
detune the low string some pitch alteration occurs so pitches may be
slightly lower than 1/2 step, but a half step flat tuning and a low C on
your 6th string should suffice. If you need to match pitch just use
the open 6th string C that ends the song. That's what I tuned to in
order to do the transcription.
*The chord names above the
tabs are NOT the chords I'm doing in the guitar 1 part. They
are the chords to the actual Chipmunks Christmas song. I did this for
lesson purposes. Jeff always tells you how important it is to know the
notes that make up chords. Understanding what makes a G7 a G7 (G,B,D,F)
allows you to create mean sounding riffs like these out of strummy Christmas
music. Take note of the chord names and please also take note of how
Jeff transformed them into a riff.
C
G7
C
E___________________________________________________________________________________________
B___________________________________________________________________________________________
G___________________________________________________________________________________________
D___5__________5__________________________5~_________________5~______5__________5__________
A___3__________3__________________________5~_________________5~______3__________3__________
C______4_5_4______4_5_4_____2~__----7---5~________2~__----7---5~_____________4_5_4______4_5_4___
Dm
E__________________________________________________________________________________
B__________________________________________________________________________________
G__________________________________________________________________________________
D___7______3-0__________________ 7______3-0________________
7______3-0_______________
A___5_________5_________________5_________5_______________5_________5______________
C_______5________5~_7~_5~__________5________5~_7~_5~________5________5~_7~_5~___
C
E__________________________________________________
B__________________________________________________
G__________________________________________________
D___5___________5__________5__________5____________
A___3___________3__________3__________3____________
C______4_5_4_______4_5_4______4_5_4______4_5_4_____
C7
F
Fm
E______________________________________________________________________________________________
B______________________________________________________________________________________________
G________________________________3_____3~_______________________________________1___1_________
D___5___________5__________5_____5_____5~____5_____3~________3~___3______3_____
3___3____3____
A___3___________3__________3__0x_ 3__3x_
3___0_3_0___ 3~________3~___3______3__3____3____3_ 3_3__
C______4_5_4_______4_5_4_______________________________5_5_5_____5____5________________________
C
D7
Dm
G7
C
E___________________________________________________________________
B___________________________________________________________________
G_________________________________________________5_________________
D___5_________________________________________5__ 5____*solo
begins here__
A___3____________5~__________5______________5____ 3_________________
C______4_5_4__2~_____0x_2----5___5___0x_2----7_________________________
The Rhythm under the solo part
The rhythm guitar is more laid back under the solo while the bass part that
Mick was playing is busier than normal. The bass is doing a walking line and
the rhythm part is mostly driving a power chord riff. I
transcribed it anyway because it's worth you having so you can see the
changes in the rhythm as the song progresses along because every little
thing matters.
*with staggered 3/4 time waltz
feel
C
G5/D Gsus4/D
G5/D C5
E____________________________________________________________________________________
B____________________________________________________________________________________
G_____________________________5___5_____5___5_____5___5______________________________
D__5_____5___5_____5_____5____5___5_____5___5_____5___5_____5____5____5___5____5_____
A__3__3__3_3_3___3_3_3___5__5___5_____5___5_____5___5_____5_5_0__3__3_3_3_3__3_3_3___
C____________________________________________________________________________________
D5
G5/D
D5 Dm G5/D
D5 Dm G5/D
C5
E________________________________________________________________________________
B___________________________6___________________6________________________________
G___________________________7___________________7___________________5___5___5____
D__7____7___5_____5_____7___7___5_____5_____7___7___5_____5_____5___5___5___5____
A__5__5_5_5_5___5_5_5___5_5___5_5___5_5_5___5_5___5_5___5_5_5___3_3___3___3_3____
C________________________________________________________________________________
Final chorus and outro for guitar 1
C
E__________________________________________________
B__________________________________________________
G__________________________________________________
D___5___________5__________5__________5____________
A___3___________3__________3__________3____________
C______4_5_4_______4_5_4______4_5_4______4_5_4_____
C7
F
Fm
E__________________________________________________________________________
B__________________________________________________________________________
G__________3_____3~____3____________________________________1___1_________
D____5_____5_____5~____5_____3~________3~_____3______3_____
3___3____3____
A____3__3x_ 3__3x_
3___0_3_0___ 3~________3~_____3______3__3____3____3_ 3_3__
C________________________________5_5_5_______5____5________________________
C
D7
Dm
G7
C
C7
E________________________________________________________________________
B________________________________________________________________________
G__________________________________________________________________ 3____
D___5_________________________________________5___ 5______5___5____5____
A___3____________5~__________5______________5___0x_ 3____3_3_3_3__3_3_3__
C______4_5_4__2~_____0x_2----5___5___0x_2----7______________________________
F
Fm
E____________________________________________________
B___________________________________________________
G________________________________1___1~_____________
D__3~_____3___3~_____3___3~_____3___3~_____3_______
A__3~_____3___3~_____3___3~___3___3______3_3_3_____
C_______5___5_______5___5___________________________
C
D7
Dm
G7
C
B A
E__________________________________________________________________
B__________________________________________________________________
G__________________________________________________________________
D___5_________________________________________5___ 5____5__4__2____
A___3____________5~__________5______________5___0x_ 3____3__2__0____
C______4_5_4__2~_____0x_2----5___5___0x_2----7_________________________
Dm
G7
C
B A
n.c.
F G
F E
C
E_____________________________________________________________________________________
B_____________________________________________________________________________________
G_____________________________________________________________________________________
D_________________________5_____5~___5_4__2___________________________________________
A_________5_____________5____0x_
3~___3_2__0___________________________________________
C___2----5___5___0x_2----7_______________________5~___7~___5~___4~^>^>^>^>~-0~w.b~~~__
E___________________________________________________________
B_________________________________________/_________________
G________________________________________/_*string noise___________
D____________________________________________________Song
ends
A___________________________________________________________
C__0>w.b dive slowly and all the way dowwwwwn>>>>>>>>___________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Guitar 2 - Jeff's lead parts
*Please remember our guitars
are tuned 1/2 step flat, then the low string is dropped to the pitch of "C".
So the actual guitar tuning is, Cb, Ab,
Db, Gb, Bb,
Eb
E___________________________________________
B________________________________10~~______
G________________10-8____10-8_______________
D______10-8___________12______12___________
A___12______12_____________________________
C__________________________________________
*Big stretching is required
for the passage below. Jeff stood the guitar on end to do these.
The string skipping gives it a Violin effect. The hammer on is done
with index finger on the 8th fret, ring finger on the 12th, and pinky on the
15th.
E______________________________________________________________8-12-15~___
B_____________________________________________8-12-15_____________________
G____________________________8-12-15____________________8-12-15____________
D__________8-12-15_____________________8-12-15_____________________________
A___________________8-12-15_______________________________________________
C__8-12-15________________________________________________________________
*The
harmonic lead in below was done by Jeff on the 10th fret as written below on the
Green Baretta. Not all guitars can get 10th fret harmonics. If yours
can't the alternate same pitch positions are either the 2nd fret, 14th fret, or
20th fret.
E_______________________________________________________________________________
B___________________________________________10h_________________________________
G___________________________________________10h_________________________________
D__*<begin with bar depressed, strike harmonics and release the
bar quickly<<<_ 10h_>then bring them back down with the
vibrato bar>>>_____
A_______________________________________________________________________________
C_______________________________________________________________________________
Main
Song kick in - Guitar 2
*Jeff
is doing the vocal melody here. So what he's playing is exactly what
the Chipmunks sing with only slight embellishment. It's a sweet melody
and it translates well to guitar. Please remember to not lose the 3/4
time feel though. It's easy to forget it and get lost.
I've transcribed the EXACT positions used by Jeff as well to help some of
you out with ear training and note placement. This could have been
done in a number of positions, but changing strings changes the way the
pitches sound, so the positioning used by Jeff is an important lesson here.
See his ear training page if you are unclear about what I mean by that
statement.
*Chord names relate to chord
changes from Guitar 1.
C
G7
C
E_______________________________________________________________________________
B_______8__10~__13~__12~___6~__10~_______12~___6~__10~___13~__12~__10~_10~__
G__7^1__________________________________________________________________________
D_______________________________________________________________________________
A_______________________________________________________________________________
C_______________________________________________________________________________
Dm
G7
Dm G7
Dm G7
C
E____________________________________________________________________________
B_______10________15~_13~_________________13~___________15~_13~____________
G__10~_____12~_____________14~_12~_____________14_12~____________14_14~____
D____________________________________________________________________________
A____________________________________________________________________________
C____________________________________________________________________________
C7
F
E_________________________________________________________________________________________
B_______8__10~__13~__12~________10~________________13~__15^1~_15^1~>slight
release>___15~_15~__
G__7^1______________________12~__________----12~__14_______________________________________
D_________________________________________________________________________________________
A_________________________________________________________________________________________
C_________________________________________________________________________________________
(18) =
Tapped note. - Tapping it gives it a softer sound than picking it.
Fm
C
D7
Dm
G7 C
E_____________________________________________________________________________
B__17~__15_(18)-17__15~__13_17~___12_______12______13^1_13~-------__>into
the solo___
G____________________________________14~_____12~_____________________________
D_____________________________________________________________________________
A_____________________________________________________________________________
C_____________________________________________________________________________
Solo
This solo is fairly complex in its use of what Jeff calls "Jump around
arpeggios". This is a Violin trick and it's not easy to do on guitar
because of the larger fretboard size. I play Violin as my primary
instrument and what Jeff is doing here isn't easy. This solo is probably
something that you might want to warm up with, or use as a practice exercise to
work on picking technique and coordination. Some stretching will be
required. Please read all of my little notes throughout the solo tabs to avoid confusion.
The idea of these "jump around arpeggios" is to give an Eric Johnson effect
where the same pitches are sounded out in different positions to give a fuller
almost Violin bow effect. Or, string skipping is used to go from say a
wound 5th string to an unwound 3rd or 2nd string, even though the pitch on the
3rd or 2nd string could easily be done closer to where the 5th string note was. The result
of all this stretching and string skipping is a big fat "Violin'esque" arpeggio
vibe that I think Jeff pulled off nicely.
*Use your right hand as a
capo and bar it across the 8th fret to make these sound correct. These
are not tapped they are pull offs with mock capo. This is Steve Vai
trick that we see all the time. I learned it from the Crossroads
movie. You can also see Van Halen do this mock capo thing at the end
of the Stompin' 8H Saturday Night Live video that I'm sure most of you have.
You just bar your finger across the 8th fret and push down real hard and do
pull offs with the other 2 notes. A little tip for you is to make sure
that you hammer onto the 1st note of the sequence really hard to make it
sound out to get it going. From there just don't lose pressure on your
right hand and be sure that you're firm with your pull offs and off you go.
C
E_________________________________________________________________________
B__17-13-*8__17-13-*8__17-13-*8__17-13-*8___17-13-*8__17-13-*8__17-13-*8__17-13-*8___
G_________________________________________________________________________
D_________________________________________________________________________
A_________________________________________________________________________
C_________________________________________________________________________
E___________________________________________
B__17-13-*8__17-13-*8__17-13-*8__17-13-*8_________
G___________________________________________
D___________________________________________
A___________________________________________
C___________________________________________
G7
E__________________________________________________________________________
B__18-15-*8__18-15-*8__18-15-*8__18-15-*8_____18-15-*8__18-15-*8__18-15-*8__18-15-*8__
G__________________________________________________________________________
D__________________________________________________________________________
A__________________________________________________________________________
C__________________________________________________________________________
C
E_____________________________________________________________________________________________
B___18-15-*8__18-15-*8__18-15-*8__18-15-*8~___________________18~~~___18~_17~~~~____12>w.b
downward>>_
G________________________________________12____16_19_16_______________________________________
D_____________________________________________________________________________________________
A___________________________________________17________________________________________________
C_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Dm
G7
E___________________________________________
B_____________________18~__15~~~~_________
G____________12_17_16______________________
D_____15_19________________________________
A__17______________________________________
C__________________________________________
Dm
G7
E_____12____12_15________12________________________________
B__18____15_______17__18____15___17_15______13_____________
G______________________________________16______16_14~~~~__
D__________________________________________________________
A__________________________________________________________
C__________________________________________________________
Dm
G7
E_____________________________________________________
B_____________________________17____18____18~~_18~~__
G_____16_12__16_17_16__19_16____16_____16_____________
D__17_________________________________________________
A_____________________________________________________
C_____________________________________________________
C
E___________________________________________
B_____*13_13_15__18----20~~__17~~~__________
G____*12____________________________________
D___*14_~*=sweep____________________________
A__*15______________________________________
C___________________________________________
Final chorus and outro for guitar 2
C
C7
F
E_________________________________________________________________________________________
B______8__10~__13~__12~________10~________________13~__15^1~_15^1~>slight
release>___15~_15~___
G__7^1_____________________12~__________----12~__14________________________________________
D_________________________________________________________________________________________
A_________________________________________________________________________________________
C_________________________________________________________________________________________
(18) =
Tapped note. - Tapping it gives it a softer sound than picking it.
Fm
C
D7
Dm
G7 C
C7
E_____________________________________________________________________________
B__17~__15_(18)-17__15~__13_17~___12_______12______13^1_13~-------______________
G____________________________________14~_____12~_____________________________
D_____________________________________________________________________________
A_____________________________________________________________________________
C_____________________________________________________________________________
F
E______________________________________________
B__15^1~_15^1~>slight
release>___15~_15~_____15---17__
G______________________________________________
D______________________________________________
A______________________________________________
C______________________________________________
Fm
C
D7
Dm
G7 C
B A
E_____________________________________________________________________________
B__17~__15_(18)-17__15~__13_17~___12_______12______13^1_13~__12~__10~~_______
G____________________________________14~_____12~_____________________________
D_____________________________________________________________________________
A_____________________________________________________________________________
C_____________________________________________________________________________
Dm
G7
C
E___17^1~_17^1~>slight
release>_17_________________________________________________
B__________________________________13^1_13~-----10--------3^^steady
slow bend ^1~~~~____
G____________________________12~___________________________________________
D__________________________________________________________________________
A__________________________________________________________________________
C__________________________________________________________________________
The Ending
Arpeggio
see
note below please
*important* The first "C" arpeggio is augmented. Jeff
does these a lot. It's a neat trick for making things sound bigger or
wider. I wanted to point it out so you didn't think the
9th fret 2nd
string was a misprint. That's an augmented (+) or Sharp 5th on that
C arpeggio and it was intentional.
Jeff didn't do it on the second
half of the C arpeggio because if you keep augmented arpeggios going it can
sometimes create too much weird tension. It's best to resolve them
quickly, using them in spirts and mixing them in with standard or less tense
arpeggios.
Take note of the positioning, string skipping, and use of open strings such as
the open 3rd string (G 5th), and the open 4th string (D 2nd) on the ending
downward portion. All of this was intentional to alter the sound of the
arpeggio and give it more of a bow (Violin) effect. You don't just have to
do root, 3rd, 5th arpeggios. Any broken chord (sus 2), (m7), (9th) can be
an arpeggio. Mixing them up as Jeff did with the Chipmunk ending arpeggio
below is a great way to give a big effect to what's really a simple sequence of
notes. This type of playing is all about simulating the Violin bow.
That's the proverbial holy grail for the neo-classical guitar style.
C
E________________12_15____________________________________________________
B_________9___13__________13___10_________________________________________
G______________________9____9_______9_10_0________________________________
D__10_14__________________________9________9_10_0_________________________
A_________________________________________________________________________
C__________________________________________________12_0_4_7_0*let
ring and fade out___
End -
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
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