ginandcigarettes

The Gumbo Pages has a lot of excellent lead tabs for most of the songs off of A.M. For some reason after that they become progressively less accurate.

Of course, you can always post a request if you want a particular lead transcribed. It will most likely be ignored. But if it's ignored long enough, I'll do it.

Much easier than all this delay and synth nonsense.

Hmm... SomewhatHonest brings up in interesting point (though I'm a touch hurt that he called delay and synth stuff nonsense, expecially since that is precisely how Wilco got those sounds on YHF, which is what Artifex was asking about in the first place ): you can get surprisingly noisy results with relatively common items used in uncommon ways.

Anyhoo, Artifex, maybe you could tell us what equipment you have available to you and, if you plan on buying more stuff, what your budget is. That way, we can figure out cool ways to use the stuff you already have or are likely to get, rather than ask you to invest in stuff you might not need or can't afford.

Here's the link:

Noise Sample

The level is a little off because I really don't know what I'm doing with ProTools so it might be a touch soft.

Anyhoo, I'm using a Korg CX-3 Hammond Organ clone (just like Mikal! before he got a real Hammond Organ), a Boss Overdrive/Distortion pedal (not my first choice, but all I had lying around the house), a Korg KAOSS Pad (new! just like Nels!), and an ProTools MBox on a iBook.

There are only 4 tracks but they're each heavily processed (there are 6 elements below but they only appear on 4 tracks since I'm all about conservation). Three of the four tracks are loops of the organ going through the overdrive pedal.

With the KAOSS pad I looped a bit of me playing the organ in a really high register and played it back pretty straight until I start messing with the playback speed.

Using the same loop, I added a flange-like filter and played around with the resonance until it self-oscillated in interesting ways (the long sustaining feedback-like sound at around 0:22 and 0:33).

Using a different loop in the middle range, I slowed down the playback speed until it was just a low rumble and then added a filter in ProTools that made it sound like it was being broadcast from the moon.

I then used a synth setting on the KAOSS pad and made an even lower-frequency rumble and broke up the monotony by throwing in a couple of higher-frequncy stabs.

I took a piece of that sound in ProTools, added reverb, filtered out most of the highs, time stretched it to four-times the length, and added chorus (the rumble at 0:45). I might have dropped the pitch, I can't remember.

Finally, I used a signal generator in ProTools for the sine wave at 0:52.

Lessons for me:

(1) The best moments (IMHO) are when things happened randomly -- I spent three times as much time tweaking the rumble and sine wave at the end as I did on all of the beginning (which I pretty much recorded and then left alone save for adding a plug-in or two). I'm not sure it really shows. On the beginning parts I really didn't care if thngs lined up or lasted long enough or whatever.

(2) KAOSS pads are cool and totally worth going into debt for.

(3) I should learn how to use ProTools and figure out how to master recordings.

(4) I should get a girlfriend.

Questions? Comments? All welcome.

Overdub!

Even stuff that isn't that weird or noisy, when mixed with other things that by themsleves aren't that weird or noisy, become really weird and noisy. Warning! Can be overdone -- you want interesting noise, not white noise (which is profoundly uninteresting and why you call the TV repair guy).

Filter!

The most mundane sound becomes really interesting when a bunch of its frequencies are cut or boosted in really unnatural ways. Wah-wah pedals are types of filters (band-pass) that are readily available. Especially useful is messing with the filter frequency and resonance in real-time. Then, overdub. Warning, you might sound like Tangerine Dream after a while.

Echo!

Reverb, delay, whatever, gobs of it will stretch parts over each other in liquid ways. Pristine parts are now unidentifiable! Echoes feedback in rhythmic ways! Warning! Besides feedback and playing stuff backwards, this is the standard I'm-weird-and-like-noise-and-wear-too-much-black move. It's perfectly acceptable to do, but a little bit goes a long way.

I hope this helps. I might try to post an MP3 of a bit of noise I've been working on (since this topic has coincided with some noise recording I've been doing) and I can explain what was going on if anyone is interested.

Cheers!

When in doubt, copy someone else:

When I saw Son Volt recently, Jay Farrar was playing a Gretsch Electromatic Pro Jet with Bigsby at $490.

AC Newman with the New Pornographers was playing a Gibson Les Paul faded double-cutaway for $770.

It could be a Korg MS-20, which you can see here:

vintagesynth.org

or it could be the controller from the Korg Legacy collection (you know how Mike loves his soft synths). The controller is modeled on the MS-20, except 84% of its size:

korg.com

This is my hastily-made tab for Won

I've added the tab to Corduroy Cutoff Girl in a new post. Enjoy!

Okay, here

I stand corrected - serves me right for posting without actually playing the thing. The description on the Calvia site said semiweighted keys, so maybe I'm only half wrong

Hee hee. Yeah, they're semiweighted in that they are heavier than synth keys and original Hammond waterfall keys but not as heavy as a piano. I find that it is an uncomfortable compromise -- too heavy for organ, not heavy enough for electric piano -- but some people love them. Again, it's all about personal preference. I just miss the swinging hammer which makes a piano feel like a piano.

Cheers,

Nord Electro is about $1200 US and has all that.

The Nord Electro is a very good piece of hardware (I love mine, but my new austerity program might force me to sell it) but it fails to meet the conditions on two counts:

(1) It does not have weighted keys

(2) Its acoustic piano sound is subpar

I'm guessing that when you say weighted keys you mean hammer-action keys because of the primacy of the acoustic piano sounds.

You might have a bit of a problem getting hammer-action keys and a decent B3 clone in one package (that's why Mikal and Pat each have at least three keyboards on stage) especially at your price point without getting used equipment. The Nord Stage (not the Electro) by all accounts (I've not played one) is excellent with a superb, fully functional B3 clone plus a much improved acoustic piano sound and hammer-action keys. Unfortunately it retails for close to $3,000 USD. Kurzweil's K2600XS is also reportedly very good but it's closer to $3,900 USD.

I suppose a lot depends on the kind of Hammond sounds you want -- do you want "it'll do in a pinch" stuff or do you want full Hammond functionality with drawbars, percussion, chorus/vibrato? The more you lean towards full funtionality, the more it will cost you. Also, the action for each keyboard is different and that is very important but also very subject to individual taste.

I really like the action and the piano sound from the Yamaha P120 (about $1,100 USD). It's a bit heavier touch than most other boards but I find that it makes me more expressive. The hammond sound (singular) is not great (though a usable 888000000 sound) and is closer to the "it'll do in a pinch" range.

The Yamaha S90 has a wider selection of sounds and pretty good organs (or, at least, more of them). It used to go for around $1,800 USD but since it was succeeded by the S90ES you might be able to find one within your price range.

Another option is to buy each piece individually. You can buy a hammer-action keyboard with a decent piano sound (like the Casio PX310 or M-Audio ProKeys 88 -- around $600 USD) and then add a module like the Roland VK-8M (around $900 USD) which can sit on top of your board and can be controlled with midi when need be. A fully functional Hammond clone (moreso than any all-in-one board in your price range) plus a hammer action board with a decent acoustic piano sound all within your price range.

Still, you should look around and see what you like. A good place to start doing research is Keyboard Magazine's Keyboard Corner. Everyone there is very friendly and very knowledgeable.

I hope this helps (I have to get back to work). Feel free to ask questions!

Cheers

I'm not familiar with those effects - how do they work?

Well, I might have mischaracterized it. Portamento (or glide) is not an effect like distortion or chorus, but a function in many synthesizers that controls how the synthesizer switches between notes as you play them. It's actually a collection of parameters but the one most used is portamento time, which controls the time it takes for the pitch played to rise or fall to the next pitch played. Short portamento times will not be noticeable but long portamento times will sound like playing slide guitar.

I know this is lame, but a good example of portamento is in the solo to "Lucky Man" by ELP (not to be confused with the eminently superior ELO).

I hope this helps.

No idea about what kind of keyboard patch is used, but I've alway assumed that Bennet (?) was using a pitch wheel to get that quick octave shit.

Yeah, I'm not sure what was used in the studio (live they are using a Nord Lead 2) but I think the effect is portamento or glide and not the pitch wheel.

http://www.gumbopages.com/wilco.html  ...for most of your wilco tab needs

Hmm... that transcription there is slightly wrong.

I can't remember the bridge (I'll get that for you later) but here's the verse:

[E] Wind will [A]blow and the [E]sun will shine

[E] On that [F#dim7]hill where we [A]used to climb

[Am] I look in [b7]your eyes and [E]you'll be [C#m]mine

[C]Someday, someday [E]soon

F#dim7 can be played:

e---2--|

B---1--|

G---2--|

D---1--|

A------|

E------|

I hope this helps.

Cheers

I've seen the chords for it starting on D, capoed at the 3rd fret.  I just can't work out some of the little lines Jeff plays in this key, anyone know if that's really right?

 

Thanks

Yup, that's right.

I believe Pot Kettle Black is in Open D rather than Drop D. Radio Cure is in Drop D, I think, as is Not for the Season.

Hey, here's my go.

Never [D]doubting

Always [C]faithful

She re[G]turns

[C] [G] [C]

She says she [D]loves me

And I could [C]always

Come to [G]her

[C] [G] [C]

... and so on

For best effect, hammer on the F# (second fret, high e string) when playing the D chord.

The lead parts are mostly just G minor and major pentatonic licks played in the third and first positions, respectively. I can transcribe a few of them if you'd like.

Cheers

Hey, no problem. Thanks for the compliments. It looks like the years of not getting chicks because I was in high school marching band and jazz band have paid off. Let me know if you have any questions after you try it out.

Okay, here

Can you post the song?

You know, I should really stop posting tab from work as:

(1) I should be working, and

(2) I don't have a guitar handy to verify what I'm posting

Anyhoo, I corrected a bit of a mistake in my previous post. I reserve the right to screw this up, too.

Enjoy.

The chords are on the altcountrytab site:

I Can't Keep From Talking Tab

The tabbed intro there seems a bit off, though, so here's my go:

e----------------|---------------------------|---------------|

B----------------|---------------------------|---------------|

G--x-x-x---------|------------------------4--|--2------------|

D--x-x-x------0--|-----0h2--0--0h2--0-----2--|--4---------0--|

A--x-x-x--0h2----|---------------------2-----|-------0h2-----|

E--x-x-x---------|--0------------------------|---------------|

e---------------------------|---------------|

B---------------------------|---------------|

G------------------------4--|--2------------|

D-----0h2--0--0h2--0-----2--|--4--2--4s2p0--|

A---------------------2-----|---------------|

E--0------------------------|---------------|

e---------------------------|--------------|

B---------------------------|--------------|

G------------------------4--|--2-----------|

D-----0h2--0--0h2--0-----2--|--4--3p2p0----|

A---------------------2-----|-----------2--|

E--0------------------------|--------------|

e--2---------3--2--------------|

B--3---------3--3--------------|

G--2---------2--2--------------|

D--0--0--0---0--0-----------0--|

A-----------------------0h2----|

E------------------------------|

Cheers

Well, I took a listen/viewing last night and the first thing I can say is it's not in open C. Well, it kinda is. It's in open C tuned down a step so it's really open Bb.

Tuning (low to high) would be:

Bb F Bb F Bb D

The chords are pretty easy in this tuning especially if you don't worry about thirds (theory geeks will understand). You can get most of the chords (as indeed Tweedy does) by barring the middle four strings at the appropriate frets:

Bb (open -- make sure to let the lowest -- 6th -- string ring out)

F (7th fret)

Gm (9th fret)

Eb (5th fret)

C (2nd fret)

Eb (5th fret)

I transcribe more later (I have to get back to work) but this should get you started.

Cheers

Here's the tab to the version I play which sounds suspiciously like the version Jeff plays on the live performances section of the IATTBYH DVD (I would say it's a tab of that, but that implies some guarantee of accuracy).

I capo second fret (which matches the Gumbo Pages key) but IIRC Jeff capos 4th or higher for that version. Just capo where you are comfortable singing.

A note on left hand fingering: the chord shapes are basically C G F with some passing chords.

A note on right hand fingering: Use your thumb for all the notes on the low E, A, and D strings; your index finger for the G string; and your middle finger for the B string.

A note on rhythm: I marked where the beats fall with little plus signs (+) to help. Count the rhythm like this:

One and a Two e and a Three and a Four e and a.

Enjoy!

Please tell...

...+...........+...........+...........+............

e--------------------------------------------------|

B-----------1-----------1-----------1-----------1--|

G-----------------0-----------------------0--------|

D--------2-----------2-----------2-----------2-----|

A--3-----------------------3-----------------------|

E--------------3-----------------------3-----------|

...+...........+...........+...........+............

e--------------------------------------------------|

B-----------3-----------3-----------1-----------1--|

G-----------------0-----------------------0--------|

D--------0-----------0-----------2-----------2-----|

A--------------------------3-----------------------|

E--3-----------3-----------------------3-----------|

...+...........+...........+...........+...........

e--------------------------------------------------|

B-----------1-----------1-----------1-----------1--|

G-----------------0-----------------------0--------|

D--------2-----------0-----------2-----------2-----|

A--3-----------2-----------0-----------------------|

E--------------------------------------3-----------|

...+...........+...........+...........+............

e--------------------------------------------------|

B-----------1-----------1-----------1-----------1--|

G-----------------2-----------------------2--------|

D--------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----|

A--------------3-----------------------3-----------|

E--1-----------------------1-----------------------|

...+...........+............

e--------------------------|

B-----------1-----------1--|

G-----------------2--------|

D--------3-----------3-----|

A--------------3-----------|

E--1-----------------------|

...+...........+...........+...........+............

e--------------------------------------------------|

B-----------1-----------1-----------1-----------1--|

G-----------------0-----------------------0--------|

D--------2-----------2-----------2-----------0-----|

A--3-----------------------3-----------2-----------|

E--------------3-----------------------------------|

...+...........+...........+...........+............

e--------------------------------------------------|

B-----------1-----------1-----------1-----------1--|

G-----------------2-----------------------2--------|

D--------3-----------3-----------3-----------3-----|

A--------------3-----------------------3-----------|

E--1-----------------------1-----------------------|

...+...........+...........+...........+............

e--------------------------------------------------|

B-----------1-----------1-----------3-----------3--|

G-----------------0-----------------------0--------|

D--------2-----------2-----------0-----------0-----|

A--3-----------------------------------------------|

E--------------3-----------3-----------3-----------|

...+...........+...........+...........+............

e--------------------------------------------------|

B-----------1-----------1-----------1-----------1--|

G-----------------0-----------------------0--------|

D--------2-----------2-----------2-----------2-----|

A--3-----------------------3-----------------------|

E--------------3-----------------------3-----------|

Oops! I got the Edim7 fingering wrong. It should be:

| Edim7 |

e---3---|

B---2---|

G---3---|

D---2---|

A-------|

E--(0)--|

I corrected it above, too (so that there is no record of my screw-up).

Cheers