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Sailors Grave

Leo Kottke

Text File

#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
From slinberg@hamp.hampshire.edu Wed Mar  2 13:38:32 EST 1994
Article: 20847 of alt.guitar.tab
 hamp.hampshire.edu
Keywords: kottke

TAB:  The Sailor's Grave On The Prairie (Leo Kottke)

Notes:

I transcribed this tune by ear as best I could from Leo's "6 & 12 String
Guitar." I posted my first stab at it here about two months ago; this
revision shows some good input and suggestions (notably from the
estimable
Dean Gaudet, founder of the hobbes.linfield.edu accoustic archive).  One
major thing that was pointed out to me (and which I soon came to see when
trying to fix section B) is that Leo plays this tune on a 12-string.  I
only have a 6-string, so my transcription attempts to duplicate the music
as closely as possible, but there are places where it just wasn't posible
to be note-for-note.  I tried to retain the overall feel of the piece,
and
I think this is pretty close.  (If anyone wishes to help my transcription
efforts by giving me a 12-string, my email address is below! :-))

Leo plays this tune on the album in an open G tuning (DGDGBD) tuned down
4
half-steps to open Eb (Bb/Eb/Bb/Eb/G/Bb).  You can tune your strings this
low if you want, but if you use standard-pitch strings you will probably
get a lot of buzz.  You will have that great, low, "macho guitar" sound,
though.  Nobody will mess with you if you play that low.

Have fun with it; it's one of my favorite Leo tunes.  As I said before,
improvements, suggestions and comments are always welcome.  Please email
suggestions to me, and look for the most recent version at Dean's
accoustic archive at hobbes.linfield.edu (although hopefully there won't
be
many revisions from this point, unless I did something really stupid - or
unless someone wants to do a real 12-string transcription).

Thanks, and enjoy the piece.

Steve Linberg
slinberg@hamp.hampshire.edu

|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Notes:

o  Open G tuning (tuned down if desired, see above) - DGDGBD

o  I play this tune with a concave brass slide on my pinky (4th finger).
   They're nice if you can get one; they go for about $12.

o  (sX/6) = use slide across X strings from bottom (i.e. s5/6 means the
   slide covers the 5th through 1st strings, s3/6 means the slide
   covers the 3rd through 1st strings)

o  Someone (and I've lost the email, so I can't credit them properly -
   sorry!) correctly pointed out that I neglected to mention Leo's
   wonderful "slide slam" in the last playthrough of section A.  Whether
   this was a mistake or intentional is becoming a question of legend,
   but all agree that it's priceless.  He slams the slide down against
   the fretboard (possibly the underside) without interrupting the rhythm
   of the song at all.  The spot where he does this is marked with an
   "(X)" in section A.  You can try it if you want - I've never been
   satisfied with my attempts and really think of it as his
   irreproducable signature on the piece.

o  Resist the temptation to play this one too quickly!  Take your time.
   Let the notes ring, and the slide scorch.  This is the music of a man
   who knows he is free.  (Sorry for the sappy interpretation :-))

o  Play in the following order:

   1. Intro
   2. Section A
   3. Section A
   4. Section B
   5. Section A (with gusto)
   6. Final section

(crowd: GET ON WITH IT!)
(ok, ok...)

/----------------------------------------------------------------------\
|                                Intro:                                |
\----------------------------------------------------------------------/

d  |----5-----------+----------------|
b  |----------------+----------------|
G  |------------0---+----0-------0---|
D  |5-------5-------+5-------5-------|
G  |----------------+----------------|
D  |----------------+----------------|
    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^


/----------------------------------------------------------------------\
|                              Section A:                              |
\----------------------------------------------------------------------/

d  |--------5-------+4-----------0---|2-p-0-----------+--------0-------|
b  |----------------+--------3-------|------------0---+----0-------0---|
G  |----0-------0---+----------------|--------0-------+--------0-------|
D  |5-------5-------+0---------------|----------------+----------------|
G  |----------------+----------------|0---------------+0---------------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^

    (s5/6)  --------------->  (s5/6)              (s1/6, vibrato---------|
d  |--------5-------+--------7-------|------------9---+--------0---------|
b  |----5-----------+----7-------7---|8--/10----------+------------------|
G  |/5----------5---+(/7)------------|----------------+------------0-----|
D  |----------------+----------------|--------0-------+------------------|
G  |/5--------------+/7--------------|0---------------+0-----------------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+------------------|
    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^


d  |--------5-------+4-----------0---|2-p-0-----------+--------0-------|
b  |----------------+--------3-------|------------0---+----0-------0---|
G  |----0-------0---+----------------|--------0-------+--------0-------|
D  |5-------5-------+0---------------|----------------+----------------|
G  |----------------+----------------|0---------------+0---------------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^

                                     [(X) "slide slam" on 3rd repeat!]
    (s5/6)  --------------->  (s5/6) (s1/6, vibrato ---------------------|)
d  |--------5-------+--------7-------|5-----------5---+----2---0---------|
b  |----5-----------+----7-------7---|----------------+------------------|
G  |/5----------5---+(/7)------------|--------0-------+------------0-----|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+------------------|
G  |/5--------------+/7--------------|0---------------+0-------0---------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+------------------|
    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^

   (s6/6 ----------------------------------------------------------------|)
d  |--------12------+--------10--\5--|--------5-------+0-----------------|
b  |----12----------+----10----------|----5-----------+----1---0---------|
G  |/12---------\10-+----------------|5-----------5---+------------0-----|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+------------------|
G  |/12-------------+10--------------|5---------------+0-------0---------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+------------------|
    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^

   (s6/6 ----------------------------------------------------------------|)
d  |--------12------+----10------\5--|--------5-------+0-----------------|
b  |----12----------+----------------|----5-----------+----1---3---------|
G  |/12---------\10-+----------------|5-----------5---+------------0-----|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+------------------|
G  |/12-------------+10--------------|5---------------+0-------0---------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+------------------|
    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^

   (s6/6 ----------------------------------------------------------------|)
d  |--------12------+----10------\5--|--------5-------+0-----------------|
b  |----12----------+----------------|----5-----------+----1---0---------|
G  |/12---------\10-+----------------|5-----------5---+------------0-----|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+------------------|
G  |/12-------------+10--------------|5---------------+0-------0---------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+------------------|
    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^


   (s3/6 ------->)  (s1/6)            (s5/6 -----------------------------|)
d  |--------3-------+3---/2--0-------|--------5---/7--+7-----------------|
b  |----3-------3---+------------0---|----5-----------+----7-------7-----|
G  |/3------3-------+0-------0-------|3/5-------------+--------7---------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+------------------|
G  |----------------+----------------|3/5-------------+7-------7---------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+------------------|
    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^

   (s5/6)
d  |----7-----------+  (The last measure of section A is in 5/4;
b  |----------------+   let the notes ring and continue with the next
G  |7---------------+   section)
D  |----------------+
G  |7---------------+
D  |----------------+
    1   ^   2   ^


/----------------------------------------------------------------------\
|                              Section B:                              |
\----------------------------------------------------------------------/

d  |--------9-------+7-p-5---0-h-5---|----7-s-9-------+9-------0-------|
b  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
G  |----0-------0---+----------------|------------0---+----0-------0---|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
G  |0-------0-------+0-------0-------|0-------0-------+0-------0-------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^

d  |----4b5-4---2---+----------------|----0-----------+----------------|
b  |----------------+3-s-1---0---1---|----------------+1-------0-------|
G  |----------------+----------------|------------0---+----0-------0---|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
G  |0-------0---0---+0-------0-------|0-------0-------+0-------0-------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^

d  |--------9-------+7-p-5---0-h-5---|----7-s-9-------+9-------0-------|
b  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
G  |----0-------0---+----------------|------------0---+------------0---|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
G  |0-------0-------+0-------0-------|0-------0-------+0-------0-------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^

d  |----4b5-4---2---+----------------|----------------+--------0-------|
b  |----------------+3-s-1---0---1---|----0-----------+----------------|
G  |----------------+----------------|------------0---+----0-------0---|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
G  |0-------0---0---+0-------0-------|0-------0-------+0-------0-------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^


/----------------------------------------------------------------------\
|                            Final section:                            |
\----------------------------------------------------------------------/

                                     (s1/6, nice and slow from nut to
                                      5th fret, plenty of vibrato)
d  |------------5---+----------------|/5--------------+----------------|
b  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
G  |----0-----------+---0--------0---|----------------+----------------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
G  |0-------0-------+0-------0-------|0---------------+----------------|
D  |----------------+----------------|----------------+----------------|
    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^    1   ^   2   ^    3   ^   4   ^

/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| Steven F. Linberg           | Vanity is the only obstacle to
life.       |
| slinberg@hamp.hampshire.edu |                          - Susho
Matsumura |
| slinberg@aol.com            | Make benevolence your lifelong duty.
This |
| --------------------------- | surely is an important
mission.            |
| Livin' large in Western MA. |                         - Gichin
Funakoshi |
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/