Talking about a revolution - Tracy Chapman - Strumming Help

D DU UDU

I don't know the song. Just listened to it now.

I dont know the chords but it sounds like there are only 2 anyway. That is the pattern for each chord.

I just checked the net the chords I got were

G C Em D

Tracy's great. glad she is making a comeback.

excellent song too.

trying to emulate anothers style can be tricking sometimes.

many artist are self taught so standard rules often dont apply.
thay have a unique playing style that is hard to ape.
Ry Cooder has a rythm style that is like that. it is essential to get the song right.
Tracy's song is like that. the rythm is important to the meaning of the words.

Tracy is great. Wait till you try Mountains of things.

Anyway, She varies it a good bit but it feels like it is something like G - ddu C - udu Em - ddu D - udu in the beginning for two progressions then just dduudu for each chord for the remainder of the song.

The problem is that it is not 100% on beat since she varies alot so listen to it and try to repeat her rhythm. It also sounds like she repeats the G once in awhile.

On the other hand just dduudu on each chord will sound close enough to sing a long with.

hi all.

Its worth the effort to try and play the intro properly on this song - people will instantly know what it is (obviously assuming they know the song... :lol: )

Anyway here's a decent enough tab for it. I will explain how to do it afterwards DO NOT BE PUT OFF BECAUSE YOU'RE A BEGINNER!
Intro:
--------0-----0-0-2--3-2---------0------0--0---2--3-2-----------|
-3--3-3---3---0-0-3------3-3-3-3---3----0--0---3-------3--------|
-0--0-0-----0-0-0-2--------0-0-0-----0--0--0---2----------------|
-0--0-2-------2-2-0--------0-0-2--------2--2---0----------------|
-2--2-3-------2-2----------2-2-3--------2--2--------------------|
-3--3---------0-0----------3-3----------0--0--------------------|

Don't you know, they're talkin bout a revolution...
--------0-----0-0-2--3-2---------0------0--0---2--3-2-----------|
-3--3-3---3---0-0-3------3-3-3-3---3----0--0---3-------3--------|
-0--0-0-----0-0-0-2--------0-0-0-----0--0--0---2----------------|
-0--0-2-------2-2-0--------0-0-2--------2--2---0----------------|
-2--2-3-------2-2----------2-2-3--------2--2--------------------|
-3--3---------0-0----------3-3----------0--0--------------------|


ok the main thing is its all based around chord shapes (so no need for much finger movement) and a simple repeating strumming pattern of DOWN / DOWNUP followed by a simple picking of the strings of the chord. On the strumming, just get a nice rhythm going and hit a firm downstroke, miss the strings coming back up, then another downstroke but this time catch the strings on the way back up. Practice that at first until its second nature.

Now look at the very first bit of the tab. The chord changes from G to C (the two shapes are 320033 and x32033) which just means moving your fretting fingers on the low E and the A strings down a string to A and D. Simple.

So ....start off with your G shape. Strum Down Down, then immediately move your fingers to the C position for the upstroke. Sound familiar? Then just pick the three treble strings, starting at the high E, as it says in the tab. No need to move your fretting hand at all!

Then go to Em and repeat - only tricky bit is getting back to D for the upstroke, but practice it and it can be done. On the D chord you just need to add your pinky on the high E string for the first "picked" note, then take it off for the second.

Once you crack this part of the song, the rest is a breeze.

Good luck with it, let me know how you get on!

Matt

Intro:
--------0-----0-0-2--3-2---------0------0--0---2--3-2-----------|
-3--3-3---3---0-0-3------3-3-3-3---3----0--0---3-------3--------|
-0--0-0-----0-0-0-2--------0-0-0-----0--0--0---2----------------|
-0--0-2-------2-2-0--------0-0-2--------2--2---0----------------|
-2--2-3-------2-2----------2-2-3--------2--2--------------------|
-3--3---------0-0----------3-3----------0--0--------------------|

Now look at the very first bit of the tab. The chord changes from G to C (the two shapes are 320033 and x32033) which just means moving your fretting fingers on the low E and the A strings down a string to A and D. Simple.

Matt, I'm having a bit of trouble trying to marry the shapes with the tab - you mention shapes of 320033 and x32033 but I can't seem to see where the last "3" (bolded) appears on the tabulature.

I suspect this is probably a knowledge deficiency I have with regard to tabs. :oops:

Just to clarify (i was actually thinking about this in bed last night!) when you start you can use a normal G shape 320033 (even though the tab doesn't show you hitting the high E string, it won't matter if you do) BUT when you go to your C shape make sure you remove your finger from the high E string to leave it open - so you're actaully fingering x32030.

If you look at the picking section, this ties in.

Hope this clarifies things.

You can get away with strumming your way through it as has been suggested, but the song sounds much fuller if you incorporate this way of playing into it.

all the best

Matt

Thanks Matt!

I think what also confused me is that I've always thought the G chord shape is (and played it as) 320003. :?

Nonetheless, might give this song a burl over the weekend. :)

320033 is another form of G but I think it is actually a Gadd5 or something like that

Thanks Nils.

Haven't actually tried that version of G before so will have to give it a burl tonight to hear the difference compared to the standard G. :)

Many thanks for everyones replies. I have been away for a few days so haven't had a chance to try anything yet, but I will soon.

Regards,

Rich.