In this case, "raking" is not actually the right term although it's close to the right technique. Raking is not, usually, done with a strict sense of timing. It's more like a punctuation mark. Also (and this may just depend on who's teaching and what one's perception is), raking usually involves muting all the strings except the highest one played. Again, I can't stress enough that this may just be a matter of semantics, so let's not get bogged down in it and concentrate on what's important.
What is important, is timing. To get the effect that Kroikey describes (and I'm assuming he's going for the Animals' iconic arrangement of this song that most of us know), the arpeggio is actually very even with the exception of the second and third notes of it. Done is 6/8 timing, the Am arpeggio would look like this: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 +
E - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
B - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - -
G - - - - - - - - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 - - - - -
D - - - - - - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A - - 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
E - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It's easy enough to think of this as raking, but it's actually a carefully timed arpeggio. The open A string is hit on the first beat and then the next two notes (E at the second fret of the D and A at the second fret of the G) are evenly spaced out during the second beat. The other notes get one beat apiece.
This is a slight variation on what we use as the template for the Guitar Noise "Easy Songs for Beginners" arrangement of this song. If you can handle that one, then it's a small adjustment to getting to play this one.
Hope this helps.
Peace
The oddest thing for me, David, and maybe you can explain this...
I can do a great 6/8 strum and keep the chord changes going. Yet it's very difficult for me to do the chord changes doing the arpeggio. You'd think that doing faster chord changes doing a full strum would be harder. But for me it's the reverse. I know practice makes perfect, but I just find it odd.
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
It varies from person to person, and it would be a lot easier to sit down with someone to suss it all out, but often beginners inadvertently develop different mindsets when it comes to changing chords. And it usually depends on how they've spent the initial stages of focusing.
If they mostly strum songs, for instance, they can get a little tensed doing fingerstyle or even picked arpeggios and it's not that the chord changing needs to be slower as much as it's the lion's share of attention now going to the strumming hand, which previously was close to be on autopilot.
The thing is, given time and practice and patience, one gets fingerstyle or arpeggio patterns down just as cold as strumming and once that is taken care of, then the chord changes usually get back up to speed.
One of the other things that is also odd (and it's the reason I use the "main template version" of this song in my group classes), is that people who primarily just strum chords often develop what I call "cheating" habits. What I mean is that you can often strum a full chord and not have every note fingered cleanly and not really know that's what you're doing. Especially in a group class when everyone is playing at once. So using the arpeggio style of this song (or any song) can readily point out to the player if he or she isn't getting all the notes of the chord cleanly fingered. It's a great tool to use from time to time in order to maintain good finger positioning on chords.
Hope this helps.
Peace
That really all does make sense, especially the double edged sword of being self-conscious about the picking hand and losing a note or two in a full strum. Thanks. :)
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
The oddest thing for me, David, and maybe you can explain this...
I can do a great 6/8 strum and keep the chord changes going. Yet it's very difficult for me to do the chord changes doing the arpeggio. You'd think that doing faster chord changes doing a full strum would be harder. But for me it's the reverse. I know practice makes perfect, but I just find it odd.
Don't worry, I have the exact opposite problem...I can do it very well arpeggio style. But, when it comes to strumming in time, I'm still working on the basic strumming pattern of Horse With No Name while keeping up with the "chord changes".
In this case, "raking" is not actually the right term although it's close to the right technique. Raking is not, usually, done with a strict sense of timing. It's more like a punctuation mark. Also (and this may just depend on who's teaching and what one's perception is), raking usually involves muting all the strings except the highest one played. Again, I can't stress enough that this may just be a matter of semantics, so let's not get bogged down in it and concentrate on what's important.
What is important, is timing. To get the effect that Kroikey describes (and I'm assuming he's going for the Animals' iconic arrangement of this song that most of us know), the arpeggio is actually very even with the exception of the second and third notes of it. Done is 6/8 timing, the Am arpeggio would look like this: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 +
E - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
B - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - -
G - - - - - - - - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 - - - - -
D - - - - - - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A - - 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
E - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
David, dumb question; I've seen this type of tab for this song before. However, for the life of me I can't hear more than six notes per chord in the recording. Is the 2+3 part so quick that the notes blend like if it was swept/raked? Perhaps that is what I'm missing...
Don't worry, I have the exact opposite problem...I can do it very well arpeggio style.
I hate you! :evil:
Nah, just kidding. :wink:
But, when it comes to strumming in time, I'm still working on the basic strumming pattern of Horse With No Name while keeping up with the "chord changes".
Oh, Horse With No Name is deceptively difficult, I think. So I agree with you there.
Isn't it weird how we all have our own particular difficulties!?
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
Yeah, its weird/funny. I finally thought I was getting the hang of keeping the count (beat); then I listen to a backing track for this song last night and although my foot was still tapping or my head bopping to the beat, I often lost track of the count without the "drum" portion keeping time.
I guess now I have to learn to keep the count myself once I figure the beat out. Its always something... :lol:
Hi Bluesy
Sorry about not getting back to you on this sooner. My brain's not been working right of late! :wink:
I'll have to listen to the Animals' version again at some point soon to be certain, but I'm not sure they do the "rake" every single arpeggio. Let me hunt it down and get back to you on it, okay?
Peace
Sorry about neglecting my post back there! I'm definately talking about the Animals version.
The notes in the 2+3 timing window are what are raked/arpeggiated.
Pick bass note then have a tiny pause
Rake the chord from lowest to highest (the 2+3 part, minus the bass note already played, but this isn't that important)
Back pick from e to B to G.
I couldn't get the arppegios right at first, but listening to original song (Animals) a few times and it was clear my timing between the first bass note, the arpeggio, and the back picking, required a little work. This was my favourite song for a while, mainly due to the simple chords, simple words, and the lovely sounding arpeggiated raking technique. It sounds complex for little effort! Good luck.
I still work on this song and have found that when back picking the e, B, G,
that I make the chord change on the G string . . . leaving it open (G) on the D to F to Am to E chords changes.
It makes it easier to get the chord changes done in time for the beat.
Listening to the original, House of the Rising Sun, I think that's what's being done . . . and I've seen it tabbed that way.
I'm not sure what raking means . . . but I make three distinct picks on those three strings . . .
however, what I do is sweep the low to high note arpeggio . . . that is, instead of picking the strings individually, I'll just run the pick from the low to high notes in the chord.
It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.
Check this out:
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/a/animals/house_of_the_rising_sun_video_lesson.htm
I can't wait to go home and try this tonight! :D
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
Listening to the original, House of the Rising Sun, I think that's what's being done . . . and I've seen it tabbed that way.
Notice how when the "funeral march" stops behind the keyboards, the guitarist switches to a strumming, then once or twice between strumming and arpeggio/raking when the walk starts again. It sounds like the keyboardist is picking up some of the arpeggio too. Dylan picks the bass then strums. It's a great song anyway you slice it. I think it speaks of tragedy.
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
It's a great song anyway you slice it.
Agree with you there. Just for fun, here's a completely different version - it was a huge hit here in the UK back in about 1970 or so.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t40INnb6DnY
Although, in MY opinion, the Animals' take on HOTRS is the classic/definitive version, I also love this version.
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Check this out:
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/a/animals/house_of_the_rising_sun_video_lesson.htm
I can't wait to go home and try this tonight! :D
Justin is so good. He encapsulated everything I've learned about that song in that video.
He's my new English idol . . . sorry, Vic.
It's the rock that gives the stream its music . . . and the stream that gives the rock its roll.
