First off let me thank the members of this forum for this goldmine of information for newbies ...I have been spending days going over all the threads and having a great time. I'm like the other newbie who was about ready to give up on the guitar..having spent weeks with "guitar for dummies" - and not playing anything that sounded half ways decent..now I've found this site I'm having a great time.
On to my question ..I found the following tab for one of my favorites ...but can't get the strum right. I've tried a simple D DU U DU and it works..but then I seem to go out of whack - I try doubling up on some of the chords but I think I'm missing something.
Title: REASON TO BELIEVE (Tim Hardin)
G D G
If I listened long enough to you
C D G
I'd find a way to believe that it's all true
A D C G
Knowing that you lied straight faced while I cried
Em C D
Still I look to find a reason to believe
C D Em D
Someone like you makes it hard to live without somebody else
C D Em D
Someone like you makes it easy to give never thinking about myself
G D G
If I gave you time to change my mind
C D G
I'd find a way to leave the past behind
A D C G
Knowing that you lied straight faced while I cried
Em C D
Still I look to find a reason to believe
LEAD (C D Em D (4X) )
C D Em D
Someone like you makes it hard to live without somebody else
C D Em D
Someone like you makes it easy to give never thinking about myself
G D G
If I listened long enough to you
C D G
I'd find a way to believe that it's all true
A D C G
Knowing that you lied straight faced while I cried
Em C D
Still I look to find a reason to believe
Em C D
Still I look to find a reason to believe
Em C D
Still I look to find a reason to believe
Em C D
Still I look to find a reason to believe
Great song!
Many folks play it with a "two measure pattern," meaning that the strumming pattern alternates between two different (although fairly similar in this case) patterns, each one being four beats (one measure). Try using this for the first measure: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D U U D U
And either this: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D U D D U
or this: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D U D U D U
for the second measure.
Remember that there is rarely one "set pattern" for any song. So, for instance, if you did this for the first measure: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D U D U D
And this for the second: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D U D U D U D U
it's going to sound fine as long as you're keeping the beat, the overall tempo, steady.
Hope this helps and a belated welcome to Guitar Noise!
Peace
Peace
Thanks very much for the suggestions..I will give them a try...
The chord changes are coming more on their own without me concentrating which finger goes where..so it's about time I spent time on strum techniques :)
I've been messing with the song all evening and decided I prefer this to the posted version above ( Em replaces the G):
G D Em
If I listened long enough to you
It's one of those songs you can play and it's recognizable without having to sing along..since chord changes and strumming is about all I can manage at this stage in my learning :)
Thanks again!
I've always played this in A, rather than G - but then again, when I was a teenager, Rod Stewart's version was a huge hit. Actually, it was the B-side of "Maggie May" - but RTB got a lot of airplay. Some songs are just too good to be relegated to b-sides!
Thanks for the reminder, I'll have to have a go at this when I've had a couple of hours sleep.....
: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.)
Thanks for this one Jackie 999,
This is such a beautiful song and like you I had trouble getting the strumming right when I last tried out a couple of years ago. So thanks also to David Hodge for adding the strumming patterns.
I'll be trying it out for size again like Vic.
It's strange but do guitarists across the world have some kind teleportation of thoughts because I spent yesterday evening trying to get Rod Stewart and The Faces "Cindy Incidently" nailed. Just love that song too! Oh and yes I got it nailed! Just got to get that Rod Stewart gravel voice for the lyrics. No chance there. Ah Vic! you have got that voice!!! can I borrow it?
All the best
Chris
The guitar is all right John but you'll never make a living out of it! (John Lennon's Aunt Mimi)
