Before You Accuse Me

I had some questions for David Hodge on this lesson a couple of months ago.  Here is a link to the thread:

http://forums.guitarnoise.com/?board=guitar_beginner;action=display;num=1054235604

Maybe this can add to the discussion on "Before You Accuse Me".

I wasn't familiar with this song but the guitar does sound good although I'm not sure I have the rhythm down properly

hope I ask this correctly: I need help with the timing between notes. Do I pause/hesitate a little more at  "a" than I do at "b", or longer at "b", or is it the same pause between them all

0--a--0--b--0--c--0--d--0--e--0
2--a--2--b--4--c--4--d--2--e--2

any help is much appreciated

Musenfreund: would you mind giving an example of playing this shuffle "up the neck" - thanks

hope I ask this correctly: I need help with the timing between notes. Do I pause/hesitate a little more at  "a" than I do at "b", or longer at "b", or is it the same pause between them all

0--a--0--b--0--c--0--d--0--e--0
2--a--2--b--4--c--4--d--2--e--2

any help is much appreciated

Musenfreund: would you mind giving an example of playing this shuffle "up the neck" - thanks

up the neck, okay.

You could, for example, play the E with the root on the fifth string, fret 7

---------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
----------9--9---11---11----------------------------
----------7--7----7-----7----------------------------
-----------------------------------------------

The A on the sixth string, fifth fret

---------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
---------7--7---9---9---------------------------------
---------5---5--5---5----------------------------

The D would be at the same fret but the root's on the fifth string:

---------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
-----------7----7------9---9--------------------
-----------5----5------5---5-------------------------
-----------------------------------------------

That's what;'s nice about this shape for the powerchords.  Once you find the root on any string, you can shift the chord around the fretboard to find different voicings.  But once you move away from the nut, you'll need to extend your little finger to boogie.  I think if you peek ahead to David's lesson on "Roll Over Beethoven" he gets into this.

Play around with the rhythm.  I'm at work without  a guitar so I hesitate to give any specific advice on it.  I need to play it and decide what I do.  But, yes, you need to get a bit of a groove in there and not just bang away at it -- the groove will give it that bluesy feel.  (not very helpful, I know.  Sorry).
Tim

Here's a suggestion.  Go to the  powertab archive and you'll be able to download a powertab file of Clapton's unplugged version of "Before You Accuse Me".  It's essentially the same tab that David's given you in the lesson once you get past the intro.  Now you're just focussing on the shuffle, not the intro or fills or solos, so there's more on the powertab than you need to worry about.  But, and this is the key, if you download the powertab and play it using the built in midi-player it will be an immense help for you in getting the rhythm.  If you haven't already downloaded the powertab editor, which you'll need to play and read the tab, you can get it from the second link.  

http://www.powertabs.net/pta_search.php?page=browse

Powertab editor from:
http://www.power-tab.net/

Tim and Joe, thanks again for taking the time to suggest all the above, hope a lot of others are making use of this, it'll take me a few days to sort it all out, I'm in Australia, so on a different time, regards

Allison :)

oops, sorry, also thanks to Laoch!! and da Sniper and Jaye!! :)

astokes

I think between everyone we've pretty well covered playing it.  Now its more the time spent playing it that is needed.

The reason I brought up the " Take it Off " song was to show that sometimes that pattern can be used for almost anything and not just the main rhythm through-out the whole song.

Once you get the style down you'll start hearing it in all kinds of songs,from blues to heavy metal, you name everyone plays it.
Practice it slowly at first,  get the main Idea down then start playing it at different speeds.
Then just for something to do, through it in here and there in between chords.

Here's a little something to try. When you putting down a boogie shuffle, reach over with your middle and ringer fingers and get a couple of optional notes (@).

(E chord)
E|---|----|----|---|---|---
B|---|----|----|---|---|---
G|---|----|---|---|---|---
D|---|---1|---|---|---|---
A|---|---1|---|---3|---4|---
E|---|----|----@|---@|---|---

(a chord)
E|---|-----|---|---|---|---
B|---|----|----|---|---|---
G|---|---1|----|---|---|---
D|---|---1|----|---3|---4|---
A|---|----|---@|---@|---|---
E|---|----|---@|---@|---|---

Song's that would be an example of these optional notes,would be the begining of Uncle Ted's " Cat scratch fever " and Boston's " rock and roll band "

--------------------------|
--------------------------|
-----------------2--------|
--2--------2-----2--------|
--2--------------0--0-3-4-|
--0--0-3-4---3-4----------|

Asking Questions around here and getting answers from folks from all walks of life that play different styles, we'll show you anything is possible and that your playing that will bring anyone listening out of their seats. They'll be asking how'd you play that, were did you learn to play that.

You'll get their attention.

Joe

Musenfreund
- thanks for the powertab site, I'll check it out.
- at what point in the song would you play "up the neck"? the second verse? halfway thru the first?

Musenfreund
- thanks for the powertab site, I'll check it out.
- at what point in the song would you play "up the neck"? the second verse? halfway thru the first?

You don't need to play the chords up the neck at all.  Sometimes, though, you might decide you want a little variety and to jam on this shuffle a bit you might move the chords.  Whenever the mood hits you, basically.  You know, okay, I think this is starting to feel a little monotonous, I'm going to move the chords just to get a little different sound.  Myself, I'd probably shift after the turnaround to start the next verse in another position.

Hope that made sense.

That powertab is pretty good. I have one question though. He uses Vibrato on open strings. Does he pull a Jimmy Page and bend the string behind the nut?(Dazed & Confused)

That powertab is pretty good. I have one question though. He uses Vibrato on open strings. Does he pull a Jimmy Page and bend the string behind the nut?(Dazed & Confused)

I'd have to check the DVD to be sure but I doubt it.  That's not very Clapton like.  My guess is he uses a vibrato bar, but that's just a guess.  (And it's also possible that the tab's misleading and that he's not playing the note open).
Tim

Hmm... could be a vibrato bar but I do't know of any accoustics that have one  :-/

Hmm... could be a vibrato bar but I do't know of any accoustics that have one  :-/

Right you are, duh. :-[ Forgot that it was "unplugged".  Clearly not a vibrato bar.  My guess is the tab's not quite right, but I could be wrong.  Unless he's somehow getting a vibrato effect with fingerpicking maybe?  That could be.

Wait. I got it. Its cuz he is [glow=red,2,300]CLAPTON[/glow] and he can do anything he wants with a guitar. It must obey his every command!

Wait. I got it. Its cuz he is [glow=red,2,300]CLAPTON[/glow] and he can do anything he wants with a guitar. It must obey his every command!

You know what, I'm now starting to think the powertab is probably from the electric version on Journeyman, not from the unplugged version, though I'd guess they're basically the same.  Certainly the shuffle is.  On Journeyman he does the tune with Robert Cray.  (And he does "Run So Far" with Harrison -- love those Clapton Harrison collaborations).

But you're right, it could just be that the guitar knows it must obey "God".