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Country Blues => Country Blues Licks and Lessons => Topic started by: outfidel on June 01, 2004, 10:56:25 AM

Title: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: outfidel on June 01, 2004, 10:56:25 AM
Does anyone have tab for McGee's "Easy Rider"? His version on Document is in C & he plays it on a guitjo/banjar, but I'm thinking that it will sound good on my 00-18CTN. Well, good for me anyway. Thanks.
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: Johnm on June 01, 2004, 10:51:21 PM
Hi Outfidel,
Why don't you try figuring it out by ear?  You already know what position Sam played it out of.  I bet you can do it.  It's a common Ragtime progression.  Good luck!
All best,
Johnm
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: thumbstyle on June 02, 2004, 01:05:02 AM

Why don't you try figuring it out by ear?? You already know what position Sam played it out of.? I bet you can do it.? It's a common Ragtime progression.? Good luck!


Great advice John! It's great to learn a new tune, but it feels even better when you work it out for yourself. And it'll give you better chops for learning more tunes in the future.

So go for it, Out! Good luck.

Dave
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: thumbstyle on June 02, 2004, 01:11:50 AM
From the Quote Generator Oracle  :D :

"So they get part of the tune. Then they flag it and get frustrated. Damn, be happy! You got part of the tune. That doesn't stop you... it's not being complacent, it's being realistic. You can't just go through every CD you have and every tune that you like say 'Why can't I play that?' Or 'Why can't I play it as well as that?'" - Jerry Ricks, PT 97
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: Richard on June 02, 2004, 05:30:00 AM
Having not played for that long, working out whole tune is bit ambitious for me, but I''ll work out the odd lick or whatever and it's the achievement that counts, so Outfidel go for!
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: outfidel on June 02, 2004, 07:26:38 AM
Oh c'mon, fellas! I was expecting an easy ride for "Easy Rider".  :)

Sheesh, ya make me do all the "work".  ;)
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: uncle bud on June 02, 2004, 08:58:08 AM
Why not post your progress here (not tab necessarily, but general playing details and chords), and we can comment or help out if you're stuck on a part. Although I myself don't have Sam doing this tune and would need to hear it...
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: frankie on June 02, 2004, 09:12:54 AM
Why don't you try figuring it out by ear?

The more you do it, the better you'll get at it.  The sooner you start doing it, the sooner you'll get good at it.  Learning by ear is a powerful thing for anyone who plays vernacular music of any style - you can apply it to any musical situation!
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: outfidel on June 02, 2004, 11:19:35 AM
Although I myself don't have Sam doing this tune and would need to hear it...

Sam's version is on the terrific collection, Old-Time Mountain Blues (http://www.countysales.com/php-bin/ecomm4/products.php?category_id=&product_id=3483&prev_id=&next_id=), whose liner notes include extensive commentary by a Mr. John Miller.

Okay, I'll take shot at figuring out this song out by ear.
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: uncle bud on June 02, 2004, 11:43:52 AM
Although I myself don't have Sam doing this tune and would need to hear it...

Sam's version is on the terrific collection, Old-Time Mountain Blues (http://www.countysales.com/php-bin/ecomm4/products.php?category_id=&product_id=3483&prev_id=&next_id=), whose liner notes include extensive commentary by a Mr. John Miller.

Okay, I'll take shot at figuring out this song out by ear.

I didn't know about this one. Looks great. I have  Old-Time Mountain Guitar (http://www.countysales.com/php-bin/ecomm4/products.php?category_id=&product_id=432&prev_id=1942&next_id=2638), which is also tremendous.
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: frankie on June 02, 2004, 04:02:04 PM
Okay, I'll take shot at figuring out this song out by ear.

That's the spirit!  I found an mp3 of this tune in my virtual pile of mp3s...

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Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: Richard on June 03, 2004, 08:06:14 AM
Well, in the jazz world we know that as Salty Dog - for which the basic chords immediately to hand are shown as, a bar of each -
E     A     D     G
E     A     D     G

Any help?
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: outfidel on June 03, 2004, 10:19:09 AM
Well, in the jazz world we know that as Salty Dog - for which the basic chords immediately to hand are shown as, a bar of each -
E A?D?G
E?A?D?G

Any help?

Circle of 4ths?

C-F-Bb-Eb? ?
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: frankie on June 03, 2004, 11:23:45 AM
Circle of 4ths?

C-F-Bb-Eb?
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: waxwing on June 03, 2004, 11:55:43 AM
Hey Out,
As someone who has been greatly encouraged by members of this board, let me further encourage you to work out this song. It is an excellent early step toward freeing yourself from tab.
Circle of 4ths is really just a circle of 5ths backwards and is common in rags. You've got the actual chords worked out, but you need to look at capoing to find the guitar chords. One hint is that high C note he hits all the time. Another hint is that the first chord does have that raggy C sound so what other chord has a similar structure and sound, and how far would you have to capo it up for it to actually be a C. Once you think you've found the capo position, work out the bass line with that little walk down to see how it fits. Then add the "chick" to the "boom". All that's left is the treble, the fun part. Breaking it down into small pieces really makes it seem easy.
If you're looking for some slow down software, I would reccommend you check out Transcribe! (http://www.seventhstring.demon.co.uk/xscribe/). It has a graphic display of the sound that is very easy to use, (mark beats, grab loops and such) and has good sound quality at slow speeds. It has helped my progress in training these old ears.
Hope this helps.
All for now.
John C.
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: outfidel on July 14, 2004, 09:35:53 AM
Okay, after everyone's advice & encouragement, I started playing along with McGee's 1928 recording. I'm playing these chord shapes -- G-E7-A7-D7-G -- capoed at the 5th fret (so it's in C).

My version sounds pretty good -- at least it sounds "musical" -- but I'm not sure if I'm playing the same chords that McGee is. Maybe it's his guitjo/banjar, or maybe it's my tin ears, but I can't tell for sure if I'm tune with him.

Anyway, this song is a heckuva lot of fun...thanks again everybody!

 8)
Title: Re: "Easy Rider" by Sam McGee?
Post by: frankie on July 14, 2004, 01:33:56 PM
Outfidel, I'm just curious - If you're trying to get a handle on specifically what SM is doing, why not try playing the tune in C without the capo?  From what I remember about the tune, that's where he's playing it, although he may be tuned slightly higher or lower than A=440.
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