Posted by waxwing on January 13, 2003, 1:09 am, in reply to "Re: Canned heat" I agree with you.it can be done in D std tuning (as Tommy Johnson probably does) as well as in E std tuning as Houston Stackhouse does it souds good to me in both cases.
64.121.194.30
Hey John,
Yves recently emailed me asking for tab to Canned Heat. I decided to oblige him. After going to the effort I thought I would post it here for anyone else interested, along with my thoughts on the issue. I'd appreciate it if you or Ari, or anyone else, would check over my convoluted description for any errors. Thanks.
All for now.
John C.
Hey Yves,
Well, I don't really have it tabbed out on paper (or screen), but I can give you the positions and some of the licks and it should be easy to work out from the CD. If you don't have the CD, go to Document Records and get the Complete Works of TJ. I think it's been recently remastered. The sound quality on Canned Heat is pretty good.
So, I play the "sig riff" on a normal D played with a 3 string barre, leaving the ring(3) and pinkie(4) free. The pick is just thumb brushes, but I try to be very precise. 3rd and 4th strings on the beat, 4th, 5th and 6th on the "and". Add the 4th finger 3rd str. 4th fret on the 2nd and 4th full beats. strike the 4th string fretted at the 3rd sliding to the 4th on the 4th "and-a". Repeat the measure. As the vocal starts, strike the open D on the DownBeat, then up to 5th str. 7th, and 6th str. 5th, "and 2 and 3", both strings down one fret, "and", down one more fret, "4", D chord, "and", still all thumb brushes. Once through the sig riff, but on the last "and-a" reach out with the index finger to the 3rd str. 3rd fret, and slide it up to a long A form barred at the 7th (still in a D chord). Thumb brushes on the high strings, "and-2-and-3", dropping the 6th str. to the 8th fret, "and-4-and". Now a cool lick. Keeping the barre on the 7th, but loose, to mute some, pull a deep bend in the 2nd str. at the 8th fret as you strike on the beat, then release to stop it as you thumb the 3rd str. on the "and", repeat each beat, but on the 4th beat slide down to fret the 2nd str. on the 1st fret walking into the B bass at the 2nd fret on the DB. You should be in an abbreviated G chord now, two fingers, 2nd on the 2nd str. 2nd fret, 4th on the 5th str. 3rd fret. TJ uses a variety of fingerpicked licks involving the D on the 2nd str. and the E (open) and F (1st fret) on the first str. (hammer ons and whatnot), thumbing the B in the bass on the beat, for 2 measures with the same little walk up before the second measure (except in the verse "cryin' mama, mama, mama"). 2 more measures of the sig riff, then, I think TJ goes to an A7th, but I like to follow the vocal line by going to a long A, striking the open 2nd str. on the DB, then thumb brushes on the treble strings, "and-2-and-3", and let go the 5th fret to let the second fret barre sound on the 1st str., "and". Then I rest on the 4th beat before the walk up to the G chord lick(s). I think TJ brushes the A7th through the 4th beat into the walk up. One measure in G and back to the beginning.
The incredibly lonesome tag is the first thing I ever tabbed myself. It's all forms already used in the piece, just not exactly in the same order. I highly recommend that you try to tab it yourself. I purchased Reed Kotler's Transkriber 2.0 and found it really opened a door for me. I've since tabbed my first entire song, BBF's Step It Up And Go. and am looking forward to tackling another.
As you might imagine, it was an effort to write this out for you. I did it because several people were very patient in helping me to learn this piece, and I guess I'm repaying my debt to the universe. It's not really fair to ask people to tab things out for you on a forum. If you are really interested in a number that's not already in print somewhere, I.E. the Guitar Workshop, use this motivation to work on your own transcribing abilities. It will bring you closer to the music. Meanwhile, learn the songs that are already tabbed in print. It's all good.
All for now,
John C.
on 1/12/03 12:24 AM, BACKDOORASSOC45@aol.com at BACKDOORASSOC45@aol.com wrote:
As they were very close musicians I doubt that they were playing same tune in two different tuning.
Another suggestion is that Tommy Johnson plays in E position std tuning but tuned two steps below the pitch...
Could you supply me with the tab from what you did with Paul
I'd love to work with it.
What do you think ?
In any case the "signature riff" of canned heat sounds great in both keys and can be used when playin with others ...
Yves
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