With a little help from my Friends
- Dave White
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With a little help from my Friends
I posted this some time ago on a guitar players forum but thought it would make a nice Christmas present here.
At the turn of the last century (sounds great doesn't it ) I had the great fortune for a number of years to go to an annual weekend guitar workshop that Martin Simpson hosted in Little Grove, Chesham. I learned so much that shapes my playing and arranging now on guitar and it was a real turning point. Amongst other things we got to see the evolution of a lot of the material that became Martin's "The Bramble Briar" CD. At the 2000 workshop Martin played us one of his "works in progress" - his arrangement in DADGAD of "With A Little Help From My Friends" in the Joe Cocker style rather than from Sgt Pepper. This was a fabulous "constant motion" arrangement in Martin's trademark style that haunted me. Martin kindly allowed us to video the Workshops and from these I tabbed and transcribed what he played. Martin's "works in progress" can take years or decades to evolve and I haven't heard him play it in concert or record it. A couple of months ago I found the tab I had written down and became immersed in it and added a few bits of my own (you can easily tell those ) - this is essentially Martin's composition though. I finally got a version complete enough to record using my (or rather my daughter Suzie's ) Euro spruce/Black Limba 13 frets clear Grand Concert with 24.9" scale length:
The title seems appropriate for a Forum where friends hang out to talk about instruments they make and play so I thought I'd run it past you all to see what you think:
With A Little Help From My Friends
At the turn of the last century (sounds great doesn't it ) I had the great fortune for a number of years to go to an annual weekend guitar workshop that Martin Simpson hosted in Little Grove, Chesham. I learned so much that shapes my playing and arranging now on guitar and it was a real turning point. Amongst other things we got to see the evolution of a lot of the material that became Martin's "The Bramble Briar" CD. At the 2000 workshop Martin played us one of his "works in progress" - his arrangement in DADGAD of "With A Little Help From My Friends" in the Joe Cocker style rather than from Sgt Pepper. This was a fabulous "constant motion" arrangement in Martin's trademark style that haunted me. Martin kindly allowed us to video the Workshops and from these I tabbed and transcribed what he played. Martin's "works in progress" can take years or decades to evolve and I haven't heard him play it in concert or record it. A couple of months ago I found the tab I had written down and became immersed in it and added a few bits of my own (you can easily tell those ) - this is essentially Martin's composition though. I finally got a version complete enough to record using my (or rather my daughter Suzie's ) Euro spruce/Black Limba 13 frets clear Grand Concert with 24.9" scale length:
The title seems appropriate for a Forum where friends hang out to talk about instruments they make and play so I thought I'd run it past you all to see what you think:
With A Little Help From My Friends
Dave White
[url=http://www.defaoiteguitars.com]De Faoite Stringed Instruments[/url]
[url=http://www.defaoiteguitars.com]De Faoite Stringed Instruments[/url]
Dave what a beautiful guitar and the tune is incredible as is the playing. I am listening to is right now and I am very impressed with your playing. I wish that I could play like that.
You are right this is a very haunting sound - a sound that I really like.
Outstanding and thanks my friend for all that you do - very, very well I will add!
You are right this is a very haunting sound - a sound that I really like.
Outstanding and thanks my friend for all that you do - very, very well I will add!
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