Embryonic Journey
Guitar Pro Tab | v5.10
| Posted on Feb. 22, 2012, 6:24 a.m.
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Guitar Pro Tab Summary
Album
Surrealistic Pillow
Song Author
unknown
File Size
14 KB
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Notice
Guitar Notes: Notes with a downward stem are to be
played with the thumb. All other notes are to be played
with the index, middle and ring fingers. Make sure to
use all three fingers.
Embryonic Journey is in dropped 'D' tuning. The low 'E'
string is tuned to a 'D'. Dropped 'D' is one of the most
common tunings found in this style of finger picking.
Others, such as Open 'D' (D, A, D, F#, A, D) and Open
'E' (E, B, E, G#, B, E) are also commonly used.
The first four measure phrase is straightforward. The
bass 'D' note falls on every beat. The thumb strikes the
4th (D) string on every upbeat. This simple alternation
of bass strings is the key to the song and gives rise to
the name of this finger picking pattern: "alternating
bass." In this four measure phrase, the treble voice is
not independent of the bass voice; however, the
hammer-ons do add a slight syncopated feel. If you
have trouble with this phrase try a couple of measures
of only alternating bass as an intro. This should help
you find the groove.
The next eight measure phrase, starting with measure
9, closes the previous musical idea and creates a
balanced 16 measure phrase. Like the previous
phrase, this one is actually a four measure phrase
which is repeated. Be careful with measures 11 and
15. Each chord is held for three sixteenth notes,
creating a feel of three against four. Also be careful
with measures 10, 12, and 14 and 16 since the bass
'D' falls on the upbeat at least once in each of those
measures.
Measures 17 through 24 provide no surprises. Give
these measures some real dynamic contrast. Get
louder as the pitch gets higher and softer as it gets
lower. By the time you reach measure 25, there should
be a distinct melodic voice which is slightly syncopated
against the alternating bass. It is important that these
treble lines stand out as distinct voices. A number of
the musical lines here start on the last sixteenth of the
fourth beat. If you start these lines on beat one you'll
lose the flow of the music and find yourself rushing
sections to fit all the notes in.
