the john butler trio - take alright first thing equipment. John uses as usual a twelve string with the high G string taken off to be able to bend better. The 12 string is played through a Marshall with a moderate amount of gain. Now the tricky part - the technique. John tunes his 12 string for this track to C G C G C E. He uses no pick, insted he has real meaty finger nails and a really developed hybrid picking technique. This can be a bit tricky for some people who are trying this type of stuff for the first time but hey, there's nothing stopping ya from bringing out the old jimmy dunlop 1mm plectrum (except the fact that you will have to learn to hold it with your thum and forefinger so you got the other three fingers free for picking). O.K the scale he uses for this track (don't scroll down this stuff will help you immensely for understanding how to play his solos, or make up your own for that matter). I tend to concentrate on the 2nd string, as he does for this track. E--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-----0 C--0--2--3--5--7--8--10---12 G--0--0--0--0--0--0--0----0 C--0--0--0--0--0--0--0----0 G--0--0--0--0--0--0--0----0 C--0--0--0--0--0--0--0----0 You can see he uses this tuneing, the open tuneing creates a realy strong bottom end which is just perfect for busking. O.K enough crap he's the tab there is no slide on this tune. Intro the 3h5 means a hammer on between 3 and 5 the 5p3 means a pull off between 5 and 3 E----------------------------------------- C--0-2-3-3h5---3h5p3--2-0-0h2----- G--0-0-0-0------0---------0-0-0-------- C--0-0-0-0------0---------0-0-0-------- G--0-0-0-0------0---------0-0-0-------- C------------------------------------ damm I'll be be buggered if I can sit here and tab this out note for note. Just use the scale that I wrote out up top to play what you think sounds cool, That and you will never learn anything if you don't open your mind to new experiences and just let loose, just be sure to do a few hammer ons and pull offs and be sure to hit those drone notes. Drums come in at 0.50 and then hit all open strings. at 1.04 john starts beating the crap out his strings (muted strings with left hand). Listen to the CD for timeing. at 1.17 The * mean to play a harmonic E-----------------12*--12* C-----------------12*--12* G-----------------12*--12* C--12*--12*--------------- G--12*--12*--------------- C--12*--12*--------------- play that a few times then E--------------------0--------------0----0--- C--------------------10h12h10--10---10-- G--5-3-1------------0-------------0-----0--- C--------------------0--------------0-----0-- G--5-3-1------------0--------------0----0--- C----------3-2------0--------------0-----0-- Ok once again this is going to get long and tedious and hard looking when this is pretty simple to play. Basicly your strumming a stedy rhythm, as your doing this you fret the 10th on the 2nd string and hammer on then pull off a few times. then move down to 8th fret and hammer on / pull off onto the 10th and go down the neck. (I really hope you get what I mean). the bit that start at around 1.40 goes E--0---------0-0-0----------- C--7h8p7--7-7-7h8p7---- G--0--------0-0-0---------- C--0--------0-0-0---------- G--0--------0-0-0---------- C--0--------0-0-0---------- That a few times then E--3-3-3----5-5-5-5 C--3-3-3----5-5-5-5 G--3-3-3----5-5-5-5 C--3-3-3----5-5-5-5 G--3-3-3----5-5-5-5 C--3-3-3----5-5-5-5 the voice comes in a few seconds later and I just keep playing that bit that starts at 1.40, but a bit softer. Pre Chorus apply vibro to the 14th, listen to the CD for how many times to play it. E--0----0-------------3-3-3----5-5-5 C--14v-14v---------3-3-3----5-5-5 G--0----0-------------3-3-3----5-5-5 C--0----0-------------3-3-3----5-5-5 G--0----0-------------3-3-3----5-5-5 C--0----0-------------3-3-3----5-5-5 The Chorus E--0-0-0---8-8-8----10-10-10---3-3-3 C--0-0-0---8-8-8----10-10-10---3-3-3 G--0-0-0---8-8-8----10-10-10---3-3-3 C--0-0-0---8-8-8----10-10-10---3-3-3 G--0-0-0---8-8-8----10-10-10---3-3-3 C--0-0-0---8-8-8----10-10-10---3-3-3 after playing this riff foe a few times rip into another solo then verse, then solo again. Try to do your best to work the solos out or even better make up your own.