• Song:

    Mediterranean Sundance

  • Artist:

    Dimeola Al

#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
~From: ebshen@athena.mit.edu (Eric B Shen)

This is my transcription of Al DiMeola's _Mediterranean Sundance_, an
acoustic duet with Paco Delucia off of the album _Elegant Gypsy_.  Al
plays on the right channel, and Paco plays on the left channel.  Paco
picks finger-style, while Al uses a pick.

Some notes:

I have only transcribed Al's parts, as I got tired of transcribing this
monster.  (Paco's rhythm parts would be very difficult to transcribe
note for note, as he plays more intricate finger-style parts than Al)

Apparently, an incomplete transcription of this piece exists (from an
old magazine).  I have not seen it, and therefore have not had the
opportunity to refer to it.

Al's playing is very fast and very clean.  Amazing, especially beacause
he is doing it on a steel-strung acoustic.  He may be playing
certain phrases in different positions, but the ones I notated are the
most likely.  The transcription is broken up roughly by phrasing.

Though I have not transcribed any of Paco's parts, there are only two
basic chord progresssions in the entire piece.  Em D C B7, and Am Bm7
(Bbm7) Am7 B7.  Paco uses the Bbm7 to approach the Am7 from the Bm7 when
he is playing in the upper positions, a very common jazz-thing.

This piece is ideal for a duet.  One player can jam out the chords,
while the other solos, and the players can switch around.  It would be
kind of silly to try to recreate this piece note for note, don't you
think?  Otherwise, Al's leads are good scalar exercises for building up
your acoustic chops.

============================================================================
Transcription notation:

h - hammer on

p - pull off

/ - slide up

\ - slide down

~ - vibrato

muted - palm mute

strum - strum the preceding chord

random comments are located throughout the transcription
============================================================================
Mediterranean Sundance (any comments please email ebshen@athena.mit.edu)


A:
|---0--0--0----0----0--0--0----0-----------0-|------------------------------|
|--1--1--1----1-1--1--1--1----1-1----0-----0-|------------------------------|
|-4--2--0--0h2----4--2--0--0h2------0-0------|-(repeat A  2nd time muted)---|
|----------------------------------4---4---2-|------------------------------|
|---------------------------------2-----2--2-|------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------0-0-|------------------------------|

B:
|---------10--12\------12-10-7-10-7-----7-7-7-5-3-5-3-2-2-----2-3-5-3-2-----|
|--8-10/12--12-------8-10--8-5--8-5-----5-5-5-3-1-3-1-0-0-------------------|
|-9-9---------------9-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------(fast)--------|
|----------------------|-muted----|-----|---let ring----|-------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|


-----------2-3-5-3-2-----------2-3-5-3-2-----------2-3-5-3-2---------|------|
-4-5-7-5-4-----------5-4-5/7-7-----------4-5-7-5-4-----------5-4-5-5-|------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------|------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------|------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------|------|
---------------------------------------------------------------------|------|


------------|--7-8-10-8-7------------7-8-10-8-7---------------7-8-10-8-7----|
------------|-------------7-8-10-8-7------------10-8-10/12-12---------------|
-(repeat B)-|---------------------------------------------------------------|
------------|--(fast)-------------------------------------------------------|
------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|
------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|


------------7-8-10-8-7--------||--------------------------------------------|
-7-8-10-8-7------------8-7-5~-||--------------------------------------------|
------------------------------||---(end of the intro)-----------------------|
------------------------------||--------------------------------------------|
------------------------------||--------------------------------------------|
------------------------------||--------------------------------------------|

DiMeola's Lead, Paco plays essentially Am Bm7 (Bbm7) Am7 B7
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---7---8---10---12-----13p12-10h12-10-8-8h10-8h10-8-8h10-8-8h10-8----------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-|-tremelo-picking-|-------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|


-----------------------------------------------|--------5-7-8-7-5---7-5-----|
-8p7-8p7-8p7-8p7--7-7\5-5----5-5-5-5-5-5/7-7~--|--5-7-8-----------8-----8-7-|
-----------------------------------------------|----------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------|----------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------|--(fast)--------------------|
-----------------------------------------------|----------------------------|


-5----------------------------------------------------------|---------------|
---8-7-5-8-7-5----------------------------------------------|---------------|
---------------7-5---4-----------------------4-5-4---4-5-4--|----------5-7--|
-------------------7---5-7-4-5---4-----4-5-7-------7--------|--4/5-7-9------|
-------------------------------7---5-7----------------------|---------------|
-----------------------------------------------(slower)-----|--(fast)-------|


--------------------7-------------7-10-8-7----8-7-------------7-8-10--10-----|
-------7---8-7-10-8---10-8-7-8-10----------10-----10-8-7-8-10----------------|
-9-7-9---9-------------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|(slower)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


-10/12-12-12/14-14-14/15-15-15\14-14-14-14\12-12-12-12\10-10-10-10\8-8-8\7--|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


-7-7/8-7-7-5-5/7-7--|--------5-7-8-7-5---7-5-----5---------------------------|
--------------------|--5-7-8-----------8-----8-7---8-7-5-8-7-5---------------|
--------------------|------------------------------------------7-5-4-7-5-4---|
--------------------|------------------------------------------------------7-|
--------------------|--(fast)------------------------------------------------|
--------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|

                                                        Paco plays Em D C B7
--------------------------------------------------------|-----------12-14-15-|
--------------------------------------------------------|--12-13-15----------|
-5-4-----4----------------------------------------------|--------------------|
-----7-5---7-5-4-7-5-4----------------------------------|--(fast and muted)--|
-----------------------7-5-3-2-0-2-0-2-0-------0-2-0-2--|--------------------|
-----------------------------------------3-2-3----------|--------------------|


-14-12-14-12-14-12--|-----------12-14-12-14-12----12-----|-----------12-14--|
--------------------|--12-13-15----------------15----15--|--12-13-15--------|
--------------------|------------------------------------|------------------|
-------(slower)-----|--(fast and muted)--(slower)--------|--(fast)----------|
--------------------|------------------------------------|------------------|
--------------------|------------------------------------|------------------|


-15-14-12----14-12-------12--------------------------------------------------|
----------15-------15-13----15-13-12-15-13-12--------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------14-12-11-14-12-11-9-12-11-9----|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------12-|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-11-9-------9---------------------------------------------------------------|
------12-10---12-10-9-12-10-9----10-9-------9---------------9-10-12-9-10-12-|
------------------------------12------12-10---12-10-9-10-12-----------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


--------------------------10-|-12-10-------10-------------------------------|
-----------------10-12-13----|-------13-12----13-12-10-13-12-10----12-10----|
-9-11-12-9-11-12-------------|----------------------------------12-------12-|
-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------|-(still fast)---------------------------------|
-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------|


-----------------7-8-7-------------7-8-10-8-7-------------------------------|
----10---------8-------10-8-7-8-10------------10-8-7-10-8-7-----------------|
-11----12-11-9----------------------------------------------9-7-------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------10-9-7-10-9-|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


---------------------------------7-8-7-----------------------|--------------|
--------------------------7-8-10-------10-8-7~---7-8-7-------|---7-7--------|
----------------------7-9----------------------9-------9-8~--|-9-----9-9----|
-7-------------7-9-10----------------------------------------|--------------|
---10-9-7-9-10-------------------(slower)--------------------|-(slow)-------|
-------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|


-7\--7h8-7-------12\--12-12-10-12-10-8-10-8-7-8-7----7-7----7---7-7----7-7--|
-7\--------10-10-12\------------------------------10-----10---------10------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


----7-7-------------7-8-10-8-7------7---------------------------------------|
-10-----10-8-7-8-10------------10-8---10-8-7-10-8-7-------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------9-7-5-4-----------------|
------------------------------------------------------------7-5-4-----------|
------------------------------------------------------------------7-5-3-2-0-|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------------2-0-------0-2-4-5-4------------------|
-2-0-------0-2-0-------0-2-3-5-3-2-0-------3-2-3-------------5-3-2-5-3-2-0--|
-----3-2-3-------3-2-3---------------3---------------------3----------------|


-----------------------------------------------------------||---------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------||----end-of-----|
-----------------------------------------------------------||---------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------||----DiMeola's--|
-3-2-0---2-0-------0-2-3-5-3-2-0---------------------------||---------------|
-------3-----3-2-3---------------2h3-2-2~-3-3~-2-2-3-3-2-2-||----lead-------|

DiMeola's rhythm Em D C B7 (but he actually doesn't play the thirds)
|------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------9---7----------5---------4-------|--9---------7-----------5--4--5--|
|---------9---7(strum)---5(strum)--4(strum)|--9(strum)--7(strum)---5-5--5--5-|
|---------7---5----------3---------2-------|--7---------5---------3---3--3---|
|-0-0-0-0-0--------------------------------|---------------------------------|


----------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------|-----------------------------------------------0------|
--4-----0-0---0---0---|--9---------7---------5-----------5---0--0--0---0---0-|
---5---4---4-4-4-4-4--|--9(strum)--7(strum)--5(strum)---5-5-4-4--4--4---4-4--|
-3--3-2-----2---2---2-|--7---------5---------3---------3---2---2--2--2---2---|
----------------------|------------------------------------------------------|


|---------(rhthmically strumming now)--(something like this...)------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------9---------7--------5---------4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
|---------9(strum)--7(strum)-5(strum)--4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
|---------7---------5--------3---------2-2-2-2-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-0-2-3-2-0-2-|
|-0-0-0-0------------------------------------------------------------------|


-----------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
-9-9-9---------------0--0---0------------|--------------------------7-5-7---|
-9-9-9-7-7-7-5-5-5--4--4-4-4-4-----------|---------------------------7-7-7--|
-7-7-7-5-5-5-3-3-3-2--2---2---2-0-0-0-0--|--------7-7-7-7-7-5-5-5-5-------5-|
-----------------------------------------|--0-0-0---0-0-0-0-----------------|


-------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|
-----5---5---5-4-2-------------------------------------|----------9---------|
---5--5-5-5-5------5-4-2-------------------------------|----------9(strum)--|
-3-3---3---3-------------5-3-2-----------2-0-2-0-2-3-2-|----------7---------|
-------------------------------5-3-2-3-5---------------|--0-0-0-0-----------|


-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
-----------------------0--0----------|---------------------------------------|
-7---------5------------0--0--0---0--|----------9--------5-7-5-4-------------|
-7(strum)--5(strum)---4-----4--4-4-4-|----------9(strum)---------7-5-4---4-5-|
-5---------3---------2---2---2--2----|----------7----------------------7-----|
-------------------------------------|--0-0-0-0------------------------------|


-----------------------------------------------------------|--------0-------|
-----------------------------------------------------------|--------0-------|
-----------5---------5---5----5-4-2------------------------|----------------|
-4---------5(strum)---5-5-----------5-4-2------------------|--------2-------|
---7-5-0-3-3-----------3--3-5-------------5-3-2-0------0-2-|--------2-------|
-------------------------------------------------3-2-3-----|--0-0-0-0-------|


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------0----|
-7---------------4-5-7-5-4---5-4-----4-----------------5-5-5---5---5---0-0---|
-7(strum)--4-5-7-----------7-----7-5---7-5-4-7-5-4-----5-5--5-5-5-5---4---4--|
-5-------------------------------------------------7-5-3-3---3---3---2-----2-|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


-----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
--0--5-4-2-------|-----------------------------------------------------5-7-9-|
-4-4-------5-4-2-|-2-2-2-(etc.)--0-0-0-(etc.)--------------5-7---5-7-9-------|
-----------------|-----------------------------------5-7-9-----9-------------|
-----------------|-----------------------------5-7-9-------------------------|


-------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|
-------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|
-7-5-4----------5-4-2----------------------------------|----------9---------|
-------5-5-5-5--------5-4-2----------------------------|----------9(strum)--|
-------3-3-3-3-0------------5-3-2-0------------2-3-2---|----------7---------|
------------------------------------3-2--2-3-5-------0-|--0-0-0-0-----------|


------------------------------------------------------------------7----------|
-----------------------------------------------------7---8-7-10-8---10-8-7-8-|
-(knock on guitar body)--7-----------------5-7-9-7-9---9---------------------|
-------------------------7(strum)--4/5-7-9-----------------------------------|
-------------------------5---------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


----7-8-10-8-7----8-7------7-------------7--7-----7-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-8-------|
-10------------10-----10-8---10-8-7-8-10------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


---10--/----14-------12-----15---14---12-----------------12-----------------|
------------------------------------------------------15----15-13-12--------|
--(tremelo picking)------|play ten times very fast|------------------14-12--|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-11--11-----11---11-11-11-11-----11---11-11-11--12--11-9-7------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------10-9-7-----------|
------------------------------------------------------------------10-9-7----|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------|


------------------------|-(very fast constant strumming)----------|---------|
------------------------|-----------------------------------------|---------|
------------------------|-9---------7---------5---------4---------|---------|
---------------9--------|-9(strum)--7(strum)--5(strum)--4(strum)--|---------|
---------------9(strum)-|-7---------5---------3---------2---------|---------|
-10-8-7-10-8-7-7--------|-----------------------------------------|---------|


(fast constant strumming)----------------|--------------------------------||
-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------||
-9---------7---------5---------4---------|--------------------------------||
-9(strum)--7(strum)--5(strum)--4(strum)--|--play intro, without A, to end-||
-7---------5---------3---------2---------|--------------------------------||
-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------||
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