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We just record more songs because we want to!

Like this one, Blackbird by The Beatles, enjoy

One of those must see docs.

-Guru

Spytunes Beatles lesson: Blackbird

spytunes guitar guru

SpyTunes are on a mission: To record the history of popular music from the guitar's perspective. Starting in the 20s up til today and beyond.

We do this by recording a version of the song on one acoustic guitar and ad vocals.
By using the DIY TAB system a spytunes member/student can understand how these songs are constructed and from these conclusions create their own guitar parts, vocal melodies or whatever they wish to compose on the instrument.

This is the only known system to fully grasp musical harmony. You learn it, transcribe it and discuss it with SpyTunes Guru and other spytunes members.

So far we have recorded these tunes:

20s
Baby Won't You Please Come Home 1923

30s

Over The Rainbow 1939

Why Don't You Do Right? 1936

50s

Angel Eyes 1953

60s
A Change Is Gonna Come 1964

Blackbird 1968

Blowin In The Wind 1963

Dream A Little Dream Of Me 1968

Scarborough Fair 1966

Sunny Afternoon 1966

Sunshine Of Your Love 1967

70s

Ain't No Sunshine 1971

American Pie 1971

Angie 1973

Dreadlock Holiday 1978

Highway To Hell 1979

I Can't Stand The Rain 1973

I Shot She Sheriff 1973

I Wish 1976

One More Cup Of Coffee 1976

Parisienne Walkways 1978

Roxanne 1978

Stairway To Heaven 1971

Starman 1972

Tenderness 1973

Take Me To The River 1974

Whole Lotta Rosie 1977

Wish You Were Here 1975

80s

Arthurs Theme 1981

Fast Car 1988

Lately 1980

Mad World 1982

Redemption Song 1980

Talking About A Revolution 1988

90s

Angels 1997

Babylon 1999

Basket Case 1994

Brazen 1996

Breakfast At Tiffany's 1996

Bullet In Your Head 1992

Drugs Don't Work 1997

Hedonism 1997

Killing In The Name 1992

Kiss Me 1997

Know Your Enemy 1992

Monkey Wrench 1997

Pickin On Me 1996

Robin Hood 1996

Still Got The Blues 1990

Tears In Heaven 1992

Time Of Your Life 1997

Wonderwall 1995

Walking By Myself 1990

Weak 1996

00s

1234 2007

All My Life 2002

American Idiot 2004

Beautiful 2002

Cannonball 2002

Don't Wait Too Long 2004

Hey There Delilah 2007

I'm Yours 2008

The Pretender 2007

Whistle For The Choir 2006

Electric Lessons

Some of these tunes are recorded on the electric guitar. For these lessons we don't ad vocals, instead we look more at riff writing, sound and technique.

So far the electric section is only covering 15 tunes but more is on the way.
The other day we recorded 10 new tunes by Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, SRV, John Mayer, B.B. and Freddie King.

Minor and major pentatonic licks shall also see more of an appearance in the near future, Ben Poole has started it off very nicily indeed.

The jam track section is also seeing an overhaul with new tracks to appear soon, competitions for best solo and lots of other goodies on the way.

In the meantime, please reply with which is your favorite so far, and maybe even add some ideas for future recordings.

-guru

This blog shall analyze how Paul McCartney used Bouree, open strings, multiple time signatures and a unique index finger strum to create a modern guitar classic.

Written by Paul McCartney but credited to Lennon/McCartney in true Beatles style ‘Blackbird’ has become almost compulsory for the acoustic guitarist to get their teeth into. The most important influence from a guitar point of view is Johann Sebastian Bachs’s Bouree in Em.
So before we start picking Blackbird apart, let’s have a listen to Per-Olov Kindgren playing Bouree in Em.

This is a world famous piece written for Lute (early version of the guitar) and dates back to the 1700s, over a century before the guitar was even invented. However, the lute is a close cousin and Bach wrote many pieces that can easily be adapted for the guitar.

The compositional technique used is called 'Counterpoint' which means that two melodies move against each other, the bass goes up when the top line moves down for example.
Bach was the master at this so lots to learn from him. Sheet music for this stuff is available everywhere, simply google it and you shall be on your way.

Blackbird by SpyTunes

Spytunes recording of Blackbird should be a note for note replica of the original. Played by Guru and sung by the biggest Beatles fan we ever met; Paul Cullum, this version should hopefully teach you how to play it yourself.

Blackbird picking

Blackbird use counterpoint but with a twist, the picking pattern is unique, only seen being used by Donovan before McCartney brought it to the masses. Let’s take a closer look.

The picking pattern combine two different techniques throughout. The first plucking technique using thumb, middle and index finger is used during the majority of the parts supporting the vocal melody.

The second strumming pattern is the unique index finger strum, use the second video in the playlist for a close up of this technique.

The interesting thing about these two patterns is how the strum answers the vocal.
It is not until the last vocal line of the verse “… you were only waiting…” that the strum is supporting the vocal.

Open strings

The open G-string is used throughout Blackbird giving the piece a ‘drone’ effect. Since chords are named by intervals in relation to the root the function of this open G changes.

Over the A shaped G chord at fret 10 the open G functions as a root.
Over the Em the G is now a m3rd, over the C and Cm it is the 5th.

It would be a good idea to work out what function the open G has throughout in order to understand this type of drone technique to a larger extent.

Time signatures

Throughout Blackbird you’ll find different time signatures appearing.

The most obvious one being the verse that starts in 3/4 for a bar, changing to 4/4 immediately. This 3/4 time for a bar concept appears several times throughout but there is also a 2/4 bar so use the Conspiracy DIY TAB sheet to fully grasp the structure.

Key Signatures

Blackbird is mainly a piece in the key of G but it does modulate to F and C in the chorus.
The modulation is tricky to fully understand, to get it you would need to see it as if in three keys; G, C and F.
Once you worked out what each keys chord would mean you can start drawing your own conclusion.

This type of modulation is extreme and the use of the same picking technique as in the verse makes it feel natural. This type of concept is well worth using; change something (in this case the key) but keep something else (the picking pattern).

Conclusion

Again we can see how in order to create a hit it does need to be inspired by something to feel as if we've heard it before, but also break new ground and be different. Blackbird certainly does this very well.

Next blog will look at the best tune ever written; "Over The Rainbow". Many versions have been recorded and we shall focus on Eva Cassidys version which became famous after Eva past away.

Until then, keep practicing.

-Guru