Somewhere Over the Rainbow

[mmmaak]

I know of two great arrangements of this classic: Tommy Emmanuel's and Laurence Juber's. The former requires certain chord shapes in the fretted harmonics section that are physically impossible to execute perfectly for small hands (yeah, I *could* improvise but I'm a sucker for faithful renditions). The latter is in DADGAD, which I rarely play in.

So, does anyone know of other solo acoustic instrumental renditions of "Rainbow" that are comparable to those mentioned, but in standard, drop D, drop C or CGDGBD (C Wahine)? Tabs and videos not necessary, though they would be helpful :)

(EDIT: BTW, I am familiar with Pete Huttlinger's arrangement, but found it too upbeat. yeah, I'm a fussy [rhymes with custard])

[TBman]

I know of two great arrangements of this classic: Tommy Emmanuel's and Laurence Juber's. The former requires certain chord shapes in the fretted harmonics section that are physically impossible to execute perfectly for small hands (yeah, I *could* improvise but I'm a sucker for faithful renditions). The latter is in DADGAD, which I rarely play in.

So, does anyone know of other solo acoustic instrumental renditions of "Rainbow" that are comparable to those mentioned, but in standard, drop D, drop C or CGDGBD (C Wahine)? Tabs and videos not necessary, though they would be helpful :)

(EDIT: BTW, I am familiar with Pete Huttlinger's arrangement, but found it too upbeat. yeah, I'm a fussy [rhymes with custard])


Mark Hanson has a really good arrangement in his "Fingerstyle Wizard" book. It has a nice section in the song that is played with harmonics. Its in standard tuning.

[Herb Hunter]

My favorite version is the one by Eddie Pennington. He has played several variations but, by far, the definitive one is on his Just My Style album.
I had never heard of Eddie until one year Tommy Emmanuel brought him out on stage at the CAAS Convention in Nashville to play a couple of songs one of which was, Somewhere Over the Rainbow. After the performance, I asked him which of his CDs had that song and bought it. Another album of his also has a lesser version on it. A year or two later, Tommy came out with his version which is impressive but doesn't appeal to me as much as Eddie's version as played on the Just My Style CD.

http://www.eddiepennington.com/music_shop.htm The (Just My Style CD is at the bottom of the page.)

[paul84]

Are the TABs for Lawrence's DADGAD version in the public domain? I believe he published them in a magazine a while back, but I can't seem to find them.
Paul.

[mmmaak]

Mark Hanson has a really good arrangement in his "Fingerstyle Wizard" book. It has a nice section in the song that is played with harmonics. Its in standard tuning.
Thanks, Barry. I'd seen that book on Mark's website before but was only familiar with two of the songs from the movie (the other being "Brain"). Maybe he will offer an individual tab one day :)

http://www.eddiepennington.com/music_shop.htm The (Just My Style CD is at the bottom of the page.)
The album cover mentions a second artist (Cary Black?). Is "Rainbow" played solo? I have no playing partner, so a duet wouldn't be of much use to me :D. Trying to find an MP3 sample of Peddington's arrangement online.

Are the TABs for Lawrence's DADGAD version in the public domain? I believe he published them in a magazine a while back, but I can't seem to find them.
Paul.
There was a partial transcription in ACGuitar Mag a while back. I was working on a tab myself, but realized halfway that I rarely played in DADGAD anyway.

[rick-slo]

The album cover mentions a second artist (Cary Black?). Is "Rainbow" played solo? I have no playing partner, so a duet wouldn't be of much use to me :D. Trying to find an MP3 sample of Peddington's arrangement online.


http://new.music.yahoo.com/eddie-pennington/tracks/over-the-rainbow--37201704

[Herb Hunter]

The album cover mentions a second artist (Cary Black?). Is "Rainbow" played solo? I have no playing partner, so a duet wouldn't be of much use to me . Trying to find an MP3 sample of Peddington's arrangement online.

Cary Black plays bass guitar but Pennington's arrangement works well without the bass guitar. When I first heard it, which was live on stage, it was without the bass guitar. I'll send you an MP3 sample if you can't find one.

[mmmaak]

http://new.music.yahoo.com/eddie-pennington/tracks/over-the-rainbow--37201704
Hi Rick, thanks for the link. I listened to that earlier, but was trying to find his "definitive" version from the "Just My Style" album.

Cary Black plays bass guitar but Pennington's arrangement works well without the bass guitar. When I first heard it, which was live on stage, it was without the bass guitar. I'll send you an MP3 sample if you can't find one.
Thanks, Herb. If it's not too much trouble, could you send it over to [my agf username]@gmail.com?

Currently keeping myself occupied with the Emmanuel version, sans harmonics :)

[Herb Hunter]

Hi Rick, thanks for the link. I listened to that earlier, but was trying to find his "definitive" version from the "Just My Style" album.


Thanks, Herb. If it's not too much trouble, could you send it over to [my agf username]@gmail.com?

Currently keeping myself occupied with the Emmanuel version, sans harmonics :)

I'll send it to you later today, probably after lunch.

[sunvalleylaw]

Here is what my instructor and I worked out in standard tuning, key of C, for me to accompany my Dad as he plays it on his Alto Sax (or Bari for that matter). It is a bit bluesy with jazz flavorings. It is just the chords, and you would have to come up with any embellishments on your own, but I think it is a nice chord arrangement for the song that leaves lots of room for expression. IMHO anyway. I hope it helps!

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/Rainbow.jpg

Here is a direct link if you want to view and print it.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/sunvalleylaw/Rainbow.jpg

[waynep]

Mark Hanson has a really good arrangement in his "Fingerstyle Wizard" book. It has a nice section in the song that is played with harmonics. Its in standard tuning.

I am still working on that one . . . LOL . . . The harmonic section is difficult for me.

[Brent Nelson]

My favorite version of all time.......but unfortunately this is arranged for vocals and a Uke. (Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole )
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ltAGuuru7Q

Brent

[gh1]

Here is one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nt68GhTtIg). It is a version of Tuck Andress' arrangement. It's better than any i could find of Tuck doing it himself. It put's "If I Only Had a Brain" in the middle.

_____
gh1

[TBman]

M, Mark's book comes with a CD, its a very entertaining book/cd set.

[TBman]

I am still working on that one . . . LOL . . . The harmonic section is difficult for me.

It'll come, the less you worry about the harmonics, the easier they get. I have to dig that book out of my bookcase I've forgotten how good it was.

[Blunote]

Like you, I really liked Tommy Emmanuel's version, but it's more advanced than I'm able to handle right now. Instead, I found a less challenging but really nice fingerstyle arrangement by Paul Kucharski.

I've pasted in a link to a really nice fingerstyle version that is played and arranged by Paul Kucharski. If you like it, he provides a link to his web site where you can download a PDF version of the tab.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BC5NSdQK_I&feature=PlayList&p=24E2EDE764B95554&index=3

[Bern]

Not to hijack the thread, but I do have a question to all of you. Do you prefer a virtuoso or a straight forward, happy kind of, version ?

[sunvalleylaw]

I prefer one in keeping with what Judy and the orchestra behind her did. In a way, it is a mid-west farm girl's blues, and I kinda like it that way.

[Herb Hunter]

Not to hijack the thread, but I do have a question to all of you. Do you prefer a virtuoso or a straight forward, happy kind of, version ?

I take it you mean a jazzed up version versus a simpler, happy version because to my way of thinking a virtuoso could play all the versions. I prefer a version that maintains the wistful quality of the melody. The song is one where the melody expresses some of what the lyrics do which is what makes it a great one. If the song is too jazzy it tends to drag, the beauty of the melody is lost and it no longer conveys the lyrics intent. On the other hand, if the song is too spirited, the yearning quality that the melody should express is lost. So I like it somewhere between allegro ma non troppo and andante moderato. (I don't know anything about music and can read neither standard notation nor tablature but I love the Italian used to describe the various tempos.)

[michaeljohnr]

I always liked Eva Cassidy's version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce-5OWBNGNw

That's the way I learned it anyway...

[bcaylor]

I was just going to mention Eva Cassidy's version and michaeljohnr beat me to it.

[Coke_zero]

Have you looked at Chet Atkins version? A little too upbeat for me personally, I think this song always sounds nicer witha hint of sadness.

[mmmaak]

Here is one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nt68GhTtIg). It is a version of Tuck Andress' arrangement. It's better than any i could find of Tuck doing it himself. It put's "If I Only Had a Brain" in the middle.
Tuck's! How could I have forgotten?! ;)
I have that album of his. Great medley and ingenious arrangement of "Brain".

Like you, I really liked Tommy Emmanuel's version, but it's more advanced than I'm able to handle right now. Instead, I found a less challenging but really nice fingerstyle arrangement by Paul Kucharski.
Thanks for the link, that's a nice arrangement :)

Actually, I do know how to play the Tommy arrangement. It's that darn fretted harmonics passage with the 997999 fingering that always gave me trouble. But you know what? That was more than a year ago on my Yammie and now that I decided to give it one more shot with my Webber, I managed it (with aching hands!). My guess is the lower neck profile afforded me that tiny margin necessary to make the chord possible for small hands.

Not to hijack the thread, but I do have a question to all of you. Do you prefer a virtuoso or a straight forward, happy kind of, version ?
I like a bit of each "mood", which is why I've always been drawn to Tommy's version. This one, in particular, since he didn't go too far over the top (like he sometimes does during live performances):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ubVGiyAhkY

I always liked Eva Cassidy's version.
I miss Eva :(

I used to play her version, but my singing is worse than my.....well, actually I think it's the worst of all my skills :lol:. That arrangement definitely deserves a voice like Eva's.

Have you looked at Chet Atkins version? A little too upbeat for me personally, I think this song always sounds nicer witha hint of sadness.
Nope, is it available on YouTube?

I do agree about that "hint of sadness", though I was quite surprised at how nice the Eddie Pennington version is :up:

Speaking of which....did you get my email reply, Herb? I'd just like to thank you again here, in case you didn't :)


Thanks for all the recommendations, everyone! Keep them coming if you have more. It's always so exciting to learn of players unfamiliar to me :guitar:

[ccasey]

Like you, I really liked Tommy Emmanuel's version, but it's more advanced than I'm able to handle right now. Instead, I found a less challenging but really nice fingerstyle arrangement by Paul Kucharski.

I've pasted in a link to a really nice fingerstyle version that is played and arranged by Paul Kucharski. If you like it, he provides a link to his web site where you can download a PDF version of the tab.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BC5NSdQK_I&feature=PlayList&p=24E2EDE764B95554&index=3

Nice arrangement, thanks. May tackle it myself ... Here's a link that should pull up the tab directly.

www.acousticfingerstyle.com/overdabo.pdf

Chris

[15 Man]

My favorite guitar version is, by far, Tommy Emmanuel's.
El McMeen also does a nice solo guitar version of it. His is my second favorite.
However, I suspect that his version is in that Low C tuning that he uses most of the time.

[maverick1972]

Man, That's beautiful. I don't think I've ever played it before. It's so soothing and calm. :D

This is what I took a crack at. It's chords only though.

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/i/israel_kamakawiwoole/somwhere_over_the_rainbow_crd.htm

[GordonHLau]

Tommy E's version is incredible but I do agree, some of the chords are a pain. Especially, holding the barre on the 7th on the looong middle rh harmonic section. I cheat. I cut it way short or else I won't be able to finish the song. lol The opening chord, 997999 (F# min9), I can't hold both the 5th and 6th string with my middle finger like Tommy can. My hands are just too small. :(

Gordon

[BigRed51]

I am familiar with Pete Huttlinger's arrangement, but found it too upbeat. yeah, I'm a fussy

I guess that makes two of my favorite versions out of the question! ;) Actually, they don't meet your criteria of solo versions, but they are fun to listen to ... Over The Rainbow has become a regular jam song with some of the groups I frequent ...

Rainbow 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i43DpQF99us)

One of the first violin players that ever caught my ear was David LaFlamme, when he played with It's A Beautiful Day ... If you've never heard their song White Bird, it is a true masterpiece worth finding ... by the way, the guitar break on this one is very nice ...

Second one is just plain fun bluegrass ...

Rainbow 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5TwaKIulU8)

[Blunote]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Blunote
Like you, I really liked Tommy Emmanuel's version, but it's more advanced than I'm able to handle right now. Instead, I found a less challenging but really nice fingerstyle arrangement by Paul Kucharski.
Thanks for the link, that's a nice arrangement

Glad you liked it. I can play this one fairly well now, but it cost me a carpel tunnel release surgery.

[Ryler]

Here's one I stumbled upon online that looks doable:

http://www.guitardownunder.com/Scores/rainbow.pdf

I haven't played it all the way through, but in the second measure it suggests you play the Em7 with one finger on fret 7, 1st string and another on fret 2, 4th string. Ouch. I need to play that instead as a barre Em7 at the seventh fret, pulling that E on the 5th string.