Kelly Joe Phelps - Down to the Praying Ground
 

Has anyone worked out a Tab or just tuning/chords for "Down to the Praying Ground" by Kelly Joe Phelps. Since getting my Reso, I am dying to learn this song but can't seem to drum up any resource for it. Thanks.

Hi, seems to me he's playing in open G (DBDGBD - 6 to 1) - Nats are usually played in G or D (mine is always in D).

I'm not a tablature kinda guy but I really don't think you can/should tab stuff like this.
My serious recommendation is to fool around with it and play it in your own style - with blues and stuff you either feel it or you don't.

You CAN learn the fretboard, and the blues scales in open tunings and the 1,4 and 5 triads and then close your eyes and let it happen.

Toby might well recommend otherwise, but that's my best advice.

Kelly Joe Phelps is pretty mych the guy who inspired me to play fingerstyle in the beginning. Not many tabs out there for his stuff though, especially as he seems to improvise he tunes so much that each performance is a little different.

I don't know if you've seen it but the DVD of his on slide playing is worth a watch and will help you get an insight into his playing... This will only serve you well in trying to work out his stuff for yourself. Best to work it out by ear than tab anyways.

http://www.homespuntapes.com/Styles/...lly-joe-phelps

Just come across this so can't speak for accuracy but has some tabs ( not this song I'm afraid) and his common tunings.

http://riverratjimmy.pagesperso-oran...es/tunings.htm

:)

Definitely open G (DGDGBD).

I kind of agree with Silly Moustache, it's better to get into the feel of it, and do it your way.
OTOH, you do learn a lot by note-for-note transcription (even if you then go off and adapt it). If I was doing this I'd use my Transcribe software, but - much as I love KJP - I don't have time now. I recommend you download it yourself (free for a month). You won't regret it; you'll never be dependent on half-assed net tab ever again.
http://www.seventhstring.com/xscribe/screenshots.html
(I do still refer to net tab now and then, but only as a double-check; it's often good, but it IS always incomplete....)

The November 2012 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine had a feature on Kelly Joe Phelps with a full transcription of Down to the Praying Ground. I can send you a PM with a scan of the transcription if you want it.

Hi, Ian Wyatt! Do you still have the tab for KJP's song? I'd be really interested!!! Best, Oscar

Hi Oscar, I've sent you a PM.

Oh Ian Wyatt, could I also possibly get that tab please?

Nothing to add other than definitely in G, oh man that is some tasteful playing - definitely one of my favourite pieces of slide work. I've worked out some of it but whenever I come back to it I'm just gobsmacked and wonder why I bother!!
He definitely plays by feel - obviously the bones are there but every version I've heard of this is different. Check out his versions of Irene Goodnight - each one is different but beautiful. It's almost noodling in D but awesome noodling.

Hi Oscar,

I didn't want to pester Ian about this again, any chance you could share this with me? I've figured out parts of this but some things are just completely escaping me.

Thank you,
Dean

Hi Dean

Here's something probably better than just the tab and that's DaddyStovePipe on YouTube with a lesson for the song that he posted last week.

https://youtu.be/apCqeUwb-v4