If you like Bert Jansch... (tab content)

[sirwhale]

Hi Jon

Here is our first video - Blackwaterside - played from your songbook. This is my favourite song to play so I was delighted to get a more detailed version in the book and to rework it. I'm probably the first person to record a song from this book, I'm sure Bert would be happy

Personally, I think my flamenco guitar sounds great for blues, folk, classical, it's a real work horse, and that's why I finally only have one guitar. I'm so glad I finally switched over from steel strings to nylon strings and would recommend it to any fingerpicker.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by sirwhale

Hi Jon

Here is our first video - Blackwaterside - played from your songbook. This is my favourite song to play so I was delighted to get a more detailed version in the book and to rework it. I'm probably the first person to record a song from this book, I'm sure Bert would be happy

Personally, I think my flamenco guitar sounds great for blues, folk, classical, it's a real work horse, and that's why I finally only have one guitar. I'm so glad I finally switched over from steel strings to nylon strings and would recommend it to any fingerpicker.

Very nice! The vocal and guitar work really well together.

I prefer nylon strings myself when I play some of his tunes, but that's mainly because of the greater spaces between the strings. It's easier for those pieces where open strings need to ring between fretted notes. I certainly find Chambertin a lot easier on my Aria nylon-string than my Guild steel-string. (I think my technique has just got lazier on steel-string...)

[heathdwatts]

Originally Posted by sirwhale

I'm likely to cover many of these songs with my wife singing. I'll sing them myself, but my wife will the do the "official" versions as she is a great singer. We already have Blackwaterside on my youtube channel, but we'd like to re-do it soon with my Spanish Guitar, which we like better.

When I get the tab book, I'll learn the Reynardine solo, and record that, as my wife already sings that one too.

Being Northern English, my wife thinks that Bert's songs suit me much more than any blues song I sing.

Needle of Death will probably come after that.

Very nice rendition of Blackwaterside.

[sirwhale]

Originally Posted by heathdwatts

Very nice rendition of Blackwaterside.

Thanks! Although my wife raises the bar significantly every time she sings with me, I knew for a long time that my guitar playing just wasn't right for this song. Since that last version, I finally worked out how to get the phrasing better and more Bert like.

Bert's famous motive appears in several of his songs (especially Blackwaterside) and while I learnt them, I always knew that it just didn't sound like Bert. I also noticed that the covers I heard online also didn't get it like Bert. I was playing it too flat, with equal importance and time for each note.

It was all written in the score above the tabs, but as I am a poor reader of music I didn't notice it, and I also didn't get it when I originally learnt Blackwaterside from Rolly Brown's lessons (who, in hindsight, I don't think presented that motive well enough).

Eventually, last month when beginning to learn 'First time ever I saw your face', I noticed, from this incredible tab book, where I had been going wrong. I finally saw it in the score and knew what Bert was doing. And practiced. He's playing those notes like Anne Briggs sings with embellishments (just as I had read Jon Renbourne describing it). It is hard to explain, but if you compare the new cover with the previous cover you'll hear what I'm talking about.

It is like he's hanging on to that first note for longer than normal, establishing it, and then quickly putting in his motive of hammer-ons and pull-offs as embellishments to get to the next note, just like Anne Briggs with her voice. It's like I have crossed a threshold of understanding.

New cover:
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=547804

Previous (presented earlier in this old thread):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqBPv16hRsQ


I quickly went back to Reynardine also to relearn those phrases, and now I am much happier with how it sounds.

Those phrases are so important to the feel of these songs. Anyway, I'm still in love with this tab book and really looking forward to a second edition.

I hope you are listening JonPR! I'd love to see your tabbed version of One for Joe, which I also learnt from Rolly Brown, be doesn't seem quite right to me. And the rest of Bert's great tunes (like his version of Lady Nothyng).

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by sirwhale

Bert's famous motive appears in several of his songs (especially Blackwaterside) and while I learnt them, I always knew that it just didn't sound like Bert. I also noticed that the covers I heard online also didn't get it like Bert. I was playing it too flat, with equal importance and time for each note.

It was all written in the score above the tabs, but as I am a poor reader of music I didn't notice it, and I also didn't get it when I originally learnt Blackwaterside from Rolly Brown's lessons (who, in hindsight, I don't think presented that motive well enough).

Eventually, last month when beginning to learn 'First time ever I saw your face', I noticed, from this incredible tab book, where I had been going wrong. I finally saw it in the score and knew what Bert was doing. And practiced. He's playing those notes like Anne Briggs sings with embellishments (just as I had read Jon Renbourne describing it). It is hard to explain, but if you compare the new cover with the previous cover you'll hear what I'm talking about.

It is like he's hanging on to that first note for longer than normal, establishing it, and then quickly putting in his motive of hammer-ons and pull-offs as embellishments to get to the next note

Exactly. It was a very common rhythm of Bert's, not just in Blackwaterside. He'd hit beat 1, then accent beat "1-and" (the 8th after the beat) - then, crucially, let beat 2 go by; then the ornament would come in swiftly right before beat 3. Sometimes it was so quick you'd miss it.

Originally Posted by sirwhale

New cover:
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=547804

You got it!

Originally Posted by sirwhale

Those phrases are so important to the feel of these songs. Anyway, I'm still in love with this tab book and really looking forward to a second edition.

Me too. A short list is prepared (in fact quite a long list...), just waiting a go ahead...

Originally Posted by sirwhale

I hope you are listening JonPR! I'd love to see your tabbed version of One for Joe, which I also learnt from Rolly Brown, be doesn't seem quite right to me. And the rest of Bert's great tunes (like his version of Lady Nothyng).

One for Jo is a definite for book 2 (when it comes).
I have tab if you want it, but this video should tell you most (if not all) of what you need to know:

[sirwhale]

Thanks for the offer for the tab Jon. I am currently working on a number of songs and have many more to get through (on top of studying, working, and family) so I am happy to wait for book number two

[Robguitar101]

Bert Transcribed is truly a labour of love and the first real collection since Doug Kennedy's excellent book. Does anyone know when volume 2 is likely to surface or what might be going in. Jon Riley? I did look on the Foundation site, but couldn't seen anything. Cheers

[JonPR]

Hal Leonard have it under way right now. I just proof-read the first draft of the intro and discography sections last week.

Last I heard (couple of months ago), publication was pencilled for April (hoping to coincide with Music Messe in Germany), but I wouldn't be surprised if it's a little later.

The list of tunes (30 this time!) is as follows (in chronological order of album):

COURTING BLUES
OH HOW YOUR LOVE IS STRONG
VERONICA (The Casbah)
IT DON’T BOTHER ME
THE WHEEL
THE TIME HAS COME
NO EXIT
GO YOUR WAY MY LOVE
LOVE IS TEASING
COME BACK BABY
I AM LONELY
A WOMAN LIKE YOU
WISHING WELL
TELL ME WHAT IS TRUE LOVE
ROSEMARY LANE
M’LADY NANCY
THE JANUARY MAN
ONE FOR JO
DAYBREAK
KINGFISHER
ASK YOUR DADDY
WILD MOUNTAIN THYME
THE ROAD TAE DUNDEE
MORNING BRINGS PEACE OF MIND
TOY BALLOON
CARNIVAL
DOWNUNDER
MY POCKET’S EMPTY
THE OLD TRIANGLE
HIGH DAYS

[View From Afar]

Thanks you so much for this Jon, I love this tune and have been trying to work out how Bert plays it. Do you happen to have the tab for the other parts of Bert's part?

[JonPR]

Which tune do you mean?

BTW, for anyone still waiting for volume two, it's complete, but still held up at the publisher (Hal Leonard) because of some licensing impasse on one tune. Frustrating...

[View From Afar]

Originally Posted by JonPR

Which tune do you mean?

BTW, for anyone still waiting for volume two, it's complete, but still held up at the publisher (Hal Leonard) because of some licensing impasse on one tune. Frustrating...

Sorry Jon, I had meant to tick the 'quote message in reply' box.
First Light is the tune I am referring to. It's such a beautiful piece of music

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by View From Afar

Sorry Jon, I had meant to tick the 'quote message in reply' box.
First Light is the tune I am referring to. It's such a beautiful piece of music

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