Fire and Rain

[larryb]

Trying to figure out James Taylor Fire and Rain, all fingerstyle, including melody. Not a singer here. Anyone have any arrangements without capo? All I can find online are capo'd versions.

[geewhiz]

Originally Posted by larryb

Trying to figure out James Taylor Fire and Rain, all fingerstyle, including melody. Not a singer here. Anyone have any arrangements without capo? All I can find online are capo'd versions.

Just curious - why are you looking for a non-capoed arrangement? JT wrote the tune with a capo, as you probably already know.

[larryb]

Originally Posted by geewhiz

Just curious - why are you looking for a non-capoed arrangement? JT wrote the tune with a capo, as you probably already know.

Love this arrangement.

https://youtu.be/_Hz0MLN8iDA

[6L6]

I suggest you start by getting down Travis picking fingerstyle. Lots of free instruction available on YouTube.

On that and you can play it the way James does with just minor adjustments. Definitely one of my favorite songs to cover and the audience always likes it.

[JERZEY]

Hal Leonard published a reasonable version without a capo.

[Ray175]

What key do you want to play in?

[larryb]

Originally Posted by Ray175

What key do you want to play in?

Probably A, but not wedded to that.

[TBman]

Play it without the capo. In a finger style tune the capo is really just optional, nothing is in stone.

If you're looking for a different way to play it from the original, get something like GuitarPro and do your own arrangement of it.

[MartinGibsonFan]

Here's a YouTube where he is capo'd at the 3rd fret.

It can't be that hard to figure out the exact key he is playing at capo'd at the third fret.

Someone mentioned A but it seems this song is in the key of C which would be the A form capo'd at the 3rd fret.

With a little bit of experimenting and some music theory, you should be able to figure out how to play this in the Open Chord methodology.



MGF

[MartinGibsonFan]

Looks like this song could be played in Open Chord format by playing

C and F

MGF

[terryj47]

Originally Posted by MartinGibsonFan

Looks like this song could be played in Open Chord format by playing

C and F

MGF

Correct. I just fumbled through it with the vid in open key of C.
You just can't do some of the pull offs and hammer ons that James does the same way.
I have always seen him play with key of A shaped chords capoed at the second fret (so key of B). Maybe they went up a half step to play in key of C for Cheryl?
Anyway nice performance in the above vid.

[rwhitney]

I play it without a capo even though the transcription I have (Hal Leonard) says to capo at the 3rd fret. It's notated at uncapoed pitch, so it works just the same either way.

[rwmct]

I have and like the Jerry's Guitar Bar arrangement. He gives you a couple of videos, one play thorough, on with the instructions. But that is capo at third fret. I have played it without the capo a few times. It does not sound the same but sounds relatively right.