Scarborough Fair cover - Paul Simon guitar arrangement

Glennwillow · #1 03-17-2019, 06:12 PM

This is my cover of "Scarborough Fair" as played by Paul Simon of Simon & Garfunkel. Paul Simon played this with the capo at the 7th fret while I am playing this on the 6th fret, one semi-tone lower. I found that the slightly lower pitch sounded better with my particular voice.

The guitar is my Olson SJ (cedar top, rosewood back and sides). I was considering adding harmony and maybe singing the canticle that Simon & Garfunkel used, but in the end, I decided I like the simple, solo version just fine.

I have always loved this song, but I had kind of forgotten about this in recent years. My YouTube subscriber "Ghost" asked me to do this, so with this great reminder I was glad I could do this!

Refreshing my memory on this song, it seemed like an awful lot was happening all at once to remember how to play the guitar part and all the words. But it's funny, in watching the video it looks incredibly easy. I guess once a person learns something, then it is easy. But not until...

Thanks for watching!

- Glenn

Mark Hatcher · #2 03-17-2019, 06:19 PM

Thanks for putting this up Glenn! I enjoyed it very much.

Mark

Carmel Cedar · #3 03-17-2019, 06:21 PM

Awesome – Glenn, you nailed this one. Love the deliberate pacing, and your tone adjustment works very well with your voice. Haunting, wonderful melody, and the Olson really works for the tone. Well done!

It would be super cool if you did a version WITH the harmony and singing the canticle that Simon & Garfunkel used. An awesome way to explore a beloved song further. 

Glenn, thank you again for sharing your talent with us.

Glennwillow · #4 03-17-2019, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher

Thanks for putting this up Glenn! I enjoyed it very much.

Mark

Thank you Mark!

How terrific to hear from you! I'm so glad you liked this! Thanks for taking the time to comment!

I hope one day to be able to play one of your guitars! I have heard so much about them and your work!

Regards,
Glenn

Glennwillow · #5 03-17-2019, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carmel Cedar

Awesome – Glenn, you nailed this one. Love the deliberate pacing, and your tone adjustment works very well with your voice. Haunting, wonderful melody, and the Olson really works for the tone. Well done!

It would be super cool if you did a version WITH the harmony and singing the canticle that Simon & Garfunkel used. An awesome way to explore a beloved song further. 

Glenn, thank you again for sharing your talent with us.

Hi Carmel Cedar!

It's always wonderful to read your comments! Thanks so much for listening and posting your thoughts!

You are right about the deliberate pacing. No matter what I did, I could not seem to make myself speed up. I know that Simon & Garfunkel played this at a much faster tempo on their "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme" album, but I also noticed that when they did their concert in the park that they took the song at about the pace that I used here in this video.

Regarding where I pitched this, I started up on the 7th fret, then after a while tried the 5th fret, then finally migrated to the 6th fret. I could hit all the notes with the capo on the 7th fret, but I could not maintain the softer sound I wanted to hear from my voice. So, you know... capos are made for moving around on the fretboard to fit a person's voice.

I'm glad you suggested it might be interesting to hear what happens if I do add harmony to this song, because that was my original intention. I think now that you've suggested this, I will work on taking the same original voice and guitar and see what happens when I add vocal harmony.

I very much appreciate your thoughts and comments!

Thanks so much!

- Glenn

difalkner · #6 03-17-2019, 07:17 PM

Glenn, that was simply beautiful!! Your voice, the guitar sound, the picking - everything fits.

I have never tried to play that song, probably because I doubt I could do it justice in singing. But you make the picking look easy. I also like the simpler no harmony way you did this although I'm sure a harmony version would also be good.

Thanks for posting yet another good ol' song!

David

Rogerblair · #7 03-17-2019, 07:17 PM

Excellent Glenn. This was very well done, and I think you pitched it perfectly for your voice. I also loved the relaxed pace. Thanks for posting this.

This song is the epitome of S&G magic to me.

Roger

mikealpine · #8 03-17-2019, 08:10 PM

Beautiful, peaceful and delightful to listen to. Thanks Glenn!

Imbler · #9 03-17-2019, 10:36 PM

Glenn, thanks for going through my favorite songs and doing them perfectly!
Mike

Glennwillow · #10 03-17-2019, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by difalkner

Glenn, that was simply beautiful!! Your voice, the guitar sound, the picking - everything fits.

I have never tried to play that song, probably because I doubt I could do it justice in singing. But you make the picking look easy. I also like the simpler no harmony way you did this although I'm sure a harmony version would also be good.

Thanks for posting yet another good ol' song!

David

Hi David,

Thank you! What very supportive and wonderful thoughts and comments! Thanks so much!

Yesterday, I worked on this all afternoon and quit, thinking I had accomplished nothing. I was so dissatisfied with my singing. This was the only audio that I saved and that was out of desperation. I went up to the studio this afternoon expecting to start over, but I thought, well... "Let me listen to what I saved from yesterday."

And when I listened I thought, "Well, I don't know... maybe I can use this..."

So I am so glad you thought that this sounded good. I was pretty discouraged yesterday thinking everything I did was terrible!

Regarding the simple one voice, one guitar approach, my wife has told me over and over that what she really likes is just one voice, one guitar. She can hear all the nuances that way. She likes the multi-tracked songs, too, but not like she likes a song done well with just one voice and one guitar.

I was really worried that this was not good enough to put up, so you have made me feel a whole lot better!

Thanks very much David!

- Glenn

Glennwillow · #11 03-17-2019, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogerblair

Excellent Glenn. This was very well done, and I think you pitched it perfectly for your voice. I also loved the relaxed pace. Thanks for posting this.

This song is the epitome of S&G magic to me.

Roger

Hi Roger,

Thank you once again for watching, listening and taking the time to comment here!

The song does have a relaxed pace, so relaxed, in fact, that I had a tendency to go flat on long notes. I am betting that's why Simon & Garfunkel played this at such a fast clip on their original recording.

I very much agree with you that this song really is the epitome of S&G's music. The first time I heard this I was completely overwhelmed with how beautiful this was. I couldn't imagine how he was playing this, I thought the harmonies and counterpoint were all so incredibly beautiful. I still think it's a stunningly good piece of recorded music.

I'm very pleased that you like this Roger! Thanks so much!

- Glenn

Glennwillow · #12 03-17-2019, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikealpine

Beautiful, peaceful and delightful to listen to. Thanks Glenn!

Thank you very much Mike!

It is peaceful, isn't it? Without the harmony and all that counterpoint with the canticle, it's a lot less confused and easier on the brain.

I am so glad you like how this came out! I greatly appreciate your thoughts and comments Mike!

- Glenn

Glennwillow · #13 03-17-2019, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imbler

Glenn, thanks for going through my favorite songs and doing them perfectly!
Mike

Hi Mike,

Thank you, but you make me blush, because I know this is not perfect!

But thank you for the vote of confidence! It is greatly appreciated Mike!

This has been one of my favorite songs, too, since I first heard it way back when I was about 19 years old. That is back in time quite a ways now!

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment here Mike! It's so good to know that you are listening!

- Glenn

Finger Stylish · #14 03-18-2019, 06:11 AM

So good! You're right about the simple production.
Simply amazing, haunting, wonderful!
Simon and Garfunkel were never my cup of tea, but you've made me a fan.
Thank you for posting.

Glennwillow · #15 03-18-2019, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finger Stylish

So good! You're right about the simple production.
Simply amazing, haunting, wonderful!
Simon and Garfunkel were never my cup of tea, but you've made me a fan.
Thank you for posting.

Thank you Vance!

I'm glad you are listening out there! I appreciate your taking the time to comment here! And I'm glad you felt that this came out okay!

- Glenn