Strumming Pattern for Tom Waits - Hold On?

Ollie · #1 01-30-2011, 12:12 PM

Someone posted this somewhere on here a short while ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knII3S0MZtY

I'm a relatively novice guitarist, I can play all the chords in this song (G, D, A and Em) but I can't figure the strumming pattern properly, though it sounds quite simple. Can anyone help me out here please?

Thanks, Ollie

Bluewyatt · #2 01-30-2011, 12:21 PM

one..two and three and four and...

the numbers are down strokes, the "ands" are upstrokes. to practice start with one, two, three, four (in time) all as downstrokes. then add the the upstrokes which will double the time.

Misifus · #3 01-30-2011, 01:03 PM

Like Blue said. Don't forget, in that clip you linked to there are at least two guitars, a bass, and a drum set. The pattern you want is in the left channel.

-Raf

Ollie · #4 01-30-2011, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluewyatt

one..two and three and four and...

the numbers are down strokes, the "ands" are upstrokes. to practice start with one, two, three, four (in time) all as downstrokes. then add the the upstrokes which will double the time.

Thanks, have got that now I think.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misifus

Like Blue said. Don't forget, in that clip you linked to there are at least two guitars, a bass, and a drum set. The pattern you want is in the left channel.

-Raf

Yeah still a bit hard to define what I'm listening for at the moment. What do you mean by the left channel?

jseth · #5 01-30-2011, 02:41 PM

Ollie - I LOVE this song! Have been playing it for a few years... I had to decide how to convey the groove of the song, as opposed to simply copping the guitar part; I play and sing, solo, so getting a rhythmic motif that works is paramount to truly "delivering" the song, IMO...

Certainly, being able to play the guitar part is important for me - and then I added in bits and pieces of the rest of the overall "sound" of the song, using the "one...andtwo...andthree...andfour" feel. It is a wonderful tune and it goes over very well with audiences, even when most of them have never heard of Tom Waits...

Good choice of songs!

Ollie · #6 01-30-2011, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jseth

Ollie - I LOVE this song! Have been playing it for a few years... I had to decide how to convey the groove of the song, as opposed to simply copping the guitar part; I play and sing, solo, so getting a rhythmic motif that works is paramount to truly "delivering" the song, IMO...

Certainly, being able to play the guitar part is important for me - and then I added in bits and pieces of the rest of the overall "sound" of the song, using the "one...andtwo...andthree...andfour" feel. It is a wonderful tune and it goes over very well with audiences, even when most of them have never heard of Tom Waits...

Good choice of songs!

Glad you like it too. Well maybe one day I will be able to do that too

I think if people don't know the song you're playing then it can often be a good thing, sounds more like you're being original rather than just playing well know songs?

I can play it all with downstrums keeping in time at the moment, better than nothing I suppose!

donh · #7 01-30-2011, 09:15 PM

I do it fingerstyle, bare fingers in drop-D.

There more than one way to sell a song. Make it your own.

JonPR · #8 01-31-2011, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ollie

Thanks, have got that now I think.

Yeah still a bit hard to define what I'm listening for at the moment. What do you mean by the left channel?

You need to be listening in stereo...

The left channel is where the electric rhythm guitar is (I think it's electric), playing a muted strumming pattern which is more or less like this:

Code:

       >     >
|1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . |
 d   d u   u d

It varies, of course, but that's the basic feel. Those beats are counted in double time, around 150 bpm.
The ">" signs show the accents.

As misifus says, there's at least 2 guitars there, and the strumming pattern is by no means clear - or important. (I can hardly hear the acoustic myself.) As long as you get the downstrokes on the beats, that's the first thing. The next is to try and get that half-time feel, which is trickier. Ie, at 150 bpm, the offbeat feel is on beat 3, not beats 2 and 4.
Almost like a reggae feel: bpm of 75, with accents in between the beats. But beat 3 is not actually marked by the guitar.
IOW, it's the subtlety of feel that matters here, and it can't really be reduced to a d-u-d-u strumming pattern. It's more a matter of feeling where the accents are - while maintaining the regular down-up movement (as Waits is showing).

HippieDave · #9 01-31-2011, 03:02 PM

I don't know if I can post it here, but here's my arrangement if its any help...
http://uncledavesstudio.pbworks.com/f/Hold+On+1.mp3

I just joined the forum, and it looks like there's lots of good info and connections here! I'm from the North Coast of California.
My current guitars are:

Taylor XXX-RS (2004)
Martin D35 (1973)
Gibson LG-1 (1948)
Taylor 555 (12 String) (1995)
Espinosa (classical) (1967)

Also play a 1960's vintage Gibson banjo and a 1917 Martin Mandolin. Currently restoring a 1924 Gibson O Type Arch Top.

mrmatt1972 · #10 01-31-2011, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HippieDave

I don't know if I can post it here, but here's my arrangement if its any help...
http://uncledavesstudio.pbworks.com/f/Hold+On+1.mp3

I just joined the forum, and it looks like there's lots of good info and connections here! I'm from the North Coast of California.
My current guitars are:

Taylor XXX-RS (2004)
Martin D35 (1973)
Gibson LG-1 (1948)
Taylor 555 (12 String) (1995)
Espinosa (classical) (1967)

Also play a 1960's vintage Gibson banjo and a 1917 Martin Mandolin. Currently restoring a 1924 Gibson O Type Arch Top.

Welcome HippeDave, and to the OP, thanks for this thread. I've been a huge Tom Waits fan for years, but don't cover a lot of his songs (out of reverence?) - I'm working on this one now. If I can get it to the point that I'd like to share it, I'll post a video.

matt

HippieDave · #11 01-31-2011, 09:40 PM

I think Waits is one of the great singer/songwriters -- I only attempt some of his stuff, as much of it demands his unique style to work at all. But he's very cool (see icon above)

Malcolm Kindnes · #12 02-01-2011, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donh

I do it fingerstyle, bare fingers in drop-D.

There more than one way to sell a song. Make it your own.

I agree, for solo guitar and vocal this is the way to go.
I play this song out of a C position with the capo on the 4th fret only on the top five strings. Gives you that lovely deep drone on the 6th string, like a 7 string guitar.
Good luck,
Malcolm

Andreas Fischer · #13 09-26-2013, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HippieDave

I don't know if I can post it here, but here's my arrangement if its any help...
http://uncledavesstudio.pbworks.com/f/Hold+On+1.mp3
....

Nice version, i wouldnt sing it "so nice" but hey its your way and its a nice interpretation

i am also working on this song right now and because i like to "suck in" a lot of information about a song i learn, ... i surfed and found this thread ... anyway i hope ill be able to play it well one day, at least my voice is bad enough for this song ;-)

KarlK · #14 09-26-2013, 03:38 PM

Justin Sandercoe does a nice version, and you can see a good strumming pattern quite clearly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wfTFE0927s

patrickgm60 · #15 09-27-2013, 10:49 AM

Cool song! I’m familiar with TW’s older stuff, now loving this one. The 2-beat bar around 3:00 is a nice touch.

Breaking it down:
4/4, ~150bpm, key of D. At least 5 guitar parts. Covering it with only one AG track will, obviously, be a compromise. I hope to tackle this one this weekend.

Some folks have said they are learning or already perform this song. Perhaps we could have several versions uploaded here to compare/contrast? I’ll try to put one up, also.