Topic: Can't figure it out!.

Need some help with a Vince Gill song. From what I hear by listening ti the CD the song is in the key of "B". That would mean the chords would be "B" - "E" - "F#". Since this has the dreaded "B" chord I would noirmally capo 2nd fret and play the chords "A" - "D" - "E". When I try to play the song using an "A" progression, capo'ed at the 2nd fret,  it just doesn't sound right. I have looked up the song in Chordie (Songs), and a couple of other sites (AZ Chords and Country Tabs) and they show the song using "G chords, E & E7 chords and D & D7 chords.

In Chordie (songs) it say's "capo 2nd fret" then lists the 1st verse chords as "A" - "D" and "E7". For the Chorus the chords show as "G" and "A". I don't hear a key change on the CD, these chords don't soung correct, With a capo on the 2nd fret the "G" and "A" chords would have tghe voice of a "A" and "B" chord but that don't sound right. Then the last verse shows the chords to be "A" - "D" - "A" - 'D" - "D7" -  E7" - "G" - "A" AND "D".

I've been trying to figure this song out for almost a week but can't come up with anything that sounds right to me. Is anyone familer with this song or have the CD to listen to? I've even written this song out without any chords and tried to place them as I hear them in the correct places. Still nothing works. My wife wants to sing this song Friday night at our regular jam session so I gotta learn it quick. This should be a simple song but it has about wupped my butt.

Nela

Re: Can't figure it out!.

And the Title would be???  Vince Gill did a lot of songs in B.

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare

Re: Can't figure it out!.

Well, dodo. How did I miss that? It's "Take your memories with you (when you go)"

Nela

Re: Can't figure it out!.

Has this song got ya'll stumped, as well. It should be easy but I can't figure out the chords. The song is on Vince Gill' "Pocket Full of Gold" CD (Take your Memory with you ((when you go)). I play other Vince Gill songs that I have transposed to a lower range to match my wife's voice (she's the singer, I'm the picker) without any problems. Now she has come to me wanting to do this song and I'm trying very hard to stay on her good side by learning it. I really need some help putting a smile on her face before she turns mean.

Nela

5 (edited by Doug_Smith 2014-09-23 16:46:19)

Re: Can't figure it out!.

OK Nela......  Here's my thinking, after checking out the covers and the videos of his live performances etc.  Don't see Vince using a capo, so I started considering the chord shapes he uses in those performances, and listened to the recording over and over.....

He's playing backup to his guitarist who is carrying the tune, and it looks like he's playing F# to G# in the chorus (open F shape), so I suspect an altered tuning, which may explain why the covers don't sound exactly right either.  My guess is that he's strung and tuned Nashville +/-1 semitone.

So to get around this the easy way would be to dust off the old 12 string..... invest an hour or so tuning the darn thing standard, and give that a try with or without the capo with the chords you found.  If it's any help I think Buck Owens wrote that one and you might be able to find another version out there to assist.

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare

6 (edited by NELA 2014-09-23 18:25:40)

Re: Can't figure it out!.

Thanks, Doug. I kinda thought there was something going on with Vince' playing and what I was hearing on the CD. Really like the song and it should be simple. Vince's guitar playing is amazing and has to be a natural talent.

Nela

Re: Can't figure it out!.

That he is.... check this one out, really gets cookin' around 5 mins in:    www.youtube.com/watch?v=Stv3ugVFZD8

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare

Re: Can't figure it out!.

I've seen that video and it's great. I would not consider what he is able to do on a guitar as skill as much as shear talent. He's done his homework and put in the practice. I bet he can even play with his eye's closed.

Nela

Re: Can't figure it out!.

the songs actually in E.

intro; E-A-B-E||

verse; B-E-B-E-F#-A-B-E

chorus;  A-B-A-B-A-B-E|

solo; E-F#-A-B-E

great song, by the way, fab solo. i played it up the arm on the 7th frett for E & F#, in A shape, and B & A in E shape. you could also put the capo on 4th frett and play E in C shape, B in G shape and F# in D shape, the A would then be in F shape.

hope this helps.

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

Re: Can't figure it out!.

Thanks, Phi2l's. I'll try the song in "E". As Doug said in his reply and to my tired old ears I hear 2 different things going on as I listen to the CD. As I watch Vince playing on the video of I hear something different from what his finger position is showing. It's like his rythem player id playing whill capo'ed and Vince is playing in open position or a different tuning. I just can't seem to get a handle on this song.

NELA

Re: Can't figure it out!.

In the video I'm watching it looks like he's playing power chords.

Re: Can't figure it out!.

Well, I finally gave up on this song as sung by Vince Gill. So, I just had my wife sing the song and I kept going thru various "key" chord progressions, that I knew my wife could sing in, and found the best sounding one for her. Once we established "her" key it was simple. We practiced the song several times, improving each time with chord placement and timing until we got it sounding very well. We will be doing the song tonite when we get together with our group at our bi-monthly jam session. I guess my biggest problem was I was trying to learn the song to where it sounded exactly like the CD prior to trying to play the sone to match my wifes singing voice.

Thanks, guy's and guyies's for all the help.

Nela