"Black" Help - need some advice.

CaptainSpaz91

Hey PJ fans,

Well it's been almost a good 6 months of playing guitar now. Well all the songs and everything that inspired me, I'd love to be able to finally play Black. I'm doing okay with it, before for some reason I have trouble with some of the chords and all, it's getting there.

What my question is, is there any tips that all the experienced guitars have out there?! I'd love any help.


Thanks
Justin


PS - The tab I'm using can be found here: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/p/pearl_jam/black_ver2_tab.htm

armanHammer

I haven't played it, but my advice is this: don't be robotic, just lean your head back and (it's been said before) FEEL THAT SHIT. Don't try to play it exactly note for note, not even Mike plays it the same every time in concert.

Sorry I don't have any real advice.

Jasmine

Hey Justin!
I've been playing for about 5 years, and all I can say is that it gets easier with practice.
One day, you'll just be able to play all of the basic chords and you'll be like "YES!" haha... that's what happened to me.
Black is actually one of the first songs I ever learned.
The tab you're using is right, but it's more difficult than it has to be for a beginner... try this way out first:


E, A, Asus

E:
use your middle and ring fingers on the second frets of the 5th and 4th strings, and your index finger on the 1st fret of the 3rd string

A:
index, middle and ring on the 2nd frets of the 4th 3rd and 2nd strings

Asus:
Keep your index and middle where they are (from the A chord) and then just slide your ring finger up one fret to the 3rd fret.

repeat those 3 until you get to "And all I taught her was.."
When you get there, change to a C chord

C:
Ring finger on the 5th string, 3rd fret, middle on the 4th string and the 2nd fret and index finger on the 1st fret of the 2nd string... for added coolness of sound, just alternate playing with your index finger on and off of the string.

Play this with the Em chord (same as the E chord, but without the 3rd string, 1st fret) until you get to "And now my bitter hands"
When you get there, play the D chord


Index finger on the 3rd string and ring finger on the 1st string (both on the 2nd fret) and your middle finger on the 3rd fret of the 2nd string)

Here, I'll lay it out
"Sheets of empty canvas....."
E, A, Asus
"And all I taught her was..."
C, Em
"And now my bitter..."
D, C, Em

Try that out and see how it goes good luck!

Jasmine

armanHammer wrote:

I haven't played it, but my advice is this: don't be robotic, just lean your head back and (it's been said before) FEEL THAT SHIT. Don't try to play it exactly note for note, not even Mike plays it the same every time in concert.

Sorry I don't have any real advice.

You're right... just learn the basic chords first, and then play it the way you're feeling it... I play it at open mic almost every week, and it's always different depending on my mood... just go with the flow... eventually it will come naturally to you!

CaptainSpaz91

Wow, great advice, from all! haha That's why I love this board with in an hour, I get a wonderful, accurate response. Keep them coming

Jasmine

We do what we can
How is it going so far?

CaptainSpaz91

Guitar in general, I've actually progressed really fast overall. My friends that have taken lessons and all were very impressed. I've just used the internet in tabs. I can play that version of Black you sent fairly well. I guess the next thing I'd like to focus on is strumming and patterns haha. The song, non-PJ song, I've been practiced is Incubus "Drive" I'm there with the chords and shapes, just not the strumming pattern...Any tips or drills for that?

Jasmine

Yeah.. the way I learned strumming patterns was to lie back and put the song on, and just absorb myself in it. Use your hand to mute the strings, and just strum away at the muted strings while you listen to the song... really get into the music...
Do it a few times until you have a really good feel for the song, and then try it with the real chords.. just go slow. You'll get it! Strumming patterns don't have to be exact for the song to sound good. That's why all artists do it differently.
Good luck

And by the way.. welcome to the rockin' world!

CaptainSpaz91

Thanks again for your help, I got STP -Plush with mutes and pattern down, no on to Black haha

nailz100

Just look at the "Black" tab on http://www.giventowail.com

All_Five_Horizons

Ah man, black...that was one of the first songs I tried to play! I've only been playing guitar about a year and a half (a little less), but I couldn't really play black until a few months ago. I just played the chords up on the 5th and 7th frets (like stone does if u watch during concerts), and go with it. It's only hard if you try to play it EXACT...which you shouldn't. I'm just getting to the leads now, but its even more improvised.

I started with a tab from powertab.net...it was alright, but it's wrong and too complicated. Giventowail's tab is pretty standard. I always try to play the piano parts on guitar too...if someone had a piano tab that'd be sweet!

Right now I'm trying to be able to sing it while playing stones rhythm stuff -- not easy on the verses, but I'm getting there!

nailz100

It just takes practice man, and over time it will come naturally.

CaptainSpaz91

Piano parts, i think i know what you mean its the little part on the 2nd string

hit 12, 13h15, 12vv

try that it sounds pretty good

JASGMMEV

I've been playing guitar for about 6 months as well. I think that you might be more advanced than me, but now I feel inspired to try playing Black. Thanks!

Nothingbetter

I've been playing guitar for 6 or 7 months, how ironic a lot of us started at the same time. I found "Black" kind of hard to play for now, so I've been focusing more on "Jeremy", "Cordoroy", and "RVM". I've found those to be easier...at least the beginning parts.

My dream is to play Black some day, though.

CaptainSpaz91

Using that advice, the practice has helped...i'm out of college for the semester and I have time to do just that, practice!