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Is 'Corduroy' easy to play on the guitar?

harmless_little_f***harmless_little_f*** Posts: 8,005
edited May 2006 in Musicians and Gearheads
A bit of background: I've always known my strength would be playing by ear (i.e. I don't know what the chords/notes are called, but I can show you what they sound like/identify the notes). I have a keen ear, basically.

I've only had a guitar for two months. Before that, never picked one up. But with practice, I SEEM to have picked up the different sections of 'Corduroy'; I mean, it sounds like it.

Does this sound logical or am I on crack? The only thing I can't seem to do yet is string the sections together, intro, verse, chorus bridge, outro, etc.
'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'

- the great Sir Leo Harrison
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    its one of the 1st songs i learned along with Not For You and Long Road

    its easy-ish.. the dun de dun dun dun bit after the intro always got me at first as its quite fast... but pratice helps

    i dont know if you are playing it right obviously but after only 2 months and with no knowledge of chord names, etc... id be surprised if you were... but obviously i could be wrong with that!
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • harmless_little_f***harmless_little_f*** Posts: 8,005
    dunkman1974 wrote:
    its one of the 1st songs i learned along with Not For You and Long Road

    its easy-ish.. the dun de dun dun dun bit after the intro always got me at first as its quite fast... but pratice helps

    i dont know if you are playing it right obviously but after only 2 months and with no knowledge of chord names, etc... id be surprised if you were... but obviously i could be wrong with that!

    Hmmm... I dunno. I can play something which definitely resembles it; whether it's RIGHT or not is anyone's guess. I need to piece the sections together properly, and maybe make it my year's resolution to record it and post it on this board. How's that sound?

    I NEVER thought I'd habit...
    'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'

    - the great Sir Leo Harrison
  • Oh, JimmyOh, Jimmy Posts: 957
    yes its easy.
  • harmless_little_f***harmless_little_f*** Posts: 8,005
    Oh, Jimmy wrote:
    yes its easy.

    Cool beans. That's what I'd hoped, maybe I AM doing it right.
    'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'

    - the great Sir Leo Harrison
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    harmless_little_f*** wrote:
    Hmmm... I dunno. I can play something which definitely resembles it; whether it's RIGHT or not is anyone's guess. I need to piece the sections together properly, and maybe make it my year's resolution to record it and post it on this board. How's that sound?

    I NEVER thought I'd habit...


    tell me what frets you are doing the intro on...

    and what frets are you doing the whole "i would rather starve than eat your bread" section?

    can you read tab?
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • harmless_little_f***harmless_little_f*** Posts: 8,005
    I can't read tab; seriously, I'm a drummer. I'm just playing, at the moment. I really wanna play guitar properly but at the moment I'm just having a laugh.

    I'll try to post the frets then. Two seconds while I get the guitar. This might sound gibberish:

    Intro, plucked (with the right rhythm of course):

    12th and 14th fret - top 2strings
    5th and 7th fret - top 2 strings
    8th and 10th fret - top 2 strings

    I'll move on if I've got this right.
    'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'

    - the great Sir Leo Harrison
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    harmless_little_f*** wrote:

    12th and 14th fret - top 2strings
    5th and 7th fret - top 2 strings
    8th and 10th fret - top 2 strings

    I'll move on if I've got this right.


    way off :o

    sorry!

    intro starts on 7th and 9th fret using 2 and 3rd strings (the 2nd string is lifted to make it an open string during the intro)... then at the end there is a wee 8th fret top string bit!

    nicked from given to wail

    e-|
    |
    B-|
    |
    G-|
    |
    D-|
    9----9
    9----9
    9----9
    9----9-|
    A-|-7--7----7----7--7----7----0--0----0
    |
    E-|
    8--8----8---|


    i find tab amazingly easy to read

    7 is the 7th fret, etc...
    0 means play open string

    its telling you the frets and the order of playing (like we all need that :rolleyes: ) give it a try :)
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • harmless_little_f***harmless_little_f*** Posts: 8,005
    the funny thing is, my way SOUNDED almost right, even if technically wrong. But yeah your way is better, and works. Thanks. How about first verse?
    'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'

    - the great Sir Leo Harrison
  • Oh, JimmyOh, Jimmy Posts: 957
    verse-power chords a string, 8th fret 3x fast, then 7th fret once, move it to the low E 3rd fret.

    You should really learn to read tab. its so easy and you dont have to know any theory to use it.
  • harmless_little_f***harmless_little_f*** Posts: 8,005
    OK: 'I don't want to take what you can give / I would rather starve than eat your bread'

    (Admittedly, this is using the top sting/bass line, which I'm not sure is right, but sounds cool to me.)

    8th fret
    7th
    5th
    3rd
    'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'

    - the great Sir Leo Harrison
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    harmless_little_f*** wrote:
    the funny thing is, my way SOUNDED almost right, even if technically wrong. But yeah your way is better, and works. Thanks. How about first verse?


    e|
    0--3--|-1-1-1--0--3--|
    B|
    0--3--|-1-1-1--0--3--|
    G|10-10-10--1--0--|-2-2-2--1--0--|
    D|10-10-10--2--0--|-3-3-3--2--0--|
    A|-8--8--8--2--2--|-3-3-3--2--2--|
    E|
    0--3--|-1-1-1--0--3--|
    ...........................|.....this bitx4....|
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • harmless_little_f***harmless_little_f*** Posts: 8,005
    Oh, Jimmy wrote:

    You should really learn to read tab. its so easy and you dont have to know any theory to use it.

    Yeah, sounds awesome. I will do.
    'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'

    - the great Sir Leo Harrison
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    harmless_little_f*** wrote:
    OK: 'I don't want to take what you can give / I would rather starve than eat your bread'

    (Admittedly, this is using the top sting/bass line, which I'm not sure is right, but sounds cool to me.)

    8th fret
    7th
    5th
    3rd


    this bit is just the basic G-chord (bottom two strings i hold down on 3rd fret as they dont get played anyway apart from the small fill part) shape moved around a bit!

    |
    |-3
    |
    |-
    |
    |---3---|
    |-
    |-0-0-0-0-0--0-0--2--0-|
    0-|-0-0-0-0-0--0-0--2-0-|-
    |-0-0-0-0-0--0-0--2--0-|
    |-0-0-0-0-0--0-0--2-0-|-
    |-3-3-3-3-2--2-2--0--x-|
    |-3-3-3-3-2--2-2--0-x-|-
    |
    3-|
    |
    3-|-
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    dunkman1974 wrote:
    e|
    0--3--|-1-1-1--0--3--|
    B|
    0--3--|-1-1-1--0--3--|
    G|10-10-10--1--0--|-2-2-2--1--0--|
    D|10-10-10--2--0--|-3-3-3--2--0--|
    A|-8--8--8--2--2--|-3-3-3--2--2--|
    E|
    0--3--|-1-1-1--0--3--|
    ...........................|.....this bitx4....|


    with regards to the 12331 chord shape you can fudge it by playing

    e|
    0--3--|
    0--3--|
    B|
    0--3--|-1-1-1--0--3--|
    G|10-10-10--1--0--|-2-2-2--1--0--|
    D|10-10-10--2--0--|-3-3-3--2--0--|
    A|-8--8--8--2--2--|-3-3-3--2--2--|
    E|
    0--3--|
    0--3--|
    ...........................|.....this bitx4....|
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • harmless_little_f***harmless_little_f*** Posts: 8,005
    OK - aaaahhhhhhh you guys are being really helpful but at the moment these diagrams are playing with my mind. I'm seeing dragons after three or four. Sorry!

    You've seperated three different sections with vertical lines. What do they represent?

    Could you remind me what numbers/how many times the numbers are on a line represents, as well?

    I'll get it. I will. Eventually. This is becoming the 'Teach Mark to play 'Corduroy' thread'. Sorry.
    'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'

    - the great Sir Leo Harrison
  • sandozsandoz Posts: 166
    if you play easy corduroy, you will play reaviewmirror and grievance more easy after and after you will plays green disease and everyone else and else and else and all the repertoire



    soory i'm drunk
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    dunkman1974 wrote:
    e|
    0--3--|-1-1-1--0--3--|
    B|
    0--3--|-1-1-1--0--3--|
    G|10-10-10--1--0--|-2-2-2--1--0--|
    D|10-10-10--2--0--|-3-3-3--2--0--|
    A|-8--8--8--2--2--|-3-3-3--2--2--|
    E|
    0--3--|-1-1-1--0--3--|
    ...........................|.....this bitx4....|


    basically

    e = thinnest string
    E = top fat string


    10
    10
    8

    this means put your fingers on these frets and on the strings they correspond to..

    if the 10,10,8 is shown 3 times then strum it 3 times.. the | bit means the beginning and end of a section or bar... so in the case above play the first section once and then the second section/bar 4 times!!

    and then its back to the intro section for a bit!!

    i look at tab now and never count the strums or anything as once i know the frets, shapes, etc... i use my knowledge of the song to strum along!!
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    sandoz wrote:
    if you play easy corduroy, you will play reaviewmirror and grievance more easy after and after you will plays green disease and everyone else and else and else and all the repertoire



    soory i'm drunk


    rearviewmirror and green disease are fucking bitches of an intro... god knows how ed plays it and sings!!!

    honestly harmless blokey... Not For You is the most easy riff that can be played

    -|
    |
    -|----0---0---0--|
    -|----1---3---4--|
    -|----2---4---5--|
    -|----2---4---5--|
    -|--0---0---0----|


    dont worry about hitting the open top string too much.. it still sounds good if you hit the E-shape chord and try and get the top string now and again

    big mistake is to go to fast... play it at a 1/5 of the speed and then build from there
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • sandozsandoz Posts: 166
    soory i must translate, my poor brain not do what i want to,

    you don't know how to play green disease or ?

    not for you
    sure, very simple, the part i prefer is

    -*******
    -*******
    -13-15-16
    -14-16-17
    -14-16-17
    -*******
  • harmless_little_f***harmless_little_f*** Posts: 8,005
    dunkman1974 wrote:
    basically

    e = thinnest string
    E = top fat string


    10
    10
    8

    this means put your fingers on these frets and on the strings they correspond to..

    if the 10,10,8 is shown 3 times then strum it 3 times.. the | bit means the beginning and end of a section or bar... so in the case above play the first section once and then the second section/bar 4 times!!

    and then its back to the intro section for a bit!!

    i look at tab now and never count the strums or anything as once i know the frets, shapes, etc... i use my knowledge of the song to strum along!!


    OK that's really cool, I can pick it up with descriptions like that. Thanks. I'll get to work and start another thread when I get something.

    Thanks everybody, everything's been helpful.
    'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'

    - the great Sir Leo Harrison
  • moster78moster78 Posts: 1,591
    dunkman1974 wrote:
    rearviewmirror and green disease are fucking bitches of an intro... god knows how ed plays it and sings!!!

    RVM isn't bad, as long as you can keep it clean and keep it up to pace. I find it to be an endurance trial, personally, considered all the strumming in the choruses and whatnot. F-ing amazing song though.
  • DriftingByTheStormDriftingByTheStorm Posts: 8,684
    dunkman1974 wrote:
    e|
    0--3--|-1-1-1--0--3--|
    B|
    0--3--|-1-1-1--0--3--|
    G|10-10-10--1--0--|-2-2-2--1--0--|
    D|10-10-10--2--0--|-3-3-3--2--0--|
    A|-8--8--8--2--2--|-3-3-3--2--2--|
    E|
    0--3--|-1-1-1--0--3--|
    ...........................|.....this bitx4....|


    If you're playing F at the 8th fret, why would you fly all the fukin' way down to an open E chord in 1st position ...
    you could just slide ONE MEASELY FRET DOWN from that F to an E at 7th ...

    i dunno ... i'm sure Mike and Stone mix it up a good bit.... heck, sometimes mike slides UP from the 8th F to 10th G and back down to open G ... not saying it's wrong ... and eventually you slide down to the open G in 3rd so you're going that way eventually... but still...

    essentialy you've changed the movement from 8th DOWN 7th DOWN 1st to DOWN UP with that tab. It's an extra directional change, and for a newb ... at the speed corduroy is played (especially live) it ain't gonna be so easy ...

    Just at hought.
    If I was to smile and I held out my hand
    If I opened it now would you not understand?
  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    From what I've seen Stone does F on 8, E on 7 and an open G. Ed plays the regular F, E, G open chords on the first three frets.
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    DriftingByTheStorm wrote:
    If you're playing F at the 8th fret, why would you fly all the fukin' way down to an open E chord in 1st position ...
    you could just slide ONE MEASELY FRET DOWN from that F to an E at 7th ....

    because that is how the fuckin song is fuckin played ;)

    watch Ed doing it on whatever DVD you own... he goes from power F - open E - G

    its hard to get at first but i'm 99% positive thats how he plays it!!

    i was only helping the first guy out as he appeared to be way off with his version,

    you went a bit over the top with your post there though.. considering i've done the song tab-wise as best as i could and you did a 3 paragraph post on the basis of me maybe playing the wrong E chord :confused: .... nice stuff!
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    ok i just checked giventowail

    i think we all agree these boys know their stuff and they have Ed as Guitar1 on Corduroy tab and he plays

    power F - open E - G

    then its open chords for the next part...

    pearlwax... if ed was playing open chords from the start then after the wee intro riff at the start (going by Driftings argument/theory) he'd need to get from 7th fret to an open F straight off

    i'm just sure thats how he plays it on the DVDs i have ... but whatever... i've only been playing 10months.. give a guy a break ;)
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • SomethingCreativeSomethingCreative Posts: 3,371
    that song and yellow ledbetter made me the guitarist I am today...
    "Well, I think this band is incapable of sucking."
    -my dad after hearing Not for You for the first time on SNL .
  • DriftingByTheStormDriftingByTheStorm Posts: 8,684
    dunkman1974 wrote:
    you went a bit over the top with your post there though.. considering i've done the song tab-wise as best as i could and you did a 3 paragraph post on the basis of me maybe playing the wrong E chord :confused: .... nice stuff!
    it's three long sentences, holmes.
    i wasn't flaming. and i type real fast so it wasn't 'overboard' for me, anyhow.

    I just thought it was interesting to opt for sliding all the way down and back up to the g ...

    but you're probably right ... i do notice the intonation of the E on recordings from '00 and '03 is lower than that of the G which is played afterwards ... though on vitalogy the sound is higher (all though i believe it alternates)

    i'd place money that mike plays it one way and ed the other ... or stone or who have you ... :D

    goddamn bands with 3 gutarists ... what are they, Skynnard or something?
    If I was to smile and I held out my hand
    If I opened it now would you not understand?
  • casper leblanccasper leblanc Posts: 1,246
    dunkman1974 wrote:
    pearlwax... if ed was playing open chords from the start then after the wee intro riff at the start (going by Driftings argument/theory) he'd need to get from 7th fret to an open F straight off

    Well, I'm not really trying to make a case out of it with well-founded arguments. It's just what I recall from an old video I have lying around. I'm sure any of the dvd's will give you the answer. Untill then: carry on!
  • MariusMarius Posts: 40
    harmless_little_f*** wrote:
    the funny thing is, my way SOUNDED almost right, even if technically wrong. But yeah your way is better, and works. Thanks. How about first verse?

    The reason is that in both positions you play an E
  • moster78moster78 Posts: 1,591
    I think the open chords just make it sound better. Yeah, its harder to play, but you get a better sound with more of the string ringing. At least thats my two cents on it.
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