Lesson - Tabs

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Tabs & Lesson

Lesson Notes by Jeff Fiorentino

We've been getting requests for a long time now to do a "Vh'ized" "Rush" progressive rock track as part of this online Vh'izing cover songs series. I thought "Tom Sawyer" would be a perfect fit for the VH guitar style, and a great lesson on not only Vh style riffing, fills, and solos, but also on how VH deals or would deal with odd time..

This particular lesson with all its twists turns, key changes, and riffing both Flanged out and otherwise, also changes time quite often between 7/8 time and 4/4 time.. 7/8 time confuses a lot of players but really all it means is that there are 7 beats per measure and an eighth note (sometimes called a Quaver) equals 1 beat. So there's 7 eighth notes per bar basically, or you could count 3 quarter notes and 1 eighth note. If that's still confusing I'll simplify it even more for you especially because this is a lesson on the style of Van Halen, and VH isn't known for counting generally.. Basically for the odd time stuff count to 4 then to 3 and start again.. That's typically how many players especially feel players count a 7/8 time measure..

What's unique about this track as far as the odd time goes is I did what I thought VH might do with it and often does.. I did a seamless switch between odd and even time.. Rush was great at this but put more emphasis on the odd time because they were trying to be progressive rock, and Vh generally isn't progressive.. If VH did an odd time part it was because that's what they felt, not because they set out to put one in.. It just happened.. What I did with the odd time sections on this track at least where the Intro and Solo riffing is concerned is I stretched out the riff using bends and slide in's to make it seem less "notey" and thus less odd in feel..

This is s tricky lesson with a lot to take in.. It was a lot of fun to record, but it's probably one of the most complex "Vh'izing cover songs" guitar lessons to date here on JFRocks.com due to a number of factors, not the least of which being feel and timing.. I strongly encourage you to read all the lesson notes on this page, and load the video lesson only after you have become familiar with the song example MP3, and Tabs on this page.. You'll get much much more out of the video lesson if you do it that way..

--- Jeff Fiorentino - JFRocks.com

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Tom Sawyer (HALEN'ized)
TAB Transcription

Song Intro - Key of E

*See settings page for Flanger and Amp settings..

Intro Part 1
7/8 Time - 66 bpm

Chord names above the tabs represent the VH style Bass part.

E

E_____________________________________
B_____________________________________
G_____________________________________
D__7_4_6__4_____7_4_6_________________
A_______ 7__5~_______ 7_5^1---2~~______
E_____________________________________

E_____________________________________
B_____________________________________
G_____________________________________
D__7_4_6__4_____7_4_6_________________
A_______ 7__5~_______ 7_5^1---2~~______
E_____________________________________

(12) = Tapped note.

D E

E______________________________________________________________________________________________
B______________________________________________________________________________________________
G______________________________________________________________________________________________
D__7_4_6__4____________________________________________________________________________________
A_______ 7__5~____(12)-0-11_(12)-0-5_(12)-0-2_(12)-0-5_(12)-0-2_(12)-0-5_(12)-0-2_(12)-0-7_(12)-0-2^1 slow bend__
E______________________________________________________________________________________________

Intro Part 2
4/4 Time - 66 bpm

E5

E_______________________________________
B_______________________________________
G__9____________________________________
D__9_*let chord ring out__________________________
A__7____________________________________
E__0____________0>w.b slow dive>>>_____________

*Riffed out version of the single note riff from part 1 using different time..

h(16) = Tap Harmonics

F# (implied by bass)

E________________________________________________________________
B___________________________________________________4 h(16)_______
G___4--6____________________4--6_______________4 h(16)_____________
D___5--7_4x_6_4x____________5--7_4x_6_4x_4 h(16)___________________
A_______________7a.h---5___________________________________________
E________________________________________________________________

A (implied by bass)

E____________________________________________________________________
B____________________________________________________________________
G__4--6_________________2^1 a.h scream>w.b down>>_-0<w.b fast dive>>__________________
D__5--7_4x_6_4x______________________________________________________
A______________7a.h---5________________________________________________
E_____________________________________________________10^1 hold bend______

Main Song Kick in - Verse Riffing - Key of Em

Pretty straight forward Vh style stuff, take note of the feel, sound and fills however.. I kept them very late era VH, they have almost a Poundcake kind of vibe about them..

4/4 Time - 82 bpm

E sus2 D sus2

E_________7____0________0________________5___________________________
B_________7______12---7____7---2___________ 5_____________7h_____4h_____
G_________9______________________________7_______7h__________________
D_________9______________________________7____7h____7h_____4h________
A_________7______________________________5___________________________
E__0_0__0_________________________0_0__0_____________________________

A sus4 C5 B5 A5

E__________________________________________
B__________3_______________________________
G__________2________________5______________
D__________2________________5____4_2_______
A__________0________________3____2_0_______
E___0_0__0___________0_0__0________________

E sus2 D sus2

A sus4 C add9 C5 B5 A5 C5 B5 A5

E________________________________________________________
B__________3_______________3______ 8___7__5___ 8_ 7_5_____
G__________2_______________5_____________________________
D__________2_______________5______10__ 9__7___10_9_7______
A__________0_______________3_____________________________
E___0_0__0__________0_0__0_______________________________

**Drum Beat changes up here to a more laid back down beat, bass drives root notes..

E5

E_________________________________0________________
B___________________________________12----7~--______
G_________9________________________________________
D_________9________ __(12)-0-7-----___________________
A_________7___(12)-7-9______________________________
E__0_0__0__________________________________________

D5 A sus4 C5 B5 A5 C5 B5

E_______________________________________________________________________________________________
B__________________________________________3___________________ 8__ 7__5_________________________
G__________7_______7h______________________2____________________________________________________
D__________7____7h_____7---6~______________ 2___________________10__9__7__ 5__4___________________
A__________5_______________________________0___0_4^1/4-0_3_4~_____________3__2__>into chorus theme riff__
E___0_0__0__________________________0_0__0_______________________________________________________

Chorus Theme Riffing - Key of Em

I condensed this riff from the Rush version for the Vh version and stretched it out over the fretboard a bit.. The way I'm doing this riff here I think is very close to what VH might do with something like this. Vh likes to play all over the fretboard to allow for a range of tones, as a "B" on the 5th string sounds different in general tone than say a "B" on the 6th string..

Also take note of the walking feel of this riff.. Obviously I've added some Flanger to it, but it sounds fine without Flanger so feel free to have some fun with it...

4/4 Time - 82 bpm

E A5 A5

E____________________________________________________
B____________________________________________________
G__________________2_________________________________
D__________________2_______________________2_________
A__________________0_______2---7~__3~___2~_0_________
E__3_2_0__2~___3~_____3_0____________________________

E A5 E5/B C B5 A5

E____________________________________________________
B__________________________5___5____7____5___________
G__________________2_______4___5_____________________
D__________________2_______2___5____9---7_7___________
A__________________0_______2___3_____________________
E__3_2_0__2~___3~_____3_0____________________________

E A5 A5

E A5 E5/B C5 A (implied by bass)

E_________________________________________________________________________
B__________________________5______________________________________________
G__________________2_______4___5__________________________________________
D__________________2_______2___5__________________________________________
A__________________0_______2___3___0-2-0<trill__*Guitar 2 enters with Bridge during trill_____
E__3_2_0__2~___3~_____3_0_________________________________________________

Bridge Riff - Key of Em

This riff is actually a riffed out VH style version of the chorus part of Tom Sawyer, which is basically just chord hits off of a B, A, G, chord change... Instead of chord hits, I created a riff around those chords.. The bass is hitting on the chords themselves, and you can also see the chord names written above the riff tabs..

4/4 Time - 82 bpm

B (Chord implied by bass)

E__________________________________________________________________________
B__9^1/2____________________________________________________________________
G__9^1/2_*hold and stretch bends to lead into the riffing, this bend is going on while guitar 1 is doing its trill at the end of the chorus riffing___
D__________________________________________________________________________
A__________________________________________________________________________
E__________________________________________________________________________

*Chord names above the tabs are what the Bass is doing (implied by bass). The riffing itself is VH style Bm7 Riffing through and through..

B A G

E________________________________________________________________
B_________7______________________________________________________
G_________7______7_____________________________________7---9______
D_________7______7-9_9x_9x________________________________________
A___________________________5-7_7_7__7^1a.h_5a.h~~__5x_5x_5---7______
E__7x_7x_____7x__________________________________________________

B A G A B

E____________________________________________________________________________________________
B__9^1/2__________7_____________________________________10______ 12____________<w.b into5h<<w.b>>~__
G__9^1/2__________7______7______________________________12^1~___14^1~~w.b~~__________________
D________________7______7-9_9x_9x____________________________________________________________
A____________9x __________________5-7_7_7__7^1a.h_5a.h~~________________________________________
E_________7x_7x_____7x_______________________________________________________________________

Verse Riffing (re-approach)

4/4 Time - 82 bpm

E_________7____0________0________________5___________________________
B_________7______12---7____7---2___________ 5_____________7h_____0*4h___
G_________9______________________________7_______7h__________________
D_________9______________________________7____7h____7h_____4h________
A_________7______________________________5___________________________
E__0_0__0_________________________0_0__0_____________________________

E____________________________________________________________________
B__________3____________________ 8__ 7__5___ 8_ 7______________________
G__________2_________________________________________________________
D__________2____________________10__ 9__7___10_9__>into chorus theme riff_____
A__________0___0_4^1/4-0_3_4~_________________________________________
E___0_0__0____________________________________________________________

Chorus Theme Riffing (re-approach)

4/4 Time - 82 bpm

E_______________________________________________________________________
B__________________________5___5____4___________________________________
G__________________2_______4___5____4__2________________________________
D__________________2_______2___5____4__2_>w.b chord down slowly__>go into solo________
A__________________0_______2___3____2__0________________________________
E__3_2_0__2~___3~_____3_0_______________________________________________

SOLO - Key of Em

This is an ODD TIME solo at least for the first half.. With these VH usually does what I call "Expressive style" solos.. Meaning, they're conversational in a way.. Lots of personality and weird little tricks and things.. Watch the tabs closely and see the video lesson for a great lesson on these leads and some ideas for others..

The first half (Part 1) of the solo is done over an E5 to D5 chord change in 7/8 time which is the chord representation of our single note intro that we began the song with in part 1 of the song's intro.. See video for help and additional explanation...

Solo Part 1
7/8 Time - 82 bpm

E___________________________________________________________________________
B___________________________________________________________________________
G___________________________________________________________________________
D___///**///<depress the whammy bar and scrape the springs in the back with your pick, then move the bar up and down slightly______
A___________________________________________________________________________
E___________________________________________________________________________

E5 D5 E5 D5

E__________________________7___7______________________________________________________________
B__12^1.5~~~slight release at end____x__8___10_8_7-8-7____________________________________________________
G________________________x Rake_____________9^1>release_9-7-w.b9-w.b7-w.b9~w.b down>-7-w.b9-7>w.b all the way down slowly>>__
D_____________________________________________________________________________________________
A_____________________________________________________________________________________________
E_____________________________________________________________________________________________

E5 D5

E__________________________________________________________________________________________
B__________________________________________________________________________7_8_8^1>release_8~__
G_________________________________________________7-9*stagger_w.b9^1>release_9-7-9^1_________________
D______________________________________________7-9*stagger_____________________________________
A__________________________________________7-9*stagger_________________________________________
E__*0>with bar depressed wiggle the bar to vibrate the open note__7-9-10*stagger_____________________________________________

E__7_______________________________________________
B____10_8_7-8-7_____________________________________
G______________9^1>release_9-7-w.b9-7-w.b9^1>w.b down slowly>>____
D__________________________________________________
A__________________________________________________
E__________________________________________________

*These taps should sound random and staggered.. They should have personality and not be played as written but rather use the tabs below as a guideline only.

D5

E__(12)-7-10_(12)-7-8-10_(12)-10-8-7_(12)-7-8_(12)_(12)-7-10_(12)-7-8-10_(12)-10-8-7_(12)-7-8___
B________________________________________________________________________________
G________________________________________________________________________________
D________________________________________________________________________________
A________________________________________________________________________________
E________________________________________________________________________________

E5 D5

E___________________________________________________________
B__(12)-10-8-7-(12)^1*hold tap and bend up slowly then pull off to_-8^1~~with slight release___
G__________________________________________________________
D__________________________________________________________
A__________________________________________________________
E__________________________________________________________

E________________________________________________________________________
B______________________________________________________<w.b into5h<<w.b>>~_____
G___________________5^1_h(12)>release bend as harmonic sounds>_5_________________________
D________________________________________________________________________
A__0*3h>w.b down_____________________________________________________________
E________________________________________________________________________

Solo Part 2 - This part is over a modified version of the Verse Riff..

4/4 Time - 82 bpm

E E sus4 E E sus4 E

E___________________________________________
B_________9_______10-9_______10-9____________
G_________9_______9__________9______________
D___________9x_9x______9x_9x________________
A___________________________________________
E__0_0__0___________________________________

D D sus4 D D sus2

E___________________________________________
B_________7_______8-7_______7__7____________
G_________7_______7___9x_9x__9______________
D___________7x_7x___________________________
A___________________________________________
E__0_0__0___________________________________

E___________________________________________
B___0_0_0__0______0_____0_____0_____________
G_0_2_2_2__2__2_2_2_4_4_4_4_4_4_____________
D___________________________________________
A___________________________________________
E___________________________________________

C5 B5 A5 C5 B5 A5

E_____________________________
B__ 8___7__5___ 8_ 7_5__________
G_____________________________
D__10__ 9__7___10_9_7__________
A______________________________
E______________________________

12//// = Trem or speed picked note.

E5 D5

E___19_______________________12///__14///__15///__17///_17--19_19--22_22^1~~___
B___22^1~~w.b~~______________________________________________________________
G_________________0>quick w.b dive>_________________________________________________
D____________________________________________________________________________
A____________________________________________________________________________
E____________________________________________________________________________

A5 C5 B5 A5 C5 B5 A5

E__19^1_19_18_17_________________________________________________________________________
B_______________ 20_19_18_17~--______13____12____10_____13___13___13____12___12___10______
G___________________________________15^1__14^1__12^1___15^1_15^1_15^1__14^1_14^1_12^1____
D________________________________________________________________________________________
A________________________________________________________________________________________
E________________________________________________________________________________________

Post Solo Verse - Key of Em

Pretty much the same as the others but with some new fills, a little more traditional earlier VH style..

E_________7____0________0________________5___________________________
B_________7______12---7____7---2___________ 5___________________________
G_________9______________________________7____2^1a.h~-0>w.b dive__________
D_________9______________________________7___________________________
A_________7______________________________5___________________________
E__0_0__0_________________________0_0__0_____________________________

E___________________________________________
B__________3_______________3________________
G__________2_______________5________________
D__________2_______________5________________
A__________0_______________3________________
E___0_0__0__________0_0__0__________________

E_________7____0________0___________________________________________
B_________7______12---7____7---2___________ ___________________________
G_________9______________________________7____2---12^1-0>w.b dive__________
D_________9______________________________7___________________________
A_________7______________________________5___________________________
E__0_0__0_________________________0_0__0_____________________________

E_____________________________________________________________________________
B__________3_______________3_______ 8__ 7__5___ 8_ 7____________________________
G__________2_______________5__________________________________________________
D__________2_______________5_______10__ 9__7___10_9__>into chorus theme riff___________
A__________0_______________3___________________________________________________
E___0_0__0__________0_0__0_____________________________________________________

Final Chorus Theme Riff - Key of Em

Simply an extended version of the others with some slight riffing variations..

4/4 Time - 82 bpm

E_________________________________________________________
B____________________________12__ 8___ 7__5________________
G__________________2______________________________________
D__________________2_________14__10___9__7___>into the outro___
A__________________0______________________________________
E__3_2_0__2~___3~_____3_0_________________________________

Song Outro/End - Key of E

Pretty much just a repeat of the intro just faster this time.

7/8 Time - 82 bpm

E (chords implied by bass)

E_______________________________
B_______________________________
G_______________________________
D__7_4_6________________________
A_______ 7__5^1*slow steady bend... _______
E_______________________________

Guitar 2 part done over the riffing above. - Simply a single note riff that follows the Bass... (see video for help counting and reading this) It's laid out in the tabs by how it feels and flows.. Watch the note spacing..

E F#

E____________________________________________________________________________________________
B____________________________________________________________________________________________
G____________________________________________________________________________________________
D____________________________________________________________________________________________
A____________________________________________________________________________________________
E__0__0_0_0__0__0__0____0__0_0_0__0__0__0__0_0____2__2_2_2__2__2__2___2__2_2_2__2__2__2__2_2_

A D

E_____________________________________________________________________________________
B_____________________________________________________________________________________
G_____________________________________________________________________________________
D_____________________________________________________________________________________
A_____________________________________________________________________________________
E__5__5_5_5__5__5__5___5__5_5_5__5__5__5__5_5____10__10_10_10__10_10_10^1*slow steady bend____

End

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"Tom Sawyer" (Halen'ized)
Arranged & Written by:	Jeff Fiorentino
Performed by:	Jeff Fiorentino (Guitar), Mick (Bass)
Transcribed by:	Erica Reese with notes by Jeff Fiorentino
Engineered by:	Mick the Mixer



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