Paul Simon Train in the Distance Acoustic Demo version

[thesheep]

I'm listening to the acoustic demo version of Train in the Distance by Paul Simon (lovely recording) and trying to nail how he plays it.

It's in drop D and right near the start he plays a G chord and slides down a major sixth above that.

e |-----------------|
B |-----------------|
G |----------6\4----|
D |-----------------|
A |------7    \5----|
D |--5--------------|

I hear the low G sustain through the slide. Seems a bit tricky, I can just about do it holding my thumb on the lowest string for the slide. Is that likely to be how he's playing it? Or is there another way?

[TheGITM]

The A is tuned to drop G. That's how it sustains. It's played as an open string.

[TheGITM]

D |----------------| (treble side)
A |----------------|
G |----------------|
D |----------------|
G |----------------|
D |----------------| (bass side)

When I listened to it, this is the tuning I heard/saw in my head. I have never played this before. Honestly, I've never heard this before.

I think I'm pretty close, though. I might spend some time on it this week. It's got a cool swing/jazz vibe to it.

[thesheep]

Originally Posted by TheGITM

When I listened to it, this is the tuning I heard/saw in my head. I have never played this before. Honestly, I've never heard this before.

I think I'm pretty close, though. I might spend some time on it this week. It's got a cool swing/jazz vibe to it.

Oh wow. That's brilliant! I think you must be right, it seems so much easier to play with that tuning. Thanks that will help me a lot!

[thesheep]

Originally Posted by TheGITM

D |----------------| (treble side)
A |----------------|
G |----------------|
D |----------------|
G |----------------|
D |----------------| (bass side)

Hey I had another close listen to it and I don't think your version is quite right yet. Paul Simon is definitely playing G then an E. Your version on your YouTube video you have the G then a D on the open string. Not sure how you'd fret that E on DGDGAD tuning?

FWIW here's my attempt to play it on Drop D tuning, slightly uncomfortable maybe: https://youtu.be/4tyE5gwHBKg

[TheGITM]

Originally Posted by thesheep

Hey I had another close listen to it and I don't think your version is quite right yet. Paul Simon is definitely playing G then an E. Your version on your YouTube video you have the G then a D on the open string. Not sure how you'd fret that E on DGDGAD tuning?

FWIW here's my attempt to play it on Drop D tuning, slightly uncomfortable maybe: https://youtu.be/4tyE5gwHBKg

I think you've got it! Nicely done... I tuned to make it easy (for me) and just based on what I was hearing. For me, close is usually good enough.

[thesheep]

I solved this in the end. Actually TheGITM and I were sort of both right and both wrong.

As usual the answer is much simpler than I first thought. Paul Simon is just playing in standard tuning but tuned down a whole tone. Everything then falls under the hands much better. I'll maybe post a video on here when I've learned it properly.

I guess he probably just tuned down so the song suited his voice better.

[thesheep]

This is where I've got to.



It isn't quite what Paul Simon plays. He doesn't seem to be playing a straight Travis Picking pattern, some of his base notes come early at the end of the previous bar. And I'm not sure if he plays whole chord shapes like I am here, or if he just plays individual notes, or maybe a mixture. Pretty hard to get it exactly right!