5 Good Solid Intermediate Acoustic Songs to Learn

[wgnorman]

Okay, here's the problem - I first learned to play AT guitar in 1964 - played pretty regularly into the late 70's, but never really truly learned to play well - however, having other musical experience and some guitar songs burned into my fingers, this January, after dropping out and only plucking a few old songs once every year or two, I decided to seriously study again - every day. Problem is, that I also dropped out of "current" music back in the 70's and really have no idea what would be great acoustic guitar songs to learn.

I have purchased several (read as way too many) acoustic guitar finger style, method, and classical guitar books, and have found that I can play (with a lot of practice, mind you) most any of them up to what I would call a "low intermediate" level.

Question to those that have continued playing and know current or recent good acoustic repertoires:

What 5 essential acoustic tunes would you learn if you were re-entering acoustic playing as I am?

Of course, my style choice is also way wide kind of a bluesyclassicaltwangynewage, or maybe a BensusanDykesJuberEmanuelKotke mix.....(I like a little of everything - part of the reason for this thread)

So folks, what 5 should I spend my winter holed up learning? (Fortunately, I can spend up to about 3+ hours every day playing, so I'm confident I should be able to at least learn a couple over the winter ) Also, I have not completely settled on my instrument preference, although right now, I play about 80% nylon and 20% steel - but also have no qualms about playing Carcassi or Sor on my old steel string Guild or new steel string Taylor or playing blues or rock on my Takamine nylon.

Currently, I spend at least an hour day on Segovia scales and an hour or so on old arrangements I did in the 70's and some classical pieces.

I also am not very good at reading TABs, but do read music.

Suggestions?

[sdg]

I'm working on Anthropology by Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie from the Real Book. It took me about a month to make it sound musisal - timing is very important.

[TBman]

Mark Hanson has a CD/PDF tab book called the Great American Songbook. There are tons of songs in there, most 1 or 2 pages long. The tabs are on the CD in PDF format so you can just print the ones you want to learn. Some of the songs have his wife singing, but they panned her vocals onto one track so you can use the balance to remove the vocals if you want. Plently of stuff to keep you busy. His website is www.accentonmusic.com if you want to browse through the rest of his stuff as well. His Holiday song books are great also.

[Grateful Jeff]

1) Wild Horses - Rolling Stones
2) Homeward Bound - Paul Simon
3) Desperado - The Eagles
4) Knockin' on heaven's door - Eric Clapton
5) You'll think of me - Keith Urban

All of these are relatively easy and fun to play (in my opinion).

[David Hilyard]

Sounds like an interesting question. You sound like you are interested in instrumental tunes. You could pick 5 different guitarists, like the ones you listed, and play one of each of their tunes. Or you could pick 5 different genres; classical, blues, pop, folk, Celtic, and spread it out that way. I think the main thing is to find tunes that grab you and that you want to be able to play. Then determine if they are within your reach. Even if they are beyond you, you'll benefit from trying.

Laurence Juber has three or more books out on his tunes or arrangements. A good bit of them, especially the slower ones, should be good for you. Have any of his cd's? Love any particular tune? You may have to use tab on them, if they are in an altered tuning. Trying to read notation in something other than standard may drive you batty.

Pierre's stuff is all in DADGAD expect for some early tunes, in his first book, so you'll have the same problem there. He has more difficult tunes.

I go to quite a few concerts and also a monthly acoustic guitar round table gig. Some tunes that are popular for fingerstyle that I hear a lot are:

"The Water is Wide" (Ed Gerhard's is very popular)
"Spindrift" by Al Petteway
Quite a few Tommy Emmanuel tunes like "Man with the Green Thumb", "Dixie McGuire" and "Those Who Wait."
Leo Kottke classics like "Fisherman" or "Last Steam Engine Train".
Lots of Beatles tunes are popular. (Old English folk group.)

Lots of possibilities. Good luck.

[vicov]

You should get some inspiration from listening to Michael Chapdelaine - he comes from every compass point.

[Huckleberry]

These are my three recommendations:

1. Blackwaterside - Bert Jansch
2. Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
3. Romeo & Juliet - Dire Straits

[wgnorman]

Thanks for all the suggestions - lots of good ideas I hadn't considered. It is greatly appreciated.

[Bruce E]

Originally Posted by David Hilyard

Lots of Beatles tunes are popular. (Old English folk group.)

That's the second time this morning that reading a post online has made me laugh out loud.

[bluende]

The "DADGAD Guitar Solos" DVD is fantastic and has pieces by Laurence Juber, Al Petteway and Doug Smith. The PDFs include both standard and tab notation, so that should be helpful. Excellent production values, nice performance plus separate instructional video segments...just very well done overall.

Petteway's "Spindrift" (which I love) and 2 of my favorite Juber pieces, "Catch" and "White Pass Trail", on on this DVD. It's a great collection and I think could certainly keep someone busy for (at least) a season!


Also, Leo Kottke ("Cripple Creek" is fun) or Martin Simpson are worth checking out.

Enjoy!

[David Hilyard]

Revisiting your basic question, "What 5 essential acoustic tunes would you learn if you were re-entering acoustic playing as I am?", I'd learn tunes I always wanted to know how to play and that have inspired me. I still have quite a list of those. While questionable whether they are intermediate or not, here are 5 that I'd tackle if I had the time you have said you can devote to learning new tunes. Again, based on your post, I'm thinking you are talking about solo fingerstyle instrumentals, not songs you sing and accompany.

"Vaseline Machine Gun" by Leo Kottke
"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by J.S. Bach
"Klimbim" by Don Ross
"Jerry's Breakdown" by Jerry Reed
"Meditation" by A.C. Jobim (Charlie Byrd version)

My interests are all over the map, like yours, so I find it also hard to focus on what I really want to learn next. My list of candidates is large.

Thinking about 5 essential fingerpicking tunes, (of all time?) I came up with these. Probably all intermediate range, sort of.

"Anji" by Davey Graham
"Embryonic Journey" by Jorma Kaukonen
"Windy and Warm" by J.D. Loudermilk
"Fisherman" by Leo Kottke
"Little Martha" by Duane Allman

(You can see we are about the same age. )

Bottom line, tackle something that inspires you.

[David Hilyard]

Originally Posted by lofapco

Leo Kottke has a beautiful version of Jesu on his "6 & 12 string" album. Sounds great on a 6 string and really great on a 12'r. I always play it on a 6 string. It is in Open G tuning (DGDGBD).

Thanks! I know of it. My first Kottke album was "My Feet are Smiling" and it's on there also. Who would have thought to do it on a 12 string. Oh, wait....Leo!

The tabpigs site has a ton of his tunes. Yup! On my list, though I'm not sure which transcription I'd work on.

Have you recorded it? I'd love to hear it!

[David Hilyard]

Originally Posted by lofapco

Sorry but I have never recorded it as I have no access to recording gear. I did play it at my youngest two kids baptisms, several weddings, one funeral and many times as communion music during church services. I know I have it on a cd somewhere from the last wedding I did and the sound guy recorded it but I don't have it in digital type format anywhere. It was one of the first "tough" (at the time) fingerstyle pieces I learned when I started getting serious about fingerstyle playing and probably the first piece off tab I learned. Leo's version really sounds nice.

This guy pretty much nailed Leo's arrangement. Nice sounding guitar as well. Very pretty tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rGvF5WJioY

[wgnorman]

Again, all - thanks fo rthe suggestions!

"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by J.S. Bach is one I am already working on - it surprised me, but when I really started going through music I had purchased over the last 30+ years, I found about 4 separate (piano) versions of it and now I have at least 3 different guitar versions - probably a good sign that it is a song I should learn.

[TBman]

Flower, by Masaki.