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Torch Song by Preston Reed
Torch Song
Preston uses lots of weird tunings - this one goes DADECD, according to an
interview in Frets magazine a bunch of years back. He likes to use
esoteric tunings. Why? Probably to make it tough for scrubs like me to
transcribe his music. :-) There are many places where phrases could be
played in more than one way. I have tried to consider hand position as
much as possible and stay note-for-note; in some of the dissonant sections
this gets a bit rough, but I think this is pretty faithful to the original.
This is not an easy piece to just pick up and play... part A, in
particular, is very free-flowing, often somewhat dissonant, and in no
particular rhythm that I can tell. Best to listen to it if you can. The
rest is in a very regular and slow waltz rhythm. Take your time. Be
warned that there are a few fairly gnarly left-hand stretches in this piece
- I'm pretty sure of the notes, but if anyone can find easier ways to
phrase them, I'm all ears.
The usual notation stuff applies: "^" indicates a beat, "h" is hammer-on,
"p" is pull-off, "/" is slide, "" is a harmonic on string x (there are
two of these). In addition, in particularly gnarly left-hand moves, I have
tried to indicate how I fret the notes with the not-really-classical
LEFT-hand "i,m,r,l" (index, middle, ring, little) indication stacked in the
same order as the strings. For example, the notation:
l
m l
i l r i m
...-8-10----+3----p1----...
...---------+-----------...
...-6-------+-----------...
...---------+-----------...
...-5-------+3--------1-...
...---------+-----------...
means, in the first note "stack", finger the fifth string, fifth fret with
your index finger, the third string, sixth fret with your middle finger,
and the first string, eighth fret with your little finger, then drop the
whole thing and slide the little finger to the tenth fret. Then, finger
the fifth string, third fret with your ring finger and the first string,
third fret with your little finger, pull your little finger off to fret the
first string, first fret with your index finger, and finally finger the
fifth string, first fret with your middle finger (which requires a bit of a
wrist torque). I hope this notation doesn't unnecessarily complicate
things - you can certainly ignore it if you can find better ways. In fact,
you could even email suggestions to me!
I was originally going to break it up into repetitive sections, since
there are sections that sort of repeat, but there are some very slight
nuancial (?) differences that I wanted to preserve. The "sections" are,
for the most part, sixteen-measure phrases, section A being the only
exception.
/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| Section A: |
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/
Note on section A: Don't panic, this is tricky but not impossible. The
vertical lines separate "phrases," and the numbers below them are the time
in seconds, to help give some idea of the spacing. This is only
approximate; you should really try to listen to it if you can. If not,
just wing it.
Things settle down after this section.
i m i m i m r r m i m
d |--------------0---|---|--0/2-2------|---|--------7-5-|------0---|
c |------------0-----|---|-------------|---|-0-0--0-----|--------0-|
E |---3--3--3/5------|---|5----------3-|---|------8-----|-7--------|
D |------------------|---|-------------|---|------------|----------|
A |------------------|---|---------3---|---|------------|----------|
D |-3--------------5-|---|-------------|---|------------|----------|
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
2.0 2.5 4.5 5.0 7.0 8.2
m i m
l m i m
m r r r l i
d |-----------|-----|---10--10-10--|---10-------|-------12----|----|----|
c |-----0-----|-(0)-|--------------|-----9------|---11-----11-|----|-7--|
E |-3/5---3---|-----|--12----------|-10------10-|--10---------|----|-7--|
D |-----------|-----|--------------|------------|-12----------|----|----|
A |-----------|-----|-12-----------|------------|-------------|----|----|
D |-----------|-----|--------------|------------|-------------|----|----|
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
10.0 11.5 13.0 14.0 15.0 15.5 16.5
m r r l l i
i l l r i i i r m i l r m i r
d |-----8-7-----------------0-------|-----|------------|-----|----|-8--6-|
c |---------------7--5-------0------|-----|---4--3--2--|---4-|----|------|
E |--6----------6----------7-----3--|-----|------------|-----|----|------|
D |-----------------------5---------|-----|------------|-----|----|------|
A |-6----------6-----------------2--|-----|------1-----|-----|----|------|
D |---------------------------------|-----|-5----------|-5---|----|-6--8-|
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
17.0 21.0 22.0 24.0 24.5 25.5
r r
m l i m
i l i i l
d |-------8-----------------|---3--|-------|-----|
c |--7----------2------3----|--0---|-0-----|-0---|
E |-6-----------4------3----|-2----|----5--|-----|
D |-------0-----------------|------|-------|-----|
A |-6-----------------------|------|-------|-----|
D |-------------------------|------|-------|-----|
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
26.5 29.0 30.0 31.5 32.5
r
l l i i m r l
r m i l r m i r l l i
d |------------|-----|----|-8--6-|---5----8----10---12-------|
c |---4--3--2--|---4-|----|------|--3--------------------<7>-| let it
E |------------|-----|----|------|-6-----10------------------| ring!!
D |------------|-----|----|------|---------------------------|
A |------1-----|-----|----|------|-------------0-------------|
D |-5----------|-5---|----|-6--8-|-------------------0----5--|
^
(timing from here similar to that starting @ 22.0)
/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| Section B: |
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/
(As near as I can tell, this piece goes at about 74 quarter notes per
minute. Nice and slow.)
i l i l l r i
d |-------4/5-------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
c |-----------------+------0----------|0--------0-------+-----------------|
E |------0----------+-----------------|------5------4/5-+------3--------0-|
D |-----------------+---------2----/3-|-----------------+---------0-------|
A |3----------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
i l r i m
d |---------4/5-----+0------------6/7-|--------/9-----5-+-----------------|
c |-----------------+------0----------|-----------------+-----------------|
E |------0----------+---------0-------|-----------------+---------5-------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |3----------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
r l i Ci* m i i m r i
d |---------7-p5-1/2+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
c |-----------------+--------2--------|0----------------+-----------------|
E |-----------------+------2----------|---------3/5--/3-+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |7----------------+4----------------|3----------------+2----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
* Capo the Ecd strings on the first fret with the index finger, and slide
it up to the second fret keeping the E&c strings muted until the next
bar. I think this is the easiest way to get these notes cleanly.
Likewise in other sections with these notes.
r m m r
d |5--------5/7---3-+---------------0-|-----------------+-----------------|
c |------0----------+---------3/4-----|-----------------+------0----------|
E |-----------------+-----------------|---------------5-+---------------0-|
D |-----------------+-----------------|---------0-------+---------0-------|
A |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |0----------------+0----------------|5----------------+5----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| Section C: |
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/
d |-------4/5----/7-+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
c |-----------------+------0----------|0--------0-------+-----------------|
E |------0----------+-----------------|------5------4/5-+------3--------0-|
D |-----------------+---------2----/3-|-----------------+---------0-------|
A |2/3--------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
l m r* i m
d |---------4/5-----+0------------6/7-|------12---------+-----------------|
c |-----------------+------0----------|---------10/11-7-+-----------------|
E |------0----------+---------0-------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+---------5-------|
A |3----------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
* This is a bit gnarly, but I couldn't figure a better way: finger the
12th fret note on the first string with the little finger, slide the
middle finger from the tenth to the eleventh fret of the second string,
and on the way back to the seventh fret CHANGE to the ring finger -
otherwise the next measure is just about unplayable.
d |---------7-p5-1/2+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
c |-----------------+--------2--------|0----------------+---------0-------|
E |------0----------+------2----------|---------3/5--/3-+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |7----------------+4----------------|3----------------+2----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
l m r l r i l
d |4/5---5----------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
c |---------4-------+0--------------0-|-----------------+-----------------|
E |-----------------+---------5-------|---------1----h3-+---------1----p0-|
D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |-----------------+-----------------|3----------------+3----------------|
D |0----------------+5----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| Section D: |
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/
m m m
i m r m i i i i
d |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
c |---------0-------+0-------------6/7|---------5-------+3--------2-------|
E |------6--------6-+---------6-------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |-----------------+-----------------|6--------5-------+3--------1-------|
D |6----------------+8----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
r i m
d |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
c |0----1/2-4-----2-+------0----------|-----------------+-----------------|
E |-----------------+---------7-------|---------------5-+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|---------0-------+---------0-------|
A |0----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+0----------------|5----------------+5----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
m
c4(*1) c7(*2) l(*3) i i i
d |-----------------+-----------------|---------2-------+------0--2----2/3|
c |------2p0--------+-----------------|---------------0-+-----------------|
E |7--------------7-+-----------------|3----------------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+---------7-------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |4----------------+------9----------|-----------------+0----------------|
D |4----------------+9----------------|5----------------+-----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
*1 Gnarly bit #1: I can't decide whether it's best to fret these notes
(a bit of a stretch, i-m-l bottom to top) or capo the fourth fret and
finger the E string with the little finger.
*2 Gnarly bit #2: The "2p0" bit on the c string in the prior beat can
also be played "10p8" on the E string, but I find this a bit awkward
when trying to slide into the 7th fret capo here. Capo all six
strings with the first finger, and play the two ninth fret notes with
ring and little fingers, and then get ready to scoot your little
finger back to the fifth fret for the next gnarly bit.
*3 Gnarly bit #3: This is just a hard stretch. Try to hold it so all
the notes can ring through the whole measure.
Geez, I should get paid for this. :-)
i r r l r r i m
d |---------5-----7-+------7-h8--7--5-|-----------------+-----------------|
c |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+---------0-------|
E |-----------------+-----------------|---------5-------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|------0----------+-----------------|
A |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |0----------------+0----------------|5----------------+5----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| Section E: |
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/
d |-------4/5-------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
c |-----------------+------0----------|0--------0-------+-----------------|
E |------0----------+-----------------|------5------4/5-+------3--------0-|
D |-----------------+---------2----/3-|-----------------+---------0-------|
A |3----------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
d |---------4/5-----+0------------6/7-|--------/9-----5-+-----------------|
c |-----------------+------0----------|-----------------+-----------------|
E |------0----------+---------0-------|-----------------+---------5-------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |3----------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
d |---------7-p5-1/2+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
c |-----------------+--------2--------|0----------------+---------0-------|
E |------0----------+------2----------|---------3/5--/3-+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |7----------------+4----------------|3----------------+2----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
d |4/5---5----------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
c |---------4-------+0--------------0-|-----------------+-----------------|
E |-----------------+---------5-------|---------1----h3-+---------1----p0-|
D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |-----------------+-----------------|3----------------+3----------------|
D |0----------------+5----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| Section F: |
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/
l
m l
r i i l r i m
d |-----------------+-----------------|-----------8--10-+3----p1----------|
c |---------0-------+0-------------6/7|-----------------+-----------------|
E |------6--------6-+---------6-------|----------6------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |-----------------+-----------------|6--------5-------+3--------1-------|
D |6----------------+8----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
i i l i m l
d |------2-/5----4--+------4--12/10-7/9|-----------------+-----------------|
c |0----------------+------------------|-----------------+-----------------|
E |-----------------+------------------|---------5--7----+---------7-------|
D |-----------------+------------------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |0----------------+------------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+0-----------------|5----------------+5----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
l l
i* l i l l i l i i
d |9-----9--7-------+3--------4----4/5|------7--0-------+------0--2----2/3|
c |-----------------+-----------------|---------------0-+-----------------|
E |0----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |-----------------+2----------------|-----------------+0----------------|
D |4----------------+-----------------|2----------------+-----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
* Yikes!
i r i i i m
d |---------5-----7-+------9-/10--<12>|-----------------+-----------------|
c |------0----------+-----------------|-----------------+---------0-------|
E |-----------------+-----------------|------------5----+---------------0-|
D |-----------------+-----------------|---------0-------+------------0----|
A |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |0----------------+0----------------|5----------------+5----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| Section G: |
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/
d |-------4/5----/7-+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
c |-----------------+------0----------|0--------0-------+-----------------|
E |------0----------+-----------------|------5------4/5-+------3--------0-|
D |-----------------+---------2----/3-|-----------------+---------0-------|
A |2/3--------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
d |---------4/5-----+0------------6/7-|------12---------+-----------------|
c |-----------------+------0----------|---------10/11-7-+-----------------|
E |------0----------+---------0-------|-----------------+---------5-------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |3----------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
m
r l m l m
d |---------7-p5-1/2+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
c |-----------------+--------2--------|2^3---2--0-------+---------------0-|
E |------0----------+------2----------|---------------3-+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
D |7----------------+4----------------|3----------------+2----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
d |5-----5----------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
c |---------4-------+0--------------0-|-----------------+-----------------|
E |-----------------+---------5-------|---------0-----0-+-----------------|
D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
A |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+0----------------|
D |0----------------+5----------------|-----------------+-----------------|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
m
i r l
d |4/5---5----------+-----------------|---|---|---| (hold these last 3 as
c |---------4-------+0----------------|---|---|---| long as you like...
E |-----------------+---------5-------|-1-|---|---| nice and slow.)
D |-----------------+-----------------|-0-|---|---|
A |-----------------+-----------------|-1-|-2-|-3-|
D |0----------------+5----------------|---|---|---|
1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^
------------