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Solid Air by John Martyn
Solid Air
Tuning:E A D G B E
Capo:no capo
John constantly improvised on his songs, never playing or singing them
exactly as his records. There is plenty of room for experimenting and
adding your own subtleties, which is what his unique songs are all about.
Use plenty of slides, hammer-ons and percussive slaps to add more life.
OPEN TUNING:
Light gauge strings would not be advisable for this low tuning.
Playing with a low C on the 6th string requires a real lightness of
fretting technique to avoid pushing the slackest strings off of the
fretboard. You will also need to re-check the tuning more often than
usual too if you play this tune repeatedly while practising it, the very
slackest strings will go out of tune much quicker than in standard tuning.
The key to playing this song is in the beautiful open tuning,
once you hear that Cm11 chord on open strings you're half-way there.
The chords are pretty much all one finger shapes, straight barres across
all of the strings. Getting to the open tuning is the trickiest part,
and having a chromatic tuner to check with would be very useful.
(unless you've the keen sense of pitch that John had).
Top E string - Down to D
B string - Down to A#
G string - Down to F
D string - Up to D#
A string - Down to G
Bottom E string - Down to C
Cm11 OPEN TUNING: C-G-D#-F-A#-D
Try this little run at the beginning of the 1st & 2nd lines of the verses.
[Cm11 riff]
You've been (tak -ing your...)
D |-------------------------------|
A#|-------------------------------|
F |-------------------------------|
D#|-------------------------------|
G |-------0----0-----h3---h5---0--|
C |--0----------------------------|
Cm11 = 0-0-0-0-0-0 or 0-5-0-0-0-0
Fm11 = 5-5-5-5-5-5 (Occasionally adding a high note - 5-5-5-5-5-8)
Fsus9 = 5-5-7-5-5-5
Gm11 = 7-7-7-7-7-7
Fm7 = 5-5-5-7-5-6
Cm11* = 0-0-0-0-12-12 (Add 12th fret Harmonics on 1st and 2nd strings)
h = Hammer-on note p = pull-off note \ = Slide note down
[Intro]
Fm11 Cm11 Fm11 Fsus9 Fm11
D |---------------|----5-----5--5--|-----------------|----5---5--5-----5--|
A#|---------------|----5-----5--5--|-----------------|----5---5--5-----5--|
F |---------------|----5-----5--5--|-----------------|----5---5--5-----5--|
D#|---------------|----5-----5--5--|-----------------|----5---5--h7----5--|
G |---------------|-------5--------|-----0-h3-h5--0--|------5-------------|
C |--0--0--12\-0--|--5-------------|--0--------------|--5-----------------|
[Verse 1]
Cm11 Fm11 Fsus9 Cm11
You've been taking your time, and you've been living on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11 Fsus9 Cm11
You've been walking the line, you've been living on ...solid air,
Fm11
Don't know what's going wrong inside,
Gm11
And I can tell you that's it's hard to hide,
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
When you're living on------ ...solid air----------------------!
[Verse 2]
Cm11 Fm11
You've been painting it blue,
Fsus9 Cm11
And you've been looking through ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11
You've been seeing it through,
Fsus9 Cm11
But you've been looking through ...solid air,
Fm11
Don't know what's going wrong in your mind,
Gm11
And I can tell you don't like what you find,
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
When you're moving through ...solid air-----------, ...solid air
[Verse 3]
Gm11
I know you, I love you, and I can be your friend,
Fm11
I could follow you ...anywhere------,
Cm11 Fm11 Fsus9 Fm11 Cm11
Even----- through----- ...so - lid air-----------!
[Verse 4]
Cm11 Fm11 Fsus9 Cm11
You've been stoning 'em cold, you've been living on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11
You've been finding them cold,
Fsus9 Fm11 Cm11
You've been liv - ing on ...solid air,
Fm11
I don't know what's going wrong inside,
Gm11
I can tell you that's it's hard to hide,
Cm11 Fm11 Cm11
When you're living on ...solid air, ...solid air
[Verse 5]
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
You've been getting too deep, you've been living on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11
You've been missing your sleep,
Fsus9 Cm11 Cm11 *
And you've been moving through ...solid air,
Fm11
I don't know what's going wrong in your mind,
Gm11
But I know you don't like what you find,
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
When you're moving through ...solid air, ...solid air
[Verse 6]
Gm11
I know you, I love you, I will be your friend,
Fm11
I could follow you ...anywhere,
Cm11 Fm11 Fsus9 Fm11 Cm11
Even------- through ...solid ...air-------------!
[Verse 7]
Cm11 Fm11 Fsus9 Cm11
You've been walking your line, you've been walking on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11
You've been taking your time,
Fm7 Fm11 Cm11 Cm11 *
But you've been walking on ...solid air,
Fm11
Don't know what's going wrong inside,
Gm11
But I can tell you that's it's hard to hide,
Cm11 Fm11 Fsus9 Fm11 Cm11
When you're living on ...solid ...air-------------!
[Verse 8]
Cm11 Fm11 Fsus9 Fm11 Cm11
Been painting it blue, you've been living on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11
And you've been seeing it through,
Fsus9 Cm11
And you've been moving through ...solid air,
Fm11
I don't know what's going on in your mind,
Gm11
But I can tell you don't like what you find,
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
When you're living on ...solid air----------, ...solid air
[Verse 9]
Gm11
I know you, I love you, and I will be your friend,
Fm11 Fm7 Fm11
I could follow you ...anywhere------------,
Fsus9 Fm11 Cm11 Fm11 Fsus9 Fm11 Cm11
Even---- through----- ...solid air--------------!
[Coda]
Cm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11 Fm7 Fm11
Ice cool------ ...solid air----,
Cm11 Fm11 Cm11 Fm11 Cm11 Fm11 Cm11 Fm7 Fm11
Nice--------- cool----- ...so---------lid air
Cm11 Fm11 Cm11 Cm11*
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / ||
------------------
version 2
Capo:1st fret
|----3----|
Q E E S S E E E E E E E Q Q Q
E||---------------------------|-----2-----------------------|
B||------------------------3--|--L----------------3---------|
G||------------------------2--|--L--------------------------|
D||------------------0-----5--|--L-----------5--------------|
A||--2----x--2--0h-2----2-----|--------x--2------------2----|
E||------------------------0--|--L--------------------------|
|----3----|
Q E E S S E E E E E E E Q Q Q
---------------------------|-----------------------------|
--2---------------------3--|--L--------------------------|
--2---------------------2--|--L----------------2---------|
--0---------------0-----5--|--L-----------5---------2----|
--2----x--2--0h-2----2-----|-----2--x--2-----------------|
------------------------0--|--0--------------------------|
|----3----|
Q E E S S E E E E E E E Q Q Q
|----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-------------------------3--|--L--------------------------|
|*------------------------2--|--L----------------2---------|
|*------------------0-----5--|--L-----------5---------2----|
|---2----x--2--0h-2----2-----|-----2--x--2-----------------|
|-------------------------0--|--L--------------------------|
|----3----|
Q E E S S E E E E Q E Q Q Q
---------------------------|----------------------------|
--0---------------------0--|--L---------------0---------|
--2---------------------2--|--L----------2--------------|
--0---------------0-----0--|--L----------0--------------|
--2----x--2--0h-2----2--2--|--L--2----2------------2----|
---------------------------|----------------------------|
|----3----|
Q E E S S E E E E E E E Q Q Q
---------------------------|-----------------------------|
--0---------------------3--|--L--------------------------|
--2---------------------2--|--L----------------2---------|
--0---------------0-----5--|--L-----------5--------------|
--2----x--2--0h-2----2-----|-----2--x--2------------2----|
------------------------0--|--L--------------------------|
|----3----|
Q E E S S E E E E Q E Q Q Q
--0------------------------|----------------------------|
--2---------------------0--|--L-------------------------|
--2---------------------2--|--L-------------------------|
------------------0-----0--|--L----------0----2---------|
--L----x--2--0h-2----2-----|-----2----2-----------------|
---------------------------|-----------------------2----|
E E E E E Q E E E E E H E E E E Q. E
------------------2----2--|-----2--------2--------|-----------4--L------4--|
-----------0h--3-------3--|-----3--------3--------|-----------2--L------2--|
--------0--------------0--|-----0--------0--------|--------2------------2--|
-----0--------------------|-----------------------|-----2------------------|
--------------------------|-----------------------|------------------------|
--0--------------------0--|-----0-----0-----------|--2------------------2--|
|----3----|
E E E E H E E Q Q. E E Q E Q Q Q
-----4--------4--------|-----------------------|-----2----------------------|
-----2--------2--------|--------0----L------3--|--L-------------------------|
-----2--------2--------|--------2----L------2--|--L---------------2---------|
-----------------------|-----0--------------5--|--L----------5--------------|
-----------------------|--2--------------------|----------2------------2----|
-----2-----2-----------|--------------------0--|--L-------------------------|
|----3----|
Q E E E E E E E Q E Q Q Q
-------------------------|-----------------------------||
--0----------0--0-----0--|--L--0-----------------------||
--2----------2--2-----2--|--L--2----------------------*||
--0----------0--0-----0--|--L--0----0--0--------------*||
--2----x--2--2--2-----2--|--L--2------------2----2-----||
-------------------------|-----------------------------||
|-----3----|
Q E E E E E E E Q E Q Q Q
-------------------------|-----------------------------|
--0----------0--0-----0--|--L--0-----------------------|
--2----------2--2-----2--|--L--------------------------|
--0----------0--0-----0--|--L----------0h----2---------|
--2----x--2--2--2-----2--|--L-------2------------------|
-------------------------|------------------------2----|
E E E E E Q E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q Q
---------------------------|--------------------------|-----------4--L----4----|
---------------5p--2-------|------------2--L----------|-----------2--L----2----|
--------2h--4--------------|------------2--L----2-----|--------2----------2----|
-----2------------------4--|-----------------------4--|-----2-------------2----|
---------------------------|-----2h--4----------------|------------------------|
--2------------------------|--2-----------------------|--2---------------------|
|----3----|
E E E E E E Q E E E E Q Q Q
--4--4-----4--4-----4----|-------------------2---------|
--2--2-----2--2-----2----|--------------3---------3----|
--2--2-----2--2-----2----|-----------2-----------------|
--2--2-----2--2-----2----|--------5--------------------|
-------------------------|--2--------------------------|
-----------------2-------|-----0-----------------------|
|----3----| |----3----|
Q Q Q Q Q Q E E E E E E E E
-------2-------------------2----|--2--------2--------2-----|
------------3-------------------|-----3--------3--------3--|
--2--------------2--------------|--------2--------2--------|
----------------------5---------|--------------------------|
--------------------------------|--------------------------|
--------------------------------|--------------------------|
|----3----|
E E E E Q Q Q Q E E S S E E E
-----2--------2--------------|---------------------------|
--------3----------3---------|--0---------------------3--|
--2--------2------------2----|--2---------------------2--|
-----------------------------|--0---------------0-----5--|
-----------------------------|--2----x--2--0h-2----2-----|
-----------------------------|------------------------0--|
|----3----|
E Q E Q Q Q Q E E E E E E
-----2----------------------|-------------------------|
--L-------------------------|--0-------------------0--|
--L---------------2---------|--2-------------------2--|
--L----------5--------------|--0----------2--0-----0--|
----------2------------2----|--2----x--2-----------2--|
--L-------------------------|-------------------------|
|----3----|
E E E E Q Q Q Q E E E E E E E E Q Q Q
-----------------------------|-------------------------|--------2--------------|
--L--------------------------|--0----------0--0-----3--|--L--3-------3---------|
--L--------------------------|--2----------2--2-----2--|--L--------------------|
--L--2--2--0--0--------------|--0----------0--0-----5--|--L---------------5----|
--L----------------2---------|--2----x--2--2--2--------|-----------------------|
------------------------2----|----------------------0--|--L--------------------|
Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
-------------------------|-----------3-----3--2-----|-------------------------|
--0----------0--0-----3--|--L--------0-----0--------|--0----------0--0-----3--|
--2----------2--2-----2--|--L--------4-----4--------|--2----------2--2-----2--|
--0----------0--0-----5--|--L-----5-----------------|--0----------0--0-----5--|
--2----x--2--2--2--------|-----2--------------------|--2----x--2--2--2--------|
----------------------0--|--L-----------------------|----------------------0--|
E E E E E E E E Q E E E E E E
-----------3-----3--2-----|-------------------------|
--L--------0-----0--------|--0----------0--0-----3--|
--L--------4-----4--------|--2----------2--2-----2--|
--L-----5-----------------|--0----------0--0-----5--|
-----2--------------------|--2----x--2--2--2--------|
--L-----------------------|----------------------0--|
|----3----|
E E Q Q Q Q Q E E E E E E
-----3--2-------------------|-------------------------|
--L----------3--------------|--0----------0--0-----3--|
--L---------------2---------|--2----------2--2-----2--|
--L--------------------5----|--0----------0--0-----5--|
----------------------------|--2----x--2--2--2--------|
--L-------------------------|----------------------0--|
|----3----|
E E Q Q Q Q Q E E E E E E
-----3--2-------------------|-------------------------|
--L----------3--------------|--0----------0--0-----3--|
--L---------------2---------|--2----------2--2-----2--|
--L--------------------5----|--0----------0--0-----5--|
----------------------------|--2----x--2--2--2--------|
--L-------------------------|----------------------0--|
|----3----|
E E Q Q Q Q Q E E E E E E
-----3--2-------------------|-------------------------|
--L----------3--------------|--0----------0--0-----3--|
--L---------------2---------|--2----------2--2-----2--|
--L--------------------5----|--0----------0--0-----5--|
----------------------------|--2----x--2--2--2--------|
--L-------------------------|----------------------0--|
|----3----|
E E Q Q Q Q Q E E Q E E
-----3--2-------------------||-------------------------|
--L----------3--------------||---2----------2-------2--|
--L---------------2---------||*--2----------2-------2--|
--L--------------------5----||*--0----------0-------0--|
----------------------------||---2----2--2--2-------2--|
--L-------------------------||-------------------------|
^
E E E E Q Q 3x W
-------------------------||--0----------------||
-----2-----2--L----2-----||--2----------------||
-----2-----2--L----2----*||--2----------------||
-----0-----0--L----0----*||--0----------------||
-----2-----2--L----2-----||--2----------------||
-------------------------||-------------------||
[Verse 1]
You've been taking your time
And you've been living on solid air
You've been walking the line
You've been living on solid air
[Chorus]
Don't know what's going 'round inside
And I can tell you that it's hard to hide
When you're living on solid air
[Verse 2]
And you've been painting the blues
And you've been looking through solid air
You've been seeing it through
And you've been looking through solid air
[Chorus]
Don't know what's going 'round in your mind
And I can tell you don't like what you find
When you're moving through solid air, solid air
[Post-Chorus]
I know you, I love you
And I can be your friend
I can follow you anywhere
Even through solid air
[Verse 3]
You've been stoning it cold
You've been living on solid air
You've been finding it cold
You've been living on solid air
[Chorus]
I don't know what's going on inside
I can tell you that it's hard to hide
When you're living on solid air, solid air
[Verse 4]
You've been getting too deep
You've been living on solid air
You've been missing your sleep
And you've been moving through solid air
[Chorus]
I don't know what's going on in your mind
But I know you don't like what you find
When you're moving through solid air, solid air
[Post-Chorus]
I know you, I love you
I will be your friend
I will follow you anywhere
Even through solid air
[Verse 5]
You've been walking your line
You've been walking on solid air
You've been taking your time
But you've been walking on solid air
[Chorus]
Don't know what's going on inside
But I can tell you that it's hard to hide
When you're living on solid air, solid air
[Verse 6]
You've been painting the blues
You've been living on solid air
And you've been seeing it through
And you've been looking through solid air
[Chorus]
I don't know what's going 'round in your mind
But I can tell you don't like what you find
When you're living on solid air, solid air
[Post-Chorus]
I know you, I love you
And I can be your friend
I can follow you anywhere
Even through solid air
Solid air
Solid air
Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole
H - half
Q - quarter
E - 8th
S - 16th
T - 32nd
X - 64th
. - note dotted
|-n-| - n-tuplets
-----------