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The Canadian Piano Man – Burton Cummings

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Well I must admit that this guy in my eyes is Canada’s answer to Billy Joel. The way Burton Cummings makes tunes that still to this day brings goose bumps to the back of my neck! The way his songs are built up in such intricate voicings is pure genius. His songs flow in and out of pop one minute then followed up with such rocking force is a real gift from God.

One of my favorite nurses at work is just gaw, gaw over him. She always Burton Cummings him when he blows through our fair city with her husband no matter the cost of admission. Her music appreciation is similar to mine and we’re the same age.

The other day her, a doctor and myself got into a discussion about if they would see Led Zeppelin if they went on tour and to my amazement, they said they would not! I still respect her music tastes but with a little bemusement in my eyes!

So this posts for you “Y”!

Keep on Jammin’





Does anyone know how to read tabs

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I’m just kiddin’!

Are you a guitar player or wanna be that has anyone ever heard of this timeless classic called Hotel California by this band called the Eagles? Have you ever picked up a guitar book with or without tab’s/tablature, that has promised that you will sound just like the record/CD? Has the promise ever been true? Well below is a version that I have dreamed up to make your dreams come true!

I too have watched people and read books that attempt to reproduce this song to no avail. I listened and tried for many, many years to get it just right and while goofing around one time last year, it came to me with the clarity that has been missing in other attempts.

NOTE: the following tabs are for recreational use and for those who wish to change idea’s and not to be used in public. This is just a personal interpretation what I hear and how I might play it. This is to be used in an educational way only!

VERY IMPORTANT!!!!! The ” _ ” that is placed under the “6” and the “4” in the part/chord (that is part of the ” F# and the E” section of the intro part), you MUST hit/slap & hold with your “middle finger of your RIGHT HAND”. Use the left side of this finger to hit and hold the note, it takes a long time to get use to the feeling!

Intro.

Bm F# A
E 7 0 2 I 2 2 I 5 6 5 I
B 7 3 3 I 2 I 5 5 7 I
G 7 7 4 4 I 3 3 OR 3 3 I I
D 9 4 4 I 4 4 4 I 7 I
A I I 0 I
E 7 I 2 6 2 I I

E G D
E 0 0 I 3 I 2 I
B 0 I 0 3 I 3 I
G 1 1 OR 1 1 I 0 0 2 4 I 2 2 I
D 2 2 I 0 I 0 4 4 I
A I I I
E 0 0 4 I 3 I I

Em F#
E 0 0 0 0 I 9
B 0 0 0 0 I 7
G 0 0 OR 0 0 0 I 9 9
D 2 2 4 5 2 I 8
A I 9 9
E 0 I

So try this one out everyone and get back to us and tell us how ya did! I did this tab in Microsoft Wood and I will figure out how to format the future tabs to read better soon.

Keep on Jammin’

Awesome, I F—in’ Shot That! part 2

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The instruments were vintage except for the electric stand up bass, which I was impressed that they even tried to use this one. If you’ve ever tried to play a fretless instrument, then you will appreciate it even more!

For those not in the loop, the fretless instrument is a device that is used only after you have pretty much mastered it. On a fretted instrument, the distance between the frets are where you place your fingers. If not placed directly in between them, you will get a sound that is not clear and muffled. If you are not good on a fretted one, then a fretless instrument will make you sound very bad!

The keyboardist, Money Mark, used a Hammond Organ, Fender Rhodes piano and a Leslie speaker (please look at the design part of this one). This guy plays real old school keyboards and has the chops to prove it.

The guitarist was playing a Gibson with Morley Wah wah pedal! Unfortunately I can not see what he is playing through.

The bongo player seemed to be using 5 in total. What they are is a mystery to me,but by the quality of his percussion playing, they were more then likely NOT off the rack.

The drummer, Alfredo Ortiz, seemed to be playing a 5-6 piece Ludwig, metallic gold kit. Oh what a beautiful look they have and the sound is pure rhythmical magic! When I was growing up playing in Brantford, every drummer would have killed for a kit like that!

Keep on Jammin’

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