Kite Guitar Translations by Kite Giedraitis

Kite Giedraitis's translations for the Kite Guitar. Translations by others are here. The original 12-edo chords are simply the 41-edo chords with the ups and downs omitted. All tabs are for a guitar tuned in downmajor 3rds, unless otherwise noted. Triadic songs use mostly triads and end on a triad, tetradic songs use mostly tetrads and end on a tetrad. The distinction is somewhat arbitrary, especially since sometimes in the course of translation triads become tetrads. The triadic songs tend to be 5-limit, and the tetradic ones tend to be 7-limit or higher.

Microtonal Pop Songs

CBAT (Hudson Mohawke)

Original 2011 track: youtube.com/watch?v=KAwyWkksXuo

Why it has 7.5 million views: insider.com/cbat-reddit-sex-song-hudson-mohawke-viral-meme-2022-9

This melodyne pitch graph youtu.be/Xl4HDoKMmvQ?t=165 at 2:45 from an Adam Neely video suggests these pitches:

vB ^C vBb / vB vA vA vA ^G / Ab ^A vG / Ab Gb Gb Gb vF

But I looped each note individually in Reaper (0:48-1:12 is easiest to hear), and it sounds more like this to me:

vB ^C vBb / vB vvA vvA vvA ^G / Ab ^A vG / Ab ^^F ^^F ^^F ^E

This 2nd version's scale has a pleasing symmetry: each half of the melody spans a 4th, which is divided into 4 nearly equal steps (3 upminor 2nds and 1 mid 2nd).

Tab for a mid-6 guitar, 2nd version (bold notes are on 1st string, all others are on 2nd string):

24 _ 20 22 _ _ 24 _ 20 20 20 _ 18 _ _ _ 19 _ 15 17 _ _ 19 _ 15 15 15 _ 13 _ _ _

In KDF format:

⸰⸰⸰0 _ ⸰⸰0 ⸰⸰2 _ _ ⸰⸰⸰0 _ ⸰⸰0 ⸰⸰0 ⸰⸰0 _ ⸰2 _ _ _ ⸰3 _ ₒₒₒ3 ⸰1 _ _ ⸰3 _ ₒₒₒ3 ₒₒₒ3 ₒₒₒ3 _ ₒₒₒ1 _ _ _

These Boots Are Made For Walkin' (Lee Hazlewood)

The only #1 single with a microtonal bass line! (so far, anyway) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDmidrIDB4o

bass run -----------------------> Iv / / / / / / / Iv / / / / / / / IVv / / / Iv / / / ^bIIIv I^m ^bIIIv I^m ^bIIIv I^m N.C.

The original key is E. But for a solo 6-string arrangement, the bass run needs to sound bassy, which means the tonic needs to be low on the 6th string. Ab is a good key.

Iv Abv 4 . 3 5 5 . IVv Dbv . 6 6 5 7 . ^bIIIv ^Cbv . 3 3 2 4 . I^m Ab^m 4 . 3 5 4 .

The Iv chord is played as a v chord with a quick passing vm chord. In Ab, the frets are 4x355x and 4x353x. The fingerings are 2x134x and 2x131x. The original has a strumming pattern of down down-up-down down-up with the vm chord only on the 2nd & 4th downs, but many other rhythms are possible.

While the verse has a passing Ivm, the chorus has I^m. It's rare to translate a single chord to both downminor and upminor. But I^m in the verse would be much harder to play as a passing chord. And Ivm in the chorus would imply a harsh vbIII^. Some versions of this song have a major I chord during the chorus, which avoids the issue. BTW, some versions have the I and IV chords in later verses become dom7 chords. These can be translated to v7 chords.

In the original, the bass run walks by quartertones of 50¢ from the 8ve down to the half-flat 4th, then jumps down to the tonic. The Kite guitar has steps of either ~60¢ or ~30¢, so it can't duplicate that exactly. This is a blessing in disguise, because there are many ways to approximate the original, and we can be creative in our choices.

This way uses mostly steps of 60¢, but a 30¢ step when moving to the next string. The run ends on a vM3. This is absolute tab, so (3,5) means 3rd string, 5th fret.

(3,5) (3,4) (3,3) (3,2) | (3,1) (3,0) (4,6) (4,5) | (4,4) (4,3) (4,2) (4,1) | (4,0) (5,6) (5,5) (5,4)

The melody can be varied by moving to the next string earlier, so that the 30¢ step happens sooner. For example, the 6th note could be (4,7).

This way uses steps of 60¢ and 90¢ and ends on the vm3. This is further from the original but sounds better melodically to me. The 30¢ step sounds annoyingly small. Again, one can vary the melody by moving to the next string earlier.

(3,5) (3,4) (3,3) (3,2) | (3,1) (3,0) (4,5) (4,4) | (4,3) (4,2) (4,1) (4,0) | (5,5) (5,4) (5,3) (5,2)

Yet another way uses only the 5th string. It starts on the 18th fret and walks down to the 3rd fret, the ^m3. It uses only 60¢ steps, very nice melodically. But it has the ^5 and v5 and no P5. In a solo arrangement, that's no problem, but in a band setting it might clash too much with the Iv chord.

All of these ways can be varied by lowering the last few notes so that the final leap down to the tonic is smaller. For example, the last 4 notes of the last example could be (5,6) (5,4) (5,2) (5,0).

Every one of these possibilities works well, and since the bass run happens 4-5 times in the song, there's no reason to play it the same way twice!

Finally, here's an advanced version combining the bass run with the Iv chord.

| - - 4 4 - - 4 4 | - - 4 4 - - 4 4 | - - 4 4 - - 4 4 | - - 4 4 - - 4 4 | | - - 5 5 - - 5 5 | - - 5 5 - - 5 5 | - - 5 5 - - 5 5 | - - 5 5 - - 5 5 | | 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - | 1 - 0 - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - 5 - 4 - | 3 - 2 - 1 - 0 - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - |

Sleep Drifter (King Gizzard and the Lizzard Wizard)

The original is in 24-edo, which 41-edo can approximate fairly well. The scale I chose is the equi-minor scale, P1 ~2 ^m3 P4 P5 ~6 ^m7 P8 or F# ^^G ^A B C# ^^D ^E F#. I could have approximated 24edo even better by using the plain minor 3rd and 7th. But the upminor sounds better to my ear, and is less awkward to play.

There's only two chords, I^m and ^bVII^m (F#^m and ^E^m). As usual with minor scales, the 4th is fuzzy. During the ^E^m chord, the B note changes to ^B. One could consider these two chords to be F#5 and ^E5 dyads, or F#^m7 and ^E^m7 tetrads. It depends on what you call melody and what you call harmony.

There is a frequent melodic ornament that uses a hammer-on and a pull-off to rapidly move from ^^G up to G# and back, or from ^^D to D# and back. The opening riff runs down the scale from C# to F# a 12th below, using this ornament several times on the low ^^G note.

"Drifting in and out of sleep..."

F# ^E F# F# ^^D ^^D C# F# ^E F# ^A ^^D ^^D C# F# ^E F# F# ^^D ^^D C# F# ^E F# ^A ^^D* C# ^B *ornamented

"Sleep drifter sleep drifter"

^^D ^E F# ^^G ^A B C#

"I can feel you touch me..."

F# ^^G ^A ^A ^^G F# C# F# ^^G ^A C# ^^G F# F# ^^G ^A ^A ^^G F# F# ^^G ^A B ^^G F#

Good In Bed (Dua Lipa)

The chords are G^m - Cv - Fv - Dv,7. I used a plain 7th not a down 7th in the D chord to avoid frequent pitch shifts, because the vocal melody uses C a lot. In fact C could be considered the tonic, making the chords V^m - Iv - IVv - IIv,7.

Except for the chorus, the melody uses the C downmajor scale C D vE F G vA vB C. But instead of the 2nd, it's the 6th that's fuzzy, with the vA changing to A over the G^m and Dv,7 chords.

How to tune the "bad"s in the microtonal chorus? The interval between the 1st and last "bad" is about a major 2nd or minor 3rd. The singing isn't perfectly consistent, so it doesn't matter a whole lot melodically which exact note we start from. More important is that the 1st "bad" relates to the underlying chord, to make it easy to sing. My approach was just to find something on the Kite guitar that was playable and harmonized well.

D is the 5th of the G^m chord, but that seemed too low. ^D and Eb clashed too much with the G^m chord, and ^Eb felt too high. So that left vEb. Over the Fv chord, it makes a beautiful v7 chord. Over the G^m chord, it makes a vm6 from the root and an ^M3 from the 3rd, harsh but possible.

But the downminor 3rd is 9 edosteps of 41, and an equal melody is impossible. There has to be one step that's larger. I chose to make the last step the largest, making vEb D vvD Db C. But the 2nd or 3rd step could be the large one. Not the 1st step, because vD makes a very wolfy off-5th with the G^m chord. So the second note should definitely be plain D. This note does make a somewhat wolfy plain M6 over the F chord, but that's the lesser of two evils. Another possibility: one could walk down differently over each chord. Over the G chord, vEb D vvD Db C, and over the F chord, vEb vD ^Db vDb C . But this makes the melody considerably more complicated.

Chorus ("I know it's really bad, bad, bad, bad, bad")

C C C C C vEb D vvD Db C (3x) A G F vE vA vE D

Scar Tissue (Red Hot Chili Peppers, intro only)

This one barely qualifies as microtonal. As explained in this Paul Davids video youtube.com/watch?v=Daw93bRHe4Y, the guitarist detuned his B string by about 15¢ to get a just 5/2 ratio, making this a natural for the Kite guitar!

Source for the tab: youtube.com/watch?v=oqB5MgmDwm4 The last few notes use vG not G so that one can use pulloffs.

| - - - - 14 - - 14 | - 14 - - 14 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - 12 - | 12 14 - - 14 - - 14| - 14 - - 14 12 - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 13 - - - - - 13 - | 13 - 13 - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - 11 - | 11 14 - - 14 - 14 - | 14 - 14 - - - 11 - | | - - - - 14 - - 14 | - 14 - 14 - 11 - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 12 14 - - - - - - | - - 17 14 17 14 - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 13 - - - - - 13 - | 13 - 13 - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 11 14 - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - |

Triadic Songs

Amazing Grace (trad.)

An easy arrangement meant as an introduction to the Kite guitar. The chords can be strummed slowly. The fingerings are given above each chord. In the 2nd chord, 2(2)134 means the middle finger frets the 6th string and also dampens the 5th string.

6-string version in A downmajor:

1 4 2314 4 3 2(2)134 4 1 1342 4 231 1 4 - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - | - - - - 7 - | 7 - - - 7 4 | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - 7 | 7 - - - - 7 | 7 - - - - - | 7 - - - - - | - - - - - 7 | 5 - | 5 - - - - - | 5 - - - - - | 8 - - - 8 - | 5 - - - 5 - | - - | 6 - - - - - | - - - - - - | 8 - - - - - | 6 - - - - - | - - | 6 - - - - - | 6 - - - - - | 6 - - - - - | 6 - - - - - | 2314 4 3 2(2)134 1 4 2314 2 4 2 | - - - - - - | - - - - - 6 | 6 - - - - - | - - - - - 6 | | - - - - 7 - | 7 - - - 4 - | 4 - - - - - | - - - - 7 - | | 7 - - - - 7 | 7 - - - - - | 5 - - - - - | - - - - - - | | 5 - - - - - | 5 - - - - - | 5 - - - - - | 5 - - - - - | | 6 - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | | 6 - - - - - | 6 - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | 1342 4 3 2(2)134 1342 4 231 1 4 | 6 - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | | 7 - - - 7 - | 7 - - - 7 4 | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | | 7 - - - - 7 | 7 - - - - - | 7 - - - - - | - - - - - 7 | | 5 - - - - - | 5 - - - - - | 8 - - - 8 - | 5 - - - 5 - | | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | 8 - - - - - | 6 - - - - - | | - - - - - - | 6 - - - - - | 6 - - - - - | 6 - - - - - | 2314 4 3 2(2)134 1 1342 2314 | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | | - - - - 7 - | 7 - - - 4 - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | | 7 - - - - 7 | 7 - - - - - | 7 - - - - - | 7 - - - - - | | 5 - - - - - | 5 - - - - - | 8 - - - - - | 5 - - - - - | | 6 - - - - - | - - - - - - | 8 - - - - - | 6 - - - - - | | 6 - - - - - | 6 - - - - - | 6 - - - - - | 6 - - - - - |

Simple Twist Of Fate (Bob Dylan)

This song uses lots of inversions to create its distinctive bass line. The original Blood On The Tracks version uses an open D tuning, capo'ed up to E. The translation is mostly 5-limit. The only 7-limit chord is Av7, which could become a 5-limit chord, Av,7.

Dv / / / Dv/vC# / / / Dv/C / / / Gv/vB / / / G^m/^Bb / / / Dv A4/vC# Gv/vB / Dv/A / Av7 / Dv / / /

Relative notation. The number after the slash indicates the interval from the root of the chord, not from the tonic of the scale. The reason for this is explained in the Notation Guide for Edos, near the end of section 3.

Iv / / / Iv/vM7 / / / Iv/7 / / / IVv/3 / / / IV^m/3 / / / Iv V4/v3 IVv/3 / Iv/5 / Vv7 / Iv / / /

Tab in ^C downmajor for a 6-string guitar. Detune the top string by a half-fret, to make a unison with the 2nd string 6th fret, and an 8ve with the 5th string 5th fret. Capo up 6 or 7 frets to get close to the original key of E.

Iv . 5 5 4 . 0 Iv/vM7 . 3 5 4 . 0 Iv/7 8 . 5 4 . 0 IVv/3 6 . 7 7 . 0 IV^m/3 5 . 7 6 . 0 (see note below) Iv . 5 5 4 . 0 V4/v3 . 3 2 4 . 0 IVv/3 6 . 7 7 . 0 Iv/5 3 . 5 4 . 0 Vv7 3 . 2 0 4 . Iv . 5 5 4 . 0

Instead of detuning, one could capo on the a-fret and move everything up one fret. But then one can't change the key to D or E by capoing.

The Blood On The Tracks version has the IVm chord voiced R-3-5. But I like it voiced with the 3rd in the bass. I like the tension created by the bass line slowly approaching the 5th, then suddenly jumping back up to the 8ve. For Dylan's voicing, just omit the bass and play . . 7 6 . 0

Fast Car (Tracy Chapman)

For 6 strings. Key is ^^F downmajor, the open 6th string. Capo on the 6th fret for the original key of A. Main riff:

- - - 0 | - 0 - - | - - - - | - - - - 1 3 1 - | - - - - | 15 (18) 15 13 | - 13 - - 1 - 1 1 | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 2 - - - | - - 14 - | 14 - - 14 | - - 14 - - - - 0 | - - - - | 15 - - 12 | - - - -

This lacks the droning open string sound of the original. One solution is to tune the 2nd and 3rd string up one fret.

- - - 0 | - 0 - - | - - - - | - - - - 0 2 0 - | - - - - | 14 (17) 14 12 | - 12 - - (tune this string up 1 fret) 0 - 0 0 | - - 0 - | 0 - - 0 | - - 0 - (tune this string up 1 fret) - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 2 - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - 0 | - - - - | 15 - - 12 | - - - -

The repeated note on string 5 fret 14 is moved to string 3 fret 1. This also makes the switch from the 3rd to the 4th chord easier. Unfortunately this means chord shapes are no longer isomorphic. Another solution is a partial capo on fret 1 on strings 2 and 3, and perhaps 4 as well. This too avoids the 14th fret note. Bolded notes are capo'ed open strings:

- - - 0 | - 0 - - | - - - - | - - - - 1 3 1 - | - - - - | 15 (18) 15 13 | - 13 - - (capo this string up 1 fret) 1 - 1 1 | - - 1 - | 1 - - 1 | - - 1 - (capo this string up 1 fret) - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 2 - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - 0 | - - - - | 15 - - 12 | - - - -

Chords for the strumming part:

IVv . 2 . 1 3 3 Iv 0 0 . 1 1 0 vVI^m . 0 2 1 1 3 Vv 12 . 11 13 13 .

Hotel California (The Eagles)

The song doesn't pump any commas, because there are no common notes between the last few chords. There are two approaches to translating the verse. One way avoids pitch shifts between adjacent chords:

I^m Vv ^bVIIv ^IVv ^^bVIv ^^bIIIv ^IV^m Vv7

This translation travels down the neck, only to rapidly climb back up in the last two measures. The tonic should be at least 3 dots up the neck, to allow room to walk down. The melody strays from the key.

Another approach is to avoid melodic drift by allowing a pitch shift between the 2nd and 3rd chords.

I^m Vv bVIIv IVv ^bVIv ^bIIIv IV^m Vv7

The chorus is straightforward:

^bVIv ^bIIIv Vv7 I^m ^bVIv ^bIIIv IV^m Vv7

Stairway To Heaven intro (Led Zeppelin)

This piece is harmonically quite simple, entirely 5-limit. Included because it's the classic guitar show-off piece! This translation is note for note, except the voicing of the final ^bVIIv chord is changed from 1 8 10 15 to 8 10 12 15. No comma issues, except for the ^bVIIv - IV4 chord change. The IV4 chord is very brief, so the ^b7 to b7 pitch shift isn't too problematic. Or perhaps bend the b7 up half a fret or so, to match the previous ^b7, makes the chord be IV(^4).

Tablature in A upminor for 6-string guitar, h = hammer on, p = pull off

I^m Vv,^m6 ^bIIIv IVv ^bVIv ^bVIIv I^m - - - - 18 - - 18 20 - - 20 9 - - 9 6 - - - - 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 21 - - - - - - - - - 9 - - - 6 - 6 - - 6 - 4 6 6 - - - - - - - 19 - - 19 - - - 19 - - - - 7 - - - 7 - - - - 7 4 7 7 - - - - - - 19 - - - - 19 - - - 19 - 8 - - - 7 - - - - - - - 2 5 5 - - - 7* 5 20 - - - 18 - - - 17 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 6 - - 6 - - *slide up to this note I^m Vv,^m6 ^bIIIv IVv ^bVIv ^bVIIv I^m - - - 6 18 - - 18 20 - - 20 9 - - 9 6 - - - - 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 - - - - - - - - - - 9 - - - 6 - 6 - - 6 - 4 6 6 - - - - - - 7 - - - 19 - - - 19 - - - - 7 - - - 7 - - - - 7 4 7 7 - - - - - - - - - - - 19 - - - 19 - 8 - - - 7 - - - - - - - 2 5 5 - - - - - - - - - 18 - - - 17 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 - - - - - - 3 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 6 - - - 6 - ^bIIIv IVv ^bVIvM7 I^m ^bIIIv ^bVIIv IV4 IVv - - - - 9 - - 9 6 - - 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - 11* 9 9 - - - - - - - - 6 - 9 - - - 6 - - 4h6- - - 6 - - 6 18 - - 18 9 9 9 - - - - - - - 4 - - - 7 - - - 7 - - 7 - - - 4 - - - 16 - - 7 7 7 - - - - - - 5 - - - - - - 7 - - - - - - - - - 5 - - - 17 - - - - - - - - - 5 - - - 8 - - - - - - - - - - 3 5 - - - 17 - - - 8 - 8 - - - - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 - 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 - *11p9 (pull-off) ^bIIIv IVv ^bVIvM7 I^m ^bIIIv IVv ^bVIvM7 - - - - 9 - - 9 6 - - 6 - - - - - - - - - - - 9 6 6 6 - - - - - - - - 6 - 9 - - - 6 - - 4h6- - - - - - 6 - - 9 - 6 6 6 - - - - - - - 4 - - - 7 - - - 7 - - 7 - - - - 4 - - 7 - - 7 7 7 - - - - - - 5 - - - - - - 7 - - - - - - - - 5 - - - - - - 7 7 7 - - - - - 5 - - - 8 - - - - - - - - - - 3 5 - - - 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 - 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kashmir in DADGAD (Led Zeppelin)

Sources:

The 12-equal version also uses DADGAD, so the frettings and fingerings are very similar. The Kite guitar tab assumes odd-numbered frets. Fret #1 is 1\41 from the nut, fret #2 is 3\41. etc. Fret #21 is at the octave. If you don't have an odd-fretted Kite guitar, use a half-fret capo.

There are two translations. One is mostly faithful to the original. The other demonstrates 41-equal's melodic possibilities by making the first two riffs be twice as long.

Riff #1 faithful (T stands for 10)

| - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 4 4 4 - - - 4 4 | 4 - - - 6 6 6 - | - - 6 6 6 - - - | 8 8 8 - - - 8 8 | 8 - - - T T T - | - - T T T - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 9 9 9 - - - 9 9 | 9 - - - 9 9 9 - | - - 9 9 9 - - - | 9 9 9 - - - 9 9 | 9 - - - 9 9 9 - | - - 9 9 9 - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - 0 - - - - - | - - - - - - 0 - | - - - - - - - - | - - 0 - - - - - | - - - - - - 0 - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 9 9 9 - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - 4 4 | 4 - - - 6 6 6 - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | etc. | 9 9 9 - - - 9 9 | 9 - - - 9 9 9 - | | - - - - - - - - | - - 0 - - - - - |

Use the fretted 5th string not the open 4th string so that you can dampen the note and make a clean gap for the drums to fill. The obvious translation of the melody would be A ^Bb vB C D. But I chose A ^Bb ^B ^^C D. The ^B and ^^C are less consonant, but I liked the sinister effect of increasing dissonance. I also liked the uniform step size of 2 frets (except the last step is 2.5 frets). The division of the 4th into 4 near-equal steps is quite striking.

Riff #1a double-long (T stands for 10, E for 11)

| - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 4 4 4 - - - 4 4 | 4 - - - 5 5 5 - | - - 5 5 5 - - - | 6 6 6 - - - 6 6 | 6 - - - 7 7 7 - | - - 7 7 7 - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 9 9 9 - - - 9 9 | 9 - - - 9 9 9 - | - - 9 9 9 - - - | 9 9 9 - - - 9 9 | 9 - - - 9 9 9 - | - - 9 9 9 - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - 0 - - - - - | - - - - - - 0 - | - - - - - - - - | - - 0 - - - - - | - - - - - - 0 - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 8 8 8 - - - 8 8 | 8 - - - 9 9 9 - | - - 9 9 9 - - - | T T T - - - T T | T - - - E E E - | - - E E E - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 9 9 9 - - - 9 9 | 9 - - - 9 9 9 - | - - 9 9 9 - - - | 9 9 9 - - - 9 9 | 9 - - - 9 9 9 - | - - 9 9 9 - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - 0 - - - - - | - - - - - - 0 - | - - - - - - - - | - - 0 - - - - - | - - - - - - 0 - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 9 9 9 - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - 4 4 | 4 - - - 5 5 5 - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | etc. | 9 9 9 - - - 9 9 | 9 - - - 9 9 9 - | | - - - - - - - - | - - 0 - - - - - |

I was tempted to have the upper voice switch strings sooner, and finish with vm7 ^my vM7 ^M7 P8. But I decided the steadily increasing dissonance of vM6 m7 ~7 M7 was a feature, not a bug. And I liked having the final step be larger than all the others, as it is in the 12-equal original. Also, M7 is less dissonant than ^M7.

In both versions, the extra lick goes 3rd string frets 4 2 4 7 4 2 4, 4th string fret 7, rhythm is e & a 4 e & a 1. Or up an octave at 2nd string 21 19 21 24 21 19 21, 3rd string 19.

Riff #2 faithful:

| 21 - - 21 - - 17 - | - 17 - - - - - - | 9 - - 9 - - 5 - | - 5 - - - - - - | | 0 - - 0 - - 0 - | - 0 - - 21 - 21 - | 0 - - 0 - - 0 - | - 0 - - - - - - | | 21 - - 19 - - 17 - | - 16 - - - - - - | 9 - - 7 - - 5 - | - 4 - - - - - - | | 0 - - 0 - - 0 - | - 0 - - 21 - 19 - | 0 - - 0 - - 0 - | - 0 - - 5 3 0 - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - 21 - 21 - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - 21 - 21 - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - |

The highest voice uses the descending downminor pentatonic scale D vC A G vF D. The 5th and 6th chords are played up high due to the lack of D and A notes near the 13th fret.

Riff #2a double-long (pentatonic version):

| 21 -  - 21  -  - 21  - | - 21  -  - 17  - 17  - | 17 -  - 17  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - |
| 0  -  -  0  -  -  0  - | -  0  -  -  0  -  0  - | 0  -  -  0  -  - 21  - | - 21  -  - 21  - 21  - |
| 21 -  - 20  -  - 19  - | - 18  -  - 17  - 16  - | 15 -  - 14  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - |
| 0  -  -  0  -  -  0  - | -  0  -  -  0  -  0  - | 0  -  -  0  -  - 21  - | - 20  -  - 19  - 18  - |
| -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  - 21  - | - 21  -  - 21  - 21  - |
| -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  - 21  - | - 21  -  - 21  - 21  - |

| 9  -  -  9  -  -  9  - | -  9  -  -  5  -  5  - | 5  -  -  5  -  -  5  - | -  5  -  -  -  -  -  - |
| 0  -  -  0  -  -  0  - | -  0  -  -  0  -  0  - | 0  -  -  0  -  -  0  - | -  0  -  -  -  -  -  - |
| 9  -  -  8  -  -  7  - | -  6  -  -  5  -  4  - | 3  -  -  2  -  -  1  - | -  0  -  -  -  -  -  - |
| 0  -  -  0  -  -  0  - | -  0  -  -  0  -  0  - | 0  -  -  0  -  -  0  - | -  0  -  -  5  3  0  - |
| -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - |
| -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - |

Here the 2nd highest voice moves mostly by single frets, twice by a half-fret, and once by 1.5 frets.

G ^F# vF# ^F vF E vvE Eb D ^C# vC# ^C C ^B vB ^Bb vBb A ^G# vG# ^G G vF vvE D

If you can't play the ^G, just play the G twice.

Riff #2b double-long (decatonic version):

| 21 -  - 21  -  - 19  - | - 19  -  - 17  - 17  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - |
| 0  -  -  0  -  -  0  - | -  0  -  -  0  -  0  - | 23 -  - 23  -  - 21  - | - 21  -  - 19  - 19  - |
| 21 -  - 20  -  - 19  - | - 18  -  - 17  - 16  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - |
| 0  -  -  0  -  -  0  - | -  0  -  -  0  -  0  - | 23 -  - 22  -  - 21  - | - 20  -  - 19  - 18  - |
| -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | 21 -  - 21  -  - 21  - | - 21  -  - 21  - 21  - |
| -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | 21 -  - 21  -  - 21  - | - 21  -  - 21  - 21  - |

| 9  -  -  9  -  -  7  - | -  7  -  -  5  -  5  - | 5  -  -  5  -  -  5  - | -  5  -  -  -  -  -  - |
| 0  -  -  0  -  -  0  - | -  0  -  -  0  -  0  - | 0  -  -  0  -  -  0  - | -  0  -  -  -  -  -  - |
| 9  -  -  8  -  -  7  - | -  6  -  -  5  -  4  - | 3  -  -  2  -  -  1  - | -  0  -  -  -  -  -  - |
| 0  -  -  0  -  -  0  - | -  0  -  -  0  -  0  - | 0  -  -  0  -  -  0  - | -  0  -  -  5  3  0  - |
| -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - |
| -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - | -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - |

In this version, the 2nd bar is slightly different:

G ^F# vF# ^F vF E ^Eb vEb D ^C# vC# ^C C ^B vB ^Bb vBb A ^G# vG# ^G G vF vvE D

In all three versions, the final 3 notes could have been 5 4 0 = vm3 M2 P1. But I liked the sound of the mid-2nd. Makes it more middle eastern. Another possibility is 6 3 0 = ^m3 ~2 P1, even more middle eastern. But the upper voice has just finished hanging on the vm3, so that seemed to fit better.

Riff #3:

(slide down) | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 4 - - - - - 4 - | - - 4 - - - 16 - | - - 4 - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 4 - - - - - 7 - | - - 4 - - - 19 - | - - 4 - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 0 - - - - - 0 - | - - 0 - - - 21 - | - - 0 - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 4 - - - - - 4 - | - - 4 - - - 16 - | - - 4 - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 4 - - - - - 7 - | - - 4 - - - 19 - | - - 4 - - - - - | - - 5 3 0 - - 0 | | 0 - - - - - 0 - | - - 0 - - - 21 - | - - 0 - - - - - | - - - - - 0 4 - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - |

Riff #4 ("All I see") is simply a G5 chord and an A5 chord:

9 x 0 0 9 9 x 0 4 x 0 4

This song nicely illustrates 3 of the 5 broad categories of 41-equal scales:

pentatonic: riff #2 & #2a upper voice
heptatonic
semitonal: riff #1, riff #2 lower voice, riff #2b upper voice
fretwise: riff #1a, riff #2a & #2b lower voice
microtonal

Greensleeves (traditional)

The 2nd chord in the first two lines, ^bVIIv, is an optional passing chord. The V7 chord is translated as Vv^7, because Vv7 sounds inappropriate for Renaissance music. The chord is voiced 1-5-7-10, and the interval from the 7th up to the 10th is a mid 4th. 41-edo flattens this 25/18 interval nearly down to 11/8. Somehow 11/8 sounds less out of place than 10/7! The melody uses the up 4th, to match this chord and also the ^bVIIv chord. The plain 4th is only used as part of the IV^m chord.

The 3rd note of both the 3rd quarter and the 4th quarter of the song ("Greensleeves was my") is controversial. Some say it's a major 6th, some say minor. In the tabs, both possibilities are shown.

It's hard to recreate the usual 12-edo fingerpicking version with just 6 strings. 8 strings is really needed for that.

6-string tab in E upminor:

I^m ^bIIIv ^bVIIv V^m | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . 1 . | 4 . . 6 4 . | 1 . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 4 . . . . . | 4 . . . . . | 2 . . . 2 . | . . . . 2 . | 5 . | . . . . . . | 2 . . . . . | 2 . . . . . | 2 . . 5 . . | | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 0 . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | | . . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 1 . . . . . | ^bVIv IV^m Vv | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 4 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 2 . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 5 . . . 5 . | 5 . . 3 5 . | 3 . . . 3 . | . . . . 5 . | | 5 . . . . . | 5 . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | | 3 . . . . . | 6 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 1 . . . . . | I^m ^bIIIv ^bVIIv V^m | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . 1 . | 4 . . 6 4 . | 1 . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 4 . . . . . | 4 . . . . . | 2 . . . 2 . | . . . . 2 . | | . . . . . . | 2 . . . . . | 2 . . . . . | 2 . . 5 . . | | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 0 . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | | . . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 1 . . . . . | ^bVIv Vv^7 I^m | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 4 . . 2 . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 5 . . . 5 . | 3 . . 0 3 . | 5 . . . . . | 5 . . . . . | | 5 . . . . . | 0 . . . . . | 3 . . . 3 . | . . . . . . | | 3 . . . . . | 1 . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^bIIIv ^bVIIv V^m | 3 . . . . . | 3 . . 1* . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | * play one or | 4 . . . . . | . . . 6* 4 . | 1 . . . . . | . . . . . . | the other, | . . . . . . | 4 . . . . . | 2 . . . 2 . | . . . . 2 . | not both | 2 . . . . . | 2 . . . . . | 2 . . . . . | 2 . . 5 . . | | . . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | 0 . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | 1 . . . . . | ^bVIv IV^m Vv | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 4 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 2 . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 5 . . . 5 . | 5 . . 3 5 . | 3 . . . 3 . | . . . . 5 . | | 5 . . . . . | 5 . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | | 3 . . . . . | 6 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 1 . . . . . | ^bIIIv ^bVIIv V^m | 3 . . . . . | 3 . . 1* . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | * same | 4 . . . . . | 4 . . 6* 4 . | 1 . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | 2 . . . 2 . | . . . . 2 . | | 2 . . . . . | 2 . . . . . | 2 . . . . . | 2 . . 5 . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | 0 . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | | 3 . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 1 . . . . . | ^bVIv Vv^7 I^m | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 4 . . 2 . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 5 . . . 5 . | 3 . . 0 3 . | 5 . . . . . | 5 . . . . . | | 5 . . . . . | 0 . . . . . | 3 . . . 3 . | . . . . . . | | 3 . . . . . | 1 . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . |

8-string tab in A upminor. Adding the notes in parentheses creates the passing chords.

I^m (^bVIIv) ^bIIIv ^bVIIv V^m | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . 3 . | 6 . . 8 6 . | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 6 . . . . . | 6 . . . . . | 4 . . . 4 . | . . . . 4 . | 7 . | . . . . (4) . | . . 4 . . . | . . . . . . | 4 . . 7 . . | | . . 5 . . . | . . . . . . | . . 2 . . . | 5 . . . . . | | . . . . (3) . | 5 . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . 3 . . . | | 6 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | 4 . . . . . | ^bVIv IV^m Vv | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 6 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 4 . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 7 . . . 7 . | 7 . . 5 7 . | 5 . . . 5 . | . . . . 7 . | | . . . . . . | 7 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 5 . . . . . | | . . 5 . . . | . . 8 . . . | . . 3 . . . | . . 3 . . . | | . . . . . . | 6 . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 6 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 4 . . . . . | . . . . . . | I^m (^bVIIv) ^bIIIv ^bVIIv V^m | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . 3 . | 6 . . 8 6 . | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 6 . . . . . | 6 . . . . . | 4 . . . 4 . | . . . . 4 . | | . . . . (4) . | . . 4 . . . | . . . . . . | 4 . . 7 . . | | . . 5 . . . | . . . . . . | . . 2 . . . | 5 . . . . . | | . . . . (3) . | 5 . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . 3 . . . | | 6 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | 4 . . . . . | ^bVIv Vv^7 I^m | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 6 . . 4 . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 7 . . . 7 . | 5 . . 2 5 . | 7 . . . . . | 7 . . . . . | | . . . . . . | 2 . . . . . | 5 . . . 5 . | . . . . . . | | . . 5 . . . | . . 3 . . . | . . 5 . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | 6 . . . . . | 6 . . . . . | | 6 . . . . . | 4 . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^bIIIv ^bVIIv V^m | 5 . . . . . | 5 . . 3* . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | * play one or | 6 . . . . . | 6 . . 8* 6 . | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | the other, | . . . . 6 . | . . . . . . | 4 . . . 4 . | . . . . 4 . | not both | . . 4 . . . | . . 4 . . . | . . . . . . | 4 . . 7 . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . 2 . . . | 5 . . . . . | | 5 . . . . . | 5 . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . 3 . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | 4 . . . . . | ^bVIv IV^m Vv | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 6 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 4 . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 7 . . . 7 . | 7 . . 5 7 . | 5 . . . 5 . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | 7 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 5 . . . . . | | . . 5 . . . | . . 8 . . . | . . 3 . . . | . . 3 . . . | | . . . . . . | 6 . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 6 . . . . . | . . . . . . | 4 . . . . . | . . . . . . | ^bIIIv ^bVIIv V^m | 5 . . . . . | 5 . . 3* . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | * same | 6 . . . . . | 6 . . 8* 6 . | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . 6 . | . . . . . . | 4 . . . 4 . | . . . . 4 . | | . . 4 . . . | . . 4 . . . | . . . . . . | 4 . . 7 . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . 2 . . . | 5 . . . . . | | 5 . . . . . | 5 . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . 3 . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | 3 . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | 4 . . . . . | ^bVIv Vv^7 I^m | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 6 . . 4 . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | | 7 . . . 7 . | 5 . . 2 5 . | 7 . . . . . | 7 . . . . . | | . . . . . . | 2 . . . . . | 5 . . . 5 . | . . . . . . | | . . 5 . . . | . . 3 . . . | . . 5 . . . | . . . . . . | | . . . . . . | . . . . . . | 6 . . . . . | 6 . . . . . | | 6 . . . . . | 4 . . . . . | . . . . . . | . . . . . . |

And I Love Her (The Beatles)

This song switches between relative major and minor so smoothly, it's hard to say what key it's in. Here it's written out as major.

This song has an ascending Meantone comma pump. While comma pumps are usually handled with pitch shifts, this is a rare example of a song for which tonic drift works. Tonic drift is easier to accept if it’s ascending, not descending. It only drifts up after the chorus, and this upward drift is arguably a nice touch. The Beatles changed key up a semitone at that point, and this is just a more subtle version of that.

Every Breath You Take (The Police)

Lots of added 9th chords. The final chord of the verse section is sometimes Iv,9, sometimes vVI^m,9. The chords in the bridge are power chords, but I added the downmajor 3rd. The heavy distortion prevents adding a 12-edo 3rd, but the sweeter 41-edo 3rd works fine! Perhaps the downminor 7th could be added as well?

Tab for 6-string guitar, in the key of vvB

verse - - 0 - | 3 0 - 0 | - - 0 - | 3 0 - 0 Iv,9 - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - 1 - 1 | - - 1 - | - 1 - 1 | - - 1 - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 2 - - - | - - - - | 2 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - vVI^m,9 - - 1 - | 3 1 - 1 | - - 1 - | 3 1 - 1 - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - 2 - 2 | - - 2 - | - 2 - 2 | - - 2 - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 3 - - - | - - - - | 3 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - 12 - | - - - - IV5,9 V5,9 - - 15 - | - - - - | - - - - | 15 - - - - - - - | 18 - - - | - 13 - 13 | - 13 - 13 - 16 - 16 | - 16 - 16 | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | 14 - - - | - - 14 - 17 - - - | - - 17 - | - - - - | - - - - - - 0 - | 3 0 - 0 | - - 0 - | 3 0 - 0 Iv,9 - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - 1 - 1 | - - 1 - | - 1 - 1 | - - 1 - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 2 - - - | - - - - | 2 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - ---------------------------------------------------------------- chorus - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - IV5,9 IV5,v7 - - 15 - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 18 - - - | - - 18 - | 14 - - - - 16 - 16 | - 16 - 16 | - 16 - 16 | - 16 - 16 - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 17 - - - | - - 17 - | 17 - - - | - - 17 - - - 0 - | 3 0 - 0 | - - 0 - | 3 0 - 0 Iv,9 - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - 1 - 1 | - - 1 - | - 1 - 1 | - - 1 - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 2 - - - | - - - - | 2 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - IIv,9 - - 10 - | 13 - - - | - - 10 - | 13 - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - 11 - 11 | - 11 - 11 | - 11 - 11 | - 11 - 11 - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 12 - - - | - - 12 - | 12 - - - | - - 12 - - - 12 - | - - - - | - - 12 - | - - - - V5,9 - - - - | 15 - - - | - - - - | 15 - - - - 13 - 13 | - 13 - 13 | - 13 - 13 | - 13 - 13 - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 14 - - - | - - 14 - | 14 - - - | - - 14 - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - ---------------------------------------------------------------- bridge 17 - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - ^bVIv 17 - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 15 - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 16 - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 14 - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - ^bVIIv 12 - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 13 - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 13 - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - etc. ---------------------------------------------------------------- outro - - 0 - | 3 0 - 0 | - - 0 - | 3 0 - 0 Iv,9 - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - 1 - 1 | - - 1 - | - 1 - 1 | - - 1 - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 2 - - - | - - - - | 2 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - vVI^m,9 IV5,vM7 - - 1 - | 3 1 - 1 | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - 18 - | 16 - - - - 2 - 2 | - - 2 - | - 16 - 16 | - 16 - 16 - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 3 - - - | - - - - | 17 - - - | - - 17 -

Getting In Tune (The Who)

Hah, with a title like that, who can resist translating it? I'm using absolute notation (notes) rather than relative notation (roman numerals) because of the many modulations.

The 2nd half of the song is the same as the first half, just a major 2nd higher. Translating the verse ("I'm singing this note...") is extremely straightforward. (Note that the vocal melody uses only chord roots, 5ths and sus 2nds, so it actually *is* right in tune even in 12edo!)

In the chorus ("Right in on you..."), the vocal melody stays on the F. Thus F must relate well to all the chords. F is a M9 from Eb, a m7 from G, a M6 from Ab and a 5th from Bb. Let's add in the ups and downs. The Eb chord's root must be a plain Eb, because an ^Eb or vEb chord would have a 5th of ^Bb or vBb, which would make an offperfect 5th with the vocal's F. The G chord plus the vocal's F note must be either ^Gv7 or vG^7, or possibly Gv,7. The Ab chord must be ^Abv to get a consonant vM6 from the root to F. (vAb^ would be too dissonant, especially with the vocal adding a 6th to make vAb^6, and especially with this chord being held extra long.) The Bb chord is of course Bbv.

The Eb chord and the G chord have common tones. Thus our choice of a G chord helps determine our Eb chord. To avoid a pitch shift, we can rule out Gv,7. vG^7 implies Ebv, and ^Gv7 implies Eb^ (or more likely Eb^7, because adding the 7th makes it more consonant). Thus one of the chords will be harmonic and the other subharmonic. In this situation, I usually put the more dissonant subharmonic chord in the less prominent place. If the chords change on every bar, this means putting it on a "backbar", i.e. the 2nd or 4th bar of a 4-bar section, or the 2nd, 4th, 6th or 8th bar of an 8-bar section. (By analogy with downbeat/backbeat, the odd-numbered bars are "downbars".) In this case, with the chords changing every half-bar, I put the subharmonic chord on the "back half" of the bar, to get Fv - Eb^9 - ^Gv7 - ^Abv6. The root movement from ^Gv7 to ^Abv6 is a plain m2, whereas using vG^7 would create an odd-sounding ~2 movement from vG to ^Ab.

Of course, one could avoid subharmonic chords entirely and have Ebv and ^Gv7. This creates a fairly obvious one-fret pitch shift from vG to ^G. While this can work in an original piece, that's too blatantly microtonal for a 12edo translation. I prefer the IMO relatively mild harmonic/vertical dissonance of a subharmonic chord over the IMO more extreme melodic/horizontal dissonance of a large pitchshift.

The bridge is straightforward. We want plain Bb and C roots, to keep the sense of key. To avoid an offperfect root move, Eb must be plain as well. Again, the G chord and the Eb chord have common tones, so we want a vG root.

Wade In The Water (trad. spiritual)

For 6-string guitar. Bars 9-10 and 13-14 can be improvised. The unusual fingering in bars 11-12 is meant to facilitate smooth sliding of the upper 2 voices.

Wade in the wa- ter Wade in the water chi-ildren fingering x21143 ----------------\ | - - 4 - 4 - - - | - - 4 - - - 4 - | - - 4 - 4 - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - 5 - 5 - - - | - - 5 - - - 5 - | - - 5 - 5 - 2 - | 5 - 2 - - - - - | | - - 3 - 3 - - - | - - 3 - - - 3 - | 3 - - - - - - 3 | - - - 3 - - - - | | - - - - - - 3 - | 3 - - - - - - - | - - 6 - 6 - - - | - - - - - 6 3 - | | 4 - - - - - - 4 | - - - - 4 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | Wade in the wa- ter God's gonna trouble the wa-ater | - - 4 - 4 - - - | - - 4 - - - 4 - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - 4 - | | - - 5 - 5 - - - | - - 5 - - - 5 - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - 5 - | | - - 3 - 3 - - - | - - 3 - - - 3 - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - 3 - | | - - - - - - 3 - | 3 - - - - - - - | 3 - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 4 - - - - - - 4 | - - - - 4 - - - | - - 4 4 4 4 - - | 1 - 3 4 - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - 2 | - - - - - - - - | See that band all dressed in re-e-ed God's gonna trouble the wa-ater It fingering xxx132 ----------\ | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 4 - 4 4 4 4 - - | 2 - 3 4 - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 5 - 5 5 5 5 - - | 3 - 4 5 - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 3 - 3 3 3 3 - 3 | 3 - 3 3 - - - 3 | | 3 - - 3 - - - - | 3 6 - 3 - 6 3 - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - 4 - - - 4 - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | look like a band that Mo-oses le-ed God's gonna trouble the wa-ater | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 4 - 4 4 4 4 - - | 2 - 3 4 - - - - | | 5 5 2 - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 5 - 5 5 5 5 - - | 3 - 4 5 - - - - | | - - - - 3 - - - | - 3 - - - - - - | 3 - 3 3 3 3 - 3 | 3 - 3 3 - - - - | | - - - - - - - 3 | 6 - 6 3 - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - 4 - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - |

downminor version:

| - - 3 - 3 - - - | - - 3 - - - 3 - | - - 3 - 3 - - - | - - - - - - - - |
| - - 5 - 5 - - - | - - 5 - - - 5 - | - - 5 - 5 - 1 - | 5 - 1 - - - - - |
| - - 3 - 3 - - - | - - 3 - - - 3 - | 3 - - - - - - 3 | - - - 3 - - - - |
| - - - - - - 2 - | 2 - - - - - - - | - - 6 - 6 - - - | - - - - - 6 2 - |
| 4 - - - - - - 4 | - - - - 4 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - |
| - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - |

| - - 3 - 3 - - - | - - 3 - - - 3 - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - 3 - |
| - - 5 - 5 - - - | - - 5 - - - 5 - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - 5 - |
| - - 3 - 3 - - - | - - 3 - - - 3 - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - 3 - |
| - - - - - - 2 - | 2 - - - - - - - | 2 - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - |
| 4 - - - - - - 4 | - - - - 4 - - - | - - 4 4 4 4 - - | 0 - 3 4 - - - - |
| - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - 2 | - - - - - - - - |


| - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 3 - 3 3 3 3 - - | 2 - 2 3 - - - - |
| - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 5 - 5 5 5 5 - - | 3 - 4 5 - - - - |
| - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 3 - 3 3 3 3 - 3 | 3 - 3 3 - - - 3 |
| 2 - - 2 - - - - | 2 6 - 2 - 6 2 - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - |
| - 4 - - - 4 - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - |
| - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - |

| - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 3 - 3 3 3 3 - - | 2 - 2 3 - - - - |
| 5 5 1 - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 5 - 5 5 5 5 - - | 3 - 4 5 - - - - |
| - - - - 3 - - - | - 3 - - - - - - | 3 - 3 3 3 3 - 3 | 3 - 3 3 - - - - |
| - - - - - - - 2 | 6 - 6 2 - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - |
| - - - - - - - - | - - - - - 4 - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - |
| - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - |

Blackbird (Beatles)

This charming song is a great study in 10ths! Over a constant G drone in the middle voice:

Blackbird... | vb c | d | vb' vb' | vb' vb' | | G vA | vB | g g | g g | Take these... | ve g' | vf# a' | g g | g g | | C ^C# | D D# | vE vE | vEb vEb | All your life | vf# g' | ve ve | veb veb | | D Db | C C | C C | You were only | d d | c# c# | c c | vb vb | waiting... | vB vB | ^A ^A | D D | G G | | ve d | c# c# | c c | vb vb | | C vB | ^A ^A | D D | G G | Blackbird fly | a' g' | ^f ve | d d | ve ve | | ^F vE | D C | ^Bb ^Bb | C C | Blackbird fly | a' g' | ^f ve | d d | | ^F vE | D C | ^Bb ^Bb | Into the | c# c# | c c | vb c | d | vb' (etc.) light... | ^A ^A | D D | G vA | vB | g | vb c | d ve | d c# | c c | | G vA | vB C | vB ^A | D D |

The bass often moves chromatically, landing on a scale note on the downbeat (P4, P5, M6) and a non-scale passing tone on the backbeat (A4/d5 or m6). In general I chose the passing tone so that the step away from it is smaller than the previous step to it. Because to my ear P4 - A4 - P5 sounds better melodically than P4 - vA4 - P5.

In the 2nd line, on "broken", I would have preferred the bass to be C#. But C# is on the 4th fret, too far away. Rather than settle for vC#, I went with the rather unusual ^C#. It makes 11/8 and 11/4 with the other two voices, about as consonant as a sharp 11th can get.

Continuing to minimize the final step, the 4th bass note is D# aka ^Eb. And the 7th and 8th notes are vEb, even though it makes a dissonant 9/7 and 18/7. And the "All your life" line has Db and veb.

Thus the bass melody is C ^C# D D# vE vE vEb vEb D Db C. When ascending, it has slightly sharper passing tones than when descending. It's like a microtonal version of 12edo's melodic minor melody P5 M6 M7 P8 m7 m6 P5. Unlike a more blatant microtonal melody like say vM6 ^m6 vm6 P5, this melody doesn't directly challenge one's 12-tone perceptions. Which would of course be inappropriate for a well-known Beatles song. Thus we get to "sneak in" some microtonality.

In the 4th line, I chose an ^A bass note to make a 7/4 with the G drone. A plain A would probably be better melodically, but in the open upminor tuning I chose, it's inaccessible. The final D7sus4 chord uses plain C (i.e. 16/9) to avoid an offperfect 4th.

There is a mid 2nd in the bass line on "You were only waiting" (vB to ^A). And also in the "Blackbird fly" lines (^F vE) in both the high and low voices. Whereas a mid interval from the tonic (say ~2 or ~3) immediately sounds non-12-tone, these mid 2nds don't jump out at me. Another way to sneak in some microtonality!

Tab for 6-string guitar tuned low to high G ^Bb D G ^Bb D:

Blackbird singing in the dead of night | - - - - - - - - | 0 - - - | 15 - - 15 - - 15 - | 15 - - 15 - - 15 - | | 1 - - - 3 - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - 0 - - - 0 - | - - 0 - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | 1 - - - | 15 - - - 15 - - - | 15 - - - 15 - - - | | 0 - - - 3 - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | Take these broken wings and learn to fly | 3 - - - 15 - - - | - - - - 12 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | 13 - - - - - - - | 15 - - 15 - - 15 - | 15 - - 15 - - 15 - | | - - 0 - - - 0 - | - - 0 - - - 0 - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 3 - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - 11 - - - | 12 - - - 14 - - - | 15 - - - 15 - - - | 13 - - - 13 - - - | All your life | - - - - - - - - | 3 - - 3 - - 3 - | 1 - - 1 - - 1 - | | 13 - - - 15 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - 0 - - - 0 - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | 3 - - - 3 - - - | 3 - - - 3 - - - | | 12 - - - 10 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | You were only waiting for this moment to arrive | 0 - - 0 - - 0 - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | 5 - - 5 - - 5 - | 3 - - 3 - - 3 - | 1 - - 1 - - 1 - | | - - 0 - - 0 - - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 0 - - - 0 - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 1 - - - 1 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | 4 - - - 4 - - - | - - - - - - - - | 0 - - - 0 - - - | | 3 - - - 0 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | 5 - - 5 - - 5 - | 3 - - 3 - - 3 - | 1 - - 1 - - 1 - | | - - 0 - - - 0 - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 0 - - - 0 - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 3 - - - 1 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | 4 - - - 4 - - - | - - - - - - - - | 0 - - - 0 - - - | (2nd verse, "sunken eyes") Blackbird fly | 12 - - - - - - - | - - - - 3 - - - | 0 - - 0 - - 0 - | 3 - - 3 - - 3 - | | - - - - 15 - - - | 12 - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - 0 - - - 0 - | - - 0 - - - 0 - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 12 - - - - - - - | - - - - 3 - - - | 0 - - - 0 - - - | 3 - - - 3 - - - | | - - - - 15 - - - | 12 - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | Blackbird fly | 12 - - - - - - - | - - - - 3 - - - | 0 - - 0 - - 0 - | | - - - - 15 - - - | 12 - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - 0 - - - 0 - | - - 0 - - - 0 - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 12 - - - - - - - | - - - - 3 - - - | 0 - - - 0 - - - | | - - - - 15 - - - | 12 - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | Into the light of the dark black night | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 0 - - - | 15 | 5 - - 5 - - 5 - | 3 - - 3 - - 3 - | 1 - - - 3 - - - | - - - - | - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | - - 0 - - - 0 - | - - 0 - | - etc. | - - - - - - - - | 0 - - - 0 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 1 - - - | 15 | 4 - - - 4 - - - | - - - - - - - - | 0 - - - 3 - - - | - - - - | - | - - - - - - - - | 0 - - - 3 - - - | 0 - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 1 - - - 3 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - 5 - - - | 3 - - 3 - - 3 - | | - - 0 - - - 0 - | - - 0 - - - 0 - | - - 0 - - - 0 - | - - 0 - - 0 - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | 0 - - - 0 - - - | | - - - - - - - - | 1 - - - 3 - - - | 1 - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | 0 - - - 3 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - 4 - - - | - - - - - - - - |

Tetradic Songs

I Will (The Beatles)

This song pumps the Meantone comma very rapidly. The Gvm7 chords could instead be G^m7 chords. Note the ^4 root movement from vD to G. Alternatively, a plain-D root could be used. But using a down-D root links the D chord more strongly to the F chord. This makes the first 4 chords of the song feel like only two: Fv6 and C9.

Fv     vD^m7    Gvm7    Cv7    |    Fv     vD^m     vA^m
                               |
Fv7    Bbv      Cv7     vD^m   |    Fv     Bbv      Cv7
                               |
Fv     vD^m7    Gvm7    Cv7    |


Bbv    vA^m    vD^m7    /      |    Gvm7    Cv7     Fv      Fv7 
                               |
Bbv    vA^m    vD^m7    /      |    Gv7      /      Cv7      /

Love Is A Losing Game (Amy Winehouse)

Source for the chords: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3NN5jywLBs

intro: F^d7 main: CvM7 Fv/G F^m7 CvM7 (2x) vA^m7 vD^m7 F^m7 CvM7 CvM7 Fv/G F^m7 CvM7 F^d7 G#vd7

intro: IV^d7 main: IvM7 IVv/2 IV^m7 IvM7 (2x) vVI^m7 vII^m7 IV^m7 IvM7 IvM7 IVv/2 IV^m7 IvM7 IV^d7 #Vvd7

No comma pumps, in fact every chord except for the two dim7 chords contains the tonic. The chords are mostly 5-limit.

The IV/2 chord can be thought of as a V11no35 chord. This is an innate-comma chord. The 7th and 11th must make a perfect 5th. The 11th should be plain (8/3). The 9th should too (9/4). It should also be 5/4 above the 7th. Not all of these can be true. This translation uses IVv/2 = V11(v9)no35. The down-9th is a somewhat wolfy 20/9 or 11/5. It's a little awkward to play. It helps to finger the bass note last. Another possibility is ^IVv/v2 = V^9,^11no35 = x3xx110. The wolfy up-11th is 27/10 or 19/7. It causes a pitch shift for the tonic.

in 12edo, the two dim7 chords are equivalent, and can be thought of as a V7b9noR chord. There are several ways to translate them to 41edo. For the first chord, I chose to make the root and 3rd match the IV^m7 chord. For the second chord, I chose to keep as many common notes as possible with the previous chord, and to have the 3rd match the 7th of the following chord.

A note-for-note translation to plain C isn't possible because there is no low F on the guitar. So this translation is in ^C downmajor, for a 7-string guitar in low-7 tuning.

^F^d7 . 20 . 17 16 20 . ^CvM7 . . 5 . 4 4 6 ^Fv/^G . 3 . 7 7 6 . ^F^m7 6 . . 4 6 6 . ^CvM7 (as before) A^m7 . 6 . . 4 6 6 D^m7 . . 8 . 7 6 8 ^F^m7 (as before) ^CvM7 (as before) ^F^d7 (as before) ^G#vd7 . . 19 . 16 14 18

The picking pattern:

- - 6 - | - 6 - - | - - - - | - - - - - - 4 - | - 4 - - | - - 6 - | - 6 - - - 4 - - | - 4 - - | - - 7 - | - 7 - - etc. - - - - | - - - - | - 7 - - | - 7 - - 5 - - 5 | 5 - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | 3 - - 3 | 3 - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - -

Stormy Monday (T-Bone Walker, Bobby Bland, Allman Brothers)

This song showcases the 4:5:6:7 tetrad as the main chord for the blues. The turnaround chord is an aug chord.

In relative notation:

Chords for 6-string guitar, in A downmajor

Iv7 6 . 5 3 7 . V^m . . 5 4 4 . fingering is 3 2 2 vVI^m . . 8 7 7 . slide into this chord from the previous D^m Vvm . . 5 3 4 . actually the top part of a Iv9 chord, fingering is 3 1 2 Iv9 6 . 5 3 4 . actually a Gv9no3, fingering is 4 . 3 1 2 IVv7 . 8 8 7 5 . I^m . . . 7 6 6 fingering is 3 2 2 vII^m . . . 10 9 9 slide into this chord from the previous G^m Ivm . . . 7 5 6 fingering is 3 1 2 IVv9 . 8 . 7 5 6 fingering is 4 . 3 1 2 ^bIIv7 8 . 7 5 9 . vII^m7 9 . 8 7 9 . vIII^m7 . 6 . 5 4 6 vbIII^m7 . 4 . 3 2 4 IV^m7 . 8 7 7 6 . some people play a different chord here Vva . . 5 5 6 6 could be translated as Vv(^^5) or Vvhalf-aug which is . . 5 5 5 6

I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)

This song pumps the Saruyo comma, which equates 21/20 to 256/243. As a result, several pitches shift a comma flat during the progression, but then shift back to where they started. On the Kite guitar, the chord progression walks up the neck and then leaps down 12 frets, only to walk up back to where it started.

A^m7 D^m7 Gv7 CvM7 FvM7 Bvdv7 Esus4 Ev7

In relative notation:

I^m7 IV^m7 bVIIv7 bIIIvM7 bVIvM7 IIvdv7 Vsus4 Vv7

Tab for 6-string guitar in the key of D upminor:

I^m7 . 8 . 7 6 8 IV^m7 . . 10 9 9 8 bVIIv7 11 . 10 8 12 . bIIIvM7 . 13 13 12 12 . bVIvM7 . 1 1 0 0 2 possible fingering . 1 2 . . 3 IIvdv7 . . 5 3 2 2 Vsus4 6 . 5 7 9 . Vv7 6 . 5 3 7 .

Tab for 6-string guitar in the key of ^Bb upminor:

I^m7 8 . 7 6 8 . IV^m7 . 10 . 9 8 10 bVIIv7 . . 12 12 11 9 bIIIvM7 13 . 12 12 14 . bVIvM7 1 . 0 0 2 1 possible fingering 1 . . . 3 2 IIvdv7 . 5 3 2 2 . Vsus4 . . 7 9 6 8 Vv7 . . 7 7 6 4

Manhattan Island Serenade (Leon Russell)

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytZkLzi-0W8

This particular translation adds 7ths to all the chords and features ^7 and ^9 chords resolving to ^m7 and v7 chords. The key is upminor, even though downminor is usually better than upminor for bluesy songs. But this song modulates to the relative major, and starting in downminor would lead to a dissonant upmajor key.

 E^m7     /     A^m7     /     |  B4     B^7    E^m7     /
                               | 
 ^Cv7     /     ^Gv7     /     | ^Cv7     /     ^Gv7   B4 B^7
                               | 
 E^m7     /     A^m7     /     |  B4     B^7    E^m7     /
                               | 
 ^Cv7     /     ^Gv7     /     | ^Cv7     /      B4     B^7


 ^Gv7   ^Dv7    E^m7   ^Gv7    | ^Cv7    B^7     A^9   ^Cv7
                               | 
 ^Gv7    B^7    E^m7   ^Gv7    | ^Cv7     /     ^Gv7    B^7 


 E^m7   ^Gv7    ^Cv7     /     |  A^9   ^Cv7    ^Gv7     /          (coda)

In relative notation:

Chords for six-string guitar in the key of vBb upminor:

I^m7 7 . . 5 7 7 high-3-5 voicing, fingering is 2 1 3 4 IV^m7 . 9 . 8 7 9 V4 . . 6 8 5 7 fingering is 2 4 1 3 V^7 . . 6 7 5 4 fingering is 3 4 2 1, unfortunately an awkward shift from V4 ^bVIv7 . . 8 8 7 5 could instead use a low-5 voicing ^bIIIv7 . 6 . 5 3 7 ^bVIIv7 4 . 3 1 5 . IV^9 . 9 10 8 7 7

Girl From Ipanema (Antônio Carlos Jobim)

The famous melody is not written out, but for each chord, each note (i. e. pitch) of the melody is written once only. For example, the "Tall and tan and young and lovely" line has the melody 9 7 7 6 9 7 7 7, but only the notes 9 7 and 6 are shown. The melody notes are shown in 3 ways: a (string, fret) format that shows where it's played on guitar, the note's interval from the tonic, and the note's interval from the current chord's root.

The A part has a Meantone comma issue. If the 3rd chord is rooted on II, its ^m7 (which is a prominent melody note) is an ^8, not an 8. This translation instead roots the chord on the vII, to avoid the melody straying from the tonic. If a bass line is added, the 2 - v2 melody might be awkward. Perhaps better to play the 4, changing the chord from vII^m7 to IVv6? Arguably a II^m7 chord would be better. Another possibility would be a IIm7 chord, but that's a little dissonant, also it's difficult to play on the Kite guitar.

In the B part, this translation has the song pumping the Layo comma, causing it to travel around the fingerboard quite a bit. The melody strays quite far from the original key, using e.g. ^5 and ^8. These notes seem far less offensive in the B part than in the A part, because there is no I chord in the entire B part.

The harmonies are translated as primarily 5-limit, except for dom7 chords which are of course 4:5:6:7. The key is vB, which is far from the original key of F. That key was chosen so that the first #11 chord could take advantage of an open string. Unfortunately, the second #11 chord can't do that, so a dom7addb5 chord is used instead.

In the two #11 chords near the end, the #11 could have been translated as 11/4, a ~11. But arguably the reason the 9th is flat is to justify/reinforce the #11. In 12-edo, the b9 along with the b7 and #11 create a harmonious 1st inversion major triad. In 41-edo, since the b7 is 7/4, the b9 must be 21/10 and the #11 must be 14/5. To make this upper structure clearer, in the chord name the 11th is called a b12, not a v#11.

Relative notation.

Tab in vB, with fingerings, for 6-string guitar:

----------CHORDS------------- -----MELODY NOTES-------------- --------REMARKS---------------------- IvM9 9 9 8 8 7 . (2,7) (3,8) (3,5) (on guitar) If the melody is played/sung by another, 3 4 2 2 1 9 v7 6 (from tonic) the 9th is supplied by the melody, 9 v7 6 (from root) and this chord could be a vM7 chord instead. IIv6 . 6 6 8 7 . (2,7) (3,8) (3,5) 1 1 3 2 9 v7 6 8 v6 5 vII^m7 12 11 11 10 . . (3,10) (4,11) (4,8) Could have been an ^m9 chord. 4 2 3 1 8 v6 5 Could also have been a II^m7 chord, see above. ^b7 5 ^4 #Iv7(b5) 11 11 8 8 . . (3,8) (4,8) (5,11) Could be called an ^bII chord. 3 4 1 1 v7 5 4 vb7 b5 v3 IvM7 9 9 8 8 . . (4,8) The fingering is chosen to easily slide into 3 4 1 1 5 the next chord. 5 #Iv7(b5) 11 11 8 8 . . 3 4 1 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #IvM7 11 11 10 10 . . (3,10) (3,12) (4,13) Could have been an ^m9 chord. 3 4 1 1 8 ^b9 b7 Could be called an ^bII chord. v7 8 v6 #IVv9no5 . 13 13 . 10 11 (4,10) (4,13) If the melody supplies the 9th, could be a v7 chord. 3 4 1 2 ^b6 b7 9 v10 #I^m9 11 10 10 9 9 . (2,9) (2,1) (3,12) If the melody supplies the 9th, could be a ^m7 chord. 4 3 2 2 1 ^b10 ^10 #8 The ^b10 from the tonic can be thought of as a #9. 9 ^b10 8 ^VIv7 . 10 12 12 . 9 (3,9) (3,12) Should be a v9 chord, but not enough strings. 2 3 4 1 ^7 #8 Could start with a v7sus2 chord . 10 12 9 . 9 = 2 3 1 1 9 v10 then end the bar with the v7 chord shown here. ^II^m9 13 12 12 11 11 . (2,11) (2,13) (3,14) If the melody supplies the 9th, could be a ^m7 chord. 4 2 3 1 1 ^10 ~11 ^9 9 ^b10 8 ~VIIv7 . 12 14 14 . 11 (3,11) (3,14) (2,11) (2,13) Again, should really be a v9 chord. 2 3 4 1 ^^8 ^9 ^10 ~11 Again, could start with a v7sus2 chord and end with a v7. 9 v10 b12 12 III^m7 . . 3 2 2 1 (2,16)(3,2)(3,5)(2,2)(2,4)(1,1) 4 2 3 1 ^12 ^5 6 7 ^8 ^9 ^b10 ^b3 4 5 v6 ^b7 VIv7b9b12no3 4 . 3 1 0 2 (1,2) (1,4) Could instead be a v7b9b12no5 chord, 4 4 . 1 0 2 4 3 1 2 b10 10 If the melody supplies the b12th, could be a v7b9 chord, b12 12 played as 4 4 3 1 0 . II^m7 . 6 5 5 4 . (1,6)(4,5)(4,8)(3,5)(3,8)(2,4) (3,8) could be (2,2) = 7 = 6, or even (3,9) = ^7 = ^6 4 2 3 1 ^11 ^4 5 6 v7 ^8 ^b10 ^b3 4 5 v6 ^b7 Vv7b5 . 6 8 8 5 5 (2,5) Should be a v7b9b12 chord, not enough strings or fingers! 2 3 4 1 1 b9 (Vv7b5 means add a flat 5, Vv7(b5) means flatten the 5.) b5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vII^m9 (2,10) (3,10) (4,11) Ending melody: "When she passes I" v10 8 v6 If the melody supplies the 9th, could be a ^m7 chord. 9 ^b7 5 #Iv7(b5) (1,9) (3,8) (4,11) "smile, but she doesn't" 12 v7 v6 b12 vb7 vb6 IvM7 (3,8) "see" v7 v7 #Iv7(b5) (3,8) (4,1) "She just doesn't" v7 v6 vb7 vb6

Killing Me Softly (Roberta Flack)

Translated by Kite and Athan Spathas. Absolute notation:

chorus: E^m7 A^m7 Dv7 ^Gv ^GvM7 E^m7 Av6 Dv7 ^Cv7 ^Gv6 ^Cv7 ^FvM7(b5) / Ev N.C. verse: A^m7 Dv7 ^Gv ^GvM7 ^CvM7 A^m7 Dv7 E^m7 / A^m7 Dv6 ^Gv ^GvM7 Bv,^7

Relative notation:

chorus: I^m7 IV^m7 bVIIv7 ^bIIIv ^bIIIvM7 I^m7 IVv6 bVIIv7 ^bVIv7 ^bIIIv6 ^bVIv7 ^bIIvM7(b5) / Iv N.C. verse: IV^m7 bVIIv7 ^bIIIv ^bIIIvM7 ^bVIv IV^m7 bVIIv7 I^m7 / IV^m7 bVIIv6 ^bIIIv ^bIIIvM7 Vv,^7

This song pumps the Meantone comma, resulting in pitch shifts whenever a D chord is followed by an ^G chord. D shifts to ^D, but this shift can be masked by voicing the D an octave below the ^D. Stylistically, the ^Gv chord should be an ^GvM7 chord, but this creates another shift, vF# to F#. This shift is masked by delaying the F# note, in other words adding the 7th halfway through the ^Gv chord's duration. Thus the ^GvM7 chord is a passing chord. In the chorus, the bass line can use the 7th to walk down: ^G F# E. Alternatively, the D chords could become vD chords, but this would create other pitch shifts.

The ^FvM7(b5) chord could alternatively be an ^FvM9v#11 chord voiced 1-3-5-7-9-11 and fretted e.g. 4 4 3 3 2 2.

The melody uses the scale E vF# ^G A B ^C D E except for:

Chorus, "Telling my whole life with his words", "life" and "his" are ^D
Verse, 2nd line "heard" is ^D
Verse, 4th line "listen" 2nd syllable is F#
Verse, 5th line "was" and "young" are vB
Verse, 6th line, "to my" is vD#

Alternatively, "was" and "young" could be plain B, and the Dv6 chord could be Dv7. But then the B and ^C in the melody might perhaps clash too much with the vC in the chord.

The v6 chords can be voiced 1-3-6-8. Without the 5th, the chord tends to "flip" to an ^m triad 1st inversion. But two things help reinforce it as a v6no5 chord: the doubling of the root at the octave, and the context of previous chord changes.

On a 6-string, in vC:

I^m7 . 4 . 3 2 4 IV^m7 . 4 6 5 . 4 VIIv7 7 . 6 4 8 . ^bIIIv . . 3 3 2 4 ^bIIIvM7 . . 3 3 2 2 IVv6 . . 6 6 8 7 ^bVIv7 4 . 3 1 5 . ^bIIIv6 . . 3 3 5 4 ^bIIvM7(b5) . 6 . 3 5 7 ^bVIvM7 4 . 3 3 5 . (or 4 . 3 3 5 4) VIIv6 7 . 9 8 8 . Vv,^7 2 . 1 0 3 2

Linus and Lucy (Vince Guaraldi)

This song has lots of 6th chords and the melody uses 2nds a lot. The resultant 6/9 harmony is an innate-comma chord, but it's not an issue because the 6th and the 9th overlap only very briefly, thus the (fleeting) v6,9 harmony doesn't sound wolfy.

Intro: Abv / Abv6 / Abv / Abv6 / A part: Abv / Abv6 / Abv / Abv6 / Abv / Abv6 / ^Cbv / ^Cbv6 / Abv / Abv6 / B part: Dbv Ebv Abv6 / Dbv Ebv Abv6 / Dbv Ebv Abv6 / Abv / Abv6 /

In relative notation:

Intro: Iv / Iv6 / Iv / Iv6 / A part: Iv / Iv6 / Iv / Iv6 / Iv / Iv6 / ^bIIIv / ^bIIIv6 / Iv / Iv6 / B part: IVv Vv Iv6 / IVv Vv Iv6 / IVv Vv Iv6 / Iv / Iv6 /

Tab for 8-string guitar in Eb downmajor (the lowest key possible).

Iv Iv6 - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - 3 - | - 3 - - | - - - - | - - - - - 1 - - | 1 - - - | - 1 4 - | 1 4 - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 2 - - 2 | - - - 2 | - - - 2 | - - - 2 Iv Iv6 - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - 4 - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - 3 - - 3 - | - 3 - - | - - - - | - - - - - 1 - - | 1 - - - | - 1 4 - | 1 4 - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - 2 | - - - 2 | - - - 2 | - - - 2 Iv Iv6 - 1 4 - | 4 1 - - | 1 - - - | - - - - - - 4 - | 4 - 4 - | - - - 4 | - - - 4 - 2 - - | - 2 - - | 2 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - 3 - | - - - 3 | - - - 3 - - 3 - | - 3 - - | - - - - | - - - - - 1 - - | 1 - - 1 | - 1 4 - | 1 4 - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - 2 | - - - - | 2 - - 2 | - - - 2 Iv Iv6 - 1 4 - | 4 - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - 4 - | 4 - - - | - - - - | - - - 4 - 2 - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - 3 - - 3 - | - 3 - - | - - - - | - - - - - 1 - - | 1 - - - | - 1 4 - | 1 4 - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - 2 | - - - 2 | - - - 2 | - - - 2 Iv Iv6 - 1 4 - | 4 1 - - | 1 - - - | - - - - - - 4 - | 4 - 4 - | - - - 4 | - - - 4 - 2 - - | - 2 - - | 2 - - - | - - - 2 - - - - | - - 3 - | - - - 3 | - - - - - - 3 - | - 3 - - | - - - - | - - - - - 1 - - | 1 - - 1 | - 1 4 - | 1 4 - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - 1 - - - 2 | - - - - | 2 - - 2 | - - - - ^bIIIv ^bIIIv6 - - - 1 | 1 - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - 4 - - - 2 | 2 - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - 2 - | - 2 - - | - - - - | - - - 3 - 0 - - | 0 - - - | - 0 3 - | 0 3 - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - 1 | - - - 1 | - - - 1 | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - 2 Iv Iv6 - - - 1 | 1 - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - 2 | 2 - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - 3 - | - 3 - - | - - - - | - - - - - 1 - - | 1 - - - | - 1 4 - | 1 4 - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - 2 | - - - 2 | - - - 2 | - - - 2 ---------------------------------------------------------------- IVv Vv Iv6 6 6 6 1 | - 18 18 18 | 18 18 18 18 | 18 18 18 - 4 4 4 2 | - 16 19 19 | 16 19 19 16 | 19 19 16 - 5 5 5 2 | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - 1 | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 4 4 4 - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - 2 IVv Vv Iv6 6 6 6 1 | - 18 18 18 | 18 18 18 18 | 18 18 18 - 4 4 4 2 | - 16 19 19 | 16 19 19 16 | 19 19 16 - 5 5 5 2 | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - 1 | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 4 4 4 - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - 2 IVv Vv Iv6 6 6 6 1 | - 18 18 18 | 18 18 18 18 | 18 18 18 - 4 4 4 2 | - 16 19 19 | 16 19 19 16 | 19 19 16 - 5 5 5 2 | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - 1 | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 4 4 4 - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - Iv Iv6 - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 4 - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 2 - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - - - 3 - | - 3 - - | - - - - | - - - - - 1 - - | 1 - - - | - 1 4 - | 1 4 - - - - - - | - - - - | - - - - | - - - - 2 - - 2 | - - - 2 | - - - 2 | - - - -

Bye Bye Blackbird (Ray Henderson and Mort Dixon)

Translated by Kite with input from Timmy Barnett

GvM7 / / / GvM7 Bb^d7 vA^m7 vD^7 vA^m7 / / vD^7 vA^m7 Dv7 GvM7 / Gv7 / vB^d^7 vEv7 vA^m7 / / Dv7 GvM7 / vB^d^7 vEv7 vA^m7 F#vdv7 GvM7 Dv7

IvM7 / / / IvM7 bIII^d7 vII^m7 vV^7 vII^m7 / / vV^7 vII^m7 Vv7 IvM7 / Iv7 / vIII^d^7 vVIv7 vII^m7 / / Vv7 IvM7 / vIII^d^7 vVIv7 vII^m7 VIIvdv7 IvM7 Vv7

The Bb^d7 chord can be thought of as a vA^7b9noR chord. In the first half, I used vD^7 because I love the sound of I^m7 - IV^7 (or IV^9).

I translated all the original's Am7 chords to vA^m7 not plain A^m7, because the latter would have an ^G, and I wanted to keep the tonic G unchanging. This necessitates an offperfect root movement somewhere near the end of the first half. I chose for it to happen at vA to D. As Timmy pointed out, there's a problem with translating IIm7 - V7 to II^m7 - Vv7. The 4th of the scale shifts from an up-4th to a down-4th, an obvious shift of an entire fret. vA to D makes this a less noticeable shift of a half-fret. In the 2nd half, the 2nd line likewise uses vA and D roots.

In the final line, I didn't want the vocal's held "bird" note to shift at all, not even by only a half fret. The solution is to use a vV^7 chord. The pitch shift from the vD chord's vD to the G chord's D is avoided by omitting the root. vD^9noR = F#vdv7.

Alice's Restaurant (Arlo Guthrie)

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caGjFmTkJVw

Iv / vVIv7 / IIv7 Vv7 Iv / Iv / vVIv7 / IIv7 / Vv7 / Iv / Iv7 / IVv7 / vII^7 / Iv / vVIv7 / IIv7 Vv7 Iv /

In D downmajor, for 8-string guitar. Fingerings for chords are listed low to high. For example, 324 in the pickup bar means x3xx24xx. Play the bass line staccato.

fingering:                                                                            22  1   324    121 3
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  6  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  7  .  .  9  .  .  9  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  7  .  .  7  .  7  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  6  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  6  .  9  .  .  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |

  24     3    12  4  3  44    3    24    31  4  2       23  1  4    23  4  1 42     3 22  1   324    121 3
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  . 11  .  7  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |
|  9  .  .  .  7  9  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  9  .  .  |  .  2  .  .  .  9  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  6  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  9----10  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  4  .  .  .  7  .  .  9  |  .  7  .  .  9  .  .  9  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  9----10  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  7  |  .  7  .  .  7  .  7  .  |
|  .  .  8  .  .  .  8  .  |  .  .  8  .  .  .  8  .  |  .  .  5  .  .  .  5  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |
|  8  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  8  .  .  .  .  .  6  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  6  .  .  .  |  9  .  .  .  9  .  .  .  |  4  .  .  .  6  .  .  .  |  .  .  6  .  9  .  .  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |

  24     3    12  4  3  44    3    24    31  4  2       12  4  3  2 31  2  4       42  3  1  2 34    121 3
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  . 11  .  7  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |
|  9  .  .  .  7  9  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  9  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  2  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  6  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  9----10  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  4  7  .  4  .  4  .  .  |  7  .  .  .  9  .  .  9  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  9----10  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  7  .  7  .  .  7  .  |
|  .  .  8  .  .  .  8  .  |  .  .  8  .  .  .  8  .  |  .  .  5  .  .  .  5  .  |  .  .  5  .  .  .  .  .  |
|  8  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  6  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  6  .  .  .  |  9  .  .  .  9  .  .  .  |  4  .  .  .  4  .  .  .  |  6  .  .  .  9  .  .  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |

  24     3     1  4  3  2    34  2  3  1  2  4  3  1    24  1  3  4 12  4  3       32  1  4  2 31  4  3  ?
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |
|  9  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  9  .  .  |  9  7  .  5  .  9  .  .  |  .  7  .  .  9  .  .  .  |  .  7  .  .  9 12  .  9  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  7  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  7  | 10  .  . 10  . 10  .  .  | 10  .  . 10  .  .  .  .  |
|  .  .  8  .  .  .  8  .  |  .  .  8  .  .  .  8  .  |  .  . 10  .  .  . 10  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |
|  8  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  8  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  . 11  .  .  . 11  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  6  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  6  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  9  .  .  .  9  .  .  .  | 11  .  .  . 11  .  .  .  |

  24     3    12  4  3  44    3    24    31  4  2       23  1  4    23  4  1 42     3 22  1   324    121 3
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  . 11  .  7  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |
|  9  .  .  .  7  9  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  9  .  .  |  .  2  .  .  .  9  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  6  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  9----10  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  4  .  .  .  7  .  .  9  |  .  7  .  .  9  .  .  9  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  9----10  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  7  |  .  7  .  .  7  .  7  .  |
|  .  .  8  .  .  .  8  .  |  .  .  8  .  .  .  8  .  |  .  .  5  .  .  .  5  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |
|  8  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  8  .  .  .  .  .  6  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  6  .  .  .  |  9  .  .  .  9  .  .  .  |  4  .  .  .  6  .  .  .  |  .  .  6  .  9  .  .  .  |
|  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  |

I used a vVI chord instead of plain VI mostly to make it more playable.

The last chord of the 3rd quarter of the song is the most "away" chord, so it seemed natural to put a subharmonic chord there. The extra dissonance gives the song a little boost. Since I didn't want the tonic to shift, the only other alternatives were ^IIv7 and IIv,7. The only tricky part was how to tune the chord's 6th. Ideally it would be a M7 to match the chord's 3rd, but for playability and to avoid a pitch shift I used a vM7. It makes a wolf 11th with the bass note (21/8 vs. 8/3) and even worse a wolf 6th with the root (27/16 vs 12/7). So perhaps bend it up a bit?

Barbershop tags

These are mostly translations of traditional arrangements, as opposed to re-arrangements. Thus the individual parts are changed only by adding in ups and downs.

Barbershop often uses very close voicings of a major 2nd. When this 2nd translates to a vM2 or an ^M2, both notes occur on the same string. The tab resolves the issue by using an open string, or using tapping. Even if a note-for-note guitar performance of the tag is awkward, the tabs are still valuable for conveying to the singers subtle microtonal nuances.

See also Aaron Wolf's My old Kentucky Home translation.

Please Don't Sell My Daddy No More Wine (Tom Lane)

A rather conventional country song from 1964 that is the basis for a very popular barbershop tag. The tag is full of dom7 chords tuned 4:5:6:7. Very natural to play on the Kite guitar and very easy to translate, except that one of the chords has a hi37 voicing that requires 7 strings.

Sources:

https://www.barbershoptags.com/tag-26-No-More-Wine (barbershop tag, "sell" became "give")

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPJObkkA4Xs (The Greenwoods ,1966)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brzqk9Zksuo (Wanda Jackson 1969)

The I and VI7 chords have two common tones, the 3rd and 5th of the scale. The interval between these two notes depends on the chord. The I chord tunes them an upminor 3rd apart and the VI chord tunes them a downminor 3rd apart. Thus one or both notes must shift. Fortunately none of the singers holds either common tone across both chords. In fact each common tone appears not only in a different voice but also in a different octave, helping to mask any shifts. Still, if only one note shifts, it would be by a full fret, quite noticeable even if in a different octave. Instead I chose to have the 3rd shift up by a half-fret and the 5th shift down by a half-fret.

This type of chord progression is very common in barbershop, and this way of resolving the comma issues is usually the best way. Not only does it avoid a full fret pitch shift, it's also the only way to get three perfect root movements in the VI7-II7-V7-I series of 4thward cadences. (As opposed to say Iv - vVIv7 - IIv7 - Vv7 - Iv, in which the vVI to II root movement is an offperfect 4th or 5th.)

The tenor's P1 is everyone else's P8. The tag can be played note-for-note on the guitar, except that the 2nd to last bass note is on the same string as the baritone's note. The tablature solves this problem with a tapped note on the 19th fret. Or one could have the baritone's note disappear briefly and play xx686xx. The passing IIm7 chord for "He's" is unfortunately a bit awkward to play rapidly. This "He's" swipe, along with the bass's "All" flourish and the baritone's "Mine" flourish, can be omitted if the guitar is accompanying a barbershop quartet.

The guitar key is vBb if in high-7 tuning and Gb if in low-7 tuning. The VI7 chord's hi35 voicing that requires 7 strings happens to be a 2:3:5:7 voicing. This is a nearly all-odd-numbers voicing, and thus one of the most consonant voicings possible. When played with an open string, it's quite natural for 2x1x3x0 to become 2x133x0.


Lyrics	vocal parts				solfege				7- string guitar tab		chords and their voicings
Lyrics	Bass	Bari	Lead	Tenor	Bs	Br	Ld	Tn	KDF frets	frets	chords and their voicings
Please Don't Give My	P1	P8	P5	vM3	Da	↑Da	Sa	Mo	,3 - ,2 ,,0 ,,0 - -	7 - 6 8 8 - -	Iv	hi3add8
Daddy No More	P4	"	vM6	vm3	Fa	"	Lo	No	- ,,1 ,,1 ,,0 ,2 -	- 9 9 8 6 - -	IVv7	close
Wine, No More	P1	"	P5	vM3	Da	"	Sa	Mo	,3 - ,2 ,,0 ,,0 - -	7 - 6 8 8 - -	Iv	hi3add8
Wine	low M6	vA8	M3	v5	↓La	↑Fra	Ma	So	2 - 1 - 3 - 0	2 - 1 - 3 - 0	VIv7	hi37
He May Be No	M2	v8	M6	vA4	Ra	↑Do	La	Po	- ,0 - 3 1 ,1 -	- 4 - 3 1 5 -	IIv7	hi3
Good, But	P5	M9	vM7	v4	Sa	↑Ra	To	Fo	- - ,2 ,2 ,1 3 -	- - 6 6 5 3 -	Vv7	close
He's	M2	v8	M6	"	Ra	↑Do	La	"	- ,0 - 3 1 3 -	- 4 - 3 1 3 -	IIvm7	hi3
All	P5	M9	vM7	"	Sa	↑Ra	To	"	- - ,2 ,2 ,1 3 -	- - 6 6 5 3 -	Vv7	close
Mine	P1	P5	P8	vM3	Da	Sa	Da	Mo	,3 - ,2 ,,0 ,,0 - -	7 - 6 8 8 - -	Iv	hi3add8
All	P4	vM6		vm3	Fa	Lo		No	- ,,1 ,,1 ,,0 ,2 - -	- 9 9 8 6 - -	IVv7	close
	P5				Sa				⸰3 - ,,1 ,,0 ,2 - -	19 - 9 8 6 - -	IVv9noR	lo9
	P4				Fa				- ,,1 ,,1 ,,0 ,2 -	- 9 9 8 6 - -	IVv7	close
Mine	P1	"		vM3	Da	"		Mo	,3 - ,,1 ,,0 ,,0 - -	7 - 9 8 8 - -	Iv6no5	hi3add8
Mine	P1	P5		vM3	Da	Sa		Mo	,3 - ,2 ,,0 ,,0 - -	7 - 6 8 8 - -	Iv	hi3add8

When It's Sleepy Time Down South

Source: https://www.barbershoptags.com/tag-4-Sleepytime-Down-South

The bass and baritone's P8 is the lead and tenor's P1. The "-py" chord has a close vM2 in it, and thus a tapped note. Alternatively, the baritone note could disappear momentarily, making - - 11 13 13 -.

Lyrics	vocal parts				solfege				6- string guitar tab		chords and their voicings		chord homonyms
Lyrics	Bass	Bari	Lead	Tenor	Bs	Br	Ld	Tn	KDF frets	frets	chords and their voicings		chord homonyms
When	P8	P8	P1	P1	↑Da	↑Da	Da	Da	- - - ,,,1 - -	- - - 13 - -	I5no5	close
It's	vM7	vM7	M2	M2	To	To	Ra	Ra	- - - ,,3 ,,2 -	- - - 11 10 -	VvnoR	close
Slee-	vM6	vM6	P1	vM3	Lo	Lo	Da	Mo	- - ,,,2 ,,,1 ,,,1 -	- - 14 13 13 -	vVI^m	close
-py	P5	"	"	"	Sa	"	"	"	⸰⸰⸰0 - ,,,2 ,,,1 ,,,1 -	24 - 14 13 13 -	vVI^m7	lo7	Iv6	lo56
Time	A4	"	"	"	Pa	"	"	"	- ⸰0 ,,,2 ,,,1 ,,,1 -	- 16 14 13 13 -	#IVvdv7	close	vII^9noR	close
Time	A4	"	"	vM2	Pa	"	"	Ro	- ⸰0 ,,,2 ⸰0 - 0	- 16 14 16 - 0	vII^7	hiR
Down	P4	"	"	vm3	Fa	"	"	No	- ,,,2 ,,,2 ,,,1 ,,3 -	- 14 14 13 11 -	IVv7	close
Down	P4	vm6	"	vM2	Fa	Flo	"	Ro	- ,,,2 ,,,0 ⸰0 - 0	- 14 12 16 - 0	vII^d^7	hiR	bVIIv9noR	hi3
South	P1	P5	"	vM3	Da	Sa	"	Mo	,,,0 - ,,3 ,,,1 ,,,1 -	12 - 11 13 13 -	Iv	hi3add8

Barbershop generally uses mostly harmonic and stacked chords, and rarely uses subharmonic chords. But the first "time" chord is subharmonic, voiced 7/(7:6:5:4). It works here because the voicing makes all the intervals be 5-over or 7-over, and none are 5-under or 7-under. in fact, the harmonic alternative to vdv7 aka ^9noR would be ^d^7 aka v9noR, voiced 5:6:7:9. Comparing the 6 intervals in each tetrad, both have 3/2, 6/5, 7/6 and 7/5. The subharmonic chord has 5/4 and 7/4, and the harmonic chord has 9/7 and 9/5. So in this voicing, the subharmonic chord is actually smoother!

What about other voicings? In a lo3 voicing, 14/(12:7:5:4) has larger ratios than 3:5:7:9, and thus is inferior to it. But in a hi3 voicing, 7/(7:5:4:3) is far superior to 5:7:9:12. The math works like this: in 5:6:7:9, to raise a note up an octave, double its number. To lower it, if it's even, halve it. If not, double all the other numbers. Then put the numbers back in ascending order. Thus the hiR voicing is 5:6:7:9 --> 10:6:7:9 --> 6:7:9:10. But in 7/(7:6:5:4), it's the opposite: lower a note by doubling it, and raise a note by halving it (or doubling the others). To find the ratios, just pair off the 4 numbers into 6 pairs and factor out common factors. The smaller the ratios, the sweeter the chord. One can use this math to choose how to tune the chord, as we are doing here, or one can use it to arrange the tag for maximum vertical consonance, which generally requires an all-odd or nearly all-odd voicing.

The subharmonic chord has an advantage not just vertically (harmonic) but also horizontally (melodic). In the previous chord, the baritone, lead and tenor make an upminor triad in root position. They hold their notes into this chord, and only the bass moves. Using the subharmonic chord lets them keep this same upminor triad, but the harmonic chord would force them into a downminor triad. The lead would have to fall by a full fret, or the bari and tenor would rise by a full fret, or the lead would fall by a half-fret with the others rising by a half-fret. The first two options would sound very jarring. The final option would spoil the simplicity of the steady post. Thus the first "time" chord must be subharmonic.

The second "time" chord is also subharmonic, but the advantage over the harmonic one is far less: 14/(14:12:10:9) vs. 5:6:7:8. Four of the ratios are the same, and 10/9 and 14/9 would become 8/7 and 8/5. Again, -over intervals would become -under, but the integer limit of both ratios would decrease. Furthermore, a wider 2nd is generally more consonant than a narrow one. And 14/9 is a little too close to 3/2 to be very consonant. The 3rd harmonic of the bass's voice is only ~60¢ away from the 2nd harmonic of the tenor's voice. All in all, the harmonic chord is more consonant, despite its -under intervals.

I chose to use the subharmonic chord for melodic simplicity. It allows the baritone, lead and tenor to be rock-steady during their posts. The harmonic dissonance can be lessened by not holding the chord as long. Aaron Wolf has proposed using the more consonant harmonic chord, with vII^7 becoming ^IIv7. He has the baritone move upwards by a full fret from the previous chord, from vM6 to ^M6. However it makes a less coherent scale, as the scale degrees are no longer plain or downward, but now also upward. Thus the tag gains vertical consonance but loses horizontal consonance. Since barbershop seems to prioritize the former over the latter, barbershoppers would probably prefer this version. Changes are bolded.

Lyrics	vocal parts				solfege				6- string guitar tab		chords and their voicings		chord homonyms
Lyrics	Bass	Bari	Lead	Tenor	Bs	Br	Ld	Tn	KDF frets	frets	chords and their voicings		chord homonyms
When	P8	P8	P1	P1	↑Da	↑Da	Da	Da	- - - ,,,1 - -	- - - 13 - -	I5no5	close
It's	vM7	vM7	M2	M2	To	To	Ra	Ra	- - - ,,3 ,,2 -	- - - 11 10 -	VvnoR	close
Slee-	vM6	vM6	P1	vM3	Lo	Lo	Da	Mo	- - ,,,2 ,,,1 ,,,1 -	- - 14 13 13 -	vVI^m	close
-py	P5	"	"	"	Sa	"	"	"	⸰⸰⸰0 - ,,,2 ,,,1 ,,,1 -	24 - 14 13 13 -	vVI^m7	lo7	Iv6	lo56
Time	A4	"	"	"	Pa	"	"	"	- ⸰0 ,,,2 ,,,1 ,,,1 -	- 16 14 13 13 -	#IVvdv7	close	vII^9noR	close
Time	A4	^M6	"	^M2	Pa	Lu	"	Ru	- ⸰0 ,,,3 ⸰1 - 0	- 16 15 17 - 0	^IIv7	hiR
Down	P4	vM6	"	vm3	Fa	"	"	No	- ,,,2 ,,,2 ,,,1 ,,3 -	- 14 14 13 11 -	IVv7	close
Down	P4	vm6	"	vM2	Fa	Flo	"	Ro	- ,,,2 ,,,0 ⸰0 - 0	- 14 12 16 - 0	vII^d^7	hiR	bVIIv9noR	hi3
South	P1	P5	"	vM3	Da	Sa	"	Mo	,,,0 - ,,3 ,,,1 ,,,1 -	12 - 11 13 13 -	Iv	hi3add8

Way Down South

Source: https://www.barbershoptags.com/tag-10-Way-Down-South

The bass and baritone's P8 is the lead and tenor's P1. The opening two chords make a Biruyo comma warp. The interval between the top two voices is warped from 10/7 to 7/5. The Buruyo comma is only half a fret, so only one voice need adjust. I chose to have the lead be the one to adjust, because rising seemed more apt than falling, and because the tenor seemed more prominent. Also, the tenor would have to shift to a ~6, way out of key. The lead's vA2 note in the "down" chord is enharmonically equivalent to a m3. The very open voicings of the final three chords require 7 strings.


Lyrics	vocal parts				solfege				7-string guitar tab		chords and their voicings		chord homonyms
Lyrics	Bass	Bari	Lead	Tenor	Bs	Br	Ld	Tn	KDF frets	frets	chords and their voicings		chord homonyms
Way	P4	P8	vm3	vM6	Fa	↑Da	No	Lo	- ,1 - ,0 2 ,2 -	- 5 - 4 2 6 -	IVv7	hi3
Down	A4	M7	vA2	vM6	Pa	Ta	Na	Lo	- ,3 ,,1 ,,1 - ,2 -	- 7 9 9 - 6 -	VIIv7	lo5
South	P8	vM10	P5	P8	↑Da	↑Mo	Sa	↑Da	- - - ,0 ,0 3 ,1	- - - 4 4 3 5	Iv	add8
	vm7	vM10	P5		Tho	↑Mo	Sa		- - - 0 ,0 3 ,1	- - - 0 4 3 5	Iv7	hiRlo7
	vM6	vM9	P4		Lo	↑Ro	Fa		- - ,1 ,3 ,2 - ,1	- - 5 7 6 - 5	vII^m7	lo5	IVv6	lo36
	^m6	^m10	d5		Flu	↑Nu	Sha		- - ,0 - 3 1 ,1	- - 4 - 3 1 5	^bVIv7	hi3
	P5	vM10	P5		Sa	↑Mo	Sa		- - 2 - ,0 3 ,1	- - 2 - 4 3 5	Iv	hiRaddlo5
	P4	vM9	vM6		Fa	↑Ro	Lo		- ,1 - ,3 - ,2 ,1	- 5 - 7 - 6 5	vII^m7	lo3	IVv6	hi35
	vM3	P8	P5		Mo	↑Da	Sa		- 3 - ,0 - 3 ,1	- 3 - 4 - 3 5	Iv	lo3add8
	^m3	^m7	P5		Nu	Thu	Sa		- 2 - 1 - 3 ,1	- 2 - 1 - 3 5	^bIIIv6	hi36	(I^m7)	(hiRlo37)
	^M2	^M6	A4		Ru	Lu	Pa		,3 - ,2 - ,,0 - ,1	7 - 6 - 8 - 5	^IIv7	hi37
	^m2	^m6	P4		Fru	Flu	Fa		,1 - ,0 - ,2 - ,1	5 - 4 - 6 - 5	^bIIvM7	hi37
	P1	P5	vM3		Da	Sa	Mo		3 - 2 - ,0 - ,1	3 - 2 - 4 - 5	Iv	hi3addhi8

Smile

source: https://www.barbershoptags.com/tag-1-Smile

The bass's P8 is every one else's P1. The baritone starts below the lead and ends above the tenor.


Lyrics	vocal parts				solfege				8-string guitar tab		chords and their voicings		chord homonyms
Lyrics	Bass	Bari	Lead	Tenor	Bs	Br	Ld	Tn	KDF frets	frets	chords and their voicings		chord homonyms
A	P5	-------	------	------	Sa	-----	----	----	- ,3 - - - - - -	- 7 - - - - - -	------	------
Smile	P8	vM3 ^m3	P5 ^m6	P8	↑Da	Mo Nu	Sa Flu	↑Da	- - ,,1 ,,1 ,,0 ,,2 - -	- - 9 9 8 10 - -	Iv	add8
Is	vM7				To				- - ,3 ,,1 ,,0 ,,2 - -	- - 7 9 8 10 - -	IvM7	hiRlo7
Still	vM6				Lo				- ,,2 - ,,1 ,,0 ,,2 - -	- 10 - 9 8 10 - -	Iv6	hiRlo6	vVI^m7	hi3
Worth-	P5				Sa				- ,3 - ,,1 ,,0 ,,2 - -	- 7 - 9 8 10 - -	Iv	hiRaddlo5
while	^m6				Flu				- ,,1 - ,,0 ,,2 ,,2 - -	- 9 - 8 10 10 - -	^bVIv	hi3add8
Darn	P4	vM2	vm6		Fa	Ro	Flo		,,2 - ,,,0 - ,,1 ,,2 - -	10 - 12 - 9 10 - -	IVvm6	hi35	bVIIv9noR	lo5
Ya	P11	vM9	"		↑Fa	↑Ro	"		- - - ,,3 ,,1 ,,2 - 0	- - - 11 9 10 - 0	"	close	"	hi3
Smile	P8	vM10	P5		↑Da	↑Mo	Sa		- - ,,1 - ,,0 ,,2 ,,2 -	- - 9 - 8 10 10 -	Iv	hi3add8

The only chords without an obvious tuning are the ones on "darn ya". See the discussion in "When It's Sleepy Time Down South" about harmonic vs. subharmonic chords. The harmonic IVvm6 chord could be a subharmonic IV^m6. Analyzing the ratios in the "darn" chord, 5/3 would become 12/7 and 7/3 would become 12/5, both worse. But 9/5 would become 7/4 and 9/7 would become 5/4, both better. In the "ya" chord, again 5/3 would become 12/7, worse. But 9/7 would become 5/4, 7/6 would become 6/5, and 10/9 would become 8/7, all three better.

I chose somewhat arbitrarily to make the IV chord be harmonic. I liked the resulting microtonal lead melody. It would be possible to have a harmonic "darn" chord and a subharmonic "ya" chord, but that would make an awkward lead melody. To make both chords subharmonic, just change v to ^ (solfege: change -o to -u). But the use of the open string means the key must change. Changes (other than the tab) are bolded.


Lyrics	vocal parts				solfege				8-string guitar tab		chords and their voicings		chord homonyms
Lyrics	Bass	Bari	Lead	Tenor	Bs	Br	Ld	Tn	KDF frets	frets	chords and their voicings		chord homonyms
A	P5	-------	------	------	Sa	-----	----	----	- ,2 - - - - - -	- 6 - - - - - -	------	------
Smile	P8	vM3 ^m3	P5 ^m6	P8	↑Da	Mo Nu	Sa Flu	↑Da	- - ,,0 ,,0 ,3 ,,1 - -	- - 8 8 7 9 - -	Iv	add8
Is	vM7				To				- - ,2 ,,0 ,3 ,,1 - -	- - 6 8 7 9 - -	IvM7	hiRlo7
Still	vM6				Lo				- ,,1 - ,,0 ,3 ,,1 - -	- 9 - 8 7 9 - -	Iv6	hiRlo6	vVI^m7	hi3
Worth-	P5				Sa				- ,2 - ,,0 ,3 ,,1 - -	- 6 - 8 7 9 - -	Iv	hiRaddlo5
while	^m6				Flu				- ,,0 - ,3 ,,1 ,,1 - -	- 8 - 7 9 9 - -	^bVIv	hi3add8
Darn	P4	^M2	^m6		Fa	Ru	Flu		,,1 - ,,,0 - ,,1 ,,1 - -	9 - 12 - 9 9 - -	IV^m6	hi35	bVII^9noR	lo5
Ya	P11	^M9	"		↑Fa	↑Ru	"		- - - ,,2 ,,1 ,,1 - 0	- - - 10 9 9 - 0	"	close	"	hi3
Smile	P8	vM10	P5		↑Da	↑Mo	Sa		- - ,,0 - ,3 ,,1 ,,1 -	- - 8 - 7 9 9 -	Iv	hi3add8

How do barbershoppers sing this tag in practice? In the source material's recording, the lead does not shift microtonally, and uses their "while" note for "darn ya". But the baritone is singing a plain 2nd and 9th, not an up 2nd/9th. So who knows?

Whisper Words of Wisdom (Let It Be by the Beatles)

A translation of the last line of the chorus of "Let It Be" as a barbershop tag. I tried to give each of the 4 lines a fun easy melody. The 2nd to last chord is a dissonant upmajor triad, the "rub" that drives the cadence.

The P8 of the bass and baritone is the P1 of the lead and tenor. For 6-string and 7-string guitar, in A downmajor. The 7-string would be in high-7 tuning. The guitar duplicates the voices exactly. I omitted the lead's suspension (M2 to P1) on "Be" because it doesn't work well on the guitar.


Lyrics	vocal parts				solfege				6-string tab		7-string tab	chords and their voicings		chord homonyms
Lyrics	Bass	Bari	Lead	Tenor	Bs	Br	Ld	Tn	KDF frets	frets	frets	chords and their voicings		chord homonyms
Whisper	P5	P8	vM3	vm7	Sa	↑Da	Mo	Tho	⸰2 ⸰⸰0 ⸰⸰0 - ⸰1 -	18 20 20 - 17 -	- - 5 7 7 - 4	Iv7	lo5
Words	"	m9	v4	"	"	↑Fra	Fo	"	⸰2 - ,,,3 ,,,3 ⸰1 -	18 - 15 15 17 -	- - 5 - 2 2 4	Vvdv7	hi3	vbVII^m6	hiRlo6
Of	"	P8	vM3	vM6	"	↑Da	Mo	Lo	⸰2 ⸰⸰0 ⸰⸰0 ⸰⸰2 - -	18 20 20 22 - -	- - 5 7 7 9 -	Iv6	lo5
Wis-	"	vM7	"	P5	"	To	"	Sa	⸰2 ⸰2 ⸰⸰0 ⸰3 - -	18 18 20 19 - -	- - 5 5 7 6 -	vIII^m	hiRadd10	Vv6no5	add8
dom	"	"	M2	v4	"	"	Ra	Fo	⸰2 ⸰2 ⸰1 ,,,3 - -	18 18 17 15 - -	- - 5 5 4 2 -	Vv7	close
Let	"	vm7	vM3	P5	"	Tho	Mo	Sa	- - ,1 3 ,3 ,2	- - 5 3 7 6	- - 5 3 7 6 -	Vvm6no5	add8	Iv7noR	lo7addlo5
It	"	"	M2	v4	"	"	Ra	Fo	- - ,1 3 ,0 2	- - 5 3 4 2	- - 5 3 4 2 -	Vvm7	close
Be	P4	vM6	P1	vm3	Fa	Lo	Da	No	- ,,0 ,,0 ,3 ,1 -	- 8 8 7 5 -	- 8 8 7 5 - -	IVv7	close
	vm3	vm6		vm3	No	Flo		No	- ,0 ,2 ,3 ,1 -	- 4 6 7 5 -	- 4 6 7 5 - -	vbVI^	addlo5	IVvm7noR	addlo7
	P1	P5		vM3	Da	Sa		Mo	,2 - ,1 ,3 ,3 -	6 - 5 7 7 -	6 - 5 7 7 - -	Iv	hi3add8

World Music, Microtonal Music, etc.

Kusuva Musha (traditional mbira)

My arrangement of a traditional mbira dzavadzimu song. Simple 5-limit harmonies, except for the 10/7 in the vB chord. But tricky circular rhythms with lots of 3-against-4. The harmonies are circular too. The key is simultaneously C downmajor down-2 and F downlydian down-4. (As with chords, the "down" before the mode name lowers the 3rd, 6th and 7th, but not the tonic, 2nd, 4th or 5th.) The guitar part is a 3-voice canon, with the 3 voices separated by diatonic 3rds. The highest voice is on the beat, as is the bass.

https://soundcloud.com/mbirakite/kusuva-musha-canon-guitar-version

Tablature in C (or F) for 6-string guitar:

- - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - 13 - - 10| - - 13 - - - | - - 13 - - 13 - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - 13 - | - 11 - - 13 - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - 10 - - - | - - - - - - | - - 10 - - - - - 13 - - - | - - - - - 13| - - 10 - 10 - | - - - - - 10 - - - - 13 - | - 13 - - 13 - | - - - - - - | - 13 - - 11 - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - / Cv vE^m vA^m Cv Fv vA^m vD^m | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | 12 - - 10 - - | 12 - - - - - | 12 - - 12 - - | 12 - - - - - | - - 10 - 10 - | - - 13 - - 10| - - 13 - - - | - - 13 - - 13 | - - - - - - | - 11 - - 11 - | - - - - 13 - | - 11 - - 13 - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - \ Fv vB5(^b5) vD^m Gvno5 vB5(^b5) Cv \ - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | 15 - - 12 - - | 10 - 10 - - - | 15 - - 10 - - | 10 - 10 - - - | - - 13 - - - | - - - - - 13| - - 10 - 10 - | - - - - - 10 | - - - - 13 - | - 13 - - 13 - | - - - - - - | - 13 - - 11 - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | /

Tablature in C (or F) for 4-string bass guitar, tuned one octave below strings 3-6 of the guitar:

F vA F - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | 13 - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - 13 - - | - - - 13 - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - vA F vB F vA G vB G - - - - - - | 10 - - - - - | - - - - - - | 10 - - - - - 13 - - - - - | - - - - - - | 13 - - 10 - - | - - - 10 - - - - - 13 - - | - - - 13 - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - / C vE vA G C F vA F | 12 - - - - - | - - - - - - | 12 - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | 13 - - 10 - - | - - - - - - | 13 - - - - - | - - - 11 - - | - - - - - - | - - - 13 - - | - - - 13 - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - \ vA F vB F vA G vB G \ - - - - - - | 10 - - - - - | - - - - - - | 10 - - - - - | 13 - - - - - | - - - - - - | 13 - - 10 - - | - - - 10 - - | - - - 13 - - | - - - 13 - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | /

Tablature in E (or A) for 6-string guitar, combining both parts:

- - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - 7 - - 4 | - - 7 - - - | - - 7 - - 7 - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - 7 - | - 5 - - 7 - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - 4 - - - | - - - - - - | - - 4 - - - - - 7 - - - | - - - - - 7 | - - 4 - 4 - | - - - - - 4 - - - - 7 - | - 7 - - 7 - | - - - - - - | - 7 - - 5 - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - 6 - - 4 - - | 6 - - - - - | 6 - - 6 - - | 6 - - - - - - - 4 - 4 - | - - 7 - - 4 | - - 7 - - - | - - 7 - - 7 - - - - - - | - 5 - - 5 - | - - - - 7 - | - 5 - - 7 - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | 6 - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - 6 - - | - - - 6 - - 9 - - 6 - - | 4 - 4 - - - | 9 - - 4 - - | 4 - 4 - - - - - 7 - - - | - - - - - 7 | - - 4 - 4 - | - - - - - 4 - - - - 7 - | - 7 - - 7 - | - - - - - - | - 7 - - 5 - - - - - - - | 3 - - - - - | - - - - - - | 3 - - - - - 6 - - - - - | - - - - - - | 6 - - 3 - - | - - - 3 - - - - - 6 - - | - - - 6 - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - / Iv vIII^m vVI^m Iv IVv vVI^m vII^m | 6 - - 4 - - | 6 - - - - - | 6 - - 6 - - | 6 - - - - - | - - 4 - 4 - | - - 7 - - 4 | - - 7 - - - | - - 7 - - 7 | - - - - - - | - 5 - - 5 - | - - - - 7 - | - 5 - - 7 - | 5 - - - - - | - - - - - - | 5 - - - - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | 6 - - 3 - - | - - - - - - | 6 - - - - - | - - - 4 - - | - - - - - - | - - - 6 - - | - - - 6 - - \ IVv vVII5(^b5) vD^m Vvno1 vVII5(^b5) Iv \ 9 - - 6 - - | 4 - 4 - - - | 9 - - 4 - - | 4 - 4 - - - | - - 7 - - - | - - - - - 7 | - - 4 - 4 - | - - - - - 4 | - - - - 7 - | - 7 - - 7 - | - - - - - - | - 7 - - 5 - | - - - - - - | 3 - - - - - | - - - - - - | 3 - - - - - | 6 - - - - - | - - - - - - | 6 - - 3 - - | - - - 3 - - | - - - 6 - - | - - - 6 - - | - - - - - - | - - - - - - | /

Mizarian Porcupine Overture (Herman Miller, microtonal)

Just as songs with meantone comma pumps can be played on the Kite guitar, so can songs with other comma pumps. The same strategies apply. If a comma maps to 1 edostep (Gu, Triyo, Ru, Zozo, etc), and a 1-edostep pitch shift on guitar is small enough not to offend the ear, 41edo can acceptably approximate that comma's temperament.

The last 30 seconds of this piece is a famous example of a Triyo (Porcupine) comma pump. The comma is rapidly pumped three times.

http://tallkite.com/misc_files/MizarianPorcupineOvertureEnding.mp3 (1999 version)
http://tallkite.com/misc_files/MizarianPorcupineOvertureEnding2.mp3 (later version)

The score below is written out for the (P8,P4/3) pergen, with an enharmonic of v³A1, and vvE equal to ^Eb. But in 41edo, vvE instead equals ^^Eb, and a pitch shift is inevitable. In this translation, the tied note in the 2nd measure (and the 6th measure) shifts downward a half-fret. But the 4th chord passes by so quickly, the shift is hardly noticeable.

Tab in vEb downmajor for three 6-string guitars. The rhythym guitar plays the bass clef of the score note-for-note. The lead guitars play the treble clefs note-for-note. The leads are written out in absolute tab as string, dot, fret. The tonic is (4,5,3) = 4th string, 5th dot plus 3 frets = 23rd fret.

--------Rhythm Guitar----- -----1st Lead Guitar--------------- ------2nd Lead Guitar-------------- Iv . 9 9 8 10 . (3,5,3)(3,5,0)(4,5,3)(3,5,3)(3,6,1) (2,5,2)(3,5,3)(3,6,1)(2,5,2)(2,6,1) v3 2 1 v3 4 5 v3 4 5 v6 vIII^m . 7 9 8 8 . (3,5,3) (2,5,2) (2,5,0) (2,5,2) v3 5 v#4 5 vVIv 10 10 9 11 . . (4,6,0) (4,5,1) (4,6,0) (5,6,0) (2,6,1) (3,5,3) (2,6,3) (3,5,3) vv#1 v7 vv#1 v6 v6 v3 ^2 v3 ^Iv . 1 3 3 2 . (2,4,1) 3 ^IVv 4 . 3 5 5 . (1,4,3) (1,4,0) (2,4,3) (3,4,1) (4,4,2) 6 ^5 ^4 ^1 6 ^IVv/3 . 4 3 5 5 . (3,4,1) (3,4,2) (4,3,3) (5,4,2) (4,3,3) ^1 v#1 ^5 ^4 ^5 VIv . 4 4 3 5 . (4,5,0) (5,4,0) ^m7 3 IIv . 4 6 6 . . (4,4,2) (5,4,3) (6,4,3) 6 v#4 2 V^m . 6 6 8 . . (2,5,1) (4,5,0) (5,5,3) ^4 ^m7 ^m6 Vv . 7 6 8 . . (2,5,2) (5,5,1) (4,5,1) 5 5 v7 Iv . 9 9 8 10 . (3,5,3) (4,5,3) v3 1

Stupid F*cking White Man (Decolonize Your Mind Society, microtonal)

https://decolonizeyourmind.bandcamp.com/releases

https://soundcloud.com/decolonizeyourmind/stupid-fucking-white-man-live

The original is in 7-limit JI. The 41edo version differs by only 3¢. No comma pumps. The opening riff in ^F downminor pentatonic for 7-string in low-7 tuning:

| - - - - 4 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - 6 - - - - 6 | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - 5 - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - 7 - - - - 7 | - - - - 3 - - - | - - - - - - 7 - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - 5 - - - - 5 | - - 5 - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - 4 - - - | | 6 - - - 6 - - - | 6 - - - 6 - - - | 6 - - - 6 - - - | 6 - - - - - - - |

This riff also lends itself to a 6-string DADGAD tuning with a half-fret offset.

| - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - 0 - 5 - - 0 | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | | - - - - - - - - | - - 0 - 5 - - 0 | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - 0 - | | - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - | - - 0 - 5 - - 0 | - - 0 - - - - - | | 0 - - - 0 - - - | 0 - - - 0 - - - | 0 - - - 0 - - - | 0 - - - 5 - - - |

Couples Therapy (Jacob Barton, microtonal)

https://soundcloud.com/metaclown/couples-therapy

This clever charming song is originally in 22edo. The bass line uses a descending Triyo/Porcupine 8-note scale of D ^C vB A ^G vF# E vE D. In edosteps that's 33333313. Every other note of the scale is the root of a downmajor chord, so the progression is Iv -- vVIv -- ^IVv -- IIv. Root movement is by descending upminor 3rds, thus the 3rd of each chord becomes the 5th of the next chord. Preserving that pattern means this scale translates to 41edo's D ^C vB A ^^G vF# ^E vE D = 65656526. This results in each 22edo note being mapped to the nearest 41edo note, except that 22edo's E is about 3¢ closer to 41edo's E than to 41edo's ^E. The 3rds of the VI, IV and II chords add 3 more notes to the scale. in 22edo they are ^D, B and vG#. Again, these translate to the nearest 41edo notes, ^^D, ^B and G#. (22edo's vG# is equally close to 41edo's vG#. But mapping to that note would make the II chord a mid triad not a downmajor one, very different than the original chord.)

Since the last chord has no notes in common with the first chord, this song does not actually pump the Triyo comma, and no pitch shifts are required to play it in 41edo.

Translating to 41edo makes the 7L1s scale become 4L3M1s. But 3/2 and 6/5 become better tuned and 5/4 is only 2¢ worse. This is a general pattern when translating to 41edo from a lower edo. Melodies are more irregular, but harmonies improve.


chords		6-string tab
Iv	Dv	- 8 8 7 9 -
vVIv	vBv	9 - 8 10 10 -
~IVv	^^Gv	- 9 11 11 10 -
^IIv	^Ev	- 12 12 11 13 -

22-edo Porcupine Pump (Mike Battaglia, microtonal)

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfXV_aDuDcg?t=96

The original 22edo chords are IvM7 -- I^m7 -- ^bVIIvM7 -- ^bVII^m7 -- vVIvM7 -- vVI^m7 -- VvM7 -- V^m7. On the Kite guitar, one can simply play exactly what's written, but interpret it as 41edo instead of 22edo. As a result, the three downward root movements are not all equal. Two of them are vM2 (6\41). But the ^bVII to vVI move is a ~2 (5\41) instead. Like the last song, the melody (which in this case is the bass line) is more irregular, but the harmonies improve.

In the video, Mike is demoing an all-5th tuning that puts the chords in a very open hi37 voicing (R-5-10-14). This requires an 8-string Kite guitar. Two 6-string tabs are given as well. The first two tabs are both in about the same key as the video, but that's not possible with the 3rd one unless it's played quite high.

There's a common tone between the 4th and 5th chords that shifts upward 1 edostep. In Mike's voicing, it's voiced two octaves lower in the 5th chord than in the 4th, so the shift is quite hard to hear. Even in the closer voicings for 6 strings, it's voiced an octave down.

chords	8-string tab hi37 voicing	6-string tab lo5 voicing	6-string tab hi3 voicing
IvM7	- 8 - 7 - 9 - 8	- 14 16 16 - 15	- 5 - 4 4 6
I^m7	- 8 - 7 - 8 - 7	- 14 16 15 - 14	- 5 - 4 3 5
^bVIIvM7	- 5 - 4 - 6 - 5	- 11 13 13 - 12	- 2 - 1 1 3
^bVII^m7	- 5 - 4 - 5 - 4	- 11 13 12 - 11	- 2 - 1 0 2
vVIvM7	9 - 8 - 10 - 9 -	15 17 17 - 16 -	6 - 5 5 7 -
vVI^m7	9 - 8 - 9 - 8 -	15 17 16 - 15 -	6 - 5 4 6 -
VvM7	6 - 5 - 7 - 6 -	12 14 14 - 13 -	3 - 2 2 4 -
Vv7	6 - 5 - 7 - 4 -	12 14 14 - 11 -	3 - 2 0 4 -

Kite Guitar Translations by Kite Giedraitis

Microtonal Pop Songs

CBAT (Hudson Mohawke)

These Boots Are Made For Walkin' (Lee Hazlewood)

Sleep Drifter (King Gizzard and the Lizzard Wizard)

Good In Bed (Dua Lipa)

Scar Tissue (Red Hot Chili Peppers, intro only)

Triadic Songs

Amazing Grace (trad.)

Simple Twist Of Fate (Bob Dylan)

Fast Car (Tracy Chapman)

Hotel California (The Eagles)

Stairway To Heaven intro (Led Zeppelin)

Kashmir in DADGAD (Led Zeppelin)

Greensleeves (traditional)

And I Love Her (The Beatles)

Every Breath You Take (The Police)

Getting In Tune (The Who)

Wade In The Water (trad. spiritual)

Blackbird (Beatles)

Tetradic Songs

I Will (The Beatles)

Love Is A Losing Game (Amy Winehouse)

Stormy Monday (T-Bone Walker, Bobby Bland, Allman Brothers)

I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)

Manhattan Island Serenade (Leon Russell)

Girl From Ipanema (Antônio Carlos Jobim)

Killing Me Softly (Roberta Flack)

Linus and Lucy (Vince Guaraldi)

Bye Bye Blackbird (Ray Henderson and Mort Dixon)

Alice's Restaurant (Arlo Guthrie)

Barbershop tags

Please Don't Sell My Daddy No More Wine (Tom Lane)

When It's Sleepy Time Down South

Way Down South

Smile

Whisper Words of Wisdom (Let It Be by the Beatles)

World Music, Microtonal Music, etc.

Kusuva Musha (traditional mbira)

Mizarian Porcupine Overture (Herman Miller, microtonal)

Stupid F*cking White Man (Decolonize Your Mind Society, microtonal)

Couples Therapy (Jacob Barton, microtonal)

22-edo Porcupine Pump (Mike Battaglia, microtonal)

Navigation menu

Search