Tin Pan Alley: Guitar Strumming Techniques

how to play tin pan alley on guitar

If you're looking to learn how to play Tin Pan Alley on the guitar, you've come to the right place. This famous Stevie Ray Vaughan song is a great piece to add to your repertoire. While it may seem daunting at first, it's just fast blues-scale licks and you can use TAB as a broad guide, learning the actual playing by ear. You can find the chords and lyrics online, and there are even free video lessons available to help you master the IV and V chords, which lie outside the normal 5 boxes used for soloing. So grab your guitar, start practicing, and get ready to impress your friends with your new skills!

Characteristics Values
Song Tin Pan Alley
Artist Stevie Ray Vaughan
Chords Bm7, Em7, F#9, E9, F#m7
Learning Resources TAB, video lessons, online communities
Techniques Blues-scale licks, improvisation

cycookery

Basic chords for beginners

To play Tin Pan Alley on guitar, you'll need to know some basic chords. Chords are a fundamental part of guitar playing and involve playing multiple notes together to create a harmonious sound.

Bm7 Chord

This chord is shaped like a bar and involves holding down multiple strings with your index finger. Place your middle finger on the 7th fret of the A string, and your ring finger on the 7th fret of the D string. Your index finger will bar the 7th fret of the G, B, and high E strings.

Em7 Chord

The Em7 chord is an open chord, meaning that it includes some open, unfretted strings. For this chord, your middle finger goes on the 2nd fret of the A string, and your ring finger and pinky go on the 2nd frets of the D and G strings, respectively. The high E and B strings are left open.

F#9 Chord

The F#9 chord is a bit more challenging, as it requires you to use your middle, ring, and pinky fingers to fret four strings at once. Place your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the B string, your ring finger on the 4th fret of the D string, and your pinky on the 4th fret of the G string. The A and high E strings are left open for this chord.

E9 Chord

Similar to the F#9 chord, the E9 chord requires you to use three fingers to fret three consecutive strings. Place your middle finger on the 4th fret of the A string, your ring finger on the 5th fret of the D string, and your pinky on the 5th fret of the G string. The B and high E strings are left open.

F#m7 Chord

Finally, the F#m7 chord is another bar chord. Use your index finger to bar the 2nd fret of the D, G, and B strings. Your middle finger goes on the 3rd fret of the A string, and your ring finger goes on the 4th fret of the D string. The high E string is left open.

Remember, learning these chords takes practice and patience. Start slowly and ensure you're fretting the correct strings before strumming. With consistent practice, you'll be able to play Tin Pan Alley and many other songs using these basic chords as a foundation.

cycookery

Strumming patterns

Basic Strumming Pattern

Start by learning the basic strumming pattern, which involves three strums per beat, with each strum lasting the same amount of time. This rhythmic formation is called a triplet. You can use your foot to create a beat that will support the rhythm. To do this, count "1" as you knock your foot on the floor, and "2" as you lift your foot up and knock it down again.

Muted Strums

You can create a muted strumming effect by placing the edge of your strumming hand on the strings near the guitar bridge, muffling the strings. While in this position, strum the chord in the direction indicated by the arrows in your diagram. This technique is similar to palm muting but is perceived more as a percussive effect, and you don't need to strum all the strings.

Dynamics

Pay attention to the dynamics of your strumming pattern. Accent the strums indicated by black arrows in your diagram and play the gray ones loosely.

Walk Downs

A common strumming pattern in many old songs involves walking down the chords. For example, if you're in the key of G, you can walk down from C to Bb to A and then to D7, strumming once per chord.

Remember, it's important to maintain a consistent strumming pattern over different chords. Choose the strumming patterns you like and practice them regularly to improve your rhythm guitar skills.

cycookery

Tuning, capo position and key

Tuning, capo position, and key are fundamental aspects of playing the guitar. Understanding these concepts will help you play "Tin Pan Alley" and many other songs.

Tuning

Tuning refers to the pitch of each string on your guitar. The standard tuning for a six-string guitar, from the thickest to the thinnest string, is EADGBE. This means that when played open (without fretting any notes), the strings should sound the notes E, A, D, G, B, and E, respectively.

Capo Position

A capo is a device clamped onto the guitar's neck, across all the strings, at a particular fret. Its primary function is to change the key of a song without altering the chord shapes. For example, placing a capo on the first fret and playing an open G chord will result in the sound of a G# chord. This is because the capo shortens the length of the strings, raising their pitch by a half-step for each fret.

Key

The key of a song is the scale, or set of notes, from which the melody and harmony are derived. Playing in different keys allows for variation in mood and tone. For example, major keys often convey happiness, while minor keys convey sadness.

By combining the use of a capo with different chord shapes, you can explore various keys and their unique sounds. This flexibility is especially useful when collaborating with other musicians or accommodating a singer's vocal range.

cycookery

Replicating Stevie Ray Vaughan's style

Stevie Ray Vaughan's style in Tin Pan Alley is a challenging one to replicate, with certain parts of his performance appearing incredibly difficult. However, with practice and the right guidance, it is possible to capture his style.

To start, it is important to understand Vaughan's influences and the techniques he employed. Vaughan absorbed the styles of many great blues guitarists, as well as Jimi Hendrix, and incorporated elements of jazz and rockabilly into his playing. His soloing in Tin Pan Alley showcases a range of techniques, from subdued opening bars to lightning-fast sequences and tremolo strumming.

When learning to play like Vaughan, it is recommended to start with beginner lessons that break down his solos into manageable parts. The Whiskey, Wine & Gin lessons, for example, offer step-by-step guidance at different difficulty levels. These lessons can help you build up your skills and work towards replicating Vaughan's style.

Additionally, sheet music and guitar tabs for Tin Pan Alley are available online, which can provide you with the exact notes and chords used by Vaughan. Interactive tabs can also be found on websites like Ultimate-Guitar.com, offering a more dynamic learning experience.

By combining these resources and dedicating yourself to practice, you can gradually develop the skills needed to replicate Stevie Ray Vaughan's style in Tin Pan Alley. Remember to be patient and persistent, as mastering his techniques will take time and effort.

Springform Pans: Do They Leak?

You may want to see also

cycookery

Playing by ear

Playing "Tin Pan Alley" by ear on the guitar is a fun and rewarding challenge, especially if you're a fan of ragtime or early jazz music. This piece, with its distinctive syncopated rhythm and lively melody, is a great one to add to your repertoire. Here are some tips and strategies to help you learn how to play it by ear.

Start by familiarizing yourself with the melody. Listen to recordings of "Tin Pan Alley" multiple times, paying close attention to the notes and trying to hum or sing the melody. Focus on breaking down the tune into phrases and identifying the high and low points, as well as any repeated patterns or motifs. This will help you understand the structure of the melody and make it easier to reproduce on the guitar.

Now, try to find the key of the song. "Tin Pan Alley" is typically played in the key of C or G, so start by experimenting with those keys on your guitar. Play single notes and try to match the pitch of the melody, working your way through the scale until you find the right key. Once you've found the correct key, you can start figuring out the specific notes and chords used in the song.

As you listen to the recording, try to identify the chord progressions used. "Tin Pan Alley" typically features common jazz or ragtime chord progressions, such as II-V-I or I-VI-II-V. Strum these chords and listen for the characteristic sound of each progression. This will give you a good foundation to start building the melody on top of.

Now, focus on breaking down the melody into smaller segments. Isolate a few measures at a time and try to replicate the notes on your guitar. Use your ear to find the correct fret positions, and don't worry too much about the exact theory behind the notes just yet. The goal is to get a feel for the melody and find the positions that sound right to you.

Once you have a few segments figured out, start connecting them together. Play those segments repeatedly to get a feel for the transitions between them. Gradually, you'll be able to piece together the entire melody. It's like solving a puzzle, and it can be incredibly satisfying when the pieces fall into place.

Frequently asked questions

Familiarise yourself with the chords and tabs, and learn the actual playing by ear.

You can refer to online communities such as r/guitar on Reddit, or websites such as Guvna Guitars, TXBA, and Guitar Instructor.

The chords are Bm7, Em7, F#9, E9, and F#m7.

You'll Be Mine, Willie The Wimp, Tightrope, The Sky Is Crying, The House Is Rockin, Texas Flood, and Testify.

Written by
Reviewed by

Explore related products

Share this post
Print
Did this article help you?

Leave a comment