Silent Anticipations

Death by Guitar: (or "Silent Anticipations" by Michael Hedges)

(butchered transcription intuited by Scott Edgar)

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Line numbers at far left; string tuning shown for all strings

h = harmonic s = stringslap (generic punishment, no precision

H = hammer-on S = bodysmack /necessary:just get that bass])

p = pulloff to < = downslide

> = upslide

r = righthand Tuning from standard: tune the low E down two

l = lefthand frets to a D and the B string up one fret to

ro= rightover a C. That's all:)

lo= leftover

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) I N T R O (

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E---12h----12-->--14--14--14-->--15--15--15-------12h--12-->--

C---12h-------------------7h----------------------12h---------

0G---12h-------------------7h----------------------12h---------

1D---12h-------------------7h----------------------12h---------

A---12h-------------------7h------------------s0--------------

D----0--------------------0-------------------s0--------------

E-(>)-14--14--14--14--14--p--10--12--12--p--10--p--8--p--7----

C-------------7h----------------------------------------------

0G-------------7h----------------------------------------------

2D-------------7h----------------------------------------------

A-------------7h----------------------------------------------

D-------------0-----------------------------------------------

E--8--p--7--p--0--H2->-3--p--2--2--H3--p--2--p--0-------------

C--------------0----------------3h-----------------H2->-3-<-2-

0G-------------------------------3h----------------------------

3D-------------------------------3h----------------------------

A-------------------------------3h----------------------------

D-------------------------------0-----------------------------

E----------------------------------------------------12->-14--

C--p--0------------------------------------------4h-----------

0G--------H2->-4-<-2-p-0--------------------------4h-----------

4D-----------------------H2->-4-<-2-p-0-----------4h-----------

A---------------------------------------H2->-4---4h-----------

D------------------------------------------------0------------

E-p-7-H9--9--p-7-p-5--14-14--p-12-H14->-15--15----------------

C---------7h-------------12h----------------7h----------------

0G---------7h-------------12h----------------7h---*breath]*----

5D---------7h-------------12h----------------7h----------------

A---------7h-------------12h----------------7h----------------

D-------------------------0-----------------------------------

E------12h---------------7h-------------------------5h--------

C------12h---------------7h-------------------------5h--------

0G------12h---------------7h-------------------------5h--------

6D------12h-loH10--<p--0--7h-------loH5--<--3--p--0--5h----loH3

A--s0--12h-loH10--<p--0--7h---s0--loH5--<--3--p--0--5h-s0-loH3

D--s0---0--loH10--<p--0--0----s0--loH5--<--3--p--0--0--s0-loH3

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the Revving-uppeth

At this point the left should pinch-fret 333000 over the neck,

with various strummings at everincreasing velocities with minor

variations on the fingerings as the song will indicate. At which

point, having achieved escape velocity, one pulls off to 000000:

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* T h e T u n e P r o p e r * (Huh]?)

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S

E-------12h--:---12-p-10-p-0---------------------5--5--5------

C-------12h--:-----------------------------------5--5--5------

0G-------12h--:-----------------------------------5--5--5-etc.-

7D-(p)0--12h--:-----------------------------------5--5--5------

A-(p)0--12h--:----------------lo3->-p-12h--0--0--5--5--5------

D-(p)0---0---:----------------lo3->-p-12h--0--0--5--5--5------

roughly repeat the above (more or less) about three times, after which:

E---------------------3---------------------------------------

C---------------------3---again, several strums upon this-----

0G---------------------3---chord, as what whim moves you,------

8D-lo3--3--3->-10-p-0--1---and then a repeat of line 06, only--

A-lo3--3--3->-10-p-0--1---with an extra 12h arpeggio before --

D-lo3--3--3->-10-p-0--1---the 7h and 5h ones. Listen....------

...and after THAT....about three more times of line 07, then

another of line eight, at which point it takes off from the:

E--3-.--5--.--7--.--8--.--7--.--5--.--7--.--8--.--8--The dots-

C--3-.--5--.--7--.--8--.--7--.--5--.--7--.--8--.--8--are for--

0G--3-.--5--.--7--.--8--.--7--.--5--.--7--.--8--.--8--missing--

9D--1-.--3--.--5--.--6--.--5--.--3--.--5--.--6--.--8--strums.--

A--1-.--3--.--5--.--6--.--5--.--3--.--5--.--6--.--8--Ympro=---

D--1-.--3--.--5--.--6--.--5--.--3--.--5--.--6--.--8--vyze]]---

After all this, one starts the mad bury-steel-splinters-in-yo-

thumb slide parts, thusly:

E-----------0---------0---------0--------3-----5--------------

C-----------0---------0---------0--------3-----5--------------

1G-----------0---------0---------0--------3-----5--------------

0D--lo3-->--10--3-->--10--3-->--10--p--0--1-->--3--------------

A--lo3-->--10--3-->--10--3-->--10--p--0--1-->--3--------------

D--lo3-->--10--3-->--10--3-->--10--p--0--1-->--3--------------

This also repeats about three times, then follows another line 09,

then another set of these, and then...oh, eventually a crash'n'burn

variation on line 06 with lots of offkey harmonics, screeching to a

halt with a ferocious hammer-on over the neck with the left hand

on a 333000 chord, after which collapse from oxygen depletion is in

order, and makes a touching finale.

* * * * ** * * ** ** *

So...let's see where I can further confuse the issue....

Line 03: the 3h is an octave up from the 7h and sounds wonderful,

if it can be coaxed into being. All those initial harmonic chords

are nice slightly arpeggiated, although just a fist-impact (*POW]*)

will do as well.

Line 05: the X7h7h7h7h15 is indeed a bit of a stretch, so I

often use the other harmonic node (don't ask at which fret, my

hyperoctaves aren't too great) which involves a flamenco-style

right-handed strum with the heel of the thumb brushing the

strings at the requisite fret to get the harmonic. It's about

fret 18 or 20 or something; two before the hole on my machine.

Line 06: the harmonics can also be arpeggiated; he does them

both ways, since that line more or less crops up more than once.

Line 07: He accompanies the slap against the body with a

short strum, or something. It comes out slightly different when

I play it; too much intuition fluxing it up, I guess. He frets the

slide from lo3 to pulloff to the 12h (or whatever sounds good; I

do it a bit differently, and this may not be exact...prob'ly ain't)

with his left index finger over the neck, then hits the 555555

from under the neck as a regular chord.

Line 08: The lo3's (and following slides later on) are fretted

over the neck with the left thumb. Most of the overneck hammer-ons

are pinch-hit with the left index and thumb.

Line 10: All the 333000's preceeding a slide to 10's are fretted

over the neck with the left thumb. Get ready for the smoke to fly;

I still can't play this fast enough. I think he must oil his strings:)

Painstakingly handcrafted by <scott-edgar@uiowa.edu>