Torch Song

TAB: Torch Song (Preston Reed)

Notes:

(I tried to format this text file to be 66 lines per page so it would print

politely. I don't have a tool to put in form feeds, though, so I have had

to do it by counting lines. 7 pages? Hope it worked. - S.L.)

This is a very mellow guitar solo from an underrated guitarist. I wouldn't

quite put him in the Leo (Kottke) and Mike (Hedges) club, but he's a

serious power picker and has some nice original stuff. This piece is off

"Instrument Landing" on the Universal Master Series (UVLD-78000). My

transcription is only about six months behind my promised schedule, and

wouldn't have been possible without my Mac and sound editing software to

slow things down while I plunked along. As Tori Amos said in some recent

liner notes, "...it's bitchin' what these things can do."

Preston uses lots of weird tunings - this one goes DADECD, according to an

interview in Frets magazine a bunch of years back. He likes to use

esoteric tunings. Why? Probably to make it tough for scrubs like me to

transcribe his music. :-) There are many places where phrases could be

played in more than one way. I have tried to consider hand position as

much as possible and stay note-for-note; in some of the dissonant sections

this gets a bit rough, but I think this is pretty faithful to the original.

This is not an easy piece to just pick up and play... part A, in

particular, is very free-flowing, often somewhat dissonant, and in no

particular rhythm that I can tell. Best to listen to it if you can. The

rest is in a very regular and slow waltz rhythm. Take your time. Be

warned that there are a few fairly gnarly left-hand stretches in this piece

- I'm pretty sure of the notes, but if anyone can find easier ways to

phrase them, I'm all ears.

The usual notation stuff applies: "^" indicates a beat, "h" is hammer-on,

"p" is pull-off, "/" is slide, "<x>" is a harmonic on string x (there are

two of these). In addition, in particularly gnarly left-hand moves, I have

tried to indicate how I fret the notes with the not-really-classical

LEFT-hand "i,m,r,l" (index, middle, ring, little) indication stacked in the

same order as the strings. For example, the notation:

l

m l

i l r i m

...-8-10----+3----p1----...

...---------+-----------...

...-6-------+-----------...

...---------+-----------...

...-5-------+3--------1-...

...---------+-----------...

means, in the first note "stack", finger the fifth string, fifth fret with

your index finger, the third string, sixth fret with your middle finger,

and the first string, eighth fret with your little finger, then drop the

whole thing and slide the little finger to the tenth fret. Then, finger

the fifth string, third fret with your ring finger and the first string,

third fret with your little finger, pull your little finger off to fret the

first string, first fret with your index finger, and finally finger the

fifth string, first fret with your middle finger (which requires a bit of a

wrist torque). I hope this notation doesn't unnecessarily complicate

things - you can certainly ignore it if you can find better ways. In fact,

you could even email suggestions to me!

I was originally going to break it up into repetitive sections, since

there are sections that sort of repeat, but there are some very slight

nuancial (?) differences that I wanted to preserve. The "sections" are,

for the most part, sixteen-measure phrases, section A being the only

exception.

This is a fine piece, easy- and pleasant-sounding, difficult to master (I

sure haven't yet), and certainly worth the effort. I think guitarists of

all levels could learn from this piece. Also, it was a hell of a lot of

work to transcribe.

Have fun, and let me know what you think!

Steve Linberg

slinberg@hamp.hampshire.edu (preferred)

slinberg@aol.com (ugh)

/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\

| Section A: |

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/

Note on section A: Don't panic, this is tricky but not impossible. The

vertical lines separate "phrases," and the numbers below them are the time

in seconds, to help give some idea of the spacing. This is only

approximate; you should really try to listen to it if you can. If not,

just wing it.

Things settle down after this section.

i m i m i m r r m i m

d |--------------0---|---|--0/2-2------|---|--------7-5-|------0---|

c |------------0-----|---|-------------|---|-0-0--0-----|--------0-|

E |---3--3--3/5------|---|5----------3-|---|------8-----|-7--------|

D |------------------|---|-------------|---|------------|----------|

A |------------------|---|---------3---|---|------------|----------|

D |-3--------------5-|---|-------------|---|------------|----------|

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

2.0 2.5 4.5 5.0 7.0 8.2

m i m

l m i m

m r r r l i

d |-----------|-----|---10--10-10--|---10-------|-------12----|----|----|

c |-----0-----|-(0)-|--------------|-----9------|---11-----11-|----|-7--|

E |-3/5---3---|-----|--12----------|-10------10-|--10---------|----|-7--|

D |-----------|-----|--------------|------------|-12----------|----|----|

A |-----------|-----|-12-----------|------------|-------------|----|----|

D |-----------|-----|--------------|------------|-------------|----|----|

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

10.0 11.5 13.0 14.0 15.0 15.5 16.5

m r r l l i

i l l r i i i r m i l r m i r

d |-----8-7-----------------0-------|-----|------------|-----|----|-8--6-|

c |---------------7--5-------0------|-----|---4--3--2--|---4-|----|------|

E |--6----------6----------7-----3--|-----|------------|-----|----|------|

D |-----------------------5---------|-----|------------|-----|----|------|

A |-6----------6-----------------2--|-----|------1-----|-----|----|------|

D |---------------------------------|-----|-5----------|-5---|----|-6--8-|

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

17.0 21.0 22.0 24.0 24.5 25.5

r r

m l i m

i l i i l

d |-------8-----------------|---3--|-------|-----|

c |--7----------2------3----|--0---|-0-----|-0---|

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

D |-------0-----------------|------|-------|-----|

A |-6-----------------------|------|-------|-----|

D |-------------------------|------|-------|-----|

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

26.5 29.0 30.0 31.5 32.5

r

l l i i m r l <l>

r m i l r m i r l l i

d |------------|-----|----|-8--6-|---5----8----10---12-------|

c |---4--3--2--|---4-|----|------|--3--------------------<7>-| let it

E |------------|-----|----|------|-6-----10------------------| ring!!

D |------------|-----|----|------|---------------------------|

A |------1-----|-----|----|------|-------------0-------------|

D |-5----------|-5---|----|-6--8-|-------------------0----5--|

^

(timing from here similar to that starting @ 22.0)

/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\

| Section B: |

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/

(As near as I can tell, this piece goes at about 74 quarter notes per

minute. Nice and slow.)

i l i l l r i

d |-------4/5-------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

c |-----------------+------0----------|0--------0-------+-----------------|

E |------0----------+-----------------|------5------4/5-+------3--------0-|

D |-----------------+---------2----/3-|-----------------+---------0-------|

A |3----------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

i l r i m

d |---------4/5-----+0------------6/7-|--------/9-----5-+-----------------|

c |-----------------+------0----------|-----------------+-----------------|

E |------0----------+---------0-------|-----------------+---------5-------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |3----------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

r l i Ci* m i i m r i

d |---------7-p5-1/2+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

c |-----------------+--------2--------|0----------------+-----------------|

E |-----------------+------2----------|---------3/5--/3-+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |7----------------+4----------------|3----------------+2----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

* Capo the Ecd strings on the first fret with the index finger, and slide

it up to the second fret keeping the E&c strings muted until the next

bar. I think this is the easiest way to get these notes cleanly.

Likewise in other sections with these notes.

r m m r

d |5--------5/7---3-+---------------0-|-----------------+-----------------|

c |------0----------+---------3/4-----|-----------------+------0----------|

E |-----------------+-----------------|---------------5-+---------------0-|

D |-----------------+-----------------|---------0-------+---------0-------|

A |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |0----------------+0----------------|5----------------+5----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\

| Section C: |

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/

d |-------4/5----/7-+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

c |-----------------+------0----------|0--------0-------+-----------------|

E |------0----------+-----------------|------5------4/5-+------3--------0-|

D |-----------------+---------2----/3-|-----------------+---------0-------|

A |2/3--------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

l m r* i m

d |---------4/5-----+0------------6/7-|------12---------+-----------------|

c |-----------------+------0----------|---------10/11-7-+-----------------|

E |------0----------+---------0-------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+---------5-------|

A |3----------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

* This is a bit gnarly, but I couldn't figure a better way: finger the

12th fret note on the first string with the little finger, slide the

middle finger from the tenth to the eleventh fret of the second string,

and on the way back to the seventh fret CHANGE to the ring finger -

otherwise the next measure is just about unplayable.

d |---------7-p5-1/2+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

c |-----------------+--------2--------|0----------------+---------0-------|

E |------0----------+------2----------|---------3/5--/3-+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |7----------------+4----------------|3----------------+2----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

l m r l r i l

d |4/5---5----------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

c |---------4-------+0--------------0-|-----------------+-----------------|

E |-----------------+---------5-------|---------1----h3-+---------1----p0-|

D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |-----------------+-----------------|3----------------+3----------------|

D |0----------------+5----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\

| Section D: |

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/

m m m

i m r m i i i i

d |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

c |---------0-------+0-------------6/7|---------5-------+3--------2-------|

E |------6--------6-+---------6-------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |-----------------+-----------------|6--------5-------+3--------1-------|

D |6----------------+8----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

r i m

d |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

c |0----1/2-4-----2-+------0----------|-----------------+-----------------|

E |-----------------+---------7-------|---------------5-+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|---------0-------+---------0-------|

A |0----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+0----------------|5----------------+5----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

m

c4(*1) c7(*2) l(*3) i i i

d |-----------------+-----------------|---------2-------+------0--2----2/3|

c |------2p0--------+-----------------|---------------0-+-----------------|

E |7--------------7-+-----------------|3----------------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+---------7-------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |4----------------+------9----------|-----------------+0----------------|

D |4----------------+9----------------|5----------------+-----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

*1 Gnarly bit #1: I can't decide whether it's best to fret these notes

(a bit of a stretch, i-m-l bottom to top) or capo the fourth fret and

finger the E string with the little finger.

*2 Gnarly bit #2: The "2p0" bit on the c string in the prior beat can

also be played "10p8" on the E string, but I find this a bit awkward

when trying to slide into the 7th fret capo here. Capo all six

strings with the first finger, and play the two ninth fret notes with

ring and little fingers, and then get ready to scoot your little

finger back to the fifth fret for the next gnarly bit.

*3 Gnarly bit #3: This is just a hard stretch. Try to hold it so all

the notes can ring through the whole measure.

Geez, I should get paid for this. :-)

i r r l r r i m

d |---------5-----7-+------7-h8--7--5-|-----------------+-----------------|

c |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+---------0-------|

E |-----------------+-----------------|---------5-------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|------0----------+-----------------|

A |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |0----------------+0----------------|5----------------+5----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\

| Section E: |

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/

d |-------4/5-------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

c |-----------------+------0----------|0--------0-------+-----------------|

E |------0----------+-----------------|------5------4/5-+------3--------0-|

D |-----------------+---------2----/3-|-----------------+---------0-------|

A |3----------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

d |---------4/5-----+0------------6/7-|--------/9-----5-+-----------------|

c |-----------------+------0----------|-----------------+-----------------|

E |------0----------+---------0-------|-----------------+---------5-------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |3----------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

d |---------7-p5-1/2+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

c |-----------------+--------2--------|0----------------+---------0-------|

E |------0----------+------2----------|---------3/5--/3-+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |7----------------+4----------------|3----------------+2----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

d |4/5---5----------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

c |---------4-------+0--------------0-|-----------------+-----------------|

E |-----------------+---------5-------|---------1----h3-+---------1----p0-|

D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |-----------------+-----------------|3----------------+3----------------|

D |0----------------+5----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\

| Section F: |

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/

l

m l

r i i l r i m

d |-----------------+-----------------|-----------8--10-+3----p1----------|

c |---------0-------+0-------------6/7|-----------------+-----------------|

E |------6--------6-+---------6-------|----------6------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |-----------------+-----------------|6--------5-------+3--------1-------|

D |6----------------+8----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

i i l i m l

d |------2-/5----4--+------4--12/10-7/9|-----------------+-----------------|

c |0----------------+------------------|-----------------+-----------------|

E |-----------------+------------------|---------5--7----+---------7-------|

D |-----------------+------------------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |0----------------+------------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+0-----------------|5----------------+5----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

l l

i* l i l l i l i i

d |9-----9--7-------+3--------4----4/5|------7--0-------+------0--2----2/3|

c |-----------------+-----------------|---------------0-+-----------------|

E |0----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |-----------------+2----------------|-----------------+0----------------|

D |4----------------+-----------------|2----------------+-----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

* Yikes!

i r i i <l> i m

d |---------5-----7-+------9-/10--<12>|-----------------+-----------------|

c |------0----------+-----------------|-----------------+---------0-------|

E |-----------------+-----------------|------------5----+---------------0-|

D |-----------------+-----------------|---------0-------+------------0----|

A |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |0----------------+0----------------|5----------------+5----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\

| Section G: |

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------/

d |-------4/5----/7-+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

c |-----------------+------0----------|0--------0-------+-----------------|

E |------0----------+-----------------|------5------4/5-+------3--------0-|

D |-----------------+---------2----/3-|-----------------+---------0-------|

A |2/3--------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

d |---------4/5-----+0------------6/7-|------12---------+-----------------|

c |-----------------+------0----------|---------10/11-7-+-----------------|

E |------0----------+---------0-------|-----------------+---------5-------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |3----------------+0----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+5----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

m

r l m l m

d |---------7-p5-1/2+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

c |-----------------+--------2--------|2^3---2--0-------+---------------0-|

E |------0----------+------2----------|---------------3-+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

D |7----------------+4----------------|3----------------+2----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

d |5-----5----------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

c |---------4-------+0--------------0-|-----------------+-----------------|

E |-----------------+---------5-------|---------0-----0-+-----------------|

D |-----------------+-----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

A |-----------------+-----------------|0----------------+0----------------|

D |0----------------+5----------------|-----------------+-----------------|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^ 1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^

m

i r l

d |4/5---5----------+-----------------|---|---|---| (hold these last 3 as

c |---------4-------+0----------------|---|---|---| long as you like...

E |-----------------+---------5-------|-1-|---|---| nice and slow.)

D |-----------------+-----------------|-0-|---|---|

A |-----------------+-----------------|-1-|-2-|-3-|

D |0----------------+5----------------|---|---|---|

1 ^ ^ 2 ^ ^ 3 ^ ^ 4 ^ ^