any tips/easy tab for Mr Sandman

marktheharp

Currently trying to learn chet Atkins -Mr Sandman.
I have learnt the first couple of bars and watched various YouTube vids. But there is a few different ways to play it and I think the best version is of a french guy playing it on an orange gretsch single cutaway. Phenomenal ! But can't find any great tab which is correct?
Thanks in advance.
Cheers Mark.

EricTheWeary

Just watched a version. I feel absolutely incompetent now Several YouTube tutorials including those with tab and one is two hours long! There are several Chet tab books.

marktheharp

This the french guy ...amazing :-)

TheMarlin

The picking technique on this is the key.  It's not only hard to do, but desperately hard to make it look that easy.

I'm a die hard Gretsch guy.  But, have never learned this tune.  It seems everyone with a Gretsch tried to play it - that or Sleepwalk. I can already play Sleepwalk damn well, so that's enough cliché's under my belt

This is the version of Sleepwak that I play

Marlin 

marktheharp

Yes it is hard to do. .
its my orange epiphone swingster that is making me play all this. .I have learnt the old santo and Johnny 'sleepwalk' and some Chris isaak .and learning some rocknroll licks. . Bit of slap back echo , loving it ;-)

TheMarlin

MyTwangyGuitar has a channel on Youtube.  He's good, but charges for tab based lessons.....

Also sells DVD's etc....  Good reputation though

Marlin

TheMarlin

some useful vids for getting the Chicken Picking technique down:

Marlin

marktheharp

Thanks Marlin. Good vids

57Deluxe

I prefer Enter Sandman!

Jimbro66

If you want to get into the Chet stuff take a look at Matt Cowe's videos on You Tube and his web site mattcowe.com. He's a nice clean player in that style and explains things clearly. He also teaches (if you are anywhere near Cumbria) including Skype lessons.

When I was learning Chet stuff back in my teens it was a matter of working it out from the records and there were a couple of Mel Bay type books in standard notation (no tab back then). Much easier to learn it these days from many sources.

BTW an Epi Swingster is a nice choice. A friend of mine who is a Chet devotee uses one of those.

marktheharp

Thanks Jimbro. Will check him out. Yes am loving my swingster. It really makes you play differently.
the feel of the bisgby tension on the strings took a bit of getting used to! (Never played a bisgby type guitar or a fully hollow body) it also has a wound 3rd which I have also adapted my playing style:-)
thanks again.

Jimbro66

Looking at the 1954 video of Chet playing Mr Sandman it wouldn't be too hard at all to work out what he's doing. Likewise the Matt Cowe version is true to Chet's recorded version and it's pretty clear what Matt is doing most the time in the video. With sound chord knowledge this tune would not be too much of a challenge.

For anyone wanting to get into the Chet/Merle playing style there are just a couple of fundamentals:

1. You have to practice and perfect the muted alternating bass, preferably using a thumb pick.
2. Most the playing is chord-based. i.e. the melody is found within the chords so work out the chord sequence and inversions first.

You'll soon find that dominant ninth chords are used a lot in this style - particularly in Merle's stuff. I can see several ninth chords in Mr Sandman.

By the way, although he's obviously competent the French guy is playing a fairly loose version of Sandman. There are better examples.

marktheharp

Thanks again Jimbro. I am also learning 'santo and Johnny -sleepwalk. .A mixture of slide and chord picking. ..:-)

Modellista

Just picked up a book of Chet tabs by Hal Leonard ( as recommended by Greg Koch) which comes with a CD of backing tracks as well.

I'm not very good at the alternating bassline with a pick - currently I play better full fingerstyle.  My approach with these things, for better or worse, is to work out the basic chord changes and play what I think it should sound like, which is a lot easier than trying to duplicate someone else's playing.  So, exactly as @jimbro66 says, the chords are all important.

I know there's proper tabs out there and everything, but all I personally like to start with are the chords, and then sort of make it up from there, so here's what I think they are for the first verse:

Amaj13 x07674
G7 464574
C9 x434x5/4
F#7+ 2x233x
B9 x212x4/2
E13 020120
A x07657/5
F9 x87888
E9 x76777

marktheharp

↑ thanks for above tab. I am still getting to grips with it.a work in progress. .. :-?

Panama_Jack666

I'm learning this too! We'll have to have that get together soon

marktheharp

Ha Indeed .
I have finally got a lap steel! So message me for a meet up :-)