Songs and Toods

polansky

Known typos, comments, alternate fingerings, etc.

11/30/11, rev. 7/27/14

thanks to Elliot Simpson, Giacomo Fiore, James Moore and Tom Pauwels

Eskimo Lullaby

• 1^st page 2nd system, 2nd measure, 3^rd beat of measure: The G may be tied, or articulated.
• 1^st page, 5^th System, 3^rd measure: The low B and C can be an octave lower, or the notes can be played as written and the D may be played open on the I string.
• 1^st page, 5^th system, 4^th measure: The D should be played an octave below where written, but might optionally be played as written as well (way up the fretboard). In either case should be played with the right hand only (fretted and plucked).
• 2^nd page, 1^st system, 2^nd and 3^rd measures: low C and A are an octave lower than written.2^nd page, last system, 1^st two measures of the system: two low notes (both whole notes, penultimate and antepenultimate measures of piece), should be A and G, rather than B and A. That is, the lowest note under the word “God” should be an A, under the word “sent” a G (that is, the open VI string).

Dismission of Great “I”

• · Instructions: typo in cents values, should be 27 and 29 rather than 17 and 19
• Tempo: relaxed, but up to the player (somewhere between say 72 and 96)1^st page, 3^rd system: Back of pinky is an indistinct, brushing, nail-ish sound, but with some of the skin sound in it as well.
• 1^st page, A’: chords may be strummed, plucked, or some combination, up to the player, but should be in rhythm. Preference is, in general for the songs, in a non-classical, more traditional folk technique.
• 1^st page, A’: Tie missing between chords 4^th – 5^th measure guitar part.
• 1^st page, B' 3^rd measure, voice: first four notes are D-B-A-A (not D-C#-B-B) (as it is later in the piece)
• 2^nd page, last measure (3^rd system): the string number IV in the top stave in the solo 5th measure (last measure on system) should not be in the top stave (typo), just the bottom.
• 2^nd page, 2^nd system, 2^nd measure: the high Ds are meant to be fretted, but optionally, may be played as harmonics (but both should be played the same way).
• 2^nd page, solo, 7^th measure (A1): The first chord in the bottom stave is impossible if the high A in the solo is held, but that A can be released so as to facilitate the chord. Alternately, the first G/A chord can be played on III/IV

• 2^nd page, solo, 8^th measure (A1): The As in the bottom stave can be played on IV.
• 3^rd page, 1^st line: No measures are missing from this line.
• 3^rd page, 4th system, 3rd measure: high D harmonics may be played on either II or III, preferably, alternating between them.

Sweet Betsy from Pike

• 1^st page, 4^th system, last measure: High A should be plucked and fretted with the RH, but optionally, may be a harmonic on II.
  
• 1^st page, 3^rd system, 7^th measure: III should be over the G, not the E.
• 2^nd page, 5^th system, 4^th measure: The low V on this chord is a typo, it should be a VI. The A natural should be on the II string (open), and the D grace note play be played on the I or the II string (damping the A). That is, the chord may be rolled slightly. Optionally, the high D may be played by the RH alone.
• 2^nd page, last system, last measure: High A may be played as a harmonic.
• 3^rd page, last system, 4^th measure: This tapping can have percussive, noisy sounds as part of it, naturally as part of the technique of hitting the fretboard.
• 4^th page, third system, that 6 note chord is impossible (not enough fingers). Suggestion: leave out the E-natural, barre the chord on the 5th fret.
  
• 4^th page, top 3 systems: Octave typos on all three A harmonics on the I string, those all sound an octave higher than written.
• 4^th page, between systems 4 and 5: Vagrant, floating "(I)" (typo, shouldn't be there)
• 6^th page, third measure: Octave typo on the first chord, should be an octave higher (sounding and written)

Sweet Betsy from Pike

 "Note that, because of the fretting of the guitar, especially on the III and IV strings (but on others as well), the notation of pitches will often differ from their closest tempered pitches. For example, the 6th fret of the II string (shouldn't this be IIIrd string in stead of IInd string, 6th fret on II string would be notated D and sound closer to C) is the ratio 121/64, sounds much closer to a tempered B...".

• Performance notes: There is no 121/64 on the guitar, the correct fratio for the 6th fret of the II string is 154/81 (about 1112¢, a bit sharp of C# in 12TET).