Philadelphia morning in open C
Note after Note · Level 5 (Advanced) · study · Guitar, sheet music and tablature
An original piece in open C (C-G-C-G-C-E), in the manner of Jack Rose’s major pieces and the tuning of “Kensington Blues”: the thumb alternates the two low Cs under a bluesy tune, then a part high up the neck (frets 8 to 12) with the blue note E♭, the return of the theme and a drone coda in the manner of a raga. Slides and hammer-ons make the tune sing between the picked notes.
▶ Play this piece with the interactive score
How to practise it
- Listen first: the site plays it while the score scrolls.
- Wait mode: the score waits for you at every note, at your own pace.
- Tempo challenge: play in time, with a score and a map of the bars you got right.
- Open C: strings 6 and 5 down a step and a half and a whole step (C, G), string 4 down a whole step (C), string 2 down a half step (C); strings 3 (G) and 1 (E) stay put. The thumb never stops: string 6 on beats 1 and 3, string 4 on beats 2 and 4; F = barre at fret 5, G = barre at fret 7. B part: move your hand up the neck before the bar, then let the open basses ring through the slides. Start at a reduced tempo.