Lesson 11.5 Question on tab

PaulGiglia

Blues Newbie
While I figured out the tab on this lesson is "off" (the upstrokes on the higher strings between the individual notes aren't noted) and have no trouble putting them in during the first four bars, I'm not sure about the next two bars (up at the 8th fret). The upstrokes between the individual notes - if I hit the B and E strings as is done in the first four bars, it sounds horrible - and different from the video. Is Griff hitting the B and E strings, or should others be strummed? It sounds better if I strum the open D and G strings instead. But I can't tell from the video which he's hitting.

Since the tab does not show which strings to hit, wanted to make sure I'm doing it correctly. Thanks anyone who can answer.
 

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
The upstrokes between the individual quarter notes aren’t tabbed because no actual notes are being played. You’re just “raking” up across the muted open strings adding a percussive effect while getting to the next downstroke.

I suppose you could tab a vertical line of X’s across the strings between each note for the upstrokes, but they wouldn’t count in the count. o_O

(Compare to Example 10-2 where individual notes and upstrokes are all counted as eighths and the open strings ring out.)

Here he strums up through all the top strings and immediately mutes them out when playing the next quarter note.

At about 40:12 he demonstrates and says “you’re going to hear that in the middle”.

That being the “raking” sound of drawing the pick up across and immediately muting out the open strings.

(The open strings appear to ring out longer during this slo-mo demonstration.)

He doesn’t do anything differently when moving up to Cm, i.e. the E, B, G & D strings are all muted on the upstrokes.
 
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Paleo

Student Of The Blues
Alternate response:

The only notes that are actually played on an upstroke are those on the “and” of beat 1 and the “and” of beat 4 in the first measure of each 2 measure phrase.

All other upstrokes are muted and don’t need to be “tabbed” since the technique is explained during the video.

Besides, I don’t know how you would tab striking and then immediately muting all the open strings in each upstroke.

Especially when you already have all 4 beats in each measure accounted for.
 
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PaulGiglia

Blues Newbie
Alternate response:

The only notes that are actually played on an upstroke are those on the “and” of beat 1 and the “and” of beat 4 in the first measure of each 2 measure phrase.

All other upstrokes are muted and don’t need to be “tabbed” since the technique is explained during the video.

Besides, I don’t know how you would tab striking and then immediately muting all the open strings in each upstroke.

Especially when you already have all 4 beats in each measure accounted for.

Aha! I see. Thanks very much, Paleo! That one had me stumped. To me it sounded like he WAS striking strings, not muting. Appreciate the response.
 
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