The transcriptions are what I hear and are open to interpretation so please check the originals. These
are generally for solo guitar but there are bass lines and duets for two guitars and guitar and voice. If you do use them
please credit me.
Prelude No.12 by J.S. Bach - guitar duo
Album: Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
This arrangement was done for guitar duo, the key has been lifted in a six string friendly one. As
this is a two part invention guitar 1 is the right hand on the piano (for the most part) and guitar 2 the
left hand. The parts were designed for all the ornament's that should be hung onto the melody; so turns,
mordents and cadential trills. This makes repeats enjoyable for yourself and the audience. If feeling particularly
brave it is possible to add scale runs and extra arpeggio notes, however you need to be clear between both players
who is going to go "over the top"! Click here to open in another window
Panis Angelicus - Cesar Franck
Album: Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
This arrangement of Aquinas's "Angelic Bread"is for the guitar part underneath a vocalist. The arrangement is a slimming down of
the Franck piano part and does have some tricky chords. Nothing that is insurmountable without some practise. Click here to open in another window
Flight Of The Bumblebee - Nikolia Rimsky-Korsakov
Album: Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
This is a two part arrangement of this infamous piece. It can be played as just a solo single line
or as two parts. It is to utilized for co-ordination and velocity practise. Practise really slow
to be able to speed up cleanly later on. Remember: speed is a by product of technique. Click here to open in another window
Lewis and Clarke - Tommy Emmanuel
Album: The Mystery - 2006 Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
This transcription was made from 2 sources, the album and the Live DVD. So it has an amalgamation
of Tommy's ideas. The intro should be evocative and fluid. The main section is meant to be like a shaman
ceremony and so the bass notes strums reflect that. There is the usual boom chic bass and the more unusual
Caribbean syncopation. Over all this is a challenging piece but one that is well worth the trouble.
Click here to open in another window
Bare Necessities by Terry Gilkyson
Album: Ohana - 2017 Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
This is my arrangement of a Disney Classic. Taken from the Film the Jungle Book this arrangement owes
a lot to Tommy Emmanuel and to Joe Pass. Yes there are Jazz chords in it. This is just the bare bone
structure and should be utilized for further improvisation. Click here to open in another window
Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
Album: Wish You Were Here - 1975 Level: Beginners to Intermediate
This is my arrangement of a classic song. Played on a 12 string guitar it is anthemic and relatively
easy to strum. Break the piece into sections and practise the bass and then the chords separately before
putting them together. This is not a full transcription rather a crib sheet for getting up and playing
fast. Click here to open in another window
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
Album: Slowhand - 1977 Level: Beginners to Intermediate.
This piece is perfect for practising your broken chord picking or arpeggios. To get the flow right go down
when picking down and up when picking up - economy of motion. This will aid hitting the right strings.
This piece also contains some great suspended chords, these aid the lyrics; this is called word painting
and is a great skill to have as a composer. Click here to open in another window
Sweet Child 'o Mine - Guns 'n Roses
Album: Appetite For Destruction - 1987 Level: Beginner to Intermediate.
This piece is perfect for practising your broken chord picking or arpeggios. To get the flow right go down
when picking down and up when picking up - economy of motion. This will aid hitting the right strings.
The intro part was originally utilized by Slash as a kind of exercise to warm up, I suggest the same. It is
excellent starter for string skipping.This is not a full transcription rather a crib sheet for getting up and playing
fast. Click here to open in another window
Sweet Home Alabama - The Eagles
Album: Second Helping - 1974 Level: Beginners to Intermediate.
This piece is perfect for practising your broken chord picking or arpeggios. To get the flow right go down
when picking down and up when picking up - economy of motion. This will aid hitting the right strings.
This piece has a great broken groove to the picking part so make sure you keep the spaces where they are
and fill the gaps when required. Counting is key to this, maintain the pulse and count the rhythms first.
This is not a full transcription rather a crib sheet for getting up and playing
fast. Click here to open in another window
Still Loving You - The Scorpions
Album: Love At First Sting - 1984 Level: Intermediate.
This piece is perfect for practising your broken chord picking or arpeggios. To get the flow right go down
when picking down and up when picking up - economy of motion. This will aid hitting the right strings.
It is excellent starter for barre chords and power chord changes; laser those shifts.
Clean tone for the intro then some drive or distortion for the middle. It is also an excellent song for
practising pedal stomping. Nothing worse than hitting the wrong patch on stage. Remember: Practise makes perfect.
This is not a full transcription rather a crib sheet for getting up and playing
fast. Click here to open in another window
Walking By Myself - Gary Moore
Album: Still Got The Blues - 1990 Level: Beginners to Intermediate.
Great simple blues riffage from Gary Moore; a single line riff followed by a shuffle double stop idea.
Steal the unusual turn around lick on the end.This is not a full transcription rather a crib sheet for getting up and playing
fast. Click here to open in another window
Scuttle Buttin - Stevie Ray Vaughn
Album: Couldn't Stand The Weather - 1984 Level: Intermediate.
Great simple blues riff that is blasted out by Vaughn at break neck speed. This piece ties
in perfectly with the blues riffs and licks sheets over in the lessons page. It shows you how a pro takes
one great lick and modifies it to fit the I, IV & V chords. Practise really slow
to be able to speed up cleanly later on. Remember: speed is a by product of technique.
This is not a full transcription rather a crib sheet for getting up and playing
fast. Click here to open in another window
Mary Had a Little Lamb - Stevie Ray Vaughn
Album: Texas Flood - 1982 Level: Intermediate.
Great riff that has to groove. Get the hands co-ordinated fully at a slow pace before speeding this up.
This piece follows on from the Vaughn piece from above and really highlight's his inspiration from Buddy Guy.This piece ties
in perfectly with the blues riffs and licks sheets over in the lessons page. It shows you how a pro takes
one idea and modifies it to fit the I, IV & V chords. Practise really slow
to be able to speed up cleanly later on. Remember: speed is a by product of technique.
This is not a full transcription rather a crib sheet for getting up and playing
fast. Click here to open in another window
Prelude from Cello Suite II - J.S. Bach
Album: Level: Advanced.
This arrangement of Bach's Prelude for BWV 1008 is going to challenge most bass players. It utilizes
most of the fret board and not only does it have implied polyphony but arpeggio, both broken and frozen. It is
a real tour de force piece when played live. It is worth studying Bach as he was probably the original bad man
bass player; he knew more about bass lines and what they can do than most do today. It can only improve
your theory and fret board knowledge wrestling with learning this introduction. It will also extend your
your technique; it should be played with fingers.
This is the piece I use to warm up with just before going on stage. It never fails to not only get my energy
flowing but also to seriously warm my fingers up. To play this at speed you will need to learn it slowly. It can be played
with fingers or a plectrum. Either way it is all about co-ordination. Odd time signatures and a Cliff Burton 2 part
pseudo classical middle section, this piece has everything a growing bass player needs.This is a full transcription. Click here to open in another window
Sitting Waiting Wishing - Jack Johnson
Album: In Between Dreams - 2005 Level: Beginner.
This is the piece has the all might gallop rhythm built into it. It is great to use with the guitar
part, something I frequently do when teaching bass. It requires a strong pulse and the ability to be steady
on the pulse; good open string control as well. Plectrum or fingers it is a fun piece to just jam along with.
This is not a full transcription rather a crib sheet for getting up and playing
fast. Click here to open in another window
Sweet Child 'o Mine - Guns 'n Roses
Album: Appetite For Destruction - 1987 Level: Beginner to Intermediate.
This is a seminal track from a ground breaking album it also kicks the bass line off with a melodic solo.
Arpeggios, scales and some pentatonic ideas, the first couple of bars for bass have some challenging finger work to it.
After that it kicks into a loping groove that just nails the bass line down with the kick drum beat. This ability is a
meat and potatoes skill for a bass player. This is not a full transcription rather a crib sheet for getting up and playing
fast. Click here to open in another window