This is a song I’ve been wanting to do for a while on Harp and have always found a reason for putting it off. I think I am playing it in 3rd position on a harp in A.
This is my first practice at it with the odd glitch. I haven’t quite got that unusual timing on the opening phrase on the video but I think I have worked it out now.
I am not sure whether to play it acoustically or amplified eventually. I have employed heavy effects (possibly too much) flanger/chorus for a trippy vibe on this short take . What I was thinking I might do is to play the opening phrase (which is also required again later in the song) then play and keep the second phrase running while I play the melody over the top using a loop or separate tracks recorded on Audacity.
Or maybe it would be better to find a backing track and do the above over the top of it? I don’t think I could replicate the guitar solo but it would be cool to improvise over this section.
I think I would use a general background vid instead of cheap effects vid of me playing on a future take.
Very interesting choice of material as usual! I like harmonica sound. I think it match the song very good but I think that playing with backing track will make this song more organic. ---------- Konstantin Kolesnichenko(Ukraine) http://kolesnichenko-harmonica.com/
Very good attempt Grey Owl on what is a very tricky tune to learn on harmonica...I know because I attempted it a couple of years ago and failed ! You,ve inspired me to try again. For those of you not familiar with this great Stranglers song..here it is.Saw them 3 times in the seventies when I was a wannabe punk!
Thanks very much ‘Wheel’ :) I agree a Backing Track is probably going to work best with that rolling harpsicord sound setting the atmosphere.
I was tempted to do a multi layer recording on Audacity but this may be too tricky for me. For example recording the opening phrase, then the phrase that underscores the vocal part, then the vocal part.
This technique was demonstrated nicely by Greg Zlap on the song ‘Happy’ but for two parts.
Thanks a lot Grahamonica. I’m jealous you got to see ‘The Stranglers’! Golden Brown is a strange punk offering but is one of my favourite songs. I find it hard to get my chops round this. It’s not only tricky for me timing wise to play that quickish opening phrase which contains a 6 overblow as well as some low hole bends where the timing lands on the bends. Arrrgh keep trying!!
I have had a try at tabbing it out below. I don’t know if another position is easier but this is the first one that came to me.
It is a very unusual song construction. Here is a breakdown from the net:-
***Lyrically, all of “Golden Brown” works on two levels, and was deliberately written to be ambiguous so that the darker meaning would get passed censors. Singer and lyricist Hugh Cornwell said in 2001: “It’s about heroin and also about a girl… both provided me with pleasurable times.” The instrumentation is quite unconventional for what is notionally a punk record, featuring a harpsichord very prominently. Dave Greenfield’s keyboard plays in ¾ time, but his harpsicord part has twice as many beats in 6/8 time. Additionally, every fourth bar switches to 4/4 time. The unconventional instrument choice and time signatures are accompanied by some weird key signatures – the introduction is a flat B minor, whereas the body of the song sits between E and Eb.*** A great song by The Stranglers. I'm playing a blues harmonica in the key of A in 3rd position. Tab Below.
Tab by Grey Owl
-4 = Draw on hole 4 +5 = Blow on hole 5 -3* = a one step draw bend on 3 -3** = a two step draw bend on 3 -2** = a two step draw bend on 3 +6 ob = an overblow on hole 6
INTRO
-4-6-4-3**+5-3**-3*-5+6ob-6+6-5+5 played 3 times then -4-6-4-3**+5-3**+4+6+4-3*-3**-2-2** Then the link played between verses -2-3*-4+4-3**-2** played 4 times and which continues to back the vocal part +6 -4 +4 -3* +4 -4 +4 Golden brown, texture like sun +6 -4 +4 -3* +4 -4 +4 -3** Lays me down, with my mind she runs -2 -3** -3* -3** -2 -3** -3* -3** Throughout the night, no need to fight -2 -3** -3* -3** -2 -2** -1 +1 Never a frown with golden brown
-2-3*-4+4-3**-2** played 4 times
+6 -4 +4 -3* +4 -4 +4 Every time, just like the last +6 -4 +4 -3* +4 -4 +4 On her ship tied to the mast -2 -3** -3* -3** -2 -3** -3* -3** To distant lands, takes both my hands -2 -3** -3* -3** -2 -2** -1 +1 Never a frown with golden brown -2-3*-4+4-3**-2** played 4 times and ends with -2**-2 (my ending on this take)
Here is a duplicate of my first video but with different effects.
Hey Grey Owl your tabs wrong i think. On playing the link between the verses, just before the main melody starts, should it not read the 3rd and 4th notes as 4D 4B? You have it 3D 3B.
Thanks Grey Owl. It's a great song one of my favourites. I've been learning it the past couple of days. Harder than it looks with the little fill between the verses. Hard to get the bends in tune if you're not careful.
Wow! Nice Owl .... I missed this when you first posted i guess.
This was the favorite song of my friend from Ireland. He passed away when we were teenagers, about 15 years ago. ( He was 17) We first heard this song in the Guy Richie Movie - Snatch. Great Jam. Kindof a sentimental song for me.
Sounds great Owl. I love it. I really like hearing the "outside the box" stuff you do with the harp. Awesome.
Thanks for that Killa! Sad about your pal. I have songs that have a sentimental connection and it's amazing how they connect with you and bring back a vivid memory of someone or an episode in your life.
