Notice
"Too fast on the record. I wrote this for a guy I never met to whom ice fishing, and his fish house on the ice, was everything. It sank and he left town that summer. I've recieved more mail on this tune than any other." - Leo Kottke
Study Notes (from the tabbook):
Players who are familiar with this style are well aware of its chord orientation. That is to say that certain passages are played by working off of common chord forms. This not only makes them easier to play, but it also makes them sound better. Other players, however, and especially classical guitarists, may not be familiar with this perspective.
Much of this song is played by working off of common chord forms. But occasionally it may not be immediately apparent when to place the chord form down. For example, in measure 7 and in similar instances, the entire F chord diagrammed below (actually, in the chord diagram list) is placed down on the "and" of the first beat.
And in measure 8 and in similar instances, the entire first position C chord is fingered on the "and" of the fourth beat.
There are many instances, for example at the end of measure 33, where you will find open strings occuring between chord forms. It is important that they be taken advantage of in effecting the chord change.
In measure 5, after hammering the note F (first string, first fret), leave your left hand first finger on that note until you finish the pull-off which occurs on the "and" of the first beat of measure 6. This will help produce a lyrical melody line.
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Notes from me:
Best played with fingerpicks and thumbpicks. An exemption to this are those who grew long nails on their fingers and thumbs.
The fingerings indicated by the tabbook should only be treated as guidelines. You needn't play them using the fingers exactly the way indicated (as with most of Kottke's pieces). Feel free to use different fingers if you find a more comfortable way to play the notes indicated.
Note:
p = thumb
i = index finger
m = middle finger
a = ring finger N/A