get up john

[ashemando]

Does anyone have tab for Monroe's " Get Up John" ?The tab on
comando does not correspond with the melody provided. I would like to find tab as close to Bill's version as heard
on his "Anthology" disc 1 as possible. Thanks for any help.

[ShaneJ]

Jay Buckey's Mandolin Book 5 has Get Up John. It's pretty close to Monroe's version. It's a fun song. Buckey's book also comes with a CD (or a downloadable version w/mp3's) that includes a full band to play along with. The mandolin is isolated on one side, so you can take it out and play the mando part yourself. It's great - especially if you don't get to play with a band much.

[keymandoguy]

On Get Up John you also need to know that it is in alternate tuning So first you need to find out how to retune for that song ! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[swampstomper]

It's played (by Monroe), broken down (by Sam) and transcribed (adequately) in the Homespun 2-DVD Monroe set.

Tuning is f#a / d'd' / a'a' / a'd' (open D)

[ashemando]

Thanks, that's the ticket! Anyone know of other Monroe tunes (or others) in this tuning? It is quite interesting to play.

[evanreilly]

Monroe used a partial open D tuning for the instrumental Bluegrass Ramble and the song Memories of You. The E strings were not retuned.

[Markelberry]

I dont recall the tuning,but on the same video he does last days on earth its awesome.

[swampstomper]

According to the Monroe/Bush DVDs (Homespun) transcriptions, Last Days on Earth is in this tuning:

aa / dd / a'c' / d"f"

This is open Dm (the song's principal key) with the 7th (c').

[kyblue]

swampstomper,

the first tuning you described, f#a / d'd' / a'a' / a'd' , is what Sam Bush used in his workshop at First Quality on Saturday.


Paula

[swampstomper]

Yes, that's the classic "Get up John" tuning and is the first cross-tuning that every Monroe accolyte learns. Lots of cool sounds there. If you have a 2nd mandolin you can use correct-gauge strings for the 1st and 4th, not just the retuned standard gauge strings. This makes the high a' much brighter.

And I meant to say ... a'd" ... for the 1st (e") string. It's two octaves above middle c.

[mandopete]

Monroe used a partial open D tuning for the instrumental Bluegrass Ramble and the song Memories of You. The E strings were not retuned.
Evan,

Are you saying the tuning is F#-A / D-D / A-A / E-E ?

[evanreilly]

That is correct, to the best of my knowledge. Both were recorded in the same session; Monroe retuned a mandolin and used it during that session.