View Full Version : Memories Of You - Bill Monroe
jamann
Jun-13-2009, 2:19pm
Trying to find the tuning and tablature for Memories of You by Bill Monroe. I can find the lyrics but have had no luck on tablature. I believe the G string is tuned F# and A but not absolutely sure on that. It's such a great tune and I'm trying to figure it out. Any help would be great. Thanks!
jamann :mandosmiley:
evanreilly
Jun-13-2009, 2:49pm
Next time you re-tune to play Get Up John, try this song! Big Hint.
Jim Broyles
Jun-13-2009, 3:05pm
Is there a version in "Get Up John " tuning? Because I can definitely hear a low G droning during the first break, just after the banjo break in the version I have. I think it is in standard tuning.
evanreilly
Jun-13-2009, 5:11pm
"On this recording [Memories of You, Decca 46266, February 3rd, 1950] Monroe introduced a new mandolin tuning which he would use again in Get up John and In Despair".
Pg 82, Rosenberg & Wolfe; The Music of Bill Monroe
Jim Broyles
Jun-13-2009, 5:42pm
My bad. I listened to the version on Rhapsody off the "True Life Blues" album, with Mike Compton on mandolin. I'm pretty sure he used standard tuning for this one, for some reason. In my defense, the artist is listed as Bill Monroe.
evanreilly
Jun-13-2009, 5:56pm
Easy to be confused by authorship on this one. "James B. Smith" is listed as the writer. That was one of the several pseudonyms used by Monroe in the early 1950's. James B[uchanan] was his father; Smith is his middle name.
jamann
Jun-14-2009, 10:05am
Next time you re-tune to play Get Up John, try this song! Big Hint.
Thanks! I'll give it a try. This is my favorite Bill tune at the moment. I'd still like to find any tablature out there to help me along. I have a hard time trying to figure this stuff out without any help. I lack experience.
The reason I assumed the G string was tuned F# and A was I started lessons with Mike Compton and I mentioned this tune and he said it was tuned this way. I may have to press him further and get him to teach me this one. His lessons have really helped but I have a long way to go.
jamann :mandosmiley:
evanreilly
Jun-14-2009, 11:19am
The G course strings are re-tuned to F# and A; the E course is tuned down; one string to A (in unison with the A course) and the other to D.
jamann
Jun-14-2009, 12:20pm
The G course strings are re-tuned to F# and A; the E course is tuned down; one string to A (in unison with the A course) and the other to D.
Thanks for clearing this up. I had gotten off track a little. When you gave me the first clue I immediately went to mandozine to look up "Get Up John" and the only version on there was a Skaggs version tuned ADAD so I was a little confused but now you've cleared that up for me. Thanks!
Any tablature out there?
jamann :mandosmiley:
swampstomper
Jun-14-2009, 4:30pm
Skaggs plays it in "Get Up John" tuning for sure !! F#/A d/d a/a a/d'
I just checked out that TabEdit and it is seriously messed up. It says key of C, the guitar tab is in C, but the mando notes are in D (correct) -- but only one of the notes on the split-strings is shown. For example that really low lick on the 4th string shows C-B-A (3rd-2nd-open) but there is also a A-G#-F# on the split string.
And the bass part is pretty useless. I do not know why the TabEdit files now have guitar and bass.
Dan Johnson
Jun-17-2009, 8:49am
that tuning is wicked! what do you call that anyways? I've been doing that song "Memories" for a while but I never tried it tuned like that... it's weird that it works... you'd think the intervals wouldn't match...
Jim Broyles
Jun-17-2009, 11:39am
The generic term is "cross tuning" and this cross tuning is referred to as "Get Up John" tuning.
f5loar
Jun-17-2009, 8:34pm
What I hear in Monroe's break is only the G string tuned to F#/A . The other strings are standard tuning. He only hits the E strings a few notes staying mostly on the D and A strings and hitting that high lonesome sound on the G strings tuned up.
jamann
Jun-26-2009, 12:40pm
What I hear in Monroe's break is only the G string tuned to F#/A . The other strings are standard tuning. He only hits the E strings a few notes staying mostly on the D and A strings and hitting that high lonesome sound on the G strings tuned up.
I emailed Mike Compton regarding this and f5loar you are correct. Only the G strings are tuned to F#/A and the rest are standard tuning. I also asked about tablature which he replied "I don't have it tabbed, but I suspect you can figure it out as well as you've been playing the others." Bummer, I was really hoping he had it tabbed out. Now I have to try to figure it out. Not too good at this stuff.
jamann :mandosmiley:
Dan Johnson
Jun-26-2009, 11:58pm
wow.... just went back to listen to Doc Watson and Bill Monroe on this one... Wicked wicked parts... Bill was one awesome dude... Clean, deep, and sweet....
jamann
Jun-27-2009, 10:35am
wow.... just went back to listen to Doc Watson and Bill Monroe on this one... Wicked wicked parts... Bill was one awesome dude... Clean, deep, and sweet....
Dan,
Your right, that's an incredible version. Bill is awesome on this one! I own this CD and it's been so long since I've listened to it I didn't even realize "Memories Of You" was on it. Thanks to you, this cd will be getting a lot of play time.
Would still love to find any tablature for this one.
jamann :mandosmiley: