In The Pines

[Eric "Trapper" G]

As a newbe ( a whole month under my belt) and kind of new to bluegrass. I'm looking for mandolin tabs for "In The Pines". I just heard a recording of Doc Wastson and David Grissman playing it and love the song. I don't expect to sound like Grissman, but would like to play simple Melodie. Thanks for any help

[Luna Pick]

Welcome. Perfect time to check out the resources on the Mandolin Cafe home page, and the tabulature library. I just check and saw one version there.

[onassis]

There's also this at the Mandozine website. You'll have to download a free Tefview app from the homepage to view it, but that opens up the thousands of tabs on that site.

[tmsweeney]

Chords are G G7 C C7 D ( for key of G) if that helps


G G7 C C7 G D7 G
My Girl My Girl Don't lie to me Tell me where did you sleep last night

[Eric "Trapper" G]

Thank you all, I just learned that MC has tabs. I have also found that bluegrass has some gursome lyric. Love the music though

[CarlM]

Just a couple of things. Doc most of the time performed it in the key of D. That is where his voice was. Also in case you have not caught this, it is in 3/4 time.
Docs' chords were usually : D / D7 /G /D /D/ A7/ D / D for each line. The recording below with Grisman is in D.

[Mark Wilson]

As a newbe ( a whole month under my belt) and kind of new to bluegrass. I'm looking for mandolin tabs for "In The Pines". I just heard a recording of Doc Wastson and David Grissman playing it and love the song. I don't expect to sound like Grissman, but would like to play simple Melodie. Thanks for any help

Can't help you with tab but here's something to try til you find tab. Use the Youtube video posted above (viewed in Chrome maybe) and find the screen setting to slow it down. Listen over and over, to the first measure (3 beats plus the lead in notes) of the intro by Grissman until you have the gist of it. Then sit it aside and try and mimic. Simplify all you can. Don't try any more of the tune until you have that.

You might just discover one of the true joys of learning to play a tune. Listen and mimic. Playing by ear. It's seems hard at first but gets easier once you do it a few times. The key imo is small bites, patience, and 'want to'.

[lukmanohnz]

My current favorite rendition of this tune is on the Todd Phillips album of the same name. This instructional play-along book/CD combo has a really nice arrangement with tabs.

[Eric "Trapper" G]

I failed to tell you, that I don't read music and only play blues harmica by ear. My neighbor next door got me into this bluegrass about 2 yrs ago. I finally pull the trigger on a mandolin Dec. 28,2018. I thought Grissman and Watson were in the key of D but everything I was finding was for G. Changing keys on a harmica is easy, just pick up a different harp. I have a lot to learn

[BluesPreacher]

It's a great tune. I'm more familiar with Leadbelly's version, which uses more minor chords and slightly unusual chord progressions. It's dark, and maybe a tad creepy. I really like Doc and Dawg's version too. (How could one not?)

[Mark Wilson]

I'm more familiar with Leadbelly's version, which uses more minor chords and slightly unusual chord progressions. It's dark, and maybe a tad creepy.

I just listened to it the other day after reading the op. It is a little dark and tbh it creeped me a tad. Effective, either way

[Eric "Trapper" G]

Blues preacher that was my introduction to the song. But Doc and Gaug do a much better version

[Mark Gunter]

Dig around on the history of this tune if you're into such things. It's an old one with a lot of variations across "genre". I always knew it as a Lead Belly tune, being late to bluegrass I hadn't heard the BG versions until a few years ago. Doc & Dawg as posted above is one of my favorites.

Starting point to find the history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Pines

This is one of those tunes that you can take and make your own - like everybody else has done!

BTW, Kurt Cobain did a version inspired by Lead Belly that I like as well. His screaming lyrics near the end flow out of the raw images this song produces - and yes, it is a dark and creepy song in its history.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SAZnMY2Vm0

Doc has long been my hero, but he is not bluegrass. In this tune, he and David add the howling wind sound like Bill Monroe did ... but to grass it up, listen to Bill do it, or Peter Rowan or Dell or other grassers.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKh8XjgoQfc

[Mateus]

Ive actually been trying to learn this in the key of G from music sheet. Great tune! Cant wait to start embelishing it!

[JPS]

Here's my favorite recording, and the one I aspire to in my picking.

[BradKlein]

This is one of those tunes that you can take and make your own - like everybody else has done!
BTW, Kurt Cobain did a version inspired by Lead Belly that I like as well. His screaming lyrics near the end flow out of the raw images this song produces - and yes, it is a dark and creepy song in its history.

Actually, I think Kurt Cobain's arrangement for the Unplugged concert was a closely influenced by the version recorded by Mark Lanegan. I believe that Cobain played on that album, Winding Sheet.

[Mark Gunter]

Actually, I think Kurt Cobain's arrangement for the Unplugged concert was a closely influenced by the version recorded by Mark Lanegan. I believe that Cobain played on that album, Winding Sheet.

I agree with you Brad, though I’d never heard Mark’s version I’d read of the connection before. IIRC, Mark actually introduced Kurt to Lead Belly’s music. I am way more conversant in Lead Belly’s catalog than either of theirs.

[Eric "Trapper" G]

This is a great place to be ( MC). Being new to bluegrass and a mandolin. I have even gotten background on a song I happen on by chance. I have frist heard it as a leadbelly tune then many years latter heard Doc Watson do it with Grissman. I never put the two together if it wasn't for this post. I want to thank you all for your insight. I have also learned that the bluegrassers kind of came late. I thought it was an older stile then 1930's. Nomatter when it came in, and me just starting, I'm hooked. My quest has just started and plan to beable to play in a jam by October. After all it's about the joy of play music with others

[ABrown]

Maybe learn it in E as well