Help with an Intro (Colin Hay - Woman's Face)

[Music Junkie]

Colin Hay came on my Pandora station a while back, and I found myself really enjoying his solo stuff. Three songs in particular:

Woman's Face
I just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You
Waiting For My Real Life to Begin

Last night I was messing around with "Woman's Face", and I was having trouble figuring out the intro. I think the song is in the key of E (not positive). It sounded to me like the chords in the intro were C#m, B, A with some sort of sliding thing going on. Then it goes to a bass run or chord run of the same descending progression. It repeats itself, then falls into the 1st verse which is A, C#m, B and back to A and so on. That is what I am hearing, but I can't tell whether he is playing the A as a full barre chord (5th fret), or the standard way. Also, the C#m in the Bm stlye (at the 4th fret), or the F#m style (at the 9th fret). Same with the B (A style at the 2nd, or F style at the 7th). It seems to be in either 3/4 or 6/8 time. I am leaning toward 6/8.

I was hoping someone might be able to weigh in on the intro slide thing.

Here is a YT clip of the song:





Any feedback would really be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jason

[daryl]

Jason, Try playing along in G with the capo on the 2nd fret. I think the notes of the intro (with the capo on) are 3rd string slide from 2 to 4 back to 2 and then pull off to open (hitting the string only once at the initial slide from 2 to 4). Then do the same slide pull off thing on the 4th string and then on the 5th string. During the slide pull offs it sounds like he's hitting some other (open?) strings. Then play a 1st position G chord then G/F# G/E G. What do you think? Close?

[Music Junkie]

daryl wrote:

Jason, Try playing along in G with the capo on the 2nd fret. I think the notes of the intro (with the capo on) are 3rd string slide from 2 to 4 back to 2 and then pull off to open (hitting the string only once at the initial slide from 2 to 4). Then do the same slide pull off thing on the 4th string and then on the 5th string. During the slide pull offs it sounds like he's hitting some other (open?) strings. Then play a 1st position G chord then G/F# G/E G. What do you think? Close?

I will give that a go tonight when I get home. Thanks so much for listening in. I never think of the capo.....duh..... :blink: What key would you say it is in? I was thinking E, because the chords I was hearing were A, B, C#m, and E. The E comes in in the chorus. I just assumed E at that point because of the A and B both being major chords. So with the capo, I guess it would be played in the key of D (relative to the capo)....

I appreciate it, Daryl!

J

[Music Junkie]

Daryl:

Just got home and gave that a try. The slides sound pretty good, but I think that maybe the descending run might be B - A - G (relative to the capo). 5th string 2nd fret, 5th string open and then 6th string 3rd fret.

Thanks again for the help. Being mostly a campfire strummer, I really struggle with the embellishments. I get tripped up on hammer-ons, slides, pull-offs, etc. Alternate tunings REALLY screw me up. I always try to transcribe from standard tuning with no capo and then adjust from there. It is usually o.k. if it is indeed standard tuning with no special things going on. I am like a deer in the headlights otherwise...

As always, you show your kindness in your help. B)

Jason

Edit: Just to be difficult, I suppose I could use the slides from the 4th fret to the 6th fret and back to the 4th with a pull off to the 2nd in that section and then the descending run would be C#m, B, A without the capo.:blink:

[daryl]

There seems to be a lot going on in the intro. See if this helps you:

[Music Junkie]

Daryl:

I put this in GP yesterday and came up with this..... I have to make some adjustments on the initial slide, as it slides immediately. I am still learning some of the functions of GP and don't really know how to smooth it out. Ovrall, it sounds fairly close. When you slowed it down, I could still hear some open strings, like you said. I don't know for certain if he is using the partial chords like I have shown them, but when I play it that way on my 12-string, it sounds nice enough.



When I go into the verse and chorus, those open chords sound decent as well. The E is a full, deep E though.

I think I am going to buy myself a copy of Video Surgeon or song surgeon today. That is really very slick how it slows it down and keeps the proper pitch.

J

[daryl]

I'd go with video surgeon as you'll be able to slowdown (and loop) video lessons too.

[Music Junkie]

daryl wrote:

I'd go with video surgeon as you'll be able to slowdown (and loop) video lessons too.

Will video surgeon do audio only as well, or just video with audio?

[daryl]

You'll have to ask the Video Surgeon people. But there are ways to make a "blank" video with music if you only have the audio.