Joanna Newsom – Sawdust And Diamonds (Guitar Tab)

Drop C (C-G-C-F-A-D)

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_______________________ Ramsay 10.02.2023 Thanks to doublewuzzy on Joanna Newsom Transcription Project who wrote out sheet music. It was over 10 years ago but I'm pretty sure used it heavily to work this out on guitar. _______ Drop D and down a tone - CGCFAD So the C chords here sound as Bb. _______________ Time signature: 12 notes in a bar, 4 lots of 3 (Bass Treble Treble BTT BTT BTT) Except in the polyphonic bit, which is 4 bass notes per bar and 2 treble notes for each 3 bass notes. _________ Breakdown: 1. Intro/Outro From the top of the flight 2. Verse parts (Numbering i-iv is the four different ways I play it) i Drop a bell off the dock ii There's a light in the wings iii Push me back into a tree ii And then the system of strings tugs iv And in the trough of the waves ii And though my wrist and my waist 3. Chorus And the moment I slept And then the slow lip of fire I wasn't born of a whistle 4. Tricky polyphonic bit I wanted to say, why the long face? _______________ TAB _______________ 1. Intro/Outro From the top of the flight...

        Chords:
Am and F, give or take.
D|-8--  -3--    -8--  -3--|  
A|-8--  -3--    -8--  -3--|  
F|-0--  -0--    -7--  -5--|  
C|-7--  -3--    -7--  -3--|  
G|-7--  -3--    -7--  -3--|   
C|-7--  -3-- or -7--  -3--|

Picking rhythm: Sometimes just one strike, sometimes broken, not always all notes. Fretting: With a big hand you can do 777 with thumb and 88 with index finger, then just slide down to third fret. The open G is nice and can be let to ring without deliberately plucking it. Add flourishes in for "There's a bell in my ears...". Using the picking hand on the fretboard helps. __________ 2.i. Drop a bell... blot it out...

D|--8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8|
A|---5-----5-- ---5-----5-- ---5-----5-- ---5-----5--|
F|-7--7-57--7- -7--7-57--7- -7--7-57--7- -7--7-57--7-|
C|5----------- 5----------- 5----------- 5-----------|
G|------------ ------------ ------------ ------------|
C|------------ ------------ ------------ ------------|

D|--8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8|
A|---5-----5-- ---5-----5-- ---5-----5-- ---5-----5--|
F|-7--7-57--7- -7--7-57--7- -7--7-57--7- -7--7-57--7-|
C|7----------- 7----------- 7----------- 7-----------|
G|------------ ------------ ------------ ------------|
C|------------ ------------ ------------ ------------|

Chords: C and Am. Picking rhythm: Like pretty much the whole song, it's 4 lots of 3 (Bass Treble Treble BTT BTT BTT)

One finger per string:
D|--8--8--8--8| ring   (r)
A|---5-----5--| middle (m)
F|-7--7-57--7-| index  (i)
C|5-----------| thumb  (t)
G|------------|
C|------------|

Then the picking hand goes: tir mir i_r mir Notes: The bass notes are a C triad (555), picked out G E C E G E C E ... switching to Am (755), picked out A E C E A E C E ... The treble notes are a D (7) and a higher C (8), played straight after each bass note. They overlap the bass notes to make a nice rolling effect. This position is compact and has a hammer on, so it doesn't sound very harpy. The next section opens up and sustains more. _______ 2.ii There's a light in the wings... And then the system of strings tugs... And though my wrist and my waist

D|--8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8|
A|-3--3--3--3- -3--3--3--3- -3--3--3--3- -3--3--3--3-|
F|---10----10- ---10----10- ---10----10- ---10----10-|
C|------10---- ------10---- ------10---- ------10----|
G|10---------- 10---------- 10---------- 10----------|
C|------------ ------------ ------------ ------------|

D|--8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8|
A|-3--3--3--3- -3--3--3--3- -3--3--3--3- -3--3--3--3-|
F|---10----10- ---10----10- ---10----10- ---10----10-|
C|------10---- ------10---- ------10---- ------10----|
G|12---------- 12---------- 12---------- 12----------|
C|------------ ------------ ------------ ------------|

Similar to 2i. but easier picking, nicer ringing, A-string involved, no hammer on, one note per string. __ 3rd fret on B string __ Presumably your hand can't play this D, so use a friend or your toe. __ 8th fret on E string __ The thumb is best for this and then the little finger is free to throw in a high E on the 12th fret. You can drop it to a G by removing fretting thumb if 3rd fret is also being fretted by friend or toe. _______ 2.iii Push me back into a tree

D|--20-20-20-20--20-20-20-20--20-20-20-20--20-20-20-20|
A|------------ ------------ ------------ ------------|
F|-19-19-19-19 -19-19-19-19 -19-19-19-19 -19-19-19-19|
C|------------ ------------ ------------ ------------|
G|---19-15-19- ---19-15-19- ---19-15-19- ---19-15-19-|
C|17---------- 17---------- 17---------- 17----------|

D|--20-20-20-20--20-20-20-20--20-20-20-20--20-20-20-20|
A|------------ ------------ ------------ ------------|
F|-19-19-19-19 -19-19-19-19 -19-19-19-19 -19-19-19-19|
C|------------ ------------ ------------ ------------|
G|---19-15-19- ---19-15-19- ---19-15-19- ---19-15-19-|
C|19---------- 19---------- 19---------- 19----------|

Compared to 2i/2ii, the treble notes are an octave higher. But not the bass notes, too much finger-squish. This way the bass and treble aren't overlapping Use the thumb on the A string 15th fret. _______ 2.iv And in the trough of the waves...

D|--8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8|
A|------------ ------------ ------------ ------------|
F|-7--7--7--7- -7--7--7--7- -7--7--7--7- -7--7--7--7-|
C|------------ ------------ ------------ ------------|
G|---7--3--7-- ---7--3--7-- ---7--3--7-- ---7--3--7--|
C|5----------- 5----------- 5----------- 5-----------|

D|--8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8 --8--8--8--8|
A|------------ ------------ ------------ ------------|
F|-7--7--7--7- -7--7--7--7- -7--7--7--7- -7--7--7--7-|
C|------------ ------------ ------------ ------------|
G|---7--3--7-- ---7--3--7-- ---7--3--7-- ---7--3--7--|
C|7----------- 7----------- 7----------- 7-----------|

This is 2iii but an octave lower, less of a squish, more of a stretch. Compared to 2i/2ii, the bass notes have dropped an octave. Still use the thumb on the A string, 3rd fret. The bass and treble not overlapping is more noticeable here. I didn't mind departing from the original because I wanted to make some use of the lower end of the guitar. This way was easier to add the flourishes that come in on the Am chords for the "noise from the hull". __________ 3 Choruses Chords: G... F... C... .... G... F... Am.. .... G... Dm.. F.Am C... G... F... Am.. .... In the second and third choruses, throw in a G# before the G that begins the fourth line. Picking hand / rhythm: Still 4 lots of 3 (Bass Treble Treble BTT BTT BTT) Thumb for the bass notes, fingers for the treble. Fretting hand: Try to keep it in a simple, fixed shape throughout each chord and switch smoothly. Bass notes: A barre on the lower three strings (e.g. 555 for G) Pick (up to) four notes out as appropriate, e.g. gDGG, gGgG, cGCG CDCG Treble notes: Complete the chord shape on the top three strings, and pick two of those notes to play. ________________________ 4. Tricky polyphonic bit Chords: Dm.. Dm.. F... F... C... C... Rhythm: Four bass notes per bar, e.g. dAFD Picking hand: Thumb for all the bass notes on the lower three strings. Ring finger for all the treble notes on high E. Middle finger for the treble notes on G string. Fretting hand: Complicated. Index finger barres the 12th or 10th fret but regularly lifts off to allow the open E. Tab: The three lines below each show 4 pairs of bars, with 8 -s in each bar. Sorry lazy, I haven't yet worked out the bit before "I wanted to say", I just do something like line 3 Burro.

  I wanted to say...
  Sing "I will swallow your sadness"...
  And though our bodies recoil...
D|15-0--12----15-0 --12----15-0--12 ----15-0--12---- 15-0--12----15-0|
A|---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ----------------|
F|---------12----- -----12--------- -12----------12- ---------12-----|
C|----------12--12 ----------15--15 ----------10--10 ----------10--10|
G|--12--12----12-- --151215----15-- --10--10----10-- --10--10----10--|
C|12--15--12------ 15------15------ 10--14--10------ 10--14--10------|

  Sparrow perch and play...
  And though it may be madness...
D|--12----15-0--12 ----15-0--12---- 15-0--12----15-0 --12----15-0--12|
A|---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ----------------|
F|-----12--------- -12----------12- ---------12----- -----12---------|
C|----------12--12 ----------15--15 ----------10--10 ----------10--10|
G|--12--12----12-- --151215----15-- --10--10----10-- --10--10----10--|
C|12--15--12------ 15------15------ 10--14--10------ 10--14--10------|

  Burro, buck and bray...
  And though our bones may break...
D|----15-0--12---- 15-0--12----15-0 --12----15-0--12 ----15-0--12----| 
A|---------------- ---------------- ---------------- ----------------|
F|-12----------12- ---------12----- -----12--------- -12----------12-|
C|----------12--12 ----------15--15 ----------10--10 ----------10--10|
G|--12--12----12-- --151215----15-- --10--10----10-- --10--10----10--|
C|12--15--12------ 15------15------ 10--14--10------ 10--14--10------|