Ross Smithard is a fine Fiddler, equally at home with Australian, Appalachian and Irish traditions. When I discovered that we share an enthusiasm for arranging tunes for fingerstyle guitar, I soon cajoled him into becoming my first guest arranger.
John Brosnan's - Arranged for guitar by Ross Smithard.
Download Midi file
Download Power tab file
Arrangement Ideas:
Ross has bought to this tune an arranging style very similar to my own, to wit - simple first position chords and free use of open stings in the melody and bass. This sort of arrangement falls naturally under the fingers and is thus relatively easy to play and remember.
There is however a subtle and satisfying craftsmanship evident in his harmonic choices for this piece.
Had I been arranging this tune on the fly, I might well have gone with the following as it's most obvious harmony:
//: G / C / Em / Em / G / C / Am D / G ://
//: G / C / Em / Em / G / C / Am D / G ://
Once you have the tune under your fingers, try it with the bass harmony that these chords would suggest - you'll see that it's a perfectly acceptable straight forward treatment.
Ross has added tension and interest in the bass to this strong repetitive melody with his chord choices:
//: G / G / Am / Am / Em / Em / C D / G ://
//: Em / C / G / G / Em / C / Am D / G ://
The tonic G is established in bars 1 & 2 then a note of tension is introduced with the Am basses in bars 3 & 4. Bars 5 & 6 are a repetition of 1 & 2 in the melody, but are reharmonised with the Em chord, maintaining the tension away from the Tonic somewhat and followed in bars 7 & 8 with a strong major chord resolution to the G.
That's enough of that - you can make up your own analysis of the B section. Suffice it to say that I really enjoyed this arrangement and hope it gives you some playing fun and arranging ideas.
Thanks Ross!
