Excellent… thanks so much for taking the time to do this and share it with us. I’m going to try to learn this tomorrow. I have an electric 12 string it’s Harley Benton Rich imitation.
I learned this off the LP and by watching the Byrds on stage back in 1965, and though you're close in some regards, you need to drop the low E to D. Jim McGuinn used finger picks on the 2nd and 3rd fingers for the upper registers while using a plectrum with his thumb and 1st finger for the lower (as you are doing here). The very first note of this number you hear on the LP is him punching the low E (tuned to D) and finger picking the upper register resolve cycle "bell-theme" with finger picks. From there you restructure your chord progression by compensating for the alternate tuning into the walk-down and subsequent chords. The dissonant Gm/Bb chord at the very end of the solo is in first position (frets 1 & 3 NOT 2nd position further up the neck) but remember only finger the A and B with everything else open. If it sounds like Bach you got it right. Crosby is the one whacking away at chords on the Gretsch, NOTHING in this song was "strummed" by McGuinn, it was ALL finger picking. (famous old folkie banjo player!)
This is a poem by Idris Davies with music by Pete Seger, its pronounced the bells of rumney the y in welsh is pronounced like a u for anyone who might be interested
McGuinn is an incredibly unique lead guitarist, influenced so much from the Eagles and Tom Petty to Primal Scream and the Smiths. Nobody plays like him. Been trying to learn Byrds songs with metal finger pics for years, can be very inspiring but challenging at times. Especially when using the rolling picking style throughout. Check out the channel Gary Jacob for really indepth Byrd lessons.
Great song and great lesson. Thank you very much. The comment below criticizing the video as being falsely labeled is everything that is wrong w the Internet, so wrong it makes you wonder if it were meant as a joke. Wikipedia says it was written by a Welsh poet, Idirs Davies, in 1938, based on a Welsh nursery rhyme about a 1926 mining disaster. Pete Seeger appropriated the lyrics and put them to music after discovering them in a book by Dylan Thomas. Anyway, your efforts to pass on how to play this song are greatly appreciated.
Lovely guitar and playing - I’m near the tipping point to get one of these, a 1993 Plus so am building a list of songs to play on it. I wish I could find complete tabs for this song.
I love the Byrds. One of my favs is Chestnut Mare "I'm gonna ride that horse if I can." I hope you tackle that next! Hey, is it hard to get used to the numerous finger pics? You are using 3 fingers? This is a great reach back, but so much a part of what came after. I love the 12 string, I don't have one, but a use my Rick through a simulator 12 and it sounds pretty good, especially compressed through a Janglebox. Thanks for this!
Hey man... I'd never heard that particular Byrds song before. My lovely K would go nuts for it, given her love of all things equestrian. I'll have to learn it. I'd love to hear your Ricky 6 through the simulator. The Janglebox is a marvelous compressor indeed. Thanks for saying hello. ;-)
Beautiful explanation...not difficult ...can i ask you for a clarification on one chord???...i can figure out the right hand on the chord just need slight explanation on the arpeggiation of 1 chord...its just 2 or seconds worth?
@@vibefrequencyable It's basically a mini-cascade of notes starting with the high E string 7th, pull off to high E string 5th; B string 7th, pull off to B string 5th; back to the B string 7th, pull off again to B string 5th; open B string to end it off. I don't know if this helps at all...
Brilliant tutorial, The Byrds were groundbreaking. Ignore that ridiculous, rude and ill informed outburst from Izebelle.. the song wasn’t even written by Pete Seeger, it was written by Idris Davies!
THIS IS NOT A BYRD’S SONG-ITS A PEETE SEEGER SONG. CHANGE THE TITLE OR I WILL REPORT THIS POST FOR FALSE INFORMATION BECAUSE I AM SO DISGUSTED BY HOW MANY PEOPLE WITH NO EXCUSE FOR IGNORANCE THINK THAT THIS SONG AND SO MANY OTHERS BELONG TO A TRASHY COVER BAND.
Jeesh... Take it easy, Isebelle. Appreciate the fact that what I'm presenting here--what I'm teaching here--is in fact The Byrd's version of Singer's song, NOT Singer's original version. Note I'm playing a Rickenbacker 12 string, not a six string acoustic, like Singer played it on. Do you cruise around RU-vid, making similar demands on anyone who gives a lesson/demo of The Beatles doing Twist & Shout where they don't mention in the title that it's actually a Top Notes/Isely Brothers song? If not, then ask yourself why your so selectively adamant in this case. Seeger fan, I guess... I can understand. He was a genius. Tell you what--I'll list his name in the title. But let me encourage you to be a tad more graceful/less offensive in making such requests in the future... It's better for your blood pressure, and it's what Singer would have wanted. ;-)
