We will reproduce the famous song “Another one bytes the dust”, from Queen.
We start by getting the rhythm right:
r1 = [X...X...X......x] on 4/4
r2 = [X.x.X.xX......xx] on 4/4
Over this rhythm we will play the famous riff with E, G and A notes on the bass:
r1 = [X...X...X......x] on 4/4
r2 = [X.x.X.xX......xx] on 4/4
voices | acoustic_bass
| - - - - - A3 G on r2
| E3 E E E on r1
| E3 E G E A A G on r2
By default, tempo is 120 bpm but the song is 110. Let’s set it right:
r1 = [X...X...X......x] on 4/4
r2 = [X.x.X.xX......xx] on 4/4
voices | acoustic_bass
tempo 110 | - - - - - A3 G on r2
| E3 E E E on r1
| E3 E G E A A G on r2
And actually this riff repeats itself twice before the guitar joins:
r1 = [X...X...X......x] on 4/4
r2 = [X.x.X.xX......xx] on 4/4
voices | acoustic_bass
tempo 110 | - - - - - A3 G on r2
start: |
| E3 E E E on r1
| E3 E G E A A G on r2
repeat start 2 |
Now let’s add the drums. We need two voices, one for the right hand and the other for the bassdrum and snare:
quarter = [xxxx] on 4/4
eighth = [XxXxXxXx] on 4/4
r1 = [X...X...X......x] on 4/4
r2 = [X.x.X.xX......xx] on 4/4
voices | acoustic_bass | drums "right hand" | drums "rhythm"
tempo 110 | - - - - - A3 G on r2 | |
start: | | |
| E3 E E E on r1 | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
| E3 E G E A A G on r2 | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
repeat start 2 | | |
Here comes Brian May to join his friend John Deacon:
quarter = [xxxx] on 4/4
eighth = [XxXxXxXx] on 4/4
r1 = [X...X...X......x] on 4/4
r2 = [X.x.X.xX......xx] on 4/4
voices | acoustic_bass | electric_guitar | drums "right hand" | drums "rhythm"
tempo 110 | - - - - - A3 G on r2 | | |
start: | | | |
| E3 E E E on r1 | | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
| E3 E G E A A G on r2 | | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
repeat start 2 | | | |
| E3 E E E on r1 | E4 E E E on r1 | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
| E3 E G E A A G on r2 | E4 E G E A A G on r2 | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
But this is too much! Brian is always getting all the attention. This is John song, so please Brian, just accompany John and play a bit lower:
quarter = [xxxx] on 4/4
eighth = [XxXxXxXx] on 4/4
r1 = [X...X...X......x] on 4/4
r2 = [X.x.X.xX......xx] on 4/4
voices | acoustic_bass | electric_guitar | drums "right hand" | drums "rhythm"
tempo 110 | - - - - - A3 G on r2 | | |
start: | | | |
| E3 E E E on r1 | | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
| E3 E G E A A G on r2 | | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
repeat start 2 | | | |
may: | | | |
dynamics | | ppp | |
| E3 E E E on r1 | E4 E E E on r1 | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
| E3 E G E A A G on r2 | E4 E G E A A G on r2 | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
repeat may 2 | | | |
Actually, when may enters, they are not playing the two last notes of the riff, so let’s add silence notes:
quarter = [xxxx] on 4/4
eighth = [XxXxXxXx] on 4/4
r1 = [X...X...X......x] on 4/4
r2 = [X.x.X.xX......xx] on 4/4
voices | acoustic_bass | electric_guitar | drums "right hand" | drums "rhythm"
tempo 110 | - - - - - A3 G on r2 | | |
start: | | | |
| E3 E E E on r1 | | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
| E3 E G E A A G on r2 | | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
repeat start 2 | | | |
may: | | | |
dynamics | | ppp | |
| E3 E E E on r1 | E4 E E E on r1 | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
| E3 E G E A - - on r2 | E4 E G E A - - on r2 | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
repeat may 2 | | | |
We are typing the same sequence again and again, so let’s name it and reuse where possible:
quarter = [xxxx] on 4/4
eighth = [XxXxXxXx] on 4/4
r1 = [X...X...X......x] on 4/4
r2 = [X.x.X.xX......xx] on 4/4
riff1 = E3 E E E
riff2 = E3 E G E A A G
voices | acoustic_bass | electric_guitar | drums "right hand" | drums "rhythm"
tempo 110 | - - - - - A3 G on r2 | | |
start: | | | |
| riff1 on r1 | | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
| riff2 on r2 | | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
repeat start 2 | | | |
may: | | | |
dynamics | | ppp | |
| riff1 on r1 | E4 E E E on r1 | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
| E3 E G E A - - on r2 | E4 E G E A - - on r2 | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
repeat may 2 | | | |
We can even reuse it in May’s tab because the only difference is that it is one octave higher:
quarter = [xxxx] on 4/4
eighth = [XxXxXxXx] on 4/4
r1 = [X...X...X......x] on 4/4
r2 = [X.x.X.xX......xx] on 4/4
riff1 = E3 E E E
riff2 = E3 E G E A A G
voices | acoustic_bass | electric_guitar | drums "right hand" | drums "rhythm"
tempo 110 | - - - - - A3 G on r2 | | |
start: | | | |
| riff1 on r1 | | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
| riff2 on r2 | | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
repeat start 2 | | | |
may: | | | |
dynamics | | ppp | |
| riff1 on r1 | transpose8(riff1, 1) on r1 | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
| E3 E G E A - - on r2 | E4 E G E A - - on r2 | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
repeat may 2 | | | |
But now, Roger, can you spice up a bit those drums? You are doing the same all the time! What? You can’t? Ok, in that case we will just write %, to indicate that you are just being a boring drummer:
quarter = [xxxx] on 4/4
eighth = [XxXxXxXx] on 4/4
r1 = [X...X...X......x] on 4/4
r2 = [X.x.X.xX......xx] on 4/4
riff1 = E3 E E E
riff2 = E3 E G E A A G
voices | acoustic_bass | electric_guitar | drums "right hand" | drums "rhythm"
tempo 110 | - - - - - A3 G on r2 | | |
start: | | | |
| riff1 on r1 | | hihat on eighth | bd sn on quarter
| riff2 on r2 | | % | %
repeat start 2 | | | |
may: | | | |
dynamics | | ppp | |
| riff1 on r1 | transpose8(riff1, 1) on r1 | % | %
| E3 E G E A - - on r2 | E4 E G E A - - on r2 | % | %
repeat may 2 | | | |