So here's the tab for "The Magic Farmer" off of Arial Boundaries. It's a sad
little tune and IMHO, A great song, very often overshadowed by the "classic"
tunes at the beginning of the CD. It's not extremely difficult to play on the
first couple of tries, but well worth some extra time and effort in order to
play it well. The trick is (As in many of MH's tunes) to find fingerings that
allow you to let the notes sustain as long as possible. This creates some
wonderful dissonances that really bring out the emotional qualities of the
song. I use some rather awkward fingerings so don't shy away from any
particular one just because it's difficult. In some instances there are no
easy solutions.
Some additional notes:
-The song is basically made up of two parts, which for the lack of better
discriptions I'll call the "slow part" and the "funky part". (The 'fast part"
was too obvious.)
-Let all the notes ring as long as possible in the slow part.
-The ghost notes are sounded by sliding the bar up to the next position.
-When the harmonics are hit, try different ways of brushing your thumb
against the bass notes. You may have seen MH doe this in concert on
tunes like "Rickover's Dream". It helps create a nicer sound then the thump
thump thump of a regular thumb hit. (And it limpresses your friends too!)
-I did actually try to tab out the funky part. I'm pretty sure the rhythms are
right, as I've played it with the CD, but lets face it, you've got to be crazy
if you are going to try and count out this section and play it exactly. (Hey
wait a minute..That's what I did.) You really have to feel this part.
Basically I just lay down the groove on the bass notes and slap and hit
harmonics when I feel it. I base it loosely around MH's, but you can have fun
with your own stuff in this section. But you purists out there can read along if you like.
-The harmonics in the funky part are either slapped with the right hand or
plucked as harmonics with the thumb and first finger of the right hand.
-I'm pretty confident with the transcription but am always open to
-Mike
gartner@oasys.dt.navy.mil
____________________________________________________________________
"The Magic Farmer"
By: Michael Hedges
Key:
h-hammer-on
p-pulloff
s-slide
^-harmonic
T-Right Hand slap
()-Ghost notes
Tuning: (low) C F c G A E (high)
| | | | | | | |
E|----------------------------0--|-----------------------------|
A|--------------------3----5-----|------------7------5------3--|
G|-------------------------------|---------0-------------0-----|
c|-------------------------------|-----0-----------------------|
F|-------------------------------|--7-------------6------------|
C|-------------------------------|-----------------------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|---------------------------|------------------------------|
A|---------------2p0------0--|---------------------------0--|
G|--------0------------0-----|-------------2----------------|
c|----4------4---------0-----|----------0-------------0-----|
F|-4-------------------------|------0-------------0---------|
C|---------------4-----------|---5-------------5------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|-------------------------0--|------------------------------|
A|------------------3---5-----|-------------7------5------3--|
G|-----------2----------------|----------0-------------0-----|
c|--------0-------------0-----|------0-----------------------|
F|----0-------------0---------|---7-------------6------------|
C|-5-------------5------------|------------------------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|---------------------------|------------------------------|
A|---------------2p0------0--|---------------------------0--|
G|--------0------------0-----|-------------2----------------|
c|----4------4---------0-----|----------0-------------0-----|
F|-4-------------------------|------0-------------0---------|
C|---------------4-----------|---5-------------5------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|----------------------------0--|------------------------------|
A|------------------3------3-----|-------------7------5------3--|
G|-----------2-------------------|----------0-------------0-----|
c|--------0----------------0-----|------0-----------------------|
F|----0----------------0---------|---7-------------6------------|
C|-5-------------5---------------|------------------------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|---------------------------|------------------------------|
A|---------------2p0------0--|---------------------------0--|
G|--------0------------0-----|-------------2----------------|
c|----4------4---------0-----|----------0-------------0-----|
F|-4-------------------------|------0-------------0---------|
C|---------------4-----------|---5-------------5------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|-------------------------0--|------------------------------|
A|------------------3---5-----|-------------7------5------3--|
G|-----------2----------------|----------0-------------0-----|
c|--------0-------------0-----|------0-----------------------|
F|----0-------------0---------|---7-------------6------------|
C|-5-------------5------------|------------------------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|---------------------------|------------------------------|
A|------------------------0--|---------------------------0--|
G|--------0--4---p--2--0-----|-------------2----------------|
c|----4----------------0-----|----------0-------------0-----|
F|-4-------------------------|------0-------------0---------|
C|---------------4-4---------|---5-------------5------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|----------------------------|-----------------------------|
A|-------------------------0--|----------1p0-------------0--|
G|-----------2----------------|-------------------0---------|
c|--------0-------------0-----|------2----------------2-----|
F|----0-------------0---------|---2---------------0---------|
C|-5-------------5------------|----------------2------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|----1---------------------|------------------------------|
A|--------1p0------------0--|-------------0----------------|
G|-----------------0--------|----------0---------0---------|
c|--------------------------|------7-----------------7--4--|
F|-2---------------0h-2-----|---4----------------6------4--|
C|--------------2-----------|-----------------4------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|-------------------------||-------------0----------------|
A|-------------------------||---8--------------------------|
G|-------------------------||----------5-------------7--7--|
c|-------------------------||------5-------------5-----(7)-|
F|-------------------------||---5-------------5--------(7)-|
C|-------------------------||------------------------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|--------------------------|-------------7--------------||
A|---------------------^12--|----------8-------------10--||
G|--------9--9------10------|----------------------------||
c|----7-----(9)-9-----------|------0---------------------||
F|-7--------(9)-------------|----------------------------||
C|--------------------------|---5--------------------0---||
| | | | | | | |
E|----------------0-----|-------------0------------------|
A|-------------------8--|-----------------------------5--|
G|----------------------|----------0--------------7------|
c|----------------------|------9--------------7----------|
F|----------------------|---9-------------7--------------|
C|----------------------|--------------------------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|----------------------------|--------------------------|
A|-----------3-------------3--|-----------2--------0--0--|
G|--------0-------------0-----|--------4--------------2--|
c|----7-------------5---------|-----4-----------2-----0--|
F|-6-------------5------------|--4-----------2-----------|
C|----------------------------|-----------------------5--|
| | | | | | | |
E|------------------------------|------------------------------|
A|------------------------------|------------------------------|
G|------------------------------|--------------------^7--------|
c|------------------------------|--------------------^7--------|
F|------------------------------|--------------------^7--------|
C|----5p0h-5--5---5--5p0h-5--5--|---5--5p0h-5--5---5--0--0--2--|
| | | | | | | T | T
E|-----------------------------|---------------^5------0--|
A|-----------------------------|---------------^5------0--|
G|-----------------^12---------|---------------^5------0--|
c|-----------------^12---------|---------------^5------0--|
F|-----------------^12---------|---------------^5------0--|
C|----2---2--2---2--0----0--5--|------5--5--5--^5------5--|
| | | T | T | | | T | T
E|----------------^5------0--|----------------^7-----0--|
A|----------------^5------0--|----------------^7-----0--|
G|----------------^5------0--|----------------^7-----0--|
c|----------------^5------0--|----------------^7-----0--|
F|----------------^5------0--|----------------^7-----0--|
C|-5--5p0h5--5--5-^5------5--|\2--2p0h2--2--2-^7-----5--|
| | | T | T
E|-----------------^7-----0--|
A|-----------------^7-----0--|
G|-----------------^7-----0--|
c|-----------------^7-----0--|
F|-----------------^7-----0--|
C|-\2--2p0h2--2--2-^7-----5--|
T T
E|--------------------^12------^12--------------------------^12----------------|
A|--------------------^12------^12---------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------^12------^12-------------------------------------^7------|
c|--------------------^12------^12---------------------------------------------|
F|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C|-5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7-p0h5h7p0-h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7-p0h5h7p0h5--5p0-|
E|-^7-----------------------------3---------0----------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------0--------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
c|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
F|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C|-h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7
T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T
E|---^12-^12-------------^12-------------^12----------------------------------|
A|---^12-^12-------------^12-------------^12----------------------------------|
G|---^12-^12-------------^12-------------^12----------------------------------|
c|---^12-^12-------------^12-------------^12----------------------------------|
F|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C|-p0h5---5---5--5--5--5--5---5--5--5--5--5---5h7p0h5h7p0--0h5h6h7p0--0h5h7p0-|
T
E|------------------^12----------------^7-----------------------------3------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------^7--------------------------------------------|
c|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
F|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C|-0h5h6h7p0h5h7p0h5h7-p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7
T T T T T T
E|----0-------1---------0----------------------------------^12-^12-------------|
A|------------------------------0--------------------------^12-^12-------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------^12-^12-------------|
c|---------------------------------------------------------^12-^12-------------|
F|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
C|-p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5---5---5--5--5--5-|
T
E|-^12-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-^12-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-^12-------------------------------------------^7--------|
c|-^12-------------------------------------------^7--------|
F|-----------------------------------------------^7--------|
C|--5-h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5h7p0h5--5--5--5--5--0--0--2--|
| | | | | | | |
E|-----------------------------|--------------------------|
A|-----------------------------|--------------------------|
G|-----------------^12---------|--------------------------|
c|-----------------^12---------|--------------------------|
F|-----------------^12---------|--------------------------|
C|----2---2--2---2--0----0--5--|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--|
| | | | | | | |
E|---------------------0-----|-----------------------------|
A|------------0--3--5--------|------------7------5------3--|
G|---------0-----------------|---------0-------------0-----|
c|------0--------------------|-----0-----------------------|
F|---0-----------------------|--7-------------6------------|
C|5--------------------------|-----------------------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|---------------------------|------------------------------|
A|---------------2p0------0--|---------------------------0--|
G|--------0------------0-----|-------------2----------------|
c|----4------4---------0-----|----------0-------------0-----|
F|-4-------------------------|------0-------------0---------|
C|---------------4-----------|---5-------------5------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|-------------------------0--|------------------------------|
A|------------------3---5-----|-------------7------5------3--|
G|-----------2----------------|----------0-------------0-----|
c|--------0-------------0-----|------0-----------------------|
F|----0-------------0---------|---7-------------6------------|
C|-5-------------5------------|------------------------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|---------------------------|------------------------------|
A|---------------2p0------0--|---------------------------0--|
G|--------0------------0-----|-------------2----------------|
c|----4------4---------0-----|----------0-------------0-----|
F|-4-------------------------|------0-------------0---------|
C|---------------4-----------|---5-------------5------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|----------------------------0--|------------------------------|
A|------------------3------3-----|-------------7------5------3--|
G|-----------2-------------------|----------0-------------0-----|
c|--------0----------------0-----|------0-----------------------|
F|----0----------------0---------|---7-------------6------------|
C|-5-------------5---------------|------------------------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|---------------------------|------------------------------|
A|---------------2p0------0--|---------------------------0--|
G|--------0------------0-----|-------------2----------------|
c|----4------4---------0-----|----------0-------------0-----|
F|-4-------------------------|------0-------------0---------|
C|---------------4-----------|---5-------------5------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|-------------------------0--|------------------------------|
A|------------------3---5-----|-------------7------5------3--|
G|-----------2----------------|----------0-------------0-----|
c|--------0-------------0-----|------0-----------------------|
F|----0-------------0---------|---7-------------6------------|
C|-5-------------5------------|------------------------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|---------------------------|------------------------------|
A|----------------p-------0--|---------------------------0--|
G|--------0--4-----2---0-----|-------------2----------------|
c|----4----------------0-----|----------0-------------0-----|
F|-4-------------------------|------0-------------0---------|
C|---------------4-4---------|---5-------------5------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|----------------------------|-----------------------------|
A|-------------------------0--|----------1p0-------------0--|
G|-----------2----------------|-------------------0---------|
c|--------0-------------0-----|------2----------------2-----|
F|----0-------------0---------|---2---------------0---------|
C|-5-------------5------------|----------------2------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|----1---------------------|------------------------------|
A|--------1p0------------0--|-------------0----------------|
G|-----------------0--------|----------0---------0---------|
c|--------------------------|------7-----------------7--4--|
F|-2---------------0h-2-----|---4----------------6------4--|
C|--------------2-----------|-----------------4------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|-------------------------||-------------0----------------|
A|-------------------------||---8--------------------------|
G|-------------------------||----------5-------------7--7--|
c|-------------------------||------5-------------5-----(7)-|
F|-------------------------||---5-------------5--------(7)-|
C|-------------------------||------------------------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|--------------------------|-------------7--------------||
A|---------------------^12--|----------8-------------10--||
G|--------9--9------10------|----------------------------||
c|----7-----(9)-9-----------|------0---------------------||
F|-7--------(9)-------------|----------------------------||
C|--------------------------|---5--------------------0---||
| | | | | | | |
E|----------------0-----|-------------0------------------|
A|-------------------8--|-----------------------------5--|
G|----------------------|----------0--------------7------|
c|----------------------|------9--------------7----------|
F|----------------------|---9-------------7--------------|
C|----------------------|--------------------------------|
| | | |
E|----------------------------|--------------------------|
A|-----------3-------------3--|-----------2--------0--0--|
G|--------0-------------0-----|--------4-----------------|
c|----7-------------5---------|-----4-----------2--------|
F|-6-------------5------------|--4-----------2-----------|
C|----------------------------|--------------------------|
| | | | | | | |
E|----------0--------------|-----------0--------------|
A|----------------------0--|-----------------------0--|
G|-------2-----------2-----|--------2-----------2-----|
c|----1-----------1--------|-----1-----------1--------|
F|-1-----------------------|--1-----------------------|
C|-------------1-----------|--------------1-----------|
| | | | | | | |
E|----------0--------------|--------------||------------------------------|
A|----------------------0--|--------------||------------------------------|
G|-------2-----------2-----|--------------||------------------------------|
c|----1-----------1--------|--------------||------------------------------|
F|-1-----------------------|--1-----------||------------------------------|
C|-------------1-----------|--------------||------------------------------|