PLAYING TIPS

[General] There is a fair amount of challenge for the fretting hand in this arrangement. For example in bar 1 we need to sustain (hold down) the first chord D/F# while executing the following two bass notes, F# and B. This can feel quite like a strain for the fretting hand with the third finger reaching across to the sixth string while holding down the rest of the chord. So do it slowly at first without forcing. The first finger on the B bass note then needs to flatten to a barre at the 2nd fret to catch the B7(b13) chord. [Bar 2] In bar 2 keep the melody line intact and legato by maintaining the fourth finger on the first string throughout. There are two position jumps in bar 3 so take your time and preferably memorise this bit so you can keep an eye on your fretting hand. The melody begins for real in bar 4 so aim to make this clear and consistent in its volume and tone. In bar 5 keep hold of the low G while reaching up to the melody note D and again keep the fourth finger on the string throughout the melody. Stick to these principles for the next few bars; correct sustain of both melody and bass notes. Use a barre at the 7th fret on bar 9 and then another one at the 9th fret on the last beat. [Bar 11] On bar 11 beat two I do not change the position of the first finger; in other words I use a hinge barre to get the melody note F#. You can still sustain the F# with the moving bass line (open D) underneath while pressing the F# with the side of the first finger. The E7 chord is also then easy to grab. [Bar 12] On the last half beat of bar 12 I use a hinge barre again to get the melody note F#. This prepares the fretting hand nicely for the Em chord, next bar. From here on again, sustain the melody notes by holding them on for their full value.