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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Musician »

Permalink Playing Margaya

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It's taken me a while but i'm starting to see the light with this tune now.

Just my opinion but i'd say this is regular tuning with the E string dropped to D. I'm fairly sure it isn't dropped a full step on all strings because if you listen carefully theres an open string "tell".

In the first verse just before that dramatic super low D, i'm on D (5th string/5th fret) you can hear him hammer-off an open A sound. Thats a major give away it isn't DGCFAD tuning.

The opening chord sequence is cool but hard to identify, i used bar chords C to D to D# at first but i "think" i'm hearing a G note in the sharp position. It's possible he palm mutes these notes in order to give it reverb inertia hence why it's hard for me to hear. My wild guess is he's using open stings ie: C (5th string/3rd fret) with open D and D# (4th string/1st fret) with open G.

I LOVE this tune! it's so good for practice.

This post has been removed by the author.

Last edited: Sep 27, 2009 19:40:55

We play it with the low E string tuned down a step to D

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/rockinrio.delrosa

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/TheHighTides

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/pages/The-Blue-Demons

This post has been removed by the author.

Last edited: Sep 27, 2009 19:40:59

I think we can take Randy at his word here - but you can play "Mar Gaya" with just downtuning the E to a D and nobody in the audience will be the wiser, saving you a lot of trouble.

However, downtuning the whole guitar really DOES make a HUGE difference in sound, even in surf music. It's obviously been all the rage with many metal and hardcore bands of the past decade or more, but it's rarely done in surf. I noticed that one of my favorites, the Aussie sixties' band the Atlantics, tuned half a step down for almost all their recordings, and it definitely gives the guitars a 'growl' and a texture that regular tuning does not. I did it on our cover of their song "SOS" for our "Carpe Noctem" album, and though the strings became a bit rubber-bandy, it's a very cool sound. Tuning the entire guitar down a full step would I suspect really bring out even more of the growl and/or thunder that Holden talks about. Do we need much more demonstration that "Mar Gaya", anyway??

Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube

Ran, of the Sand Devils, ex of the Astroglides uses really heavy strings.
16 to 64 I think.
he tunes the whole guitar down a whole step.

they will be playing at the SG101 convention if you want to witness that raw power sound live.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Sorry if i've opened up something that should be laid to rest.

There is an A note between high and low D's that is undeniable.

Sounds like an accidental open note to my ears.

forensic isn't it.. Smile

This post has been removed by the author.

Last edited: Sep 27, 2009 19:41:02

crumb
Sorry if i've opened up something that should be laid to rest.

There is an A note between high and low D's that is undeniable.

Sounds like an accidental open note to my ears.

forensic isn't it.. Smile

Where exactly is this open A note? I've just listened 4 times and I don't hear anything that sounds like an undeniable open note. I used to play it in drop D and the low D was the only open note I used. That tuning does work very nicely bringing some intervals closer together. Now I just play it in standard E like the Bambi Molesters.

I almost submitted a version of this song for the member comp 2 years ago. I asked Jim (TFJ) from the Nebulas how to play the drum part so I could hack it into my drum machine:

TFJ
I would probably play 1-2-3-4 on the bass drum, and the 1-2-3&4 simultaneously on the snare (left hand) and floor tom (right hand) - or just
eight notes with the right hand on the floor tom 1&2&3&4& and the aforementioned 1-2-3&4 pattern on the snare.

Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me

"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea

Stormtiger

crumb
Sorry if i've opened up something that should be laid to rest.

There is an A note between high and low D's that is undeniable.

Sounds like an accidental open note to my ears.

forensic isn't it.. Smile

Where exactly is this open A note? I've just listened 4 times and I don't hear anything that sounds like an undeniable open note. I used to play it in drop D and the low D was the only open note I used. That tuning does work very nicely bringing some intervals closer together. Now I just play it in standard E like the Bambi Molesters.

I have a program called "the Amazing Slow Downer" which you can slow a track down but keep the pitch. I can pin point a tiny section and loop it over and over. It would be such a natural movement to strike the open A while heading for the open 6th string it raised my suspicions about the full drop. Besides, i'm really bored today, i want to be Columbo.. and a nuisance probably Smile

zak
Hey there's no denying it CAN be played accurately in dropped D tuning. That's how I used to do it when we played it. I was just conveying info straight from the man himself.

FWIW here's our recording of it from way back when...

http://www.peterduchemin.com/treblemakers/music_window.html?songFilename-Margaya-songTitle-Margaya

There's some doorbell sounding thing embedded in it at the end for some reason, that isn't on the actual recording! I think the site owner did that as some form of anti-piracy protection...way back in 1998.

That's a really cool player but i need to install something to hear it.
Remember Jake teased you with a live Treblemakers sound clip a few weeks ago? man that really impressed me.. couldn't believe the recording was live.

Brian
I almost submitted a version of this song for the member comp 2 years ago. I asked Jim (TFJ) from the Nebulas how to play the drum part so I could hack it into my drum machine:

TFJ
I would probably play 1-2-3-4 on the bass drum, and the 1-2-3&4 simultaneously on the snare (left hand) and floor tom (right hand) - or just
eight notes with the right hand on the floor tom 1&2&3&4& and the aforementioned 1-2-3&4 pattern on the snare.

There's enough drum at the begining to make a whole backing track out of it! Probably quite legal too.

crumb
That's a really cool player but i need to install something to hear it.
Remember Jake teased you with a live Treblemakers sound clip a few weeks ago? man that really impressed me.. couldn't believe the recording was live.

You need realplayer... and I also remember a really good mp3 some time ago, might be the same one. Anyone happen to remember which thread that was? (Search terms would be useless in this case...)

Mike
http://www.youtube.com/morphballio

bigtikidude
Ran, of the Sand Devils, ex of the Astroglides ... they will be playing at the SG101 convention if you want to witness that raw power sound live.

I believe he kicked ass on this last year. Now I know why. No harm at all in raising this sort of dust once in a while in my opnion. Forensic surf is always nice.

image

image

Last edited: May 30, 2009 15:47:10

Tuck

bigtikidude
Ran, of the Sand Devils, ex of the Astroglides ... they will be playing at the SG101 convention if you want to witness that raw power sound live.

I believe he kicked ass on this last year. Now I know why. No harm at all in raising this sort of dust once in a while in my opnion. Forensic surf is always nice.

Apologies for bringing this up before i'd fully done my homework. I've made a mistake with the opening chords and that little intermediate note i speak.. well it happens when you tune all strings down too. Guitar patterns never cease to amaze me. I just learned some Surf Coaster numbers by ear "Typhoo Swell" and "Rampage" but "The Clash" was way too fast so the slowing down gadget was used at 50% speed and i can hear all those string squeaks and slides that give away finger positions. I think Margaya is one of those minute to learn - life time to master tunes, my so-called band (surf musicians are hard to find here!) won't know what's hit them next practice! Zak, Ivan, Thanks for "tuning me in".

No Crumb, it was the perfect example of the type of posts (at least I) like to see. Smile

Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me

"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea

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