Yep - once the guy who played it on the record tells you how to do it, then there's not much further discussion to be had - or so you would think.

However, a couple of years ago a young band local to me - who were very good players I might add - asked if they could cover one of my songs and I tabbed out the 2 guitar intro for them (which was very straightforward).

Next time I spoke to one of them he said I must have tabbed it wrong because it didn't work but they'd worked it out . Then I saw them play it and it was nowhere near right. I checked my tab and it was correct.

I think what this shows is not everyone's way of playing is transferable to everyone else even on a simple part. We all have ways of doing things that other players might approach a different way. One of the (many) problems with Tab I think.

http://www.myspace.com/thepashuns

Youth and enthusiasm are no match for age and treachery.

Wow B, way cool!

ed

Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?

4 pages for the Mr. Moto intro?
Just imagine if it were the intro to Bells of St. Kahuna.

A couple of things. Well, three.

• I think the guy - Parker Lindsey - just came in late and responded to an early post with his best shot before reading everything. I don't know how many times I've done that. Forum folks do tend to gas on a lot ... maybe PL just hadn't yet noticed that Paul had provided an answer?
  

• That said, it is enormously cool that Paul not only provided the details but talked about how he came up with the whole progression and integrated it into the song. Thank you so much! That's a bit like God taking a moment to explain his thinking behind this whole creation thing.
  

• However, granted that there is music where you are supposed to mess around with the notes, and music where you are not, and classical surf music tends to be in the latter category, I still don't mind if people futz with it, as long as the result works. (Think of what Planet Seven did to Heart Full of Soul. Does anyone want their money back?) Usually it's better if you reinterpret everything so it's a whole cloth, but maybe sometimes there's just one note or chord or whatever that seems to call for a nose job. Or maybe you even come up with a different way to breathe. I can't play anything, but I've listened to a lot of versions of Moto and there seem to be different ways to do it well. Some better than others, of course, and there's not as much variability as there is in, say, Exotic.
  

Of course, maybe not that way for the opening of Mr. Moto, but ... that's another issue. I can't visualize it from the description and I couldn't play either way well enough to make it sound better than Mary Had a Little Lamb.

Bells of St Kahuna is OK, but I'd rather be able to play Daytona Mona.

dp
I played "Mr Moto"...wrong!

I'm certainly a member of that club.

I'm glad this topic was revived, I missed it the first time. The fact that people still struggle with Mr.Moto speaks to
the incredible accomplishment of a 15 year old Paul Johnson.
I see that the extro-riff and the bridge were also discussed. I've always been baffled by picking pattern in the bridge.
I found the youtube of the Duo Tones showing where on the neck PJ plays the bridge, see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wPNeUJut-I&feature=PlayList&p=603C62ECB7E82594&index=18
The following is the best I've come to figuring it out, any help would be appreciated.
image

Without redoing your notation I'll spell out the notes I think it is. You're close but it's the 3rd and 4th beats of the first measure is off. Try: C C-D-E-D-E-F...
Then on the 2nd measure make the F an 1/8th note and add an 1/8th E immediately following it. The next measures are off a bit too but I'll see if someone else chimes in before I go further.

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

Last edited: Aug 31, 2009 09:34:18

Howard,

That is how I play it note for note. Not sure if it 100% accurate, but it sounds very close.

I've seen Paul play Mr. Moto a few times. As I recall he plays fast & loose with the bridge section, nothing like the original recording.

Well, with all due respect, the dude was asking how to play Mr. Moto. I assume he was asking about the original, seminal recording. Not the way some random modern surf band plays it, or the way Paul Johnson plays it now. Those may be interesting side discussions, but they don't answer his question.

Otherwise I'll post the tab to Slayer's "Raining Blood" because that sounds good too.

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Brian
Otherwise I'll post the tab to Slayer's "Raining Blood" because that sounds good too.

Tab out the solo. I dare ya.

That was excessively violent and completely unnecessary. I loved it.