I'm new to this group, so I don't know if anyone's
done this before, but here goes...
How to start "Rickover's Dream". This is not a
transcription because I can't take the
time to create one, but it may get you started enough
to play it.
1. Tune your guitar to CGDCBC
2. Point the first finger of your right hand and make it rigid
3. Place the first finger of your right hand over the
12th fret so that your finger covers all 6 strings
(like you were playing a slap harmonic-but don't slap)
4. Pull off all 6 strings with your left hand ABOVE
the 12th fret on the neck. If you get harmonics,
your right-hand finger is in the correct possition.
5. The beginning of the song is a series of pull-offs
all with the left hand like shown below. The notes
actually played are all harmonics because the
right-hand finger is creating them at the 12th fret.
[ Tab from: http://www.guitaretab.com/m/michael-hedges/39568.html ]
--0---0---0-----------0---0---0-----------------------|
----0---0---0----0------0---0---0---0-----------------|
---------------0------0---0---0---0-------------------|
------------------------0---0---0---0-----------------|
----------------------------------0-------------------|
------------------------------------------------------|
6. O.k. then how does he get the open strings to ring out?
Glad you asked.
7. Move your right-hand up toward the ceiling until the
first finger of your right hand only covers the
lowest 4 strings (the high B and C strings can now ring
free) and then play a pattern similar to fhe following
h=hammer on
^=pull off
-h1^0---------------------------------------------|
--------------------------0-----------------------|
--0-----0-----0-----------0------0-----0----------|
-----0-----0-----0-----0------0-----0-----0----0--|
--------------------0------------------------0----|
--------------------------------------------------|
I don't have my guitar with me so I'm sure this isn't
exactly right. The key for figuring this out for me was to
see Hedges play the song in concert and go Ah HA!
That's how he did that. I think his playing of
harmonics that are fingered with the right hand and
pulled-off with the left hand is creative genius.
Don Adams
