I was trying to find some reference to fields of gold on the forum. Maybe it’s been discussed and maybe the tabs are here somewhere, but I couldn’t find it.
It’s a great song and Eva Cassidy did a beautiful cover of it also.
I decided to try learning it without tabs, just play it by ear. I’m determined to learn it 80 - 90 % before I yield to the tab gods and check my work. It’s coming along really well. Actually, it’s a pretty simple and repetitive tune but I’m so pleased and amazed that I’m getting it. I never would have thought I was capable. It seems like I can play it with more passion or feeling too, having got there (not all of it yet) on my own. Thanks mostly to the advice that I receive on this forum.
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That’s great. I would love to find the tabs on that song! Let us know how you are doing with it.
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Hi @bjdas, I have pretty much achieved what I set out to do. Got 80% by ear, then checked online for other people’s tabs. It was mainly the bridge that I was very unsure about.
I’m not claiming that I’ve produced a novel version of it, or that I play it well. It was just about the process, right?
My handwritten sheet is a mess of cross outs and corrections,
but if you really want me to share my tabs, I can do so. Just don’t set your expectations too high. I aint no Luke.
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HaHa! Yes, that would be great! You seem to be choosing some of the very same songs I want to play. No hurry. Thank you!
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@bjdas, there are so many beautiful songs; too many, and I’m impatient to learn. Some are too difficult for me, but I found this one to be pretty easy. Hence my little project to learn it without tabs.
I have cut out half the verses, otherwise there are too many. It works in the song because there’s different lyrics, but I think it becomes too repetitive when just playing harmonica. You can add them back in if you want.
There’s an instrumental bit in Sting’s original, sounds like a flute I think, and Eva Cassidy sings it as ooh oooh ooh, I don’t know what it’s called, a prelude, interlude? Someone will tell me; I’m calling it a doohickey until then. I’ve included it three times, you can insert them wherever you want, or leave them out.
I’m still not sure about the bridge. I’m open to corrections.
7 -7 -6 6 6
7 -7 -6 6 -6
4-6 6 6 4 5 6
7-7 -6 6 6
7-7 -6 6 6
4-4-5 5 5 -4 4
doohickey 7…-7 -6 6 -5 6 -5 5
7 -7 -6 6 6
7 -7 -6 6 -6
4-6 6 6 4 5 6
7-7 -6 6 6
7-7-6 6 6
4 -5 5 5 -4 -4
Bridge
6 6 6 6 -6 6 6 6 4
6 6 6 6 -6 6 6 6 4
4 6 6 6 6 6 -5 5
4 -5 5 5 -4 4
4 -5 5 5 -4 4
doohickey 7…-7 -6 6 -5 6 -5 5
7 -7 -6 6 6
7 -7 -6 6 -6
4-6 6 6 4 5 6
7-7 -6 6 6
7-7 -6 6 6
4 -5 5 5 -4 4
4 -4 5 -5 5 5 -4 4
-4 5 -5 5 5 -4 4
doohickey 7…-7 -6 6 -5 6 -5 5
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We would love to hear you.
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Hmmm, don’t get your hopes up @toogdog, I never said that I play it well. Just that for reasons unclear to me, my subconscious music brain, which I didn’t know I had, has recently started translating tunes to the harmonica without being front of mind aware of what I’m doing. Sadly, my lips and lungs are still lagging behind in beginner mode. Hopefully I will bring it all together one day. I can say that it’s a joy to be able to play this song without thinking in numbers.
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Thanks so much PC! Can’t wait to try it. Just curious…what Key Harp are you using for this song?
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You’re welcome @bjdas. I learned it on my C harmonica and thought that sounded Ok until I recorded myself. Playing it back was a slap in the face as usual and I switched to my A harmonica. I think that sounds better. perhaps someone with a better ear than me will instruct us both.
Play it slow and try to hold those notes where appropriate. It’s a beautiful song, I hope you enjoy playing it.
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Personal favorite for me on Harptabs…
I play it in ‘C’, and it still sounds good. It is supposed to be played on a ‘D’ harp.
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Sorry for delay. I have been away from the Harp for several months – due to traveling out of the country and consequently severe Covid. But will be picking it back up again. Feels like I have to learn all over again… Can’t wait to brush up and try it.
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Good to have you back @bjdas. I hope you’re feeling better. You will probably pick it all up again pretty quickly. It’s not a difficult tune, relative to many others and it’s a nice one that other people will recognise. Go for it.
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I also tabbed this song out by ear, along with lyrics, a month or so ago. you can find it here via the search. I use a C harp. nice song.
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My experience of learning the harp by ear. Find the key of the song. The the key of the harp. Get your base note where the songs vocal line starts. Hum it, 99 times out of 100 if you can hum it you can play it. Then once you’ve got it you can play it in any key. I find getting the vocal lines for songs very easy. Harp is really all about learning where the notes are and getting that in your head. Once you’ve done that and are familiar with the instruments lay out it all comes together. Then you can work on what position you want to play it etc. that’s a whole new level of stuff I don’t really go beyond 4th position although that’s another skill I’m looking to acquire
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Hi @RussSkyman, Yeah, I saw your post on this song. Yours is slightly different to mine but no matter, close enough that we can both be confident. When I checked my tabs against those on harp tabs, there were more differences. Some I thought the other person was correct and changed a couple of mine, some I thought No, my tab is correct and kept it Now, I think more about the lyrics, not the numbers, and just play it.
There’s a new tune (for me) that I’m working on, and I can’t cheat, because it appears that no one else has tabbed it out and posted it. Actually, that’s not quite true as toogdog has helped me. It’s frustrating me but I think it’s a good project. I’ve always told my kids “You won’t get far in life if you only do things that are easy”
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