How to Play: Ry Cooder's 'Dark End of the Street'

[@JeremyJames_studio]

Backing track to this song is now available for download ( www.jeremys.studio/ ) if you'd like to give it a whirl. The TAB is also available there as a free download. You're welcome!

[@foxyjazzbopper]

Cooder transcriptions!! Brilliant… many thanks for posting these 👌👌👌

[@JeremyJames_studio]

More than welcome...there's a few more on the way 😅

[@gsmmax1]

Thank you for this great help.

[@JeremyJames_studio]

More than welcome - you can download the backing for the track if you fancy. Enjoy.

[@davidewing55]

This is really great! I love your tone. During the intro (before the slide), your tone really sounds like Richard Thompson, who also has a great version of this song (when he was still with Linda).

[@JeremyJames_studio]

Cheers David- appreciate that. I had a listen to the version you mentioned, very nice 👌 I was happy with my tone on this track, kind of expected to be using my Princeton amp but in the end the HX stomp was good enough!

[@rickleonard6055]

Thanks for doing this! I love it.

[@JeremyJames_studio]

Welcome Rick 🙏

[@grantduncan3513]

Awesome work as per Jeremy, loved this :)

[@JeremyJames_studio]

Cheers mate, appreciate that.

[@BeantownToBigD]

Ok, I need to say it, gorgeous Strat

[@JeremyJames_studio]

…made the mistake of selling it last year! Woops 😅

[@BeantownToBigD]

@@JeremyJames_studio you're not alone but you still have a nice collection

[@michaelkfra1]

This is my absolute favourite song in the whole world, my friend played this at our wedding on his violin, my other mate played "Great Dream From Heaven" on his Martin acoustic. I do a version of that on my old K Yairi DE1, I was wondering if you could possibly do a tab of that? Right now I'm tuning up the electric to start learning 'Dark end of the Street." I would rate this tab as a 10 out of 10, well done Jeremy

[@JeremyJames_studio]

Hi there Michael, 10/10? I'll take it! Thanks for the kind words and coffees my friend - there was no need of course, but THANKS. I do love that track 'great dream from heaven' - not sure if fingerstyle TABs are what I'm focused on, but I might try and adapt it to electric. That might be interesting... Back when I was busking through Europe in the late 90s, I had a beautiful k-yari acoustic, it rang like a bell. Just lovely. It was stolen from a campsite in the south of france...best acoustic I ever played!

[@michaelkfra1]

There is another classic slide tune that he does called "The farmer feeds us all" which has got a really great funky country feel. Maybe if you would like to have a crack at that instead? Do you listen to Roy Rogers at all?

[@michaelkfra1]

Or Justin Johnson?

[@JeremyJames_studio]

@@michaelkfra1 Another cracking track! Bit hard to do with a vocal track, don't you think? The groove is terrific in that one though

[@JeremyJames_studio]

@@michaelkfra1 I think I've seen a Justin Johnson video, but not really..and Roy Rodgers no, until this kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqO9h61phJlqr9E what a great sound!~

[@coreykatz8111]

This is so good! If I have a strat, what pedal would you recommend for me to get this tone in the video? Something in $100-$200 range ideally, would really appreciate your advice. THanks!

[@JeremyJames_studio]

Hi there Corey- I'd say any s-type guitar would get you in the ballpark. How about a squire? Some of those guitars are superb value. Probably you'd need to play them first, depending on where you live. Or perhaps a Yamaha Pacifica? That's a lot of guitar for the money. Depending on your amp and recording setup any gentle OD would give you a touch more compression (not too much drive needed) which would make the slide a little easier. I tried flatwound strings at first but switched to coated elixirs - which made pulling the harmonics a easier. Went with 12's (say goodbye to bending strings 😂) to get the wound third. Hope that helps a little!

[@touchtennis]

Bar One. “We have to rock back to hit the harmonic.” It was at this moment that I gave up! 😂

[@JeremyJames_studio]

Oh man, you didn't get to unleash the slide😂 I should have mentioned that a normal fretted note would do the trick!

[@touchtennis]

@@JeremyJames_studio but harmonics sound so GOOD!

[@JeremyJames_studio]

Yeah, they're kind of the highlight...

[@MarcCampagna]

Hey much gratitude for your post(s), very talented, but questions with my own playing...do you use any thing to reduce string noise besides muting with hand? certain pickup you are on, or setting on amp that helps with this? thanks so much.....im sure its just feel, practice , possibly action on neck but....

[@JeremyJames_studio]

Hi Marc - reducing unwanted noise is one of the big challenges for sure. Muting unplayed strings is a good start, as is trying to use gentle downward pressure with the slide - and taking some care to avoid crashing it down onto the strings when beginning a phrase. Also watch using too much compression as this will bring up all the small string noise along with your sustain. Annoying it’s probably practise that will reduce the noise more than anything else! Though you’ll always get some noise - it’s kind of one of the signatures of slide. Nice to hear from you. All the best 👍

[@ansontsang7586]

the song is good.

[@JeremyJames_studio]

You can put it in your movie soundtrack Anson!