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classic rock tabs for 3 stringer

complete novice here just starting out, ive a question for all of ye!

ive read that people convert alot of regular guitar tabs to a 3 string cbg by dropping and substituting some chords! i know where to get chords for songs online for a regular 6 string guitar but how do i convert tabs to suit my 3 stringer?

ive zero music theory so can you explain as best you can, like explaining to a 2year old!lol

appreciate any feedback thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on April 14, 2014 at 3:22pm

Scruggy,

Depends on the song, and your finger dexterity. You ain't gonna learn to burn like Yngwie Malmsteen in a day, for example. But going from nothing to sumpin' in a day or two is not unusual, if it's a relatively simple tune, and you have time to work the brain and the fingers. I been playing for 37 years, almost every other day for at least 30 minutes to an hour. When I first started, it was 3-4 hours every day. All those years of doing patterned finger dances, playing out at open mics and backyard jam sessions, and fear that I wouldn't measure up with other, better players has left me with the ability to pick up most tunes pretty quickly, if they are simple chord progressions. It usually takes me an hour or so now to learn an unfamiliar tune, but a week or more to get it under my fingers. The main problem for me is finding uninterruptible blocks of time, especially when songwriting.

But good on yer. Impressing the wife is useful, especially when CBGs start piling up.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on April 14, 2014 at 11:11am

Sounds like you learned it fairly quickly, Scruggy. If the wife seemed impressed then you're on to something! Yeah man share the video! Most folks will be gentle - we all remember what it was like starting out.

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Permalink Reply by Sawbones on May 8, 2014 at 12:10am

Thanks for the info.I picked out a couple Alice In Chains songs w/ an open D,pretty easy if you already know the song.

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Permalink Reply by Scruggy on May 8, 2014 at 2:28am

Which Alice in chain songs? Defo be up for giving it ago!

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Permalink Reply by Sawbones on May 8, 2014 at 5:05am

Nutshell is the one.I tune from the heaviest string DADD.If you play guitar its really easy,find a tab off it then just tune your CBG to D and follow the root notes of the chords.

I'll tell you the frets,I'm a slider but it shouldn't matter.I also use the bottom end strings from a pack,but it also works strung w/ the tops(thin)just do a standard D tuning.I think that one is DDAD,Just a basic power chord.

The AIC is open-3-10-8-3-2-O.The 3-3-2-0 is kinda like a pull off,you don't strum it,just 123 open.Hope that helps I've never tried tabbing.

If you know the groove of the song its pretty easy.

I play a 4 banger but it'll work w/ 3.