JTR....this song is hard

[gravesRR7]

the song is not too difficult, up to when you play the last part of the intro,
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--4-------2-----0-------------------
--0-------0-----0-------------------
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i am trying to play this with strumming (like dave does) and in order to do that, you have to mute all of the other strings. with the fingers used that kanter posted, i find it hard to let the D string ring. the only way i can find to effectivly do it is to use my thumb to mute the E and A, and then use my middle finger to push down on the G and mute the B and E. This is very hard to do. I wondered if anyone had a way to play it WITH STRUMMING AND MUTING that allows you to hit that open string with a bit more ease.

[Chumpnet]

This is how I play that part:

Just prior to that part you play low E string, fret 3 using finger 2 which you also use to mute the A string. Leave the D string open. Use fingers 4 and 1 to play the G string and also to mute the B string. I try to avoid stumming the high E string but it's muted by one or more of fingers 1, 2, or 4. Actually, the muting should come quite naturally just by holding the chord and flattening out the hand a bit. In the last chord with all open strings, I completely raise my hand and try my best to only hit the 2 strings but if I hit more, it's no big deal to me. Hope this helps and good luck, it's a great song to play.

[Jay]

can't you just not strum all the strings?

[Jay]

can't you just not strum all the strings?

looking at that, i need to clarify. i mean "can't you play the song like that?", not "can't you hit 2 strings dickhead?"

[gravesRR7]

ok, thanks for your help. i guess this song has to be played with acurracy of strumming. sometimes you need to strum just some strings, but skip others (just like dave does), and this was proven to me when you said to just pick your hand up and try to hit just the two strings. thanks

[gcom007]

JTR was one of the first songs I learned and i didn't even have a tab...I have no idea why at all it was easy for me...

[MattyTrane]

not too hard.

[DMBFreak84]

if playing on a 12-string, hitting all the strings on that part sounds really cool, to help out a little, try this:
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-4----2--0--
-0----0--0--
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-3----2--2---
i found this to sound to be really close to the sound dave makes, it may be a little off, but it helps for people, like me, that cannot just hit individual strings

[firedancer86]

can't you just not strum all the strings?

I throw the G bass note on the bottom E string...

middle finger on the G bass note...

pinky on the other and drop to the index, to open g string...

[johntherevelator]

I find that for this song if i just play what i feel and not be too concerned about if it sounds perfect, then it comes out better than it does for most people who try to play it exactly the way Dave does.