KOTTKE LEO - "machine" Tablature

Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 20:53:27 -0500
From: "Patrick Schwemmer" <pschwemm@hotmail.com> (by way of cathal woods)
Subject: k/kottke_leo/machine.tab

Well, I finally caved in and bought Eight Songs, so I now know that this
bears only a fair resemblance to what's in there. So it is with a clear
conscience that I submit this to the OLGA. Maybe we should call it "Machine
Pi"...

Patrick R. Schwemmer
Oberlin College
1/27/1

============
"Machine #2"
------------
By Leo Kottke
Transcribed from Mudlark and Standing in my Shoes by
Patrick Schwemmer (with help from Alan Korpardy)
pschwemm@hotmail.com
4/20/99
============

Introduction:
=============

This has always been one of my favorite tunes--it's one of the ones, the
Mudlark versions especially, that are really totally outside any genre but
the one called Kottke. It wasn't until I was at my dad's antique shop in
Princeton (WI) watching a friend of his, that I actually saw someone play it
(I've been meaning to get Home and Away so I can figure out all those songs
more easily--I don't know if this is on there or not). The guy's name is
Alan Korpardy, and he's a lawyer from Madison, I think; a friend of
Kottke's, I hear. He and Patrick Jennings have an album called Traveler;
it's not bad at all--they play two Kottke songs, "Fisherman" and "Stealing",
and Alan won a fingerstyle guitar contest at which Kottke was a judge for
his song, "Traveler", way back when he was sixteen (a year younger than I am
now, incidentally). My favorite of his is "The Victory Dance of St. Thomas
Aquinas". I don't think the CD is in stores or anything; he gave my dad a
whole bunch of them to try and sell--so if you want one, you'll just have to
come to my dad's store. :)

Well, anyway, Alan played what he had figured out of it on the old Martin we
have (which my dad has purposely marked so high that nobody'll ever buy it),
and that was sort of the impetus behind this tab (hence the plug for his
album). This was made much easier by having the version ("Vaseline Machine
Gun") on Standing In My Shoes, in which it's played at half speed
(completely butchering the song, IMHO, but making it quite useful to anyone
trying to transcribe "Machine #2").

Also, any fan of Kottke really ought to check out Bruce Head's site
<www.guitarmusic.org>. (I'm guessing you'll have found this at OLGA since
Bruce seems quite squeamish about putting new TABS up at his site.)

Instrument Specificatons:
=========================

12-String Guitar (6-string sounds fine, too)
Open G Tuning (DGDgBd) down 3 half steps (Technically an Open E)
Standing In My Shoes version is down a whole step (Open F)
Slide used (but you can get get some nice (and different) grooves without
one, too)

Unusual Tab Notation:
=====================

On or around notes:
-------------------
(#) = ghost note--it is fretted and will make some sound, but is not plucked
(written for clarity)

# = stacatto--release LH pressure to stop sound right after playing

Above Line:
-----------
>= accent
SsSsSsSsSs = use slide

Right-Hand Fingerings (Below Line):
-----------------------------------
1 = thumb
2 = index
3 = middle
4 = ring
5 = chuck pink
# = strum w/ finger indicated
~

Repeats:
--------
/<=<=<=<=<=<=<=\
to here <=/ ^
|---/\/\/\---| |
|*--/\/\/\--*| ^
|---/\/\/\---| repeat |
|---/\/\/\---| from here^
|*--/\/\/\--*|
|---/\/\/\---|

Frantically

Intro:
======
(See the technical notes at the end of the document for some help with this
part.)

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|---.-0---.---0-----.-0---.---0----|---.-0---.---0-----.-0---.---0----|
|(4)5---4(5)0---0(4)5---4(5)0---0--|(4)5---4(5)0---0(4)5---4(5)0---0--|
|-0-.-----0-------0-.-----0--------|-0-.-----0-------0-.-----0--------|
|-4(5)-(4)5-------4(5)-(4)5--------|-4(5)-(4)5-------4(5)-(4)5--------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .
1 1 1 1 simile
~ ~ ~ ~

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|*---------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|---.-0---.---0-----.-0---.---0----|---.-0---.---0-----.-0---.---0----|
|(4)5---4(5)0---0(4)5---4(5)0---0--|(4)5---4(5)0---0(4)5---4(5)0---0--|
|*0-.-----0-------0-.-----0--------|-0-.-----0-------0-.-----0--------|
|-4(5)-(4)5-------4(5)-(4)5--------|-4(5)-(4)5-------4(5)-(4)5--------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .

> > > >
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-.-----0---------.-----0----------|-.-----0---------.-----0----------|
|/5---------5-----5---------5------|-3---------3-----3---------3------|
|-.---0-------0---.---0-------0----|-.---0-------0---.---0-------0----|
|/5-------5-------5-------5--------|-3-------3-------3-------3--------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .

> >
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-.-----0---------.-----0----------|-----7-------7-------7-------7----|
|/2---------2-----2---------2------|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|
|-.---0-------0---.---0-------0----|/7-------7-------7-------7--------|
|/2-------2-------2-------2--------|-0-------0-------0-------0--------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .
1 1 1 1 simile
~ ~ ~ ~

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|---------------------------------*|----------------------------------|
|-----7-------7-----5---4---2---0--|---.-0---.---0-----.-0---.---0----|
|---0---0---0---0-.---.---.---.----|(4)5---4(5)0---0(4)5---4(5)0---0--|
|-7-------7-------7---5---4---2---*|-0-.-----0-------0-.-----0--------|
|-0-------0-------0----------------|-4(5)-(4)5-------4(5)-(4)5--------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .

|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|---.-0---.---0--------------------|
|(4)5---4(5)0---0/5----------------|
|-0-.-----0-------0----------------|
|-4(5)-(4)5------/5----------------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .
1
~

Chorus:
=======
(See the technical notes at the end of
the document for some help with this part.)

SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsS
|-------12--------------10---------|-------5---------------7----------|
|/12--------12------10-------------|-5-----------------7-------7------|
|-----0-------0-------0-----0------|-----5-----5---------7-------7----|
|-----------------------------0----|-------------5/-------------------|
|-0-------0-------0-------0--------|-5-------5------/7-------7--------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .

> >
SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsS
|-------12--------------10---------|-------5---------------7-------7--|
|/12--------12------10-------------|-5-----------------7-------7------|
|-----0-------0-------0-----0------|-----5-----5---------7-------7----|
|-----------------------------0----|-------------5/-------------------|
|-0-------0-------0-------0--------|-5-------5------/7-------7--------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .

> >
SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsS
|-------7-------7--|-------10\-----8\------3----------|
|---7-------7------|/10--------8-------3-------3---3--|
|-----7-------7----|-----10------8-------3-------3----|
|------------------|----------------------------------|
|-7-------7--------|/10-----\8------\3-------3--------|
|------------------|----------------------------------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .

> > > >
SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsS
|----------------------------------|-------10\-----8\------3----------|
|-------10\-----8-------12--12--0--|/10--------8-------3-------3---3--|
|---10------8-----------12--12--0--|-----10------8-------3-------3----|
|-----10------8------/12------12---|----------------------------------|
|/10-----\8-------0-------12-------|/10-----\8------\3-------3--------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .

> > > > > > > >
SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsS
|----------------------------------|------------------|
|-------10------8-------12--12--0--|*------12--12--0-*| / Play
|---10------8-----------12--12--0--|-------12--12--0--|<=== measure
|-----10------8------/12------12---|----/12------12---| \ three
|/10-----\8-------0-------12-------|*0-------12------*| times.
|----------------------------------|------------------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + .

> > > > > >
SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsS
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|---0--/5---5---0---0--/5---5---0--|---0--/5---5---0---0---0---0---0--|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-0---0---5---5---0---0---5---5----|-0---0---5---5---0---0---0---0----|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .

|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|---0---0-----------0---0---0---0--|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-0---0---0-------0---0---0---0----|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0----|
|-----------0h2--------------------|----------------------------------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .

Never did transcribe that middle part. Sorry.

Some Technical Notes:
=====================

The first thing I noticed, when trying to tab the intro of this song, was
that there was some very elaborate, underlying right-hand pattern which you
pluck over what you fret. The latter was the easy part to figure out, and
that for which Alan was most helpful:

|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|---.-----.---------.-----.--------|
|h4/5--h4/5------h4/5--h4/5--------|
|---.-----.---------.-----.--------|
|h4/5--h4/5------h4/5--h4/5--------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .

But just what do you pluck over that? At first I thought it was this:

|----------------------------------| |----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------| |----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------| \ |---.-----.---------.-----.--------|
|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|===>|(4)5---4(5)0---0(4)5---4(5)0---0--|
|----------------------------------| / |---.-----.---------.-----.--------|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0----| |-4(5)0(4)5---0---4(5)0(4)5---0----|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .
1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3

But I could plainly hear Gs (or whatever they are when he tunes down)
droning in the background on the recording, so I tried using the same RH
pattern as in measure 8:

|----------------------------------| |----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------| |----------------------------------|
|-----0-------0-------0-------0----| \ |---.-0---.---0-----.-0---.---0----|
|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|===>|(4)5---4(5)0---0(4)5---4(5)0---0--|
|-0-------0-------0-------0--------| / |-0-.-----0-------0-.-----0--------|
|-0-------0-------0-------0--------| |-4(5)-(4)5-------4(5)-(4)5--------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .
1 2 3 2 1 2 3 2 1 2 3 2 1 2 3 2
~ ~ ~ ~

I decided this sounded the most like the recording, but another possibility
which I investigated and which you may want to try out is as follows:

|----------------------------------| |----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------| |----------------------------------|
|-----0-------0-------0-------0----| \ |---.-0---.---0-----.-0---.---0----|
|-----0-------0-------0-------0----|===>|(4)5-0-4(5)--0--(4)5-0-4(5)--0----|
|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--| / |---0---0-.-0---0---0---0-.-0---0--|
|-0-------0-------0-------0--------| |-4(5)-(4)5-------4(5)-(4)5--------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .
1 2 4 2 1 2 4 2 1 2 4 2 1 2 4 2
3 3 3 3

Or you could just go for the whole shebang and play this:

|----------------------------------| |----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------| |----------------------------------|
|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--| \ |---0---0-.-0---0---0---0-.-0---0--|
|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|===>|(4)5---4(5)0---0(4)5---4(5)0---0--|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0----| / |-0-.-0---0---0---0---0---0---0----|
|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0----| |-4(5)0(4)5---0---4(5)0(4)5---0----|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .
1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3
~ 2 ~ 2 ~ 2 ~ 2 ~ 2 ~ 2 ~ 2 ~ 2

It gets to the point where it becomes less a matter of exactly what Leo
plays on the record(s) and more a matter of what you like or what you can
come up with--and this TAB becomes less a rigid piece of sheet music and
more a make-your-own-arrangement kit. Whenever I sit down with a piece of
TAB I've found on the internet, I almost always immediately disagree with a
lot of things: the rhythms are completely unfeasbile or the notation leaves
too little to the imagination (the antithesis of one of Leo's most effective
stylistic elements), for example. I have to wonder if you'll find similar
qualms with my TAB when you read it. Well, if so, play it however you want
(at least I'll have gotten you started); it may very well be that there's no
wrong way to play Kottke.

Also, when you're learning the chorus--if you want to get that really
low-to-the-ground Kottke sound--use thumb alternation; your right-hand thumb
should bounce back and forth between whichever bass notes which are being
alternated between:

|-------12--------------10---------|-------5---------------7----------|
|/12--------12------10-------------|-5-----------------7-------7------|
|-----0-------0-------0-----0------|-----5-----5---------7-------7----|
|-----------------------------0----|-------------5/-------------------|
|-0-------0-------0-------0--------|-5-------5------/7-------7--------|
|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + . 1 . + . 2 . + . 3 . + . 4 . + .
3 4 3 3 4 3 3 4 3 3 4 3
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

patrick schwemmer