Robin ive got a 72 USA red strat and yes i do all your tunes and the Hendrix as well.I really love your tunes especially the ones with Dewar.epic jamms...Carry on.
Thank you for sharing with us Robin. Any time I have the opportunity to see you play close up I am getting a lesson from one of the people who is responsible for my lifetime enjoyment of playing and listening to guitar. The only thing that would make this long time fan happier would be to meet you in person and sit down and talk guitars (you might have a hard time shuting me up!) Ted
He admitted later that, in this video, his guitar wasn't tuned 'down to Eb' like the original recording--from 'Bridge Of Sighs.' He said in Guitar magazine that he just picked up the guitar, without tuning it to the original recording, hit 'play' on the video-camera, & started playing the song. Everything else is right, except for the tuning. He also clarified the opening chord in the interview --- X X X 4 5 X. Later, after the original recording, he started playing the 'full' chord X 4 3 4 5 X
Robin you're the man!!! Please teach us "Jack and Jill" my friend. I've been playing 35 years and own most of your studio and live albums from the 70's and 80's. I hope to see you at Memphis in May again someday in the near future. Peace and Love Brother...... Kenny J
Thank you Robin I was privileged to see you in 1976 at the San Diego Sports Arena We were hoping to get some clue’s on playing your tunes! God Bless you and RIP James Dewar 🙏
one of the most unassuming and underrated master guitarists of all time and a gentle soul .still have the stubs from Madison square garden mid 70s. what a show....
First...I won't mention any names or handles, but...that awkward moment when players give incorrect lessons on how to play "Day of the Eagle" and discover that this video with Robin, on how it's actually played, is seen in the right hand column. I'm just rediscovering my love of Robin's playing after many years of other musical roads, the reason for me not commenting sooner. Alright, I'm busted -- I've been on a Jazz jag for too many years, time to get back to my Rock 'n' Roll roots. I saw Robin play three times with Procul Harum, and three times the first two years of his solo career, in the early '70s. He was a major influence for me in the day -- I still have the vinyl to prove it. I see others have already correctly posted what the opening chord is, and isn't. Jolly Voqar mentioned Robin's right hand strumming all strings, which adds a lot of power to the chord (and to a 3-piece band). The strumming hand is every bit as important as the fretting hand -- to many YT lessons totally ignore the strumming hand, unless it's a strumming lesson. Robin's tuned down a whole step, D-D, but for convenience, and so I don't incorrectly transpose in my head, I'll call the strings/notes/chords their names in standard E-E tuning. The chord (C#7#9) is basically the 'Purple Haze' chord (E7#9), but three frets lower. This means he doesn't need to, and isn't, fretting the B string at the 5th fret -- he's playing the open E string. Notice that his pinky finger isn't being used on the chord, it's just floating above that beautiful glossy maple fret board. Funny thing is, I've never cared much for Strats, I'm more a Tele guy, and rosewood, not maple... I may need to rethink that, though -- right now my Tele is asking why the hell it's tuned D-D.
Most of the time he tunes down a full step, probably due to the heavier gauge strings. That 1st chord he hits is your A Typical Hendrix minor 7th on the 3rd fret. He's using his thumb on the main riff but you do it with a bar chord too..
I guess I never knew that. Blackmore usually doesn't give out too many compliments. Yet he's another guy you never see jamming with many of the others although I think he is held in pretty high regards among his peers.
"Too Rolling Stoned" is a study in unstoppable momentum. That ending jam...that shit should be put in a time capsule and shot into space with a note that reads, "Deal with this, motherfuckers!"
Full tab book for Bridge of Sighs is available. Robin is the tone god, no one ever got a better sound out of a strat. He is not piushing tone here just a brief run through.
I've heard that too and it just isn't true..and you're right about SRV....I was listening to an old tape of him the other night at a club and whatever it was he was playing you could sing along another song of his to it..I love the hell out of him but much of his music sounded the same....Keep up the great music Robin!
just wondering about the primary chord before the little scale walk....popular tab sites show this as a X542XX but he appears to not be touching the 2nd fret at all in this, can anyone explain his chord choice here it looks much easier than a X542XX-low e
drwombat Low to high - X43400. The name of the chord is C#7#9. On the recording only the Bs and E are audible and Trower tuned his guitar to standard pitch - now it's down a whole step.
X43400 is the correct chord (you can see in this not so amazing video that he's strumming all of those strings). I'm not sure how those tabbers got it so wrong when you can clearly SEE what he's playing in a variety of videos (not to mention the chords don't sound alike). The next riff deals with another C# chord shape (C# minor bar chord at 9th pos) and a lot of the fills/solos are in C# pentatonic at the 9th position. (C# minor being the relative of E maj - simple stuff even for a theory nub like myself)
I agree with InstruMentalCase, the X43450 chord does seem right and it is tuned a whole step down as he says. It would have been nice for Robin to mention the tuning and the chord shape if he wants us to play this tune. The other thing to consider is how did Robin originally play this song, perhaps he didn't play this chord in the original recorded version. Nearly all lesson have the chord as a straight major chord, while early video suggest the he has always played it this way.
Robin is old school Close enough to figure it out put a little effort into it not only do you own it more your musical ear gets a workout and improves I pretty much figured out this tune over time when I was 16 in the mid 70s That’s what you did or had to do No tabs to CZcams and very few guitar lessons covering rock songs I learned blues scales off a little paper that came in the little box when I bought a slide Best lesson I ever had! Party on Garth 😄
5Cirrus comment motivated me to comment - Seems to me he's correct - no sell outs here :) There are way too many acts being run from the accounting department these days, You deserve a bit, no a LOT more credit than you've received, maybe even induction into the R& R hall of Fame.
@5Cirrus I too have wondered whey he never jams with the greats. I can't believe he gets crap for ripping off hendrix, if you ask me, srv did it more than anyone, not that I don't love SRV too.
Well that is an interesting question. Jeff Beck lauded Rory Gallagher, for all the reasons we know, I am unsure why he has said little about Robin. Now Eric, he is probably just not interested, it is hard to get much out of him about anything.But I am sure Eric would not like to jam with Robin or Dave Gilmour...
@Alliston89 Well, let me say this about the whole ripping off Hendrix thing: compared to someone like Frank Marino, Trower is far more original. Marino is a bore for me, though he obviously has his following, and he only dreams of doing an album as beautiful as Bridge of Sighs.
Good God, this was horrible!!!!!!!!!! No mention of the chords - nothing! - Kudos to the people nice enough to figure this out and post - Robin what were you thinking about????? Sheesh . . . .
Trower, Gibbons, and Blackmore....my three greatest influences. Thank you all for what have given.
Favorite LP of all times. Still listen to Bridge of Sighs daily
Robin belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame !
Robin ive got a 72 USA red strat and yes i do all your tunes and the Hendrix as well.I really love your tunes especially the ones with Dewar.epic jamms...Carry on.
Thank you for sharing with us Robin. Any time I have the opportunity to see you play close up I am getting a lesson from one of the people who is responsible for my lifetime enjoyment of playing and listening to guitar. The only thing that would make this long time fan happier would be to meet you in person and sit down and talk guitars (you might have a hard time shuting me up!) Ted
Thank you for sharing your information with me!
He admitted later that, in this video, his guitar wasn't tuned 'down to Eb' like the original recording--from 'Bridge Of Sighs.' He said in Guitar magazine that he just picked up the guitar, without tuning it to the original recording, hit 'play' on the video-camera, & started playing the song. Everything else is right, except for the tuning. He also clarified the opening chord in the interview --- X X X 4 5 X. Later, after the original recording, he started playing the 'full' chord X 4 3 4 5 X
I'm confused . If you play along with the record ( or CD) it isn't tuned down.
Robin you're the man!!! Please teach us "Jack and Jill" my friend. I've been playing 35 years and own most of your studio and live albums from the 70's and 80's. I hope to see you at Memphis in May again someday in the near future. Peace and Love Brother...... Kenny J
My favorite tune of yours Robin. Thanks for the quick lesson. Cheers!
Thank you Robin
I was privileged to see you in 1976 at the San Diego Sports Arena
We were hoping to get some clue’s on playing your tunes!
God Bless you and RIP James Dewar 🙏
one of the most unassuming and underrated master guitarists of all time and a gentle soul .still have the stubs from Madison square garden mid 70s. what a show....
Thank you Robin - Russ from the future
thanks robin for all the great music! you're the best
First...I won't mention any names or handles, but...that awkward moment when players give incorrect lessons on how to play "Day of the Eagle" and discover that this video with Robin, on how it's actually played, is seen in the right hand column.
I'm just rediscovering my love of Robin's playing after many years of other musical roads, the reason for me not commenting sooner. Alright, I'm busted -- I've been on a Jazz jag for too many years, time to get back to my Rock 'n' Roll roots. I saw Robin play three times with Procul Harum, and three times the first two years of his solo career, in the early '70s.
He was a major influence for me in the day -- I still have the vinyl to prove it.
I see others have already correctly posted what the opening chord is, and isn't. Jolly Voqar mentioned Robin's right hand strumming all strings, which adds a lot of power to the chord (and to a 3-piece band). The strumming hand is every bit as important as the fretting hand -- to many YT lessons totally ignore the strumming hand, unless it's a strumming lesson.
Robin's tuned down a whole step, D-D, but for convenience, and so I don't incorrectly transpose in my head, I'll call the strings/notes/chords their names in standard E-E tuning.
The chord (C#7#9) is basically the 'Purple Haze' chord (E7#9), but three frets lower. This means he doesn't need to, and isn't, fretting the B string at the 5th fret -- he's playing the open E string. Notice that his pinky finger isn't being used on the chord, it's just floating above that beautiful glossy maple fret board.
Funny thing is, I've never cared much for Strats, I'm more a Tele guy, and rosewood, not maple... I may need to rethink that, though -- right now my Tele is asking why the hell it's tuned D-D.
Most of the time he tunes down a full step, probably due to the heavier gauge strings.
That 1st chord he hits is your A Typical Hendrix minor 7th on the 3rd fret. He's using his thumb on the main riff but you do it with a bar chord too..
thanks robin, i'm a long time major fan !!
I guess I never knew that. Blackmore usually doesn't give out too many compliments. Yet he's another guy you never see jamming with many of the others although I think he is held in pretty high regards among his peers.
Hey Robin,
Can't wait to see you again on the 2011 tour in St. Louis Missouri.
Cheers
I wouldn't call that "teaching" exactly. But it's a lot easier to figure out when you can see his hand positions that well. Cool.
Thanks, Robin..... A fun song!!! (y)
Amazing guitarist...!
fantastic! I really like the guitar work closeup. now if I can sound remotely like your video I will be ever so happy.
Still have all the ticket stubs from early 70's at Square Garden in NY. so long ago. we had so much more hair then ;-)
More !!
@frontman62
Correction that 1st chord is a C#7#9, but bear in mind he's probably tuned down a step or two
"Too Rolling Stoned" is a study in unstoppable momentum. That ending jam...that shit should be put in a time capsule and shot into space with a note that reads, "Deal with this, motherfuckers!"
@5Cirrus he would have no problem making them look bad on stage ...think about it ...the fans would love it
Ritchie Blackmore admired Trower and didn't jump on the SRV bandwagon.
Full tab book for Bridge of Sighs is available. Robin is the tone god, no one ever got a better sound out of a strat. He is not piushing tone here just a brief run through.
Check out > Live in 1978
I've heard that too and it just isn't true..and you're right about SRV....I was listening to an old tape of him the other night at a club and whatever it was he was playing you could sing along another song of his to it..I love the hell out of him but much of his music sounded the same....Keep up the great music Robin!
What's ironic to me is I use the c79 at the end of the song for years playing live but never thought to use it for the main riff 🤔
@5Cirrus i always wonder about that to , did you find out anything ? great question
just wondering about the primary chord before the little scale walk....popular tab sites show this as a X542XX but he appears to not be touching the 2nd fret at all in this, can anyone explain his chord choice here it looks much easier than a X542XX-low e
actually found another tab on the internet and the easier chord is 00XXXX mute all EBXXXX then the scale walk.
drwombat Low to high - X43400. The name of the chord is C#7#9. On the recording only the Bs and E are audible and Trower tuned his guitar to standard pitch - now it's down a whole step.
ive always played it as x4x400 then use my thumb to introduce the ascending walk on low e.
X43400 is the correct chord (you can see in this not so amazing video that he's strumming all of those strings). I'm not sure how those tabbers got it so wrong when you can clearly SEE what he's playing in a variety of videos (not to mention the chords don't sound alike). The next riff deals with another C# chord shape (C# minor bar chord at 9th pos) and a lot of the fills/solos are in C# pentatonic at the 9th position. (C# minor being the relative of E maj - simple stuff even for a theory nub like myself)
I agree with InstruMentalCase, the X43450 chord does seem right and it is tuned a whole step down as he says. It would have been nice for Robin to mention the tuning and the chord shape if he wants us to play this tune.
The other thing to consider is how did Robin originally play this song, perhaps he didn't play this chord in the original recorded version. Nearly all lesson have the chord as a straight major chord, while early video suggest the he has always played it this way.
Robin is old school
Close enough to figure it out put a little effort into it not only do you own it more your musical ear gets a workout and improves
I pretty much figured out this tune over time when I was 16 in the mid 70s
That’s what you did or had to do
No tabs to CZcams and very few guitar lessons covering rock songs
I learned blues scales off a little paper that came in the little box when I bought a slide
Best lesson I ever had!
Party on Garth 😄
SUPER MUSICO MAGICO>*****
5Cirrus comment motivated me to comment - Seems to me he's correct - no sell outs here :) There are way too many acts being run from the accounting department these days, You deserve a bit, no a LOT more credit than you've received, maybe even induction into the R& R hall of Fame.
12 gauge,one step down?
@5Cirrus I too have wondered whey he never jams with the greats. I can't believe he gets crap for ripping off hendrix, if you ask me, srv did it more than anyone, not that I don't love SRV too.
This looks like it's tuned down a whole step. The chord looks like a C7+9 with the 2nd string open.
@5Cirrus He will outshine beck and clapton with his signature sound.
Well that is an interesting question. Jeff Beck lauded Rory Gallagher, for all the reasons we know, I am unsure why he has said little about Robin. Now Eric, he is probably just not interested, it is hard to get much out of him about anything.But I am sure Eric would not like to jam with Robin or Dave Gilmour...
Alot of Hendrix there
@MrClusterfuk Do you want to know why? Because that list is ridiculous - not fact that he isn't on the list:)
I think this is in standard tuning. Normally he plays one step detuned.
@Alliston89
Well, let me say this about the whole ripping off Hendrix thing: compared to someone like Frank Marino, Trower is far more original. Marino is a bore for me, though he obviously has his following, and he only dreams of doing an album as beautiful as Bridge of Sighs.
Guitar Hero
Good God, this was horrible!!!!!!!!!! No mention of the chords - nothing! - Kudos to the people nice enough to figure this out and post - Robin what were you thinking about????? Sheesh . . . .