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From: rhawley@lawson.its.utas.edu.au (Richard Hawley)

>Hey, if anyone out there has the tab for this number by Richard M. Hawley
>from his album "Ripping Chips" I'd love to see it.  I'm learning to play the
>mandolin so if anyone has the mandolin tab, I'd like to see that as well.
>
          FROM THE FLOOR TO MY MOUTH

This song is called Datura on the album.  From the Floor to my Mouth
was the name I gave it at the time of its conception.  I will attempt
to transcribe some of the parts to Datura.  Many of you will be unfamiliar
with this rare song so I will mention a few additional points for anyone
who is willing to learn this (or at least get an idea).

I achieve the sound by using the following effects :

Flanger - not too heavy, just a light flanging to give it that
          wavy effect
Compressor - put your compressor on flat out which has the effect of
           slightly distorting the sound.  It also produces random
           fuzz at times which I really liked.
Lots of treble on the equalization, some mid-freq and some bass.

You'll know when you get the sound.  It should have a real "chang" sound
to it.  Lots of tin, ok?

Ok .. first the riffs and then I will discuss how I achieved some of the
special effects.
I've never done this in ascii before so bear with me.
Ok, its drop-D tuning.

    |          |        |    |
E-------------------------------|---------|-
B------p------------------------|---------|-
G---0--2--0---------------------|--  X 3--|-
D--------------3-bend-----------|---------|-
A--------------|----------------|---------|-
D--------------3-bend---0-------|---------|-
                         \
                          mute and let ring

    |          |        |      |
E---------------------------------|---------|-
B------p-------------------x-x----|---------|-
G---0--2--0----------------x-x----|--  X 3--|-
D--------------3-bend------x-x----|---------|-
A--------------|--------0--x-x----|---------|-
D--------------3-bend---0---------|---------|-

This time play the open low D and A without muting (and you also have the
scratchy sound made with the pick.  I used a hand carved pick made from a
deers antler which gives quite a unique sound when you scratch the strings.
I imagine any thing made of course bone would work.

Now it changes yet again .. its basically the same but it has a C chord
and a D minor chord there.

                                  C                                  D
    |          |        |         |       |          |         |     |
E---------------------------------0----|-----------------------------1---|
B------p--------------------------1----|------p----------------------3---|
G---0--2--0-----------------------0----|---0--2--0-------------------2---|
D--------------3-bend-------------2----|-------------3-bend--------------|
A--------------|--------0---------3----|-------------|---------0---------|
D--------------3-bend---0--------------|-------------3-bend----0---------|

Repeat this again and then ..

    |     |     |        |
E----------------------------|-
B----------------------------|-
G----------------------------|-
D---0------------------------|-
A---0------------------------|-
D---0------------------------|-
     \
      mute all the strings and let them ring (with my effects system I get a
      cool buzzing sound because of the compression).  You can hear this on the
      album.

Next comes the verse riff which I'm sure you are very familiar with Steve.

    |     |     |     |
E---------------------------|-------------------------------
B---------------------------|-------------------------------
G---------------------------|-------------------------------
D------------------------4--|--(4)--------------------------
A---0--------------------2--|--(2)--------------------------
D---0-----0--0--0--0--0-----|-------------------------------
         \____________/   \
               |            let ring into next bar
           mute these

Occasionally I do this ...
Occasionally I do this ...

    |     |     |     |         |        |       |    |
E---------------------------|-------------------------------
B---------------------------|-------------------------------
G---------------------------|-------------------------------
D------------------------4--|--(4)-------------------*------
A---0--------------------2--|--(2)-------------0-2-0-2-0----
D---0-----0--0--0--0--0-----|----------------------------3--

* - bend string up a note and return (I wasn't sure how to draw this with
    ascii.  The return falls on the beat.

Ok .. now the Indian talking drum you can hear is actually my guitar.
I discovered this after breaking the top string.  What you do is drag
the string over the wooden part of your guitar (I won't try to draw this).
You then pluck it at the same time as you pull it and you get that
funny sound.  It also makes a resonating sound on the wood which gives
it an interesting texture.

Thats all I can bothered transcribing as I suspect very few people would have
heard the song and even fewer people would want to play it.

Richard M

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