HOW TO PLAY SOUTHERN BELLE SO THAT IT REALLY SOUNDS LIKE ELLIOTT SMITH A difficult proposal. The first thing that must be done is to learn how to strum correctly. I think the way he does it is to hold a pick between his ring and middle fingers which he uses to strum, and he picks the base notes with his thumb. I hate picks so I strum the downstrokes with my ring finger and the upstrokes with my middle finger and it sounds just as good. Someone I know strums exclusively with her middle finger. As long as you can still pick with your thumb, you're okay. The "basic pattern" in Southern Belle is as follows: D E---/---/-\---/\---/---/-\---/\---------------- B--/---/---\-/--\-/---/---\-/--\--------------- G-/---/-----/----/---/-----/------------------- D-0------0-------0------0---------------------- A---------------------------------------------- E---------------------------------------------- You get the idea. /'s are downstroks and \'s are upstrokes. I swear to zeus those are strums: it sounds like fingerpicking but it's not. You just have to do it really fast. Keep holding down a D chord the whole time. Practice just that much until you can keep stumming steadily and pick the base notes rhythmically with your thumb. Now I should probably familiarize you with the CHORDS YOU'RE GOING TO USE: D: x00232 C/F: 033010 C: 032010 A: 002220 Bb: 113331 G: 320003 Bb/E: 003330 F: 133211 Db: 143121 (ugh) Dm: x00231 Bb*: 688766 Okay, if you're ready, give the intro a try. Start by picking a D chord: D E------------------ B--3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3- G--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2- D-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-- A------------------ E------------------Keep that going for a while and then play this line: D C/F C C/F E---/---/---\---/\----/---/---\---/\-----/---/\---/\---/\---/\---/\- B--/---/-----\-/--\--/---/-----\-/--\---/---/--\-/--\-/--\-/--\-/--\ G-/---/---2---/-----3---/---2---0------/---/----/----/----/----/---- D-0-----------------------------------3---------2---------3--------- A------------------------------------------------------------------- E------------------------------------------------------------------- A E---/\---/\-- B--/--\-/--\- G-/----/----- (play four times) D-2---------- A------------ E------------ Then go back to fingerpicking the D. If you managed that you'll be glad to know that the verses are exactly the same as the line you played four times. If you didn't, you'd better go back and damn well manage it before you try to go any farther. D C/F C C/F A You're killing a southern belle D C/F C C/F A that's all you know how to do D C/F C C/F A that and give other people hell D C/F C C/F A it's what they exPECT from you, too Now back to the "basic pattern": D E---/---/---\---/\---/---/-\---/\---/---/-\---/\---/----/-\---/\------ B--/---/-----\-/--\-/---/---\-/--\-/---/---\-/--\-/----/---\-/--\----- G-/---/-------\----\---/-----\----\---/-----\----\----/-----\----\---- D-0--------0-------0------0-------0------0-------0-------0------------ A--------------------------------------------------------------------- E--------------------------------------------------------------------- But I wouldn't have you Bb G D! G! D! (really wail on those) E---/---/-\---/\---/---/-\---/\-----/\------/-----/------------------- B--/---/---\-/--\-/---/---\-/--\---/--\----/-----/-------------------- C-/---/-----\----\---/-----\------/-------/-----/--------------------- D--------------------------------/-------/-----/---------------------- A-1------1-------2------2-------/-------/-----/----------------------- E--------------------------------------------------------------------- how you want solo: Bb Bb/E F A E----/\-----/-\-----/-\------/---/\-----/\-----/\------/--/5-\3-\2-- B---/--\---/---\---/---\----/---/--\---/--\---/--\----/------------- G--/----\-/-----\-/-----\--/---/----\-/----\-/----\--/-------------- D-/------/-------/--------/---/------/------/-------/--------------- A-1----------0------------------------------------------------------ E--------------------3----1-------------------------0--------------- ^ (use your thumb) D E------/-\-----/\---- B-3---/---\---/--\--- (note: the second and third time you play the solo, G----/-----\-/----\-- you have to go back to the beginning of it and play D-0-/-------\------\- thru again up to here before going on. If this is A-------0------------ your first time through, just ignore me.) E-------------------- Bb Bb/E F A E----/\-----/-\-----/-\------/---/\-----/\-----/\------/- B---/--\---/---\---/---\----/---/--\---/--\---/--\----/-- G--/----\-/-----\-/-----\--/---/----\-/----\-/----\--/--- D-/------/-------/--------/---/------/------/-------/---- A-1----------0------------------------------------------- E--------------------3----1-------------------------0---- still A E----/\-----/\-----/\---- B---/--\---/--\---/--\--- then it's back to the verses G--/----\-/----\-/----\-- (which are the same as the intro, remember?) D-/------\------\------\- A------------------------ E------------------------ D C/F C C/F A I don't want to walk around D C/F C C/F A Don't even want to breath D C/F C C/F A I'm stuck in a southern town D C/F C C/F A where all you can do is grit your teeth D Bb G D! G! D! But I wouldn't have you How you want then go back to the solo but play the part with the /5 \3 \2 slide twice this time, like I said in that parenthetical note. Then you get to what I'm going to call the Middle Part. I'm going to trust you to know the "basic pattern" well enough by now that I don't have to tab it out. Listen to the song to get the bass notes. Middle Part: Bb Db F A Bb Db D A How come you're not afraid of what you aaaaaaare? Bb Db F A Bb Db D! G! D! And sorry that you're the one she got Dm F A D E--/--/-\--/\---/--/\---/\---/\---/---/\---/\---/--/-\---/\----------- B-/--/---\/--\-/--/--\-/--\-/--\-/---/--\-/--\-/--/---\-/--\---------- G-3----2--0---/--/----\----\----\---/----\----\--/-----\----\--------- D-------------3-----------------2-------------0----------------------- A---------------------------------------------------0----------------- E--------------------------------------------------------------------- Bb Bb/E F A E----/\-----/-\-----/-\------/---/\-----/\-----/\------/- B---/--\---/---\---/---\----/---/--\---/--\---/--\----/-- G--/----\-/-----\-/-----\--/---/----\-/----\-/----\--/--- D-/------/-------/--------/---/------/------/-------/---- A-1----------0------------------------------------------- E--------------------3----1-------------------------0---- still A E----/\-----/\-----/\---- B---/--\---/--\---/--\--- and then back to the verses again... G--/----\-/----\-/----\-- D-/------\------\------\- A------------------------ E------------------------ D C/F C C/F A There's nobody looking now D C/F C C/F A Nobody nothing's said D C/F C C/F A No one's about to shout D C/F C C/F A Nobody's seeing red D Bb G D Bb* G D Bb G D! G! D! But I wouldn't have you how you waaaaant then play the solo again, only this time play the line with the /5 \3 \2 slide in it three times. Then you're on the home stretch. All you have to do is wail on the strings as hard as you can (still using the basic pattern of course-- can't forget to pick those bass notes with your thumb) D Bb F A You're killing a southern belle D Bb F A killing a southern belle D Bb F A killing a southern belle D Bb F A D This is way too long and way too exact. I seriously doubt whether anyone wants to play this song this well, and if you do you've probably already figured it out for yourself and don't need my confusing tabs. If these worked for you though, it would be cool to get an email from you: duckfluf@yahoo.com. If you're really dedicated you can ask me to clarify bits that were confusing and I didn't know how to tab properly and I'll actually reply! I have this sneaking suspicion also that nobody but mediocre guitarists like myself actually needs tabs this exact and everyone else just figures out all the details by listening to the cd. If this is the case, it would be kind of someone to tell me as much, so that I don't embarrass myself further. cheers, duckfluf