[Rockerbob]

I found the words on the Internet Monday evening and did a quick recording Tuesday evening. Forgive the clams, each part was a single take. I was anxious to hear it. I love this tune and I'm glad I finally got around to learning it. I'm playing in G, capoed at the third fret, so it's in Bb. It works good here for my voice.

Hallelujah_mix2.mp3

[Rockerbob]

Originally Posted by garfield65

Absolutely awesome, Rockerbob.

A beautiful song, beautifully performed.

Is there any chance someone out there could post the chords and/or tabs to this song? I've started trying to figure it out myself, but I suck at transcribing by ear!

This is what I used, capoed at fret 3. When I first worked it out, I was in C, but that's a bit too high for comfort.

[garfield65]

Thanks, Rockerbob, you're a legend!!!

[Hockey Rocker]

That was just beautiful, Rocker Bob. What a lovely version of one of my favorite songs. I just transcribed it to F, losing the capo, which is a notable accomplishment for me (I'm a little slow with theory), and it fits my voice much better. What a great song. Thank you for that.

Now if I could only fingerpick in such a way as to emulate your technique, I may actually have something here. Any tips for the right hand? Thanks.

[CanuckTodd]

Hey Rocker Bob,
First of all, my apologies for messing with perfection. Your version was amazing. So much so I couldn't get the tune out of my head, listened to it a hundred times or so and then started to play along with it. Then I recorded me strumming on my 12 string and mixed them together. First time I've tried anything like this using Audacity software. The 12 string starts in when you start singing.

This was fun. The trouble is (well one of many with this version) is that the 12 string messes with the pauses in your vocals, which gave your version its haunting tones.

I tried to lower the 12 string track volume, but don't know much about how that software works. Any suggestions on how to add a backing track without wrecking a great song are welcome!

Cheers,

Originally Posted by Rockerbob

Sure, have at it. It wasn't my song to begin with. I was playing along with the recording last night and I decided I probably would not add another guitar part, but who knows? You might find something you like.

[shalombi]

I have said it earlier on, but every time I listen to your version of the song I am baffled by the quality of the sound and your voice, you just replaced the original on my ipod.

Oh and thanks alot for the pdf, im going to start working on it, maybe see if I can compete with you .

The 12 string accompagnment isn't bad but its too loud like you said it drowns the rest a bit, but try again the idea is great.

Thanks alot for this song.

Max

[Rockerbob]

Originally Posted by CanuckTodd

Hey Rocker Bob,
First of all, my apologies for messing with perfection. Your version was amazing. So much so I couldn't get the tune out of my head, listened to it a hundred times or so and then started to play along with it. Then I recorded me strumming on my 12 string and mixed them together. First time I've tried anything like this using Audacity software. The 12 string starts in when you start singing.

This was fun. The trouble is (well one of many with this version) is that the 12 string messes with the pauses in your vocals, which gave your version its haunting tones.

I tried to lower the 12 string track volume, but don't know much about how that software works. Any suggestions on how to add a backing track without wrecking a great song are welcome!

Cheers,

No apologies needed. THe whole idea is to have fun, and it sounds like you did. I would have a hard time suggesting how to add tracks to this one. I'm a tracker by nature. I love to add tracks, but this one came out pretty good just plain guitar and voice. I thought about some fills, and jammed a couple times to it, but I decided nothing I added would really add to the recording.

That being said, you didn't ruin the recording. Your part is nice and simple, which is what is called for. There are a couple places where the timing is a little loose and a couple places where it sounds like you stayed on a chord when I changed, but I'm on the road in a hotel room, without my good speakers and only laptop speakers, so I can't hear it as well as I would like to. I'll listen again when I'm back home.

Keep on playing!

[Rockerbob]

Originally Posted by Shalombi

Hey Rocker Bob,
I have said it earlier on, but every time I listen to your version of the song I am baffled by the quality of the sound and your voice, you just replaced the original on my ipod.

Oh and thanks alot for the pdf, im going to start working on it, maybe see if I can compete with you .

The 12 string accompagnment isn't bad but its too loud like you said it drowns the rest a bit, but try again the idea is great.

Thanks alot for this song.

Max

Thanks! I think I got lucky on this one. The tune really speaks to me and it seems to fit what I can do pretty well.

[CanuckTodd]

To ruin or not to ruin...

This is funny! Probably explains why email is a notoriously bad communications tool.

In my email, I got a notice that Rocker Bob replied to the post where I added a backing track to his masterful rendition of Hallelujah. Rocker Bob seemed to say that I ruined his recording (which I'm inclined to agree with by the way!)

See email below clipped from my email alert.

That being said, you did ruin the recording. Your part is nice and simple, which is what is called for. There are a couple places where the timing is a little loose and a couple places where it sounds like you stayed on a chord when I changed.....

Then when I visited the link, it appeared that Bob said I DIDN'T ruin the recording! This version is more in keeping with the rest of the spirit of his email, so I'll go with that one!

... That being said, you didn't ruin the recording. Your part is nice and simple, which is what is called for. There are a couple places where the timing is a little loose and a couple places where it sounds like you stayed on a chord when I changed...

It's a subtle difference. Only one letter and an apostrophe but it's a big difference!

Now I'm confused! DID ... DIDN'T

I'd hesitate to mess with (or make a mess of) anyone else's music, but then it dawned on me that with the few exceptions who post original music, that's what most of us are doing all time when we post tunes here!

[PickNGrin]

I saw the "ruin" version too, but I knew it had to be a typo.

[si16]

I'll wager that Rockerbob posted his reply which then triggered the e-mail. When he read the post he just made, he realised he typed "did" instead of "didn't" and so edited the post. An edit doesn't trigger an e-mail to be sent. RB is too much of a gent to just say you ruined it. Even if he didn't like it he would give constructive criticism rather than just come out and say he didn't like it. Anyway, I'm sure he'll post and give the full story.

[dean e. clark]

Originally Posted by Rockerbob

I found the words on the Internet Monday evening and did a quick recording Tuesday evening. Forgive the clams, each part was a single take. I was anxious to hear it. I love this tune and I'm glad I finally got around to learning it. I'm playing in G, capoed at the third fret, so it's in Bb. It works good here for my voice.

Hallelujah - Rockerbob

GOOD!!!!!!GOOD!!!!!!!!!GOOD!!!!! never heard the song before. love it.. i've got it saved and have driven my wife nuts listening to it over and over.. dean

[Clancy]

Originally Posted by si16

I'll wager that Rockerbob posted his reply which then triggered the e-mail. When he read the post he just made, he realised he typed "did" instead of "didn't" and so edited the post. An edit doesn't trigger an e-mail to be sent.

Yep. The original post sends the email. You have about 10 minutes to edit after that. I got the email too. Strangely enough, I actually read it as didn't as the did just didn't make sense when I read the rest of the post.

Clancy

[CanuckTodd]

Hey moderators thanks for the update.
I think the whole thing is quite funny!
I agree Rocker Bob seems a gent (and a talented dude) and likely just slipped up typing.

But just the same, I'll think twice next time before monkeying with the most popular song in the forum! Someone who has been playing for about 8 months (me) probably shouldn't alter a song by a master. I thought we were deep enough into the thread (35 posts long) that not too many people would find my post!

I was really hoping to get feedback about how to add a backing track and make it more subtle using Audacity. Maybe I'll make a post in another forum on that topic.

Enough said!

[si16]

CanuckTodd,

A lot of people here use Audacity so there's lots of info oni already. Just type Audacity into the search utility in the blue bar near the top of the page.

Originally Posted by CanuckTodd

I thought we were deep enough into the thread (35 posts long) that not too many people would find my post!

Us mods know everything. Even when lust and licentiousness burn in thy brow!

[nocat]

I too used Bob's song to try and jam with... And even though his response was positive
and complementary, I got the distinct impression that doing so was not cool... Not from
Bob, he seemed to be ok with it, but by the way it was ignored... And rightly so...!!!
I came to the realisation that some stuff was not to be tinkered with and the results
posted for public audience. I should have kept it to my self. I felt bad about it and
promptly killed the link... Therefore, the public apology and the "lesson learned" comment.

I have since listened to several versions of Hallelujah, And I must say, with all honesty
that they all pale in comparison with Bob's. Even Leonard Cohen sounds dull and lifeless in contrast...!!!