Apache: Where to play that B note

[abstamaria]

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Phil, in another Shadows forum, made this observation:

“I've just noticed that when Hank plays the phrase over the Dm G section he doesn't fret the B note (on the 4th fret G string) as everyone seems to play it. Instead he plays an open B. There's always something new to discover!”

Of course, there would be a difference in playing it on the thicker, wound G than on the open, plain, thinner B string. The sustain on the note as well as the leading and following notes would differ as well. I just never noticed.

I watched the earliest Apache video (the mimed, black and white one), and it does seem Phil is right. I also looked at other later videos, and, while it's difficult to tell from those also, it does seem Hank strikes an open B.
Unless I’m told differently by the more knowledgeable here, I’m going to change the way I play that phrase!

Andy

[Simon Underwood]

I've always played it with an open B.

[petercreasey]

Me too.

[Martin Page]

I always fret the B note in the same way as I (have to) fret the F# note in the Am/D section...

Martin.

[cockroach]

I think Hank may have played a lot of the early tunes often using open strings, and playing the melody in the area of the first three or four frets.

I only noticed this by watching video clips in the past few years.

I taught myself to play Man of Mystery a long time ago, starting at the fifth fret and descending, but a few folk have said to me that Hank didn't play it like that, and watching YouTube clips I see they were right.

Doesn't matter that much, although you get a different timbre on the notes using stopped fretted notes rather than lots of open strings- and as emulating Hank's sound and style completely is what most Hank fans want, I suppose they feel they need to play the arrangements exactly as he did..

[noelford]

Personally, I dislike playing a lot of Shads tunes down at the bottom because they often involve open strings over which you have little control. Much of this material I play higher up the board (my Apache lead is based around the Am chord at the 5th fret) and I don't really care where Hank plays it, I really prefer the extra control and tone from the way I choose to play it.

[cockroach]

Agreed Noel!

I also often play Apache and many othehr tunes like that- if you work out a lot of guitar tunes without seeing how others play them, it's a logical way to work them out by yourself- that way you can transpose if necessary, whereas learning, playing only in the first position and using open strings a lot restricts development somewhat.

For practice and fun, I often learn tunes, then play them in as many keys as possible.

Someone recently said 'imagine having to play Apache in Ab!' - but if you avoid the usual way of playing of Apache (first three frets, lots of open strings) and choose another position on the neck, then you can play Apache (or any other tune)in any key.

Some teaching folk would probably say that learning to play all over the neck is the only way to really master the basics of guitar playing- which is probably why a lot of musicians used to sneer a bit when talking about Shads stuff-musically and technique wise, it was sometimes seen as a bit simple, sort of beginner's stuff.

[Uncle Fiesta]

I never use the open B for that phrase in Apache, as it can sometimes sound out of tune compared with the other notes round it.

I start the phrase with the F on the 4th string third fret (index finger) then slide up 4 frets (third finger) to the A, the next 2 notes (C and B) then fall fairly naturally on the 3rd string (5th fret middle finger, 4th fret index finger) and the rest all follow on from there.

[cockroach]

Steve (UncleFiesta)

If you stay in the fifth fret position, you can also form an F chord and still get all the notes in Apache by just moving one fret down or up by stretching a finger, and not even have to move your hand...

If you study different chord inversions and positions, it's often possible to get almost all the notes of a melody by playing across rather than along the fretboard.

The fact is, many tunes are just based on basic scales and chords anyway...

Much of a melody can be played that way, and when playing rhythm you can get most chords by playing in one basic position, and its often only necessary to move your hand position one fret down or up the fretboard to get most majors, minors and sevenths etc which are the fourths, fifths, relative minors etc in that key .

You do need to learn most versions of each chord (which is usually around three or four basic shapes in different positions for each chord) and you need to learn where ALL the notes are all over the fingerboard too!