Ballad of Big Nothing - Elliot Smith (either/or) Notation: \ = slide down to... N.C.= No Chord / = Indicates the general strumming pattern Timing: I'm not guaranteeing the accuracy of the timing - its just a guideline. Count it out! Chords Used: C = x32010 Am = x02210 Fm = 1331xx G = 320003 Intro - If you listen closely, you'll notice that Elliot is playing chords along with the melody line. During the G-bit at the end of the intro, put an emphasis on the highest string being strummed - this gives you the melody. N.C. C / / N.C. Am / / / C / / N.C. Am / / / E------|x--------------|0--------------|x--------------|0------------------| B------|1--------------|1--------------|1--------------|1------------------| G---5\0|0-----------5\0|2--------------|0-----------5\0|2------------------| D------|2--------------|2--------------|2--------------|2------------------| A------|3--------------|0--------------|3--------------|0------------------| E------|x--------------|x--------------|x--------------|x------------------| | | | | | Timing:| | | | | |---4-+|1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+|1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+|1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+|1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+----| Fm G G / / / / / / / / / / / / / E-x-----------------------|-------3-----------------|----------------------| B-x-----------------------|-0--1--0-----------------|----------------------| G-1-----1--3--1--3--0--2--|-0--0--0-----------------|----------------------| D-3-----3--3--3--3--0--0--|-0--0--0-----------------|----------------------| A-3-----3--3--3--3--2--2--|-2--2--2-----------------|----------------------| E-1-----------------3--3--|-3--3--3-----------------|----------------------| | | | Timing: | | | |-1--+--2--+--3--+--4--+--|-1--+--2--+--3--+--4--+--|-1-+-2-+-3-+-4-+------| Throwing candy out to the crowd and C Dragging down the main... The little 'tickle' on the Fm chord here in the intro can be used liberally throughout the rest of the song (whenever an Fm occurs). The rest of the chords and lyrics are in the file that's already posted. /------------------------------- I got the idea for the timing diagram from the Ben Harper homepage. -- Mike Steinert. msteinert@bigfoot.com