Al Dimeola - Mediterranean Sundance guitar tab
This is my transcription of Al DiMeola's _Mediterranean Sundance_, an
acoustic duet with Paco Delucia off of the album _Elegant Gypsy_. Al
plays on the right channel, and Paco plays on the left channel. Paco
picks finger-style, while Al uses a pick.
Some notes:
I have only transcribed Al's parts, as I got tired of transcribing this
monster. (Paco's rhythm parts would be very difficult to transcribe
note for note, as he plays more intricate finger-style parts than Al)
Apparently, an incomplete transcription of this piece exists (from an
old magazine). I have not seen it, and therefore have not had the
opportunity to refer to it.
Al's playing is very fast and very clean. Amazing, especially beacause
he is doing it on a steel-strung acoustic. He may be playing
certain phrases in different positions, but the ones I notated are the
most likely. The transcription is broken up roughly by phrasing.
Though I have not transcribed any of Paco's parts, there are only two
basic chord progresssions in the entire piece. Em D C B7, and Am Bm7
(Bbm7) Am7 B7. Paco uses the Bbm7 to approach the Am7 from the Bm7 when
he is playing in the upper positions, a very common jazz-thing.
This piece is ideal for a duet. One player can jam out the chords,
while the other solos, and the players can switch around. It would be
kind of silly to try to recreate this piece note for note, don't you
think? Otherwise, Al's leads are good scalar exercises for building up
your acoustic chops.
============================================================================
Transcription notation:
h - hammer on
p - pull off
/ - slide up
- slide down
~ - vibrato
muted - palm mute
strum - strum the preceding chord
random comments are located throughout the transcription
============================================================================
Mediterranean Sundance (any comments please email ebshen@athena.mit.edu)
A:
|---0--0--0----0----0--0--0----0-----------0-|------------------------------
|--1--1--1----1-1--1--1--1----1-1----0-----0-|------------------------------
|-4--2--0--0h2----4--2--0--0h2------0-0------|-(repeat A 2nd time muted)---
|----------------------------------4---4---2-|------------------------------
|---------------------------------2-----2--2-|------------------------------
|----------------------------------------0-0-|------------------------------
B:
|---------10--12------12-10-7-10-7-----7-7-7-5-3-5-3-2-2-----2-3-5-3-2-----
|--8-10/12--12-------8-10--8-5--8-5-----5-5-5-3-1-3-1-0-0-------------------
|-9-9---------------9-------------------------------------------------------
|-------------------------------------------------------------(fast)--------
|----------------------|-muted----|-----|---let ring----|-------------------
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------2-3-5-3-2-----------2-3-5-3-2-----------2-3-5-3-2---------|------
-4-5-7-5-4-----------5-4-5/7-7-----------4-5-7-5-4-----------5-4-5-5-|------
---------------------------------------------------------------------|------
---------------------------------------------------------------------|------
---------------------------------------------------------------------|------
---------------------------------------------------------------------|------
------------|--7-8-10-8-7------------7-8-10-8-7---------------7-8-10-8-7----
------------|-------------7-8-10-8-7------------10-8-10/12-12---------------
-(repeat B)-|---------------------------------------------------------------
------------|--(fast)-------------------------------------------------------
------------|---------------------------------------------------------------
------------|---------------------------------------------------------------
------------7-8-10-8-7--------||--------------------------------------------
-7-8-10-8-7------------8-7-5~-||--------------------------------------------
------------------------------||---(end of the intro)-----------------------
------------------------------||--------------------------------------------
------------------------------||--------------------------------------------
------------------------------||--------------------------------------------
DiMeola's Lead, Paco plays essentially Am Bm7 (Bbm7) Am7 B7
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|---7---8---10---12-----13p12-10h12-10-8-8h10-8h10-8-8h10-8-8h10-8----------
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
|-|-tremelo-picking-|-------------------------------------------------------
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------|--------5-7-8-7-5---7-5-----
-8p7-8p7-8p7-8p7--7-75-5----5-5-5-5-5-5/7-7~--|--5-7-8-----------8-----8-7-
-----------------------------------------------|----------------------------
-----------------------------------------------|----------------------------
-----------------------------------------------|--(fast)--------------------
-----------------------------------------------|----------------------------
-5----------------------------------------------------------|---------------
---8-7-5-8-7-5----------------------------------------------|---------------
---------------7-5---4-----------------------4-5-4---4-5-4--|----------5-7--
-------------------7---5-7-4-5---4-----4-5-7-------7--------|--4/5-7-9------
-------------------------------7---5-7----------------------|---------------
-----------------------------------------------(slower)-----|--(fast)-------
--------------------7-------------7-10-8-7----8-7-------------7-8-10--10----
-------7---8-7-10-8---10-8-7-8-10----------10-----10-8-7-8-10---------------
-9-7-9---9------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------(slower)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-10/12-12-12/14-14-14/15-15-1514-14-14-1412-12-12-1210-10-10-108-8-87--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-7-7/8-7-7-5-5/7-7--|--------5-7-8-7-5---7-5-----5--------------------------
--------------------|--5-7-8-----------8-----8-7---8-7-5-8-7-5--------------
--------------------|------------------------------------------7-5-4-7-5-4--
--------------------|------------------------------------------------------7
--------------------|--(fast)-----------------------------------------------
--------------------|-------------------------------------------------------
Paco plays Em D C B7
--------------------------------------------------------|-----------12-14-15
--------------------------------------------------------|--12-13-15---------
-5-4-----4----------------------------------------------|-------------------
-----7-5---7-5-4-7-5-4----------------------------------|--(fast and muted)-
-----------------------7-5-3-2-0-2-0-2-0-------0-2-0-2--|-------------------
-----------------------------------------3-2-3----------|-------------------
-14-12-14-12-14-12--|-----------12-14-12-14-12----12-----|-----------12-14--
--------------------|--12-13-15----------------15----15--|--12-13-15--------
--------------------|------------------------------------|------------------
-------(slower)-----|--(fast and muted)--(slower)--------|--(fast)----------
--------------------|------------------------------------|------------------
--------------------|------------------------------------|------------------
-15-14-12----14-12-------12-------------------------------------------------
----------15-------15-13----15-13-12-15-13-12-------------------------------
----------------------------------------------14-12-11-14-12-11-9-12-11-9---
--------------------------------------------------------------------------12
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-11-9-------9---------------------------------------------------------------
------12-10---12-10-9-12-10-9----10-9-------9---------------9-10-12-9-10-12-
------------------------------12------12-10---12-10-9-10-12-----------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------10-|-12-10-------10-------------------------------
-----------------10-12-13----|-------13-12----13-12-10-13-12-10----12-10----
-9-11-12-9-11-12-------------|----------------------------------12-------12-
-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------|-(still fast)---------------------------------
-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------
-----------------7-8-7-------------7-8-10-8-7-------------------------------
----10---------8-------10-8-7-8-10------------10-8-7-10-8-7-----------------
-11----12-11-9----------------------------------------------9-7-------------
----------------------------------------------------------------10-9-7-10-9-
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------7-8-7-----------------------|--------------
--------------------------7-8-10-------10-8-7~---7-8-7-------|---7-7--------
----------------------7-9----------------------9-------9-8~--|-9-----9-9----
-7-------------7-9-10----------------------------------------|--------------
---10-9-7-9-10-------------------(slower)--------------------|-(slow)-------
-------------------------------------------------------------|--------------
-7--7h8-7-------12--12-12-10-12-10-8-10-8-7-8-7----7-7----7---7-7----7-7--
-7--------10-10-12------------------------------10-----10---------10------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----7-7-------------7-8-10-8-7------7---------------------------------------
-10-----10-8-7-8-10------------10-8---10-8-7-10-8-7-------------------------
----------------------------------------------------9-7-5-4-----------------
------------------------------------------------------------7-5-4-----------
------------------------------------------------------------------7-5-3-2-0-
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------2-0-------0-2-4-5-4------------------
-2-0-------0-2-0-------0-2-3-5-3-2-0-------3-2-3-------------5-3-2-5-3-2-0--
-----3-2-3-------3-2-3---------------3---------------------3----------------
-----------------------------------------------------------||---------------
-----------------------------------------------------------||----end-of-----
-----------------------------------------------------------||---------------
-----------------------------------------------------------||----DiMeola's--
-3-2-0---2-0-------0-2-3-5-3-2-0---------------------------||---------------
-------3-----3-2-3---------------2h3-2-2~-3-3~-2-2-3-3-2-2-||----lead-------
DiMeola's rhythm Em D C B7 (but he actually doesn't play the thirds)
|------------------------------------------|--------------------------------
|------------------------------------------|--------------------------------
|---------9---7----------5---------4-------|--9---------7-----------5--4--5-
|---------9---7(strum)---5(strum)--4(strum)|--9(strum)--7(strum)---5-5--5--5
|---------7---5----------3---------2-------|--7---------5---------3---3--3--
|-0-0-0-0-0--------------------------------|--------------------------------
----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------
----------------------|-----------------------------------------------0-----
--4-----0-0---0---0---|--9---------7---------5-----------5---0--0--0---0---0
---5---4---4-4-4-4-4--|--9(strum)--7(strum)--5(strum)---5-5-4-4--4--4---4-4-
-3--3-2-----2---2---2-|--7---------5---------3---------3---2---2--2--2---2--
----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------
|---------(rhthmically strumming now)--(something like this...)------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------9---------7--------5---------4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
|---------9(strum)--7(strum)-5(strum)--4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
|---------7---------5--------3---------2-2-2-2-0-0-2-2-2-2-2-2-0-2-3-2-0-2-|
|-0-0-0-0------------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------|----------------------------------
-----------------------------------------|----------------------------------
-9-9-9---------------0--0---0------------|--------------------------7-5-7---
-9-9-9-7-7-7-5-5-5--4--4-4-4-4-----------|---------------------------7-7-7--
-7-7-7-5-5-5-3-3-3-2--2---2---2-0-0-0-0--|--------7-7-7-7-7-5-5-5-5-------5-
-----------------------------------------|--0-0-0---0-0-0-0-----------------
-------------------------------------------------------|--------------------
-------------------------------------------------------|--------------------
-----5---5---5-4-2-------------------------------------|----------9---------
---5--5-5-5-5------5-4-2-------------------------------|----------9(strum)--
-3-3---3---3-------------5-3-2-----------2-0-2-0-2-3-2-|----------7---------
-------------------------------5-3-2-3-5---------------|--0-0-0-0-----------
-------------------------------------|--------------------------------------
-----------------------0--0----------|--------------------------------------
-7---------5------------0--0--0---0--|----------9--------5-7-5-4------------
-7(strum)--5(strum)---4-----4--4-4-4-|----------9(strum)---------7-5-4---4-5
-5---------3---------2---2---2--2----|----------7----------------------7----
-------------------------------------|--0-0-0-0-----------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------|--------0-------
-----------------------------------------------------------|--------0-------
-----------5---------5---5----5-4-2------------------------|----------------
-4---------5(strum)---5-5-----------5-4-2------------------|--------2-------
---7-5-0-3-3-----------3--3-5-------------5-3-2-0------0-2-|--------2-------
-------------------------------------------------3-2-3-----|--0-0-0-0-------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------0---
-7---------------4-5-7-5-4---5-4-----4-----------------5-5-5---5---5---0-0--
-7(strum)--4-5-7-----------7-----7-5---7-5-4-7-5-4-----5-5--5-5-5-5---4---4-
-5-------------------------------------------------7-5-3-3---3---3---2-----2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------
-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------
--0--5-4-2-------|-----------------------------------------------------5-7-9
-4-4-------5-4-2-|-2-2-2-(etc.)--0-0-0-(etc.)--------------5-7---5-7-9------
-----------------|-----------------------------------5-7-9-----9------------
-----------------|-----------------------------5-7-9------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------|--------------------
-------------------------------------------------------|--------------------
-7-5-4----------5-4-2----------------------------------|----------9---------
-------5-5-5-5--------5-4-2----------------------------|----------9(strum)--
-------3-3-3-3-0------------5-3-2-0------------2-3-2---|----------7---------
------------------------------------3-2--2-3-5-------0-|--0-0-0-0-----------
------------------------------------------------------------------7---------
-----------------------------------------------------7---8-7-10-8---10-8-7-8
-(knock on guitar body)--7-----------------5-7-9-7-9---9--------------------
-------------------------7(strum)--4/5-7-9----------------------------------
-------------------------5--------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----7-8-10-8-7----8-7------7-------------7--7-----7-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-8-------
-10------------10-----10-8---10-8-7-8-10------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---10--/----14-------12-----15---14---12-----------------12-----------------
------------------------------------------------------15----15-13-12--------
--(tremelo picking)------|play ten times very fast|------------------14-12--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-11--11-----11---11-11-11-11-----11---11-11-11--12--11-9-7------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------10-9-7-----------
------------------------------------------------------------------10-9-7----
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------|-(very fast constant strumming)----------|---------
------------------------|-----------------------------------------|---------
------------------------|-9---------7---------5---------4---------|---------
---------------9--------|-9(strum)--7(strum)--5(strum)--4(strum)--|---------
---------------9(strum)-|-7---------5---------3---------2---------|---------
-10-8-7-10-8-7-7--------|-----------------------------------------|---------
(fast constant strumming)----------------|--------------------------------||
-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------||
-9---------7---------5---------4---------|--------------------------------||
-9(strum)--7(strum)--5(strum)--4(strum)--|--play intro, without A, to end-||
-7---------5---------3---------2---------|--------------------------------||
-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------||
