Misc Traditional - Si Bagh An Si Mor guitar tab

Si Bagh An Si Mor (Traditional Gaelic/Celtic Melody) in the Key Of D

Arranged by John M. (Dadfad) 10/7/02 (Using Notepad Courier New 10 Font)

The tune is called by many similar names, "Sheebeg and Sheemore", etc.

This is a frequently played and requested tune among Traditional-Celtic

guitarists and Traditional-Celtic audiences. It's been done by a number

of artists, in various keys in various tunings with varying degrees of

difficulty. I've used Dropped-D (DADGBE) because it seems like the most

commonly heard tuning for this piece. The tab below isn't that difficult,

but is still true enough to the theme and full enough so that it easily

may be used either as a finished tune, or merely as a basis to elaborate

on. Where I think it may help I'll try to describe holding positions or

fingering suggestions that might make it easier to play. Any fingerstyle

guitar is difficult to tab and even more difficult to play from tab, but

I'll try to make it as clear and understandable as possible.

(holding a D-chord 000232 to start....)

E)_________0___0h2______0___________0h2__________

B)_____3____________________3__3_________3_______

G)_________2_________________________2___________

D)_____0____________0_______0__0_________0_______

A)_______________________________________________

D)______________0_______0________________________

E)_______________________________________________

B)______0_____________0____2___3________3________

G)_____________0_______________________(2)_______

D)__________0_________0____2_______0_____________

A)_____(5)_____________________________(0)_______

D)______5______________________0________0________

E)______________________________________0___0h2___2h3p2___0__

B)________0___________0____2__3______3______(3)_____3_____2__

G)___2___(0)______0__(0)________________0___0h2_____2_____0__

D)__(0)________0___________2_____0___2____________________2__

A)_______(5)_________(5)______2___________________________0__

D)___0____5___________5______________________________________

E)__2_______________0_______________________________________

B)______0___________________________3_______3___2_____3_____

G)__0__________0________2_______2_______0____________(2)____

D)__2_______0_______2__(0)___0______2_______2_______________

A)_____(5)_____________(0)______________0_______0____(0)____

D)______5_______________0_____________________________0_____

E)___2_____5_____7___________3___0____________________________

B)__(3)___(3)_________________________3______2____3___3_____3_

G)_________2____________0________0___(0)__________2______2__2_

D)___0_______________0_______0_______(2)__2__2___(0)__0_____0_

A)______________(5)___________________0___________0______0__0_

D)_______________5________________________________0_________0_

Now the second round of the theme starts, similar to the first.

E)_________0___0h2______0___________0h2___5______

B)_____3____________________3__3_________________

G)_________2_________________________2___________

D)_____0____________0_______0__0__________0______

A)_______________________________________________

D)______________0_______0________________________

E)______7____________5_____0h2______0h2__0_______0___0h2___0______

B)__________________________3________________3________________3___

G)______________0___________________0h2__0_______2_________0______

D)__________0________2__________0____________0________0_______0___

A)_____(5)__________________0_____________________________________

D)______5___________________0_____________________________________

E)______________________2________________0____________________________

B)____0_________0____________0___________________3______3___2___3_____

G)__________0_______2_______________0________2_______0__________2_____

D)_______0______0__(2)___________0_______2___0___2______2___2_______3_

A)____5_____________0___2___(5)______________________0__________0_____

D)____5______________________5_______________0__________________0_____

E)____2____5____7__________3___0______________________

B)__________________________________3_______2____3____

G)____2____2___________0_________________________2____

D)__________________0______0___2___(2)__2___2____0____

A)__________________________________0____________0____

D)______________5________________________________0____

E)____2h3p2____0_____2________________

B)______3____________3________________

G)______2______0_____2________________

D)___________________0________________

A)___________________0________________

D)___________________0_____12(harm)___

Now, I'll try as much as possible what is being done in the various portions

of the tune. I'll use a number with a letter (the letters underneath) to show

approximate location of what I'm describing (like 1A or 8D, etc) on the line

below each tab-staff. Anyway...

-1A is a pinch with the thumb and first finger. This is the basic technique of

this entire tune, so I won't describe every pinch. Assume it likely is unless

I show otherwise.

-1B is a roll. After you come out of a pinch, you frequenly "roll" to add some

texture to the tune. You generally use your thumb to do it. I'm not going to

show every roll either. When you see a succession of single notes, usually

going downward (toward your lap) it's probably a roll.

-1C is just more pinches. Note the 0h2 (hammer from open to 2nd fret, which

is used in several other areas too).

-2A This is a G chord-form. (This is a very frequently-used G-form in finger-

style Dropped-D). It is most easily played just by using your thumb around

the neck on the 6 (and 5) strings, 5th fret. Pinch that with the open 2-string.

The (5) in parenthesis means that note may be sounded with the un-parenthesed

note, usually by just sort of extending or dragging the pinch a bit. Roll to..

-2B is more pinches going into a rolled note (2C). Go into sort of holding a

D-chord but then just pinch that 2-string/3-fret and open 6-string part, then

a little roll on the open 4-string as you go to play a fairly full D-chord...

-2D, which is dragged from both directions (trying to sound the (0) and the (2).

(I don't think I need to describe every pinch and roll now, unless its unusual

in some way. Just the information about the first two lines explains most of

what is meant in the rest of the tune.)

-3A is a double-string hammer. Not difficult, just hold the 2-string/3rd-fret

note with your ring finger and hammer your first and middle finger into a

regular D-chord shape.

-3B is a trill. A little tricky, depending on your experience with them. You

hold the 1st-string/2nd-fret hand hammer-on the 3rd-fret then pull it back off

slightly plucking it with your finger tip if necessary to sound all three notes

of the trill clearly.

-3C is an A7 chord that can be thumb-strummed down.

-4A is a continuation of that A7, but now with an added F# (1-string/2nd-fret)

which adds sort of a diminished/sixth feel taking you to...

-4B which is, again, a G-chord. Then to....

-4C which is back to an A chord-form fragment (A7) and then on to...

-4D which is a D-chord, giving a feeling of partial resolution,

-4E rolling back again through other partial A-forms (Asus4 fragment to A7

again) and then...

-4F back to the D. Then sort of a little end-line...

-5A starting in a D-shape and...

-5B adding the 12th note (A) to that D by extending the pinkie down to the

first-string/fifth-fret to catch it. Then to...

-5C the G-chord. Again, holding the 5 and 6 strings/5th fret with your thumb

allows you to reach the 1-string/7th-fret (adding an 11th note B). (Just a

note: using that thumb for your G-chord gives you a great range of what you

can do with your other fingers when playing in Dropped-D in any style.) Roll

that G-form into...

-5D which is also part of a G-major chord. Roll into...

-5E which is a D, and into...

-5F which is again Asus4 to A7. Then...

-5G a rich D-chord, either using a full pinch to catch all five strings.

-5H is just a little repetitive end-tag of a couple of two-string pinches and

a final slightly arpeggiated strum as to allow all five notes to be he heard.

That more or less explains the first section. There isn't much reason to

go over the next section lines #6, #7, #8, and #9, which, while different,

are done using the same techniqes through the same progression.

-10 is just a trill and flourish ending on a full, rich slightly arpeggiated

D-chord, topped of with a D-harmonic on the 6-string/12th-fret (if you

want to put it there!)

And that's pretty much it. You can use that dominant theme to improv more

verses or repeat them or whatever. Anyway that covers the theme melody of the

piece. It's all done in a I, IV, V progression of forms of D, G and A. You

should listen to one or more versions of the tune to get a sense of how it

flows. If you visualize, while you're playing it, that you're in one of those

positions, instead of just a series of riffs, it makes it much easier to work

with and especially to improvise on further. Maybe just a simple strumming

pattern of the positions would make it easier to associate the passages to the

progression. It would pretty much be like this:

DDD DDD GGG D

GGG DDD GGG A

D G A D

GGG AAA D

That's more-less the feel of the progression (there are little variances but

that's close). If you can see the pinches and rolls, etc as being made within

those D, G or A positions, it all sort of flows from that point. In any case,

that's it. I hope I explained it well enough to make some kind of sense! Any

questions, just ask. Good luck. -Dadfad