Watermelon tab by Leo Kottke

Here's a reissue of a classic tab by the old boys Jim Jarrell and Hank
Stanley themselves! (I've just corrected spelling errors and formatted the
paragraphs.)

Patrick R. Schwemmer
pschwemm@hotmail.com


Humphrey's by the sea, San Diego, 1991. Leo Kottke/Tuck and Patty in
concert.

A voice from the crowd during Leo's set... "Watermelon!!"... "Nah, I don't
like that tune," sez Leo. Too bad. It's my favorite on the Armadillo album
and one of my favorite Kottke tunes of all time. When I first discovered
Kottke's music in the early 70's, and during my formative years playing the
guitar, I must have listened to "Armadillo" a zillion times. I, like many of
you, marveled at the sound. As I struggled with Freight Train at 10 beats
per minute the possibility of playing anything even slightly approaching
what I heard in Armadillo was beyond my wildest imagination. Still is!!!
Here's a simple fact... Kottke is Kottke and you're not!! But... his music
is accessible when you realize that you'll never play it exactly like Leo.
No sweat, just sit back, get a grip, and do it your own way... however, the
basic Kottke sound is accessible, albeit with some effort.

"Watermelon" surrounds you with a wall of sound. I think the key to the tune
rests in the right hand picking pattern. The pattern has an almost banjo
flavor to it. While a standard alternating bass with the thumb is there,
it’s the emphasis of the higher voice created by the fingers that I think
gives Watermelon its distinctive "hook". That combined with the left hand
alternating a slight release of the notes as the pattern plays out creates
the sound. The latter concept relates to the "nudging someone off a bus"
technique Leo referred to in the "8 Songs" book. Took me a while to figure
out what he meant by that... I think I understand.

While recorded on a 12 string, Watermelon sounds okay on a 6. Too bad Leo
never re-recorded it 'ala Mona Ray and Ojo on a 6 string. Also, if you
haven't gotten into slide guitar yet, you can also work this one around
pretty well without a slide. This tab is far from accurate but it'll get you
headed in the right direction. A simplified, basic version of the tab was
given to me by fellow Kottke enthusiast Hank Stanley. He deserves most of
the credit...I'm not nearly smart enough to have figured out the positions
Leo plays this thing out of...positions that in retrospect are ridiculously
simple...Thanks Hank!.


         "Watermelon"
            Leo Kottke
         From: "6&12 String Guitar"
         Tab: Hank Stanley/Jim Jarrell

Open D (several 1/2 steps low)
12 string w/ slide

Timing: 4/4? (Dunno!) Speed: Pretty darn fast!

h hammer on
p pull-off
g ghost note: note that, while played, is not accentuated
        and/or who's primary purpose is to facilitate
        left hand movement or maintain the beat
T thumb or thumb brush down catching several strings
I index finger
' accentuated note,ie. at least partial emphasis
/ slide up the neck (towards saddle)
\ slide down the neck (towards nut)
X mute,dampen or move to/from indefinite position

Section I: A banjo roll of sorts. Rock steady syncopation
      with second string creating almost "drone" sound.
      No, repeat, no hesitation on "pinches"

d|-------------------------------------|
a|--------0-----0-----0-----0-----0----|
f#-@----3---3-------3---3-------3---3--|
D|-@------0-------0-------0-------0----|
A|----3-------3-------3-------3--------|
D|-------------------------------------|


|-------------------------------------|
|------0-----0-----0-----0-----0------|
|----1---1-------1---1-------1---1----|
|------0-------0-------0-------0------|
|--2-------2-------2-------2----------|
|-------------------------------------|


|-------0------0--------0--------0------0---|
|-------------------------------------------|
|---0--------0--0-0h1--------1--------0-----|
|-----0--------0------0--------0--------0---|
|-----------------0h2-----------------------|
|-0--------0---------------0--------0-------|
        g
 Note: 5th string "h" has emphasis over
    3rd string "h".


|----0------2/4------2p0-------------0------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|--------0--------0---------0----0----------|
|------0--------0---------0--------0--------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-0---------0--------0---------0--------0---|



|------------------------------0-------0----|
|-------------------------------------------|
|-0---0------1-----1-------0--------0-------|
|---0------2---2-------2-----0---------0----|
|------------2-------2----------------------|
|--------0-------0-------0--------0---------|


Section II
      The weakest part of the tab; this
section befuddles me... too many octave notes
going on at one time. Here's 3 ways it could
be played. Regardless, this section is played
out of a good 'ole, standard tuning E or E7
chord position (I think!)


|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|------1-----1-----1------0'------0---------| repeat
|----2---2-------2---2--------0--------0----| many
|------2-------2-------0x-------0-----------| times
|--0-------0-------2--------0--------0------|

(Note: slight damp and accentuated note above)

or maybe it's...

|-------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------|
|------1-----1-----1-----0'------0----------|
|----2---2-------2---2-------0--------0-----|
|------2-------0x------2-------0------------|
|--0-------2-------0-------0--------0-------|


or maybe it's... a backwards banjo roll...



|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
|----1-----1-------1-----0'-----------|
|------2-----2---2---2--------0---0---|
|--------0-----0-------0--------0-----|
|--0---------------0--------0---------|

While not tabbed, you could also throw in the the 4th fret, 6th and 4th
string and 3rd fret, 3rd string during part of above section... lots of
options

The remaining part of this section is an example of one of the many reasons
why Kottke is Kottke and you and I aren't...

|------0---------------0------2/4-0-------|
|------------------------0----------------|
|----0---0-1-0-------------------------0--|
|------0-------2-0----------0--------0----|
|------------------2-0--------------------|
|--0-------------------0--------0---------|
     I T I T I T I

If, like me, you have trouble with the thumb/index flatpick style finger run
try this variation..


|------0--------------------0-----2/4--0-----|
|-------------0-----0---------0--------------|
|----0---0------1-----0---0----------------0-|
|------0----------2-----0-------0---------0--|
|--------------------------------------------|
|--0--------0---------------0-------0--------|


Section III

Constant, subtle vibrato throughout on 3rd string

|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
|------7/8-----8-----8-----8----------|
|----0-----0-------0---0-------0---0--|
|------0---------0-------0-------0----|
|--0---------0-------0-------0--------|

"7/8" slide above is very subtle (ghost slide?)


|----------------------------------| repeat 1st
|----------------------------------| two measures
|------6-----6-----6-----6*--------| of section then..
|----7---7-------7---7-------7---0-|
|------7-------7-------7-------7---|
|--0-------0-------0-------0-------|
             *on recording the high "g" string octave is
emphasized... I get the note by reaching down with my right index finger to
get better pull up to get the note... yeah, I know... picky, picky, picky


|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|
|------7-----7-----7-----7----------|
|----0---0-------0---0-------0---0--|
|------0-------0-------0-------0----|
|--0-------0-------0-------0--------|


|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|------3------3------3----3--------|
|----4----4--------4----------4----|
|------0x-------0x-----0x-------0x-|
|--4--------4--------4------4------|

dampen notes above with finger fretting 6th string


Next measure all with slide

|----------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------|
|------5-----5-----5---5---------7-----7----7---7\x--|
|--------5-------5-----5-----------7------7-----7\x--|
|------5-------5-----5-----5-----7-------7----7------|
|--x/5-----5-------5-----5---5/7-----7------7--------|


Section IV All fretted notes with slide
      and tons of vibrato


|-----X/12----12------12------12----------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-------------------0-----0---------0-----|
|-----0-----------0---------0---------0---|
|-----------------------------------------|
|--0--------0----------0----------0-------|


|-----X/11----11------11------11\X--------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-------------------0-----0-----------0---|
|-----0-----------0---------0-------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|--0--------0----------0------------0-----|


|-------5-----5-----5-----5---------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-------5---------5---5--------5\X--------|
|-------5-------5-------5------5\X--------|
|----5------------------------------------|
|--X/5-----5--------5--------5------------|

   T' T'           T'

|-----2/4---2/4---2/4-----2p0---------|
|-------------------------------------|
|-----------------------0--------0----|
|-----0-----0---------0--------0------|
|-------------------------------------|
|--0-----0--------0--------0----------|

You really do have to listen to last measure to get the feel and timing...
but that's true for entire tune

Repeat sections I and IV then section I to fade

Comments, questions and corrections welcome!

Jim Jarrell Work: JarrellJ@N4.OPNAV.NAVY.MIL
       Home: KQTJ46A@prodigy.com