guitar help?

[swoll1980]

You guys are my last resort. I know there is a lot of people on this forum that play guitar, so this isn't that far of a stretch. There was a movie called National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. That movie featured a song performed by Ray Charles, called The Spirit of Christmas. I have been trying to find the tab for this song all night with no luck. Any chance you guys can help me out?

[wilee-nilee]

Are you sure it's not That spirit of Christmas.

[Gremlinzzz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhxdQBFmDZ0
That Spirit of Christmas~Music by Ray Charles
couldn't find tabs or chords

[hhh]

I think this sounds a bit less loud, but a lot less warbly too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsMf-6F1aVM

Your probably not going to find a tablature transcription of it as Ray was a pianist and there is a good deal of orchestration on this. Still, it's a I-IV-I-V-I blues progression in C#maj with a big suspension on the first IV chord and an incredibly blunt "up a half step" to Dmaj transition in the middle. You can riff on that all day long and it'll sound OK. The intro is just I-IV with that descending tetrachord (so, I-Imaj7-Imaj6-I-IV).

I'm guessing that on guitar you'll want to transpose it to Emaj or something, and maybe leave the key-change out of it. Anyway, if you can get an mp3 of it, I highly recommend playing it through playitslowly if you want to work out some of the individual guitar riffs, like the one that opens the song...
http://29a.ch/playitslowly/

[wilee-nilee]

I found a chipmunks version with guitar tabs. I actually understand your notation hhh I've studied music theory.

[hhh]

Hence the saxomaphone? :^)

[wilee-nilee]

Hence the saxomaphone? :^)

Yep not me of course but John Coltrane. I can't find the chord changes and I think the chipmunks version is not the same.

[Gremlinzzz]

Trying to put acoustic guitar chords.but it keeps sounding country. how about power chords and make it sound punk.lol a Ramones version.

[swoll1980]

I think this sounds a bit less loud, but a lot less warbly too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsMf-6F1aVM

Your probably not going to find a tablature transcription of it as Ray was a pianist and there is a good deal of orchestration on this. Still, it's a I-IV-I-V-I blues progression in C#maj with a big suspension on the first IV chord and an incredibly blunt "up a half step" to Dmaj transition in the middle. You can riff on that all day long and it'll sound OK. The intro is just I-IV with that descending tetrachord (so, I-Imaj7-Imaj6-I-IV).

I'm guessing that on guitar you'll want to transpose it to Emaj or something, and maybe leave the key-change out of it. Anyway, if you can get an mp3 of it, I highly recommend playing it through playitslowly if you want to work out some of the individual guitar riffs, like the one that opens the song...
http://29a.ch/playitslowly/

Thanks! alot. The play it slowly trick is really cool, and I learned alot. Great tip!