In the included or attached tab Jan-Olov Sundqvist used some strange (to me) notations that I need clarified. In the first 2 measures he indicates the 5th string is to be played open and then has an upside down flag on the note—what the heck does that mean? I can’t find it described in any tutorials on tablature anywhere. Also the song is 4:4 timing but the notes don’t seem to add up to that, how does that work? Thanks for the help.
banjohangout.org/forum/attachm...ID=312310
It is syncopation. In the first measure: The fifth string notes are 1/8 notes and the notes on first string is 1/4 notes. There are three 1/4 notes and two 1/8 notes which makes 4/4. In the second measure the fifth string notes are 1/8 notes and the first first string note is 1/4 followed by by two 1/8 notes and a 1/4 notes, which also makes 4/4.
Watch this video by Chris Berry: https://youtu.be/t3aIsJhEq8w
The flag indicates that these are eighth notes. These are intended short notes prior to the following quarter note to add some syncopation. These 3 quarter notes and 3 eighth notes add up ti 4 beats in those measures.
Some tab writers will use an m-skip to indicate syncopation. This is an eighth-noteres followed by the thumb playing the eighth note leading in to the next note. Much easier to hear and imitate than to describe in words.
David
Oops. Jan beat me to it with a better explanation.
Edited by - dbrooks on 04/28/2025 12:40:14
Thanks, makes perfect sense now!
You should also think of it is Old-Time three-finger style, not clawhammer.
Edited by - janolov on 04/29/2025 02:17:32
The time signature is 4/4, so you have four beats per measure with a beat equaling a quarter note. That means that the sum of the time values of all the notes in any measure should equal one. In the first measure, you have two eighth notes and three quarter notes; the sum of those notes equals one. In the second measure, you have four eighth notes and two quarter; again, the sum of those notes equals one. It's a valid tablature.
