Peter Hammill - Now more than ever (chords)


From: Eamonn Monaghan
Subject: Chord/tab transcription of 'Now more than ever' from 'Patience' 
Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1999 19:56:50 +0100


Below is a chord/tab working of 'Now more than ever' from PH's 'Patience' 
album. Naturally, the student will need to refer to the CD/Album for the
arrangement.
 
I make the guitar 5/4 riff (allowing for double tracking, harmonies)
starting with e on the 3rd (G)string at the 9th fret
 
e  b,    d#  a,    a b g a       -  the g is low on the 5th (A)string
e  b,    d#  a,    a b g f#      -  the g and f# are high on the 2nd (B)string   
 
The vocal verse section is a very manic set of strums with no third something like:

Strums:
1         2     3          4     5            1            2    3    4   5            
Esus2  /     F#sus2 /      Dsus2     Esus2    /     /    /    (Em)       (the Em stab is at the 12th fret)
...coma and consciousness    no   hard and fast line......etc

 
then in triplet time:
 
1         &       2   &   3      &            1         &    2    &     3       &    
F#sus2         /         /       Gsus2     F#sus2       /            /       Gsus2
I    don't know                  what to    make of the dreamtime ...  it 
 
1         &       2   &   3      &            1         &    2    &     3       &    
F#sus2         /         /       Gsus2     F#sus2       /            /       Gsus2
seems as though             I'm          me            but I'm .......
 
then just sustained strums of Esus2 (thankfully) before the chorus
 
1    2    3    4    5        1    2    3    4    5    etc        (probably a bit of whammy-bar here, more dissonance - aaaaargh!)
Esus2                        Esus2
now more than ever     happening inside myself.....
 
The chorus hints towards being major chords all of the way through (although I 
think the 3rd has been dropped for the sus2 and sus4 in some chords), I make 
it as follows:
 
F# sus2        Dsus4        Esus2    C#sus4   
stored     information or   secretive  clue.....
 
F# sus2        Dsus4        Esus2    /     /        repeat
so much will  fit       the design ...
 
 
Example: The Esus2 chord shape on the guitar looks something like this played 
at the 7th fret
 
0 = open string
X = not played
 
Esus2:                                    F#sus2                            Gsus2
strings
Lo                  Hi                Lo                    Hi           Lo                          Hi
     0 7 9 9 7 7                        X 9 11 11 9 9                   X 10 12 12 10 10
 
Dsus4                                     C#sus4
 
    X 5 7 7 8 5                         X 4 6 6 7 4
 
the Em stab at the end of the verse is played occasionally and is:
 
Lo                    Hi
    X X X 12 12 12


In the 1980's, I think largely due to the influence of Andy Summers, Robert 
Fripp and The Edge, Major and minor chords and heavy metal root-5th 'power'
chords went out of fashion to be replaced by very spacious sus2, 9th, sus4 and 
11th chords and I think John 'Fury' Ellis was no exception here. These chords
sound very lush with chorus/flange/echo on clean guitar without overdrive.
 
Incidentally, I suspect that John Ellis played the main guitar part as the 
verse section is impossible to sing and play at the same time. I'm reasonably 
adept at playing in counterpoint to my own voice but this is definitely a 
'kick-ass' guitar part that I'd want to get my head down and just play.
 
Stay Frosty
 
Eamonn Monaghan



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