Biography:
John Martyn OBE, born Iain David McGeachy (11 September 1948 – 29 January 2009), was a British singer-songwriter and guitarist. Over a forty-year career he released twenty studio albums.
He grew up in Glasgow and attended Shawlands Academy. John Martyn moved to London from Glasgow in the mid 1960s. He made his initial recorded impact in 1967, at the age of 19, with his debut album London Conversation. He then quickly became an integral part of the British music scene, incorporating Folk, Blues, and Jazz into his unique sound.
Read more on Last.fm
Other songs:
- Fairytale Lullaby
- Over The Hill
- Sweet Little Mystery
- An Hour Behind
- Baby Please Come Home
- Back Down The River
- Back To Stay
- Bless The Weather
- Cocaine
- Couldnt Love You More
- Cry Me A River
- Fishermans Dream
- Glory Box
- Head And Heart
- Hurt In Your Heart
- I Dont Wanna Know
- John The Baptist
- Just Now
- Make No Mistake
- May You Never
- May You Never Accompaniment
- Sandy Grey
- Small Hours
- Solid Air
- Spencer The Rover
Four years of hard work!This month of May we celebrated four years on the air. We continue working on the dissemination of this wonderful instrument, thank you for participating in our story!
Song: Solid air
Artist: John Martyn
Composer John Martyn
Album: Solid air
Tabbed by: DJ
6th Oct 2014
Light gauge strings would not be advisable for this low tuning.
Playing with a low C on the 6th string requires a real lightness of
left -hand technique to avoid pushing the slackest strings off of
the fretboard, you will also need to re-check the tuning more often than
usual too if you play this tune repeatedly while practising it, the slack
strings will go out of tune much quicker than standard tuning.
John Martyn live duet with Danny Thompson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg_Utj4Aljc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohmSPv-rtSQ
Live solo performance in Germany video(1978)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8Blccc0PM0
Here John tunes even lower to: A# F C# D# G# C with, generally, the same
chord shapes, but sounding a full tone lower. He busts a D string in the
first part of the clip, so the song begins at [3:24]
John constantly improvised on his songs, never playing or singing them
exactly as his records. There is plenty of room for experimenting and
adding your own subtleties, which is what his songs are all about.
Use plenty of slides, hammer-ons and percussive slaps to add more life.
The key to playing this song is the beautiful open tuning.
Once you hear that chord on open strings you're half- way there.
The chords are pretty much all one finger shapes, straight barres
across all the strings. Getting to the open tuning is the trickiest part,
a chromatic tuner is very useful, unless you've the keen ear that John had:
Top E string - Down to D
B string - Down to A#
G string - Down to F
D string - Up to D#
A string - Down to G
Bottom E string - Down to C
OPEN TUNING: C-G-D#-F-A#-D
Try this little run at the beginning of the 1st & 2nd lines of the verses.
[Cm11 riff]
You've been (tak -ing your...)
D |-------------------------------|
A#|-------------------------------|
F |-------------------------------|
D#|-------------------------------|
G |-------0----0-----h3---h5---0--|
C |--0----------------------------|
N.B.
Please IGNORE ANY POP-UP CHORD BOXES the website might automatically suggest
and use the typed shapes shown below:
Cm11 = 000000 or 050000
Fm11 = 555555 (Occasionally adding a high note - 555558)
F11sus2 = 557555
Gm11 = 777777
Fm7 = 555756
Cm11 * = 0 0 0 0 12 12 (*Harmonics)
h = Hammer-on note p = pull-off note = Slide note down
Please select a star rating for this tab, many thanks
==========================================================================
[Intro]
Fm11 Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Fm11
D |---------------|----5-----5--5--|-----------------|-----5----5--5---5--|
A#|---------------|----5-----5--5--|-----------------|-----5----5--5---5--|
F |---------------|----5-----5--5--|-----------------|-----5----5--5---5--|
D#|---------------|----5-----5--5--|-----------------|-----5----5--h7--5--|
G |---------------|-------5--------|-----0-h3-h5--0--|--------5-----------|
C |--0--0--12-0--|--5-------------|--0--------------|--5-----------------|
[Verse 1]
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Cm11
You've been taking your time, and you've been living on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Cm11
You've been walking the line, you've been living on ...solid air,
Fm11
Don't know what's going wrong inside,
Gm11
And I can tell you that's it's hard to hide,
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
When you're living on------ ...solid air----------------------!
[Verse 2]
Cm11 Fm11
You've been painting it blue,
F11sus2 Cm11
And you've been looking through ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11
You've been seeing it through,
F11sus2 Cm11
But you've been looking through ...solid air,
Fm11
Don't know what's going wrong in your mind,
Gm11
And I can tell you don't like what you find,
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
When you're moving through ...solid air-----------, solid air!
[Verse 3]
Gm11
I know you, I love you, and I can be your friend,
Fm11
I could follow you ...anywhere------,
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Fm11 Cm11
Even----- through----- ...so - lid air-------------!
[Verse 4]
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Cm11
You've been stoning 'em cold, you've been living on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Fm11 Cm11
You've been finding them cold, you've been liv - ing on ...solid air,
Fm11
I don't know what's going wrong inside,
Gm11
I can tell you that's it's hard to hide,
Cm11 Fm11 Cm11
When you're living on ...solid air, ...solid air!
[Verse 5]
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
You've been getting too deep, you've been living on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11
You've been missing your sleep,
F11sus2 Cm11 Cm11 *
And you've been moving through ...solid air,
Fm11
I don't know what's going wrong in your mind,
Gm11
But I know you don't like what you find,
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
When you're moving through ...solid air, ...solid air!
[Verse 6]
Gm11
I know you, I love you, I will be your friend,
Fm11
I could follow you ...anywhere,
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Fm11 Cm11
Even------- through ...solid ...air-------------!
[Verse 7]
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Cm11
You've been walking your line, you've been walking on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11
You've been taking your time,
Fm7 Fm11 Cm11 Cm11 *
But you've been walking on ...solid air,
Fm11
Don't know what's going wrong inside,
Gm11
But I can tell you that's it's hard to hide,
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Fm11 Cm11
When you're living on ...solid ...air----------------!
[Verse 8]
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Fm11 Cm11
Been painting it blue, you've been living on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11
And you've been seeing it through,
F11sus2 Cm11
And you've been moving through ...solid air,
Fm11
I don't know what's going on in your mind,
Gm11
But I can tell you don't like what you find,
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
When you're living on ...solid air----------, solid air!
[Verse 9]
Gm11
I know you, I love you, and I will be your friend,
Fm11 Fm7 Fm11
I could follow you ...anywhere------------,
F11sus2 Fm11 Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Fm11 Cm11
Even---- through------- ...solid air--------------!
[Coda]
Cm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11 Fm7 Fm11
Ice cool------ ...solid air----!
Cm11 Fm11 Cm11 Fm11 Cm11 Fm11 Cm11 Fm7 Fm11
Nice--------- cool----- ...so---------lid air!
Cm11 Fm11 Cm11 Cm11 *
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / ||
Artist: John Martyn
Composer John Martyn
Album: Solid air
Tabbed by: DJ
6th Oct 2014
Light gauge strings would not be advisable for this low tuning.
Playing with a low C on the 6th string requires a real lightness of
left -hand technique to avoid pushing the slackest strings off of
the fretboard, you will also need to re-check the tuning more often than
usual too if you play this tune repeatedly while practising it, the slack
strings will go out of tune much quicker than standard tuning.
John Martyn live duet with Danny Thompson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg_Utj4Aljc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohmSPv-rtSQ
Live solo performance in Germany video(1978)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8Blccc0PM0
Here John tunes even lower to: A# F C# D# G# C with, generally, the same
chord shapes, but sounding a full tone lower. He busts a D string in the
first part of the clip, so the song begins at [3:24]
John constantly improvised on his songs, never playing or singing them
exactly as his records. There is plenty of room for experimenting and
adding your own subtleties, which is what his songs are all about.
Use plenty of slides, hammer-ons and percussive slaps to add more life.
The key to playing this song is the beautiful open tuning.
Once you hear that chord on open strings you're half- way there.
The chords are pretty much all one finger shapes, straight barres
across all the strings. Getting to the open tuning is the trickiest part,
a chromatic tuner is very useful, unless you've the keen ear that John had:
Top E string - Down to D
B string - Down to A#
G string - Down to F
D string - Up to D#
A string - Down to G
Bottom E string - Down to C
OPEN TUNING: C-G-D#-F-A#-D
Try this little run at the beginning of the 1st & 2nd lines of the verses.
[Cm11 riff]
You've been (tak -ing your...)
D |-------------------------------|
A#|-------------------------------|
F |-------------------------------|
D#|-------------------------------|
G |-------0----0-----h3---h5---0--|
C |--0----------------------------|
N.B.
Please IGNORE ANY POP-UP CHORD BOXES the website might automatically suggest
and use the typed shapes shown below:
Cm11 = 000000 or 050000
Fm11 = 555555 (Occasionally adding a high note - 555558)
F11sus2 = 557555
Gm11 = 777777
Fm7 = 555756
Cm11 * = 0 0 0 0 12 12 (*Harmonics)
h = Hammer-on note p = pull-off note = Slide note down
Please select a star rating for this tab, many thanks
==========================================================================
[Intro]
Fm11 Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Fm11
D |---------------|----5-----5--5--|-----------------|-----5----5--5---5--|
A#|---------------|----5-----5--5--|-----------------|-----5----5--5---5--|
F |---------------|----5-----5--5--|-----------------|-----5----5--5---5--|
D#|---------------|----5-----5--5--|-----------------|-----5----5--h7--5--|
G |---------------|-------5--------|-----0-h3-h5--0--|--------5-----------|
C |--0--0--12-0--|--5-------------|--0--------------|--5-----------------|
[Verse 1]
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Cm11
You've been taking your time, and you've been living on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Cm11
You've been walking the line, you've been living on ...solid air,
Fm11
Don't know what's going wrong inside,
Gm11
And I can tell you that's it's hard to hide,
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
When you're living on------ ...solid air----------------------!
[Verse 2]
Cm11 Fm11
You've been painting it blue,
F11sus2 Cm11
And you've been looking through ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11
You've been seeing it through,
F11sus2 Cm11
But you've been looking through ...solid air,
Fm11
Don't know what's going wrong in your mind,
Gm11
And I can tell you don't like what you find,
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
When you're moving through ...solid air-----------, solid air!
[Verse 3]
Gm11
I know you, I love you, and I can be your friend,
Fm11
I could follow you ...anywhere------,
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Fm11 Cm11
Even----- through----- ...so - lid air-------------!
[Verse 4]
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Cm11
You've been stoning 'em cold, you've been living on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Fm11 Cm11
You've been finding them cold, you've been liv - ing on ...solid air,
Fm11
I don't know what's going wrong inside,
Gm11
I can tell you that's it's hard to hide,
Cm11 Fm11 Cm11
When you're living on ...solid air, ...solid air!
[Verse 5]
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
You've been getting too deep, you've been living on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11
You've been missing your sleep,
F11sus2 Cm11 Cm11 *
And you've been moving through ...solid air,
Fm11
I don't know what's going wrong in your mind,
Gm11
But I know you don't like what you find,
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
When you're moving through ...solid air, ...solid air!
[Verse 6]
Gm11
I know you, I love you, I will be your friend,
Fm11
I could follow you ...anywhere,
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Fm11 Cm11
Even------- through ...solid ...air-------------!
[Verse 7]
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Cm11
You've been walking your line, you've been walking on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11
You've been taking your time,
Fm7 Fm11 Cm11 Cm11 *
But you've been walking on ...solid air,
Fm11
Don't know what's going wrong inside,
Gm11
But I can tell you that's it's hard to hide,
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Fm11 Cm11
When you're living on ...solid ...air----------------!
[Verse 8]
Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Fm11 Cm11
Been painting it blue, you've been living on ...solid air,
Cm11 Fm11
And you've been seeing it through,
F11sus2 Cm11
And you've been moving through ...solid air,
Fm11
I don't know what's going on in your mind,
Gm11
But I can tell you don't like what you find,
Cm11 Fm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11
When you're living on ...solid air----------, solid air!
[Verse 9]
Gm11
I know you, I love you, and I will be your friend,
Fm11 Fm7 Fm11
I could follow you ...anywhere------------,
F11sus2 Fm11 Cm11 Fm11 F11sus2 Fm11 Cm11
Even---- through------- ...solid air--------------!
[Coda]
Cm11 Fm7 Fm11 Cm11 Fm7 Fm11
Ice cool------ ...solid air----!
Cm11 Fm11 Cm11 Fm11 Cm11 Fm11 Cm11 Fm7 Fm11
Nice--------- cool----- ...so---------lid air!
Cm11 Fm11 Cm11 Cm11 *
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / ||
John Newman
John Newton
John Paesano
John Parr
John Paul Young