Don't Know Why - Norah Jones

**derek** · 04-30-2009, 03:12 PM

I got a request for this on Friday. I can hack thru it by ear, but wondered if anyone has a CM arrangement of this they like. Thanks in advance.

**mr. beaumont** · 05-01-2009, 12:18 PM

derek, i do this one too, but i've never written out an arrangement...it might take me a little bit--ridiculously busy here near the end of the semester...the students think they're stressed!

**derek** · 05-01-2009, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

derek, i do this one too, but i've never written out an arrangement...it might take me a little bit--ridiculously busy here near the end of the semester...the students think they're stressed!

No worries. Bare bones is fine whenever you get a chance. Just a nicely haunting melody, but the chords are fairly vanilla. Just wondered what others had done with it.

**TheCat** · 05-02-2009, 12:10 PM

Check this version out:

**derek** · 05-04-2009, 10:33 AM

Wonderful version, though a bit fast for that tune imo. Martin Taylor is one of the great players. I have s few of his discs. Thanks for the link.

**hot ford coupe** · 05-04-2009, 12:10 PM

He does a pretty good job of getting around those changes. I see what you mean about being too fast. I agree. I would love to hear it as a nice slow bossa with those same changes instead of that samba tempo.

**Dookychase** · 05-04-2009, 01:28 PM

derek, go to lickbyneck.com and search for it. They have a version that seems real nice.

**derek** · 05-04-2009, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by Dookychase

derek, go to lickbyneck.com and search for it. They have a version that seems real nice.

Thanks for the tip. Looks like a place to start.

**Luan** · 05-04-2009, 04:48 PM

I used the version that can be found in scribd, it's for piano.
What I love of simple melodies like this, it's that they are easier to get a good arrangement of. In fact, I made one and then I checked the lickbyneck version and they are the same! funny..

**apgrower** · 05-04-2009, 09:25 PM

it would be just wonderful if someone could post a cm of norah jones dont know why, i cant play anything without it being written out so i am at your mercy. please pretty please!!

**fast1** · 05-04-2009, 09:45 PM

what is cm?

**apgrower** · 05-04-2009, 10:36 PM

cm is shorthand for chord melody, finally someone who knows less than i do LOL

**hot ford coupe** · 05-04-2009, 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by Dookychase

derek, go to lickbyneck.com and search for it. They have a version that seems real nice.

Thanks for the link. I never thought of looking in there.

**derek** · 05-05-2009, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by Luan

Login | Scribd

Whoever made it doesn't know that we guitarists read in treble clef, but anyways, this is what I was looking for.

Interesting transcription. Did you notice it is in an altered tuning? Also, I always thought Nora Jones wrote this, but looks like Jesse Harris is the author.

**JohnW400** · 05-05-2009, 11:05 AM

It looks like Bartione (?) tuning, down a 4th. If you follow the tab you'll just be in E

**Luan** · 05-05-2009, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by derek

Interesting transcription. Did you notice it is in an altered tuning? Also, I always thought Nora Jones wrote this, but looks like Jesse Harris is the author.

Yes, that is the tuning that pat used for the entire album called "one quiet night" that you MUST listen to if you hadn't, one of the most impressive things I ever heard.
Still it doesn't make any sense at all to write the transcription using bass clef, who can read 300 ledger lines?

The tuning is a sort of nashville tuning but tuned down a 5th using a baritone acoustic guitar that Manzer made for pat.

**sharpeleven** · 05-15-2009, 05:15 PM

I have a sibelius arrangement of this tune if any one is interested. It`s how I play it. I had to wrestle with sibelius to get it down but its not bad.

**apgrower** · 05-15-2009, 07:11 PM

i would love any cm of this song, so please post it thanks in advance,

**JohnW400** · 05-15-2009, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by sharpeleven

I have a sibelius arrangement of this tune if any one is interested. It`s how I play it. I had to wrestle with sibelius to get it down but its not bad.

I don't think you can post sib files hee but you can post pdf's. There are free pdf conversion programs like the one at pdfforge.com that work well.

If you would be kind enough to convert it and post it we'd all be thankful.

**sharpeleven** · 05-17-2009, 11:40 AM

I`ve played this tune for a few years but getting it on to sibelius was problematic to say the least! It`s a bare bones approximation. Over to fellow guitar players, all the best. ShE

**sharpeleven** · 06-08-2009, 03:05 PM

Thanks Ben, very nice of you to say so. I think everybody has a different approach to playing and arranging chord melody on the guitar, which is why its so appealing. I am really impressed with the other arrangements I`ve seen on this forum. Many can be played fingerstyle and plectrum style, whilst mine is really a fingerstyle piece. I`m new to this site too. It took me ages to transcribe my "head" arrangement of Don`t Know Why on sibelius. Gave me a real headache! I only did it in answer to the question at the top of this thread. What are your favourite tunes in this style?

Cheers, from England

Dave

**Teddyben** · 06-08-2009, 03:58 PM

Hi Dave - Thanks for getting back to me. I loved your arrangement because it's concise and states the tune in such a simple way. Often I suppose the simplest things are arrived at only through great effort. It's an irony really and often missed.
I really like Ry Cooder's arrangements of traditional blues and Jamaican tunes. I've seen him a couple of times and would go a long way to see him play in a small intimate type of setting.
I'm loooking for a transcription of Abide With Me as the tune moves me in that same simple sort of way.

Cheers again

Ben

**sharpeleven** · 06-08-2009, 04:42 PM

Yeah! I love Ry Cooder too. I recently bought some of his albums on cd to take the place of vinyl ones. Boomer`s Story, Into The Purple Valley, Paradise And Lunch and others. Simply wonderful and totally unpretentious. He even does an astonishing chord melody of a Bix Beiderbeck tune on Jazz. Have you heard that? I reckon he has influenced my playing a lot over the years. Plus he`s an intelligent guy, deep thinker. His slide playing is beautiful. I just found out he`s playing in London and tickets are sold out. How did I miss that?

Abide With Me? That is sung every year at the FA Cup final

**Teddyben** · 06-08-2009, 04:54 PM

yeah that's the one. it's hymn containing very poignant changes that do it for me. Yes I love Ry Cooder's slide playing very understated and yet full to the brim. clever guy.