Sophisticated Hula
(in C6th tuning)

Tablature for Lap Steel Guitar by David J. Stewart. I've tried to tab out Jerry Byrd's arrangement of Sophisticated Hula from his album, Hawaiian Sunset. The song is played in the Key of Ab, beginning on the 8th fret...

E_____________________________________________*~8________________
C___7_8__________7_8_7_8_________________________________________
A________________________8~___~7___5_6_5_6_5_6___________________
G______~8___8_8_____________6____________________________________
E_________8______________________________________________________
C#_______________________________________________________________
 
*NOTE: In the above section of tablature, where I have put an asterisks mark, Jerry Byrd 
uses a volume pedal to get that incredible Hawaiian sound on the first string, 8th fret. 
It is an awesome technique that takes time to learn, but it's not that hard if you know 
what to do. The technique is to back off the volume pedal and then slide into the note 
about 2 frets before it while simultaneously raising the volume, and using some vibrato. 
It sounds like a surprise, like the note just appears out of nowhere. This technique
cannot be done without a volume pedal. You need 3 things to make this technique work:
1) sliding into a note, 2) while raising the volume, and 3) using a good amount of vibrato. 
 
NOTE: The volume pedal isn't pressed until AFTER you pick the note sliding into fret 8 
on string one. Much of what we hear and play on the steel guitar is an illusion to the ears. 
 
As you can hear in the MP3 clip (WMA), everything I am explaining takes place in a second 
of time; but I wanted to describe it in detail so you can grasp the technique fully. 
It is a very important technique to learn I think if you want to excel at Hawaiian steel 
guitar. Most of the things that seem so hard to play are just a matter of technique. I 
like to think of this technique as sliding into home plate in a baseball game. 
 
You can also play the same thing another way, ending on string two...
 
E________________________________________________________________
C________________*~12____________________________________________
A________________________________________________________________
G____7_8_7_8_7_8_________________________________________________
E________________________________________________________________
C#_______________________________________________________________
 
Now back to our song...
 
E_________________________3_4~3~4__________________________1_2_3_
C___________7_8_~6_~5_4___________3______________________1_______
A_________6_________________________3~2_1_~3_2~1_______1_________
G___8_7_6________________________________________2_1_1___________
E________________________________________________________________
C#_______________________________________________________________
 
 
E__4_6___4_____________~8_______8______________8_______8_________
C______5___~4_____________________________7_8_______8____~8__7___
A______________6_5_6_5__________________6___________8____~8__7___
G_________________________8~7~8___8_7_6__________8__8____~8__7___
E___________________________________________________8____~8__7___
C#_______________________________________________________________
 
Here's a nice 7th chord progression which comes up after the vibes solo...
 
 
E___8__9__10_11_11_______________________________________________
C________________________________________________________________
A___7__8__9__10_10_______________________________________________
G________________________________________________________________
E___6__7__8__9__9________________________________________________
C#_______________________________________________________________
Here's Jerry doing an advanced run in the song if you'd like to know how he played this 
(it took me a long time to figure this part out, but it was worth it, great stuff). Jerry 
Byrd is the only Hawaiian steel guitar player I know of that does these type of extended 
chord runs. He's just following the scales, which very few player ever achieve. It's a 
mindset. many players become satisfied at a certain level of playing and don't desire
to explore the instrument further... 
 
E__________________________________~8_8~______________3_4_5_6_____
C__________________4___5_7_8_6_7_7______~7_7~_______*3____________
A____________3_4_5___________________________6_6___*3_____________
G______2_3_4______________________________________*3______________
E___~3__________*These 3 notes are raked across with the thumb____
C#_______________and fingers picks in a triplet (time of one note)
 
E___3_4_5_6___6________6________6________________________________
C_______________6~5______6~5______6~5____________________________
A___________________6________6________6__________________________
G________________________________________________________________
E________________________________________________________________
C#_______________________________________________________________
 
 
E________________________________________________________________
C________________________________________________________________
A________________________________________________________________
G________________________________________________________________
E________________________________________________________________
C#_______________________________________________________________
 

The song 'Sophisticated Hula' has been considerably changed over the years by many singers and musicians. Here is the original and then some other to compare. They all sound good, but it's important that new players know what the original song sounds like.

Sophisticated Hula (original song and melody)

Sophisticated Hula (original chords 1)

Sophisticated Hula (original chords 2)

Sophisticated Hula (original chords 3)

Sophisticated Hula (original chords 4)

Sophisticated Hula (song 1)

Sophisticated Hula (song 2)


More Song Tabs

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