Charlie Parr teaches me the SECRET to 817 Oakland Avenue
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.พ. 2025
- Charlie Parr, along with his trusty steel bodied guitar from Mule Resophonic's, stopped into the shop the other day to talk about one of my favorites from his Smithsonian Folkways release, Last of the Better Days ahead, "817 Oakland Avenue". By the sounds of it, a lot of you have been trying to learn this one but have come up against a wall, so here we go!
In this video we’ll talk about everything that makes this song unique. We're gonna go into the picking patterns, the chords, the custom made Fraulini 12-string Todd Cambio made for him that he used on the record (similar to the one you saw in my recent 12-string video with Todd Albright) , and the secret weapon Charlie uses to make it all possible, the Shubb Partial Capo.
Also, going off of lessons I’ve done here with Charlie in the past, I know there are going to be a whole pile of you looking for tab for this one. As a bonus feature at the end, Charlie and I offer a little insight about tab, and why there won’t be any for this tune. That said, I will be popping in and out of the video to show a few of the finer points in playing this tune.
Enjoy!!
----------------------------
Capo's from the video available here on Amazon:
Shubb Partial Capo - amzn.to/3SKaHqH
Shubb 12 String Capo - amzn.to/49AipL2
SUPPORT KYLE ON PATREON:
/ kostringworks
FOLLOW KYLE ON INSTAGRAM:
/ k.o.stringworks
INSTRUMENTS FOR SALE:
www.kostringwo...
*Some links listed above are affiliate links and bring in a small percentage of revenue for the channel.
![Charlie Parr - "817 Oakland Avenue" [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kuOY8SoGqg8/mqdefault.jpg)
![Charlie Parr – "817 Oakland Avenue" [Official Music Video]](/img/tr.png)
I'm a very recent C Parr fan, have been playing fingerstyle since 1974, and was trying to imitate this lovely song '817' the other day; so, thx for this explanation and partial-capo introduction.
Back in 1996 in WOrcester MA, I began playing my modified Fender Montara with dbl B strings both tuned to B/no high E, while retaining most chord shapes from standard tuning. Somehow, this chorus-y mandolin-like sound is how my wife and I met.. she'd asked a mutual friend at a gig "does he mean to sound like that?", and Dave said "Yes", and our first conversation ensued during the next break.
HAhaha, Dudę that's the sign of true genius innovation when people ask stuff like that. Take it a run, I love it.
Thanks for the introduction of Charlie , hell be played loudly throughout the remote valleys down here in Oz.
Great song to know ,thanks!
Heck yeah dude! Love to hear it.
Using the ear and one’s interior creative musicality, this is what allows one to make the song your own. It is the artistic expression we make when we play a song, even when we attempt to play a song note for note. Thanks for this beautiful discussion with Charlie….. I have played for over 40 years and I do not believe I have ever played a song the exact same way twice. This is because I am not the same person, every time I play. I change from day to day, and so the filter through which I play and express music has changed too. We should not attempt to play the same way each time, that is what listening to a recording is for! So glad I found this channel!
Well said, Robert. I'm glad to hear it and stoked you found the channel too! More coming down the pike!
I burst out laughing when he said, I don't want to see the tab.
I should mail him a copy.
Thanks again and greetings from Germany !
Wow,.just awesome thank you!
Have played this since first came out. Had the hammer, on the D chord. But...have been 'faking' (relatively saying) that next hammer mostly, that follows. Yep, fair enough, now I got it the right way. Though, I still kind'a like my initial way, sloppy as it is. That's as the way you both explain hitting the major parts and adding some "Spider John" to it. Cheers to you for this one.
Dude that's awesome. Yeah man keep playing it how you do, now you just have a little variation you can add!
Was trying to figure this out the other day! Thanks man, Charlie is my favorite and i love your channel
That’s awesome! Yeah no other way to really do it without the capo. Glad you’re digging the stuff!!
Thanks! This made me laugh with joy, I think, three times.
Thanks Jim! That's the best. Always a good time with Charlie around. More in the wings!
His face when you started talking tab. 😂😂😂 I can’t imagine that tab, but that video absolutely blew my mind. I have loved that song for so long! Get the rhythm right, and play C and D shapes. That’s it!? Beautiful, full song, but simple. Love it.
Haha, dude I'm glad you caught that. Just a classic reaction.
This is a great Video for Charlie fans me being one , who enjoy learning and playing his songs . This song is a Beautiful good feeling song .Will I buy a partial Shubb to learn it? WHY NOT ? Thanx Kyle ...and much thanx to Charlie for his time in doing this video !
You're the Tommy! Dude I for sure recommend this little capo whether you learn this song or not, been super fun!
I've been wanting to learn this one. Thank you so much for the outtakes for extra detail.
Dude for sure! I thought it be helpful to punch in and out like that, glad it worked out for ya too. Good luck with it!
I have a basic cheap capo I reversed , flipped around and it does the same deal. No special capo needed. Able to play this beautiful song with it .
Hi Kyle and Charlie,
Thank you very much for the video! Only with your help, guys, I managed to play this song , one of Charlie's gems.
That’s awesome dude! Hope you’re having a ball with it!
Love your channel Kyle !!! Very unique and inspiring !
Ah man that means a lot! Stoked your stoked on the vids! Appreciate you.
Kyle - "That would take some work"
Charlie- "That's why we're here 🤷♂️"
So sick
Another fantastic video and Charlie Parr song breakdown!
Thanks, y'all 🙏🏻🤍
Thanks Scott! Such a cool one. Loving this little capo.
Maybe my mental gymnastics are broken, but why can't you drop the E, B, E a whole step to play this without the partial capo? I can see needing it, though, if you wanted to fret a note on the E/B/E string higher than the partial capo.
Well dang I bet that would work! I’ll have to give it a go!
I did try just it, but unfortunately it doesn't do the trick. My mental gymnastics aren't limber enough to tell you why though on the spot. A good suggestion though!
Love this song. I finally got a resonator the other day and just realized that some of what I love about it is that it sounds a little like a twelve string without the extra effort of fretting. I started using it more for my solo stuff and it's way more interesting sounding . Thanks Charlie.
Niiice, yeah man I can hear what you're saying. What kinda reso you playing on?
@@kostringworks I just got the Recording King RR-41e-VS from a local shop. Like the sound of that Fishman Nashville pickup. It's a good rig, so far!
Thanks for sharing
Thanks requested this some time ago, now it all makes sense, 👍
Awesome!! Glad to help make some sense of this one.
I’m so glad you made this video. Me and my friends felt like scientists trying to work out Wtf was going on with the song and (the few) videos
Hah, yeah man sometimes you just need the right tool!
Nice!
Thank you
Heck yeah!! Have fun with this one!
Thank you SO much for your video!!!Much appreciated!!
Dude I’m stoked it helped!! Super fun vid to make.
Good stuff young dude. I have been away from your channel, and everybody else’s, for a while. Getting old is not for sissies. Glad to see your still doing good stuff. Love Charlie’s stuff. He’s younger that me. 😬
I’m an old drummer. I never learned to read music in school. Just rhythm patterns and rudiments. I started to learn to play guitar at 68 years old and started with acoustic fingerstyle. I have not been able to use tab very successfully. I have occasionally looked at tabs and used them to possibly clear something up. But usually it just confuses me more. I really prefer to see someone play something and then work it out from there. That is why TH-cam has been such a boon for me. Their is a form of “tab” I guess you would call it that kind of helps me. There is a guy on TH-cam that teaches guitar and uses his own for of “tab”. His channel is Fenna Rob. A famous British guitarist. His music is more old rock and roll and early folk stuff. He has an interesting take on teaching guitar.
Good to have you around again, I have been wondering where you're at! Been a slow getting back to comments for me too, my wife and I just had our first kid!
Good on you for starting up at 68! Never too late. I had a fiddle student who started at 70, figuring it's still 10 years until she's 80, and 10 years is a pretty good stretch of time to work at something!
I'll have to check out this Fenna Rob, I'm always looking for new ways to teach things too!
Again, good to have ya back Dan!
@@kostringworks Congratulations young dude! Enjoy the little one and always pay attention. They grow up really, really fast! We have two sons and seven grandkids. Don’t let this time slip away!
Awesome! Would love a similar breakdown of Jaybird if you get the chance!
Thanks dude!!! Im actually playing fiddle on jaybird too so it’s a pretty appropriate ask! I’ll see what I can make happen.
I do a bastardized version in open g. One of his best tunes in my humble opinion. Such a great song
I feel the same way. I told him that too and he goes "No it's not. I'm still working on on that one. It'll come back right before I mysteriously disappear".
Can you do a tutorial on rick hayward strolling home? Or morning after?
Not familiar with him or the tunes, but I’ll keep an ear out!
Great video, thanks!
By the way, what do you have clamped to your headstock by the nut?
Cheers!
That’s my huge-ass brass capo! I love it!
@@kostringworks Ha ha! Thank you.
Thanks Kyle and Charlie, great peek in. Hey Kyle, what's that 12 fret 0 body guitar you're playing, year/model? . It that the one you play the most??
For sure! It's my usual guitar yep, Fraulini guitar, the model is an Erma made it 2008!
So basically DADGAD tuning with a regular capo on the 2 nd, fret
very lovely and interesting. do you mind if i ask what the brand/make of that patial capo is? thanks per the usual for the rad content .. .
Yeah It's made by Shubb, Partial Capo C7!
thanks, man! love yer channel, love yer playing, love the vibes .. .@@kostringworks
As this was playing I was thinking, Didn't Charlie use a 12 string on Folkways? Then I remembered you had the Fraulini and I'm thinking, No way!
My productivity went way down ever since I got that damn guitar. Haha, but dude I'm stoked I had no idea this way the guitar he recorded that record with.
@@kostringworks I would be cancelling meetings all day to play that thing!
Is it a Shubb?
Yes! Charlie thinks Dunlop maybe makes one too.
Shubb C7b
I liked the discussion on tab, and not to be picky but you absolutely can tab partial capo stuff. Tab isn't perfect, you still need to listen to the song to get everything right, but you can use both tab and your ear, no need to be one or the other. I'm definitely with Charlie on the 'learn the pattern then comp the rest though'. That's how I approach nearly every song I cover these days.
Dig your perspective! Thanks for sharing. Noted on the tab for partial stuff, you're probably right, but it gives me a migraine trying to imagine it.
@@kostringworks If I was tabbing it, i'd do it from the nut but anything up to (which you can't play anyway) and including the capo would be zeros, then the next fret is just whatever fret it is from the nut like you'd see in a normal tab.
Same intervals as DADGAD but up a step: EBEABE
Tried it, but nah that doesn't work. Close though!
@@kostringworks My point was the partial capo gives open strings EBEABE, same as DADGAD up a step. That's what it was designed for, to imitate DADGAD without having to alter the tuning. The way Charlie uses it is really cool!
@@rogerlandes6309 ah, yes I see! My bad!
Not to detract from Mr Parr,but a search of Francois Sciotino has a lot to offer re. just good tunes and partial capo delights.th-cam.com/video/obwtm1T0LHk/w-d-xo.html