IF A TREE FALLS
As recorded by Bruce Cockburn
(From the 1988 Album BIG CIRCUMSTANCE)
Words and Music by Bruce Cockburn
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (D A D G B E) - 'Bruce Cockburn - Electric Guitar w/ Dropped D-Tuning'
Intro
Q=160
G5 Em
4/4
Gtr I (Clean El. Gtr.: Dropped D-Tuning DADGBE w/ echo delay)
\0.5/ \0.5/
~~~~~ ~~~~~
Q E E E Q E Q. E Q E E E E E E E Q E Q. E H
||----------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
||o--------3----3-|-3-------(3)-(3)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
||---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
||-------0---0----|-0-------(0)-(0)------|-----------2----|-2-------(2)-(2)----|
||o---------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
||--5--5----------|------------------5-5-|-2-2-2-2--------|--------------------|
D
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------2---2-|---2-2-2-2-2---2-|-2-2-2---2-2-----|-2-2-2---2-2-------||
|-----------3---3-|---3-3-3-3-3---3-|-3-3-3---3-3---3-|-3-3-3---3-3------o||
|-----------2---2-|---2-2-2-2-2---2-|-2-2-2---2-2---2-|-2-2-2---2-2-------||
|-----------------|-----------------|---------------0-|---------------0---||
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------o||
|-0-0-0-0-0---0---|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----||
1st - 5th Verses
$
G5 Em
\0.5/ \0.5/
~~~~~ ~~~~~
Q E E E Q E Q. E Q E E E E E E E Q E Q. E H
||----------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
||o--------3----3-|-3-------(3)-(3)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
||---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
||-------0---0----|-0-------(0)-(0)------|-----------2----|-2-------(2)-(2)----|
||o---------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
||--5--5----------|------------------5-5-|-2-2-2-2--------|--------------------|
D
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------2---2-|---2-2-2-2-2---2-|-2-2-2---2-2-----|-2-2-2---2-2------|
|-----------3---3-|---3-3-3-3-3---3-|-3-3-3---3-3---3-|-3-3-3---3-3------|
|-----------2---2-|---2-2-2-2-2---2-|-2-2-2---2-2---2-|-2-2-2---2-2------|
|-----------------|-----------------|---------------0-|---------------0--|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0---0---|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
G5 Em
\0.5/ \0.5/
~~~~~ ~~~~~
Q E E E Q E Q. E Q E E E E E E E Q E Q. E H
|---------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
|--------3----3-|-3-------(3)-(3)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
|--------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
|------0---0----|-0-------(0)-(0)------|-----------2----|-2-------(2)-(2)----|
|---------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
|-5--5----------|------------------5-5-|-2-2-2-2--------|--------------------|
1.
D
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------2---2-|---2-2-2-2-2---2-|-2-2-2---2-2-----|-2-2-2---2-2-------||
|-----------3---3-|---3-3-3-3-3---3-|-3-3-3---3-3---3-|-3-3-3---3-3------o||
|-----------2---2-|---2-2-2-2-2---2-|-2-2-2---2-2---2-|-2-2-2---2-2-------||
|-----------------|-----------------|---------------0-|---------------0---||
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------o||
|-0-0-0-0-0---0---|-0---0-0-0-0-0---|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----||
Chorus
2.,D.S.
G5
\0.5/
~~~~~
E E E E E E E E Q E E E Q E Q. E Q E E
|-2-2-2---2-2-----||---------------|----------------------|
|-3-3-3---3-3-----||--------3----3-|-3-------(3)-(3)------|
|-2-2-2---2-2-----||--------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)------|
|---------------0-||------0---0----|-0-------(0)-(0)------|
|-----------------||---------------|----------------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---||-5--5----------|------------------5-5-|
Em
\0.5/
~~~~~
E E E E E Q E Q. E H
|----------------|--------------------|
|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
|-----------2----|-2-------(2)-(2)----|
|----------------|--------------------|
|-2-2-2-2--------|--------------------|
D
E E E E E E E a E E E E E E E E E
|--------------------|-------------10-10-10-10-|
|---------7-7--------|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|---------7-7---9s11-|-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-|
|---------7-7--------|-12-12-12----------------|
|--------------------|-------------------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----0-|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------10----10-10----14-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-15-|-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-|
|-11-11-11-11-11----11-14-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-|--0-----0-----0-----0----|
G5 Em
\0.5/ \0.5/
~~~~~ ~~~~~
Q E E E Q E Q. E Q E E E E E E E Q E Q. E H
|---------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
|--------3----3-|-3-------(3)-(3)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
|--------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
|------0---0----|-0-------(0)-(0)------|-----------2----|-2-------(2)-(2)----|
|---------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
|-5--5----------|------------------5-5-|-2-2-2-2--------|--------------------|
D
E E E E E E E a E E E E E E E E E
|--------------------|-------------10-10-10-10-|
|---------7-7--------|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|---------7-7---9s11-|-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-|
|---------7-7--------|-12-12-12----------------|
|--------------------|-------------------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----0-|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------10----10-10----14-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-15-|-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-|
|-11-11-11-11-11----11-14-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-|--0-----0-----0-----0----|
G5 Em
\0.5/ \0.5/
~~~~~ ~~~~~
Q E E E Q E Q. E Q E E E E E E E Q E Q. E H
|---------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
|--------3----3-|-3-------(3)-(3)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
|--------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
|------0---0----|-0-------(0)-(0)------|-----------2----|-2-------(2)-(2)----|
|---------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
|-5--5----------|------------------5-5-|-2-2-2-2--------|--------------------|
To Coda
D
E E E E E E E a E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|--------------------|-------------10-10-10-10-|-------10----10-10----14--|
|---------7-7--------|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-15--|
|---------7-7---9s11-|-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-|-11-11-11-11-11----11-14--|
|---------7-7--------|-12-12-12----------------|--------------------------|
|--------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----0-|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--|
D.S. al Coda &
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14--||-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14----||
|-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15--||-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15----||
|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14--||-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14----||
|--------------------------||----------------------------||
|--------------------------||----------------------------||
|--0-----0-----0-----0-----||--0-----0-----0-----0-------||
Out-Chorus
G5 Em
\0.5/ \0.5/
~~~~~ ~~~~~
Q E E E Q E Q. E Q E E E E E E E Q E Q. E H
||----------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
||o--------3----3-|-3-------(3)-(3)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
||---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
||-------0---0----|-0-------(0)-(0)------|-----------2----|-2-------(2)-(2)----|
||o---------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
||--5--5----------|------------------5-5-|-2-2-2-2--------|--------------------|
D
E E E E E E E a E E E E E E E E E
|--------------------|-------------10-10-10-10-|
|---------7-7--------|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|---------7-7---9s11-|-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-|
|---------7-7--------|-12-12-12----------------|
|--------------------|-------------------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----0-|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------10----10-10----14-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-15-|-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-|
|-11-11-11-11-11----11-14-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-|--0-----0-----0-----0----|
G5 Em
\0.5/ \0.5/
~~~~~ ~~~~~
Q E E E Q E Q. E Q E E E E E E E Q E Q. E H
|---------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
|--------3----3-|-3-------(3)-(3)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
|--------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
|------0---0----|-0-------(0)-(0)------|-----------2----|-2-------(2)-(2)----|
|---------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
|-5--5----------|------------------5-5-|-2-2-2-2--------|--------------------|
D
E E E E E E E a E E E E E E E E E
|--------------------|-------------10-10-10-10-|
|---------7-7--------|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|---------7-7---9s11-|-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-|
|---------7-7--------|-12-12-12----------------|
|--------------------|-------------------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----0-|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------10----10-10----14-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-15-|-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-|
|-11-11-11-11-11----11-14-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-|--0-----0-----0-----0----|
G5 Em
\0.5/ \0.5/
~~~~~ ~~~~~
Q E E E Q E Q. E Q E E E E E E E Q E Q. E H
|---------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
|--------3----3-|-3-------(3)-(3)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
|--------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)------|---------0----0-|-0-------(0)-(0)----|
|------0---0----|-0-------(0)-(0)------|-----------2----|-2-------(2)-(2)----|
|---------------|----------------------|----------------|--------------------|
|-5--5----------|------------------5-5-|-2-2-2-2--------|--------------------|
D
E E E E E E E a E E E E E E E E E
|--------------------|-------------10-10-10-10-|
|---------7-7--------|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|
|---------7-7---9s11-|-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11-|
|---------7-7--------|-12-12-12----------------|
|--------------------|-------------------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----0-|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E 3x
|-------10----10-10----14-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14--||
|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-15-|-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-o||
|-11-11-11-11-11----11-14-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14--||
|-------------------------|--------------------------||
|-------------------------|-------------------------o||
|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-|--0-----0-----0-----0-----||
Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for. Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests. Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for. Low
melody durations appear below the staff
Tablature Legend
----------------
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
b - bend
pb - pre-bend
r - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
/\ - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
s - legato slide
S - shift slide
- natural harmonic
[n] - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
~ - vibrato
tr - trill
T - tap
TP - trem. picking
PM - palm muting
\n/ - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
\n - tremolo bar down
n/ - tremolo bar up
/n\ - tremolo bar inverted dip
= - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
<> - volume swell (louder/softer)
x - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o - on rhythm slash represents single note slash
Misc Legend
-----------
| - bar
|| - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*| - double bar (ending)
: - bar (freetime)
$ - Segno
& - Coda
Tempo markers - = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths
Rain forest
Mist and mystery
Teeming green
Green brain facing lobotomy
Climate control centre for the world
Ancient cord of coexistence hacked by parasitic greedhead scam -
From Sarawak to Amazonas
Costra Rica to Mangy BC hills -
Cortege rhythm of falling timber
What kind of currency grows in these new deserts
These brand new flood plains?
If a tree falls in the desert does anybody hear?
If a tree falls in the desert does anybody hear?
Does anybody hear the forest fall?
Cut and move on
Cut and move on
Take out trees
Take out wildlife at a rate of a species every single day
Take out people who've lived like this for a hundred thousand years
Inject a billion burgers worth of beef -
Grain eaters - methane dispensers -
Through thinning ozone
Wave fall on wrinkled earth
Gravity, light, ancient refuse of stars
Speak of a drowning
But this, this is something other
Busy monster eats dark holes in the spirit world
Where wild things have to go
To disappear
Forever
If a tree falls in the desert does anybody hear?
If a tree falls in the desert does anybody hear?
Does anybody hear the forest fall?
