Cocteau Twins – Blue Bell Knoll
Ok, to do this right, it is going to require getting a synth app called Sunrizer ($10), or a real synth with
a sequencer (a few hundred $$$). These are the instructions using Sunrizer. I will describe how to get the
synth arpeggio using Sunrizer and its built-in sequencer function, and then describe the rest of the music
in the song using guitar tab.
Sunrizer app: Go to the DEFAULT bank of sounds from the top center menu, choose sound #178 “C3 LakeSeq”.
It's a delayed synth synth which already has a sequencer pattern loaded into it. We just need to change the
sequencer arpeggio pattern to fit Blue Bell Knoll’s.
Once the C3 LakeSeq is loaded, click on “ARP” (for arpeggio) at the top right. At the bottom of the ARP
window is a 16-step sequencer, and in the middle of the window are a VOICES +1/-1 function and a TRANS +1/-1
function. You are going to change each of the 16 steps of the sequencer using the Voices and Trans buttons.
Highlight a step (1 through 16) of the sequencer to change the voices and trans (which are labeled in the
sequencer section in small print on the far left).
Change the 16 steps in this manner:
1) All steps (1 through 16) have 4 Voices (you need to change these).
2) The Note arrow is always “current” (facing to the right – no need to change these).
3) Remove the hold on Step 16.
4) Then change the Trans so that they look like this (these numbers represent semitones away from the
original note):
Step 1 Trans: 0 Step 9 Trans: 3
Step 2 Trans: 2 Step 10 Trans: 2
Step 3 Trans: 3 Step 11 Trans: 0
Step 4 Trans: 7 Step 12 Trans: 2
Step 5 Trans: 3 Step 13 Trans: 3
Step 6 Trans: 2 Step 14 Trans: 2
Step 7 Trans: 0 Step 15 Trans: 0
Step 8 Trans: 2 Step 16 Trans: 2
5) You should then change the Tempo to about 104 bpm using the TEMPO function in the top right corner.
Since Blue Bell Knoll’s key is Cm, you should hit a mid-range C note to play the arpeggio. There is a “HOLD”
button just above the keyboard. Turn this, on, hit the C note, and you have the looping synth arpeggio for
the song! Buy appropriate cables to hook up your appl-playing device to your rig and then play the guitar
part over the top.
Guitar parts:
For the synth pad-like washes, you’re going to need a volume pedal for the “washes”, w/ lots of reverb and
delay. Times in the song are approximate since I’m listening to a youtube video of BBK to do this. The two
distinct lines in the first part of the song are probably synths, but I’m tabbing them out to play on guitar.
PART I of the song (the part with vocals):
Noise 1: background synth pad-like noise from 0:10. This is very subtle and difficult to distinguish
underneath the vocals, the meoldy line of which it mirrors somewhat.
Repeated until Part II starts at 2:12
e--------------------------------------------------------------------|
B –------------------------8--11----10-------------------------------|
G --5----8--8--7----10--8--------------------------------------------|
D -------------------------------------------------------------------|
A -------------------------------------------------------------------|
E -------------------------------------------------------------------|
Noise 2: slight distorted pad-like noise at about 0:27 and repeating every so often, lots of reverb and
delay, use the volume pedal
e ---------------------------------------------------------------|
B --bend 7 up a semitone, pick it, release, then bend up again---|
G ---------------------------------------------------------------|
D ---------------------------------------------------------------|
A ---------------------------------------------------------------|
E ---------------------------------------------------------------|
PART II (no vocals part)
Guitar line 1 arpeggio at about 2:12 and repeating until end
Bb Ab
e -------------------------------------------------------------------|
B –-----------------------------------------4--------------4---------|
G ------7-8--7----------7-8--7------------5----5---------5----5------|
D ----8--------8------8--------8--------6--------6-----6--------6----|
A --8---------------8-----------------6--------------6---------------|
E -------------------------------------------------------------------|
Stick a capo on the 4th fret to play guitar line 1 and the Bb arp sounds better
Guitar line 2 also starting at 2:12, playing on top of Guitar line 1 arpeggio.
Bb Ab
e --11---10----------------------------------------------------------|
B –------------8----------------------13----11--------------------7-8|
G -------------------------------------------------8-----------------|
D -------------------------------------------------------------------|
A -------------------------------------------------------------------|
E -------------------------------------------------------------------|
Guitar line 3 (distorted shoegazey guitar starting at 2:20 and running to end
This makes the most noise in Part II. It’s distorted, w/ lots of reverb and delay, possibly reverse reverb,
and playing chords w/ quick strumming).
Cm / Cm / Ab / F
Guitar line 4 (a distinct pad-like guitar wash starting at 2:34 and repeating every so often – I’ve put the
latter notes in parentheses because they’re not very audible underneath the other guitars).
e -------------------------------------------------------------------|
B –-11--13-----------------------------------------------------------|
G -----------12----(12)--(10)--(8)--(8)--(7)-------------------------|
D -------------------------------------------------------------------|
A -------------------------------------------------------------------|
E -------------------------------------------------------------------|
Guitar line 5 (slightly distorted solo starting at about 2:56 and ending the song):
e 11-10-------10-11-10------10-11-10---------------------------------|
B –-----8~-------------8~------------8~---11-11-13-------------------|
G -------------------------------------------------12-12--10--10-8-7-|
D -------------------------------------------------------------------|
A -------------------------------------------------------------------|
E -------------------------------------------------------------------|
This is obviously a lot, but I’m putting it all here for the sake of complete-ness, and in the hope that
others will chime in with comments/corrections. If you’re trying to do this live, just take the most
prominent of the guitar lines.
Corrections are welcomed!
