Current Mood:  melancholy
today we're going to learn how to play a Cinematic Orchestra song on guitar. it's a very somber song and is actually played on piano with some strings accompanying the final verse and chorus, but i think i sounds just as good on a solo acoustic guitar. Patrick Watson provides the vocals, which while i'm not terribly impressed by his talents, it does provide the perfect fit for the song.
the song we're covering is the first track off of their latest album Ma Fleur. it's probably the least electronic album yet but also the most intricate. in addition to Patrick Watson, some of the vocals on the album are provided by Lou Rhodes, formerly of Lamb, and Fontella Bass returns on a couple others. this track, To Build a Home, opens the album and sets the mood perfectly.
on to the song...
since it's actually played on a piano, standard tuning is fine. it's a rather simple song made up of only a handful of strummed chords.
the intro is just the progression of verse chords played once through. then the verse jumps in with vocals and repeats the intro parts.
/ 1.
| D A E
|
|---2-----------|---0-----------|---------------|---------------|
|---3-----------|---2-----------|---0-----------|---------------|
|---2-----------|---2-----------|---1-----------|---------------|
|---0-----------|---2-----------|---2-----------|---------------|
|---------------|---0-----------|---2-----------|---------------|
|---------------|---------------|---0-----------|---------------|
/ 2.
| Bmin Dsus2 A E
|
|---------------|---0-----------|---0-----------|---------------|
|---3-----------|---5-----------|---2-----------|---0-----------|
|---4-----------|---2-----------|---2-----------|---1-----------|
|---4-----------|---0-----------|---2-----------|---2-----------|
|---2-----------|---------------|---0-----------|---2-----------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|---0-----------|
for the intro, play each part once. for the verse, play the first part 3 times and the second part twice. the Dsus2 chord in part 2 may seem a little odd but it doesn't quite sound right playing it with a D note on the second string.
the chorus comes in with 16th notes and a bit faster tempo. it's still mostly chords with a melody line on top. i'll transcribe it as i sounds but feel free to change up the strumming.
/ D Amaj7
|
|---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2----|---4---4---4---4---4---4---4---4----|
|---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---2---2---2---2---2----|
|-----0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|-----0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|
|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
D5 A
|
|---5---5---5---5---5---5---5---5----|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0----|
|---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---2---2---2---2---2----|
|-----0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------|-----0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|
|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
E
|
|------------------------------------|
|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0----|
|---1---1---1---1---1---1---1---1----|
|---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2----|
|------------------------------------|
|-----0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|
play this part once without vocals and then twice with. there's a fourth time but during the "leave and turn to dust" lyric an Fmin chord is interjected. it comes in between the D5 and the A.
D5 Fmin A
-------|---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2----|--------
-------|---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2----|--------
-------|---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2----|--------
-------|------------------------------------|--------
-------|-----4---4---4---4---4---4---4---4--|--------
-------|------------------------------------|--------
and instead of playing the last section with the E chord, just strum it as the chorus fades away. to be critical, i know it's not quite proper to play the fifth of the Fmin as the bass note instead of the F on the sixth string but otherwise i feel it's too large of a jump from the A note a half step up from the previous bar.
the second verse is similar to the first except it doesn't repeat the first part but rather plays both through, as in the intro. this time repeat both verse parts four full times, then repeating part 2 before going into the chorus. the third time through the verse line introduces the strings on the album recording.
the second chorus is the same as the first, just with a slightly more dramatic pause afterwards.
the instrumental outro is once again the same intro/verse chords, only accompanied by more strings. it's lead into by an F note an octave higher than previously played.
|---14----14---|---14----14---|
|--------------|--------------|
|--------------|--------------|
|--------------|--------------|
|--------------|--------------|
|--------------|--------------|
on the album that note repeats through the chords. it may sound more interesting to play the same chords an octave higher in the outro, which would make it easier to keep the F note. otherwise just continue to the regular intro chords a couple times through and fade out.
Lyrics (with chords):
(intro)
D A E
Bmin Dsus2 A E
(verse)
D A E
There is a house built out of stone
D A E
Wooden floors, walls and window sills…
D A E
Tables and chairs worn by all of the dust…
Bmin Dsus2 A E
This is a place where I don’t feel alone
Bmin Dsus2 A E
This is a place where I feel at home…
(chorus)
D Amaj7 D5 A
'Cause, I-- built a home for you
E
for me
D Amaj7 D5 A
Until it dis- appeared from me
E
from you
D Amaj7 D5 Fmin A E
And now, it’s time to lea- ve and turn to dust…
(verse)
D A E
Out in the garden where we planted the seeds
Bmin Dsus2 A E
There is a tree as old as me
D A E
Branches were sewn by the color of green
Bmin Dsus2 A E
Ground had arose and passed it’s knees
D A E
By the cracks of the skin I climbed to the top
Bmin Dsus2 A E
I climbed the tree to see the world
D A E
When the gusts came around to blow me down
Bmin Dsus2 A E
I held on as tightly as you held onto me
Bmin Dsus2 A E
I held on as tightly as you held onto me…
(chorus)
D Amaj7 D5 A
'Cause, I-- built a home for you
E
for me
D Amaj7 D5 A
Until it dis- appeared from me
E
from you
D Amaj7 D5 Fmin A E
And now, it’s time to lea- ve and turn to dust…
(outro)
D A E
Bmin Dsus2 A E
D A E
Bmin Dsus2 A E
el fin. | 
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