As previous postings have suggested, we here at CDT are quite fond of Pink Floyd, as many music connoisseurs are. We took the time this week to try and learn a few riffs of one of their most famous and most emotional songs, "Wish You Were Here," from the album of the same name.



Before that however, it is interesting to note the song is primarily speaking to Syd Barrett, former songwriter/guitarist for the band. Unfortunately for him, his love of LSD got in the way of his musical career with the Floyd. But as he was forced to leave, this gave Roger Waters his chance to shine, and shine he did, producing all the classic albums you here on the radio every day.


All right, to begin with you need a guitar. Check. Now, anyone who knows the song basically knows the intro since the rest of the song gets a little muddled with other instruments and singing. This is the only part you need to know to be awesome in a group.


To translate above, your middle finger starts on the third fret of your low E string while your index and ring fingers straddle the second fret on both the A and D string. The trick here is not necessarily getting the notes, that's easy enough, but to get down the strumming rhythm. Pink Floyd songs are notoriously easy to play, but hard to copy exactly due to rhythm.


What you want to do is play it thinking, "one and uh two, three, four (strum the chord here)" and repeat. The hammer ons are all played quicker than the rest of the notes, which are steady.


Good luck, and remember to sing your heart out. Somewhere Syd Barrett can hear! Shine on you crazy Diamond, you!

Tabs credit: http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/p/pink_floyd/wish_you_were_here_ver4_tab.htm



Strum a few Times   Strum a few Times	
	    	     ^V^                 ^V^
e---------------------3-------------------3---|
B---------------------3-------------------3---|
G---------------------0-------0-----------0---|
D-------------0--2----0----2-----2--------0---|   * 2            
A------0h2------------2-------------------2---|     
E---3-----------------x-------------------3---|      

                Strum a few Times               Strum a few Times
                     ^V^                              ^V^
e---------------------3--------------------------------3---|
B---------------------3--------------------------------3---|
G---------------------0--------------------------------2---|
D-------------0--2----0------2-----0-------------------2---| 
A------0h2------------2------------------2-------0-----0---|
E---3-----------------x--------------------------------0---|