Check out Albatross (Live 1969) by Fleetwood Mac on Amazon Music. Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon.com. While most bands undergo a number of changes over the course of their careers, few groups experienced such radical stylistic changes as Fleetwood Mac. Initially conceived as a hard-edged British blues combo in the late '60s, the band gradually evolved into a polished pop/rock act over the course of a decade. Download Fleetwood Mac Albatross free midi and other Fleetwood Mac free midi.
Fleetwood Mac Albatross Play
This classic instrumental reached No 1 in 1968 then went Top 5 upon its re-release in 1973. We examine Peter Green’s flight of fancy… Very manageable slow tempo with a straightforward melody means that this tune should be well within the reach of most. Peter Green’s sound could be warm, bold, delicate, stinging or soothing, but it was always passionate. His Les Paul with one back-to-front pick-up was his mainstay until he let Gary Moore have it for a pittance, in line with his growing distaste for materialism. But it sounds to me like Albatross was recorded using a Strat on the front pick-up. In any case, you need a warm, clear tone with perhaps a hint of amp overdrive (not distortion in the accepted sense).
An ideal choice might be a 20-50w valve amp turned up fairly loud (typically setting about 60-70 per cent gain). But don’t forget that a non-master-volume amp will almost certainly be working the power amp section harder for a more ‘natural’ and arguably desirable type of overload. At louder sound levels sustain will usually improve as the
loudspeaker pushes more air to excite the strings (yippee!) which sends more music to the amp which pushes more air… Such a situation is predictably referred to as a feedback loop and the acoustic medium is crucial, so don’t bother looking for a processor patch offering such an effect. Of course, compression is a reasonable form of processing to auto-amplify decaying notes and a fairly deep reverb wouldn’t go amiss, either. If you truly wish for the ultimate in sensitivity, responsiveness and sweetness of tone then you’ll have to listen to a ‘class A’ amplifier (I use Mesa/Boogie and Cornell while Brian May, The Hellecasters, Jimmy Vaughan and Hank Marvin rave about Matchless gear. SJB’s Ant, Carvin and the odd custom manufacturers might oblige too. Oh, and there’s a company whose name starts with V and ends in X that might have had some part in the history of tone!).
A few more considerations regarding tone and how to become a guitar legend: just compare the difference in sound and effect between caressing the strings when playing through a loud amp or violently attacking or plucking the strings when using high gain but relatively low settings. Of course it’s not for me to say which is best or most desirable; you should discover for yourself and develop good taste while sharpening your aural senses, too. I mention all this so that you may come to this transcription with the appropriate attitude. Firm (but not excessive) fretting finger pressure is desirable. The music is uncluttered and the goal might be to recreate the sensation of gliding or floating through the air, which the composer obviously desired.
The dynamics, type and intensity of vibrato are of the utmost importance. Don’t use vibrato gratuitously, rather let it help you articulate a musical statement or phrase at selected moments. I chose the naturally accommodating time signature of 12/8 (four groups of triplets). In fact the most common rhythm (observe the bassy tom toms) is a lop-sided one which highlights the first and last thirds of an 8th note triplet – this is the staple of many slow blues tunes and typically very Status Quo (at a slower pace, though). Sure enough, the two main chords (A/E and Emaj 7) usually stick to the rhythm just described. And the take effect (ie ‘brushing’) in accordance with the direction of an arrowhead is obvious to hear. Don’t be too literal with notated rhythms; Peter was a master of evoking timelessness, if you know what I’m trying to say.
I’d advise you to interpret rests here as breaths – appreciate the very reasonable connection between human phrasing and any rests within the space of a bar or two. Some players are convinced that humming/grunting/singing along with their guitar playing pays dividends in terms of expression and projection.
Anyway, I feel sure that Peter would have had held down notes a relatively long time here, even if you notice a substantial decay in sound level.
The rhythm of the notes when entering the implied F# minor should generally sound like saying ‘dweeoo’ (as opposed to the typical triplet-based ‘diggety’). Only towards the end of the tune did I feel that the articulation was slightly swifter, requiring the use of the odd grace note.
The end of measure 15 demonstrates an unexpected trait – a pull-off where the second note is louder than the first. This is perfectly reasonable, but less predictable than the norm. Just pull off with a positively downward finger motion, possibly a little more inward than usual. Whereas a hammer-on is really self explanatory, successful pulling-off often eludes the novice.
Bar 17 introduces the famous harmony melody. The two single notes are panned left and right on the original recording so it’s probably safe to assume that overdubbing was brought into play on this occasion. If you have a guitar playing friend or colleague, try a duet and swap parts for a challenge! If you decide to play both parts at once, then providing you have light gauge strings you’ll still hopefully be able to cope with the transcription the way I’ve decided to offer it here. Jerry Donahue fans will know that dual bends are quite feasible with a lot of practice, but fear not because most of this section is fingerboard-friendly by virtue of the diatonic thirds in the key of E major (ie the note pairings: E and G#, F# and A, G# and B). Use my suggested fingerings beside the noteheads and go for it!
Panned a little to the right (but with its reverb return panned left in the mix) is another guitar part which is evident by its deeper reverb ‘wetness’. Once again, if you’re going it alone you might not be able to include every one of the fills/licks, particularly when you consider that this (overdubbed) part is slide guitar. You might get away with emulating the bits and pieces using bends but please don’t get stressed by trying to do too much by yourself! Don’t forget to check Black Magic Woman by Peter Green.
Albatross. Neck Diagrams
Albatross Chord Diagrams and Chart
It’s just a part of Fleetwood Mac Albatross guitar tab and sheet. Song Albatross Fleetwood MacThrough the link below you can download a full transcription of Albatross with backing track
Warner RecordsFleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood has released an updated version of 'These Strange Times,' a song he co-wrote that originally appeared on his band's 1995 album, Time.
Albatross Fleetwood Mac Lyrics
The nine-minute track, which is credited to Mick Fleetwood's Da*da*ism, is available now digitally and via streaming services. It features Fleetwood's poetic spoken-word vocals, and African-influenced percussion and singing, plus gospel and blues elements. The new version of the tune ends with a newly added segment of Fleetwood Mac's classic 1968 instrumental 'Albatross,' which was written by the band's late founding frontman Peter Green.
A companion video for 'These Strange Times' has premiered at Rhino's official YouTube channel. The clip features captivating black-and-white and color footage of natural scenes from around the world, as well as cityscapes, the night sky, and people from various cultures enjoying different activities. The video also includes artistically shot photos of Mick.
According to a press statement, the video and the new single's artwork were 'inspired by an 18th-century painting,' and 'are centered around the idea of something greater than us, which lies at the core of our very human struggle to be our best selves.'
Listen To Albatross Fleetwood Mac![]()
He adds, 'When I first encountered the painting that inspired the photoshoot, it was a soul-searching exercise that I was driven to do but I didn't know when would be the time to release it. Now I know why: the when is now.'
As for what he hopes people will get from the song and video, Mick says, 'My hope is that by sharing these thought-provoking moments in my world that I can somehow open the eyes of others to things in their world and to the existence we all share, which is more and more endangered with each passing day.'
By Matt Friedlander
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