Midnight on the Water Luke Thomasson

∀∀ 2
D D maj7 D6 D

ι œ− œ ˙
% 3 œ œ œ œ− œ œ œ œ œ œ Ι œ œ

∀∀
D G D A D

œ− œ œ œ œ œ œ −−
6

% œ Ι œ œ œ œ ˙

∀∀ −
D D maj7 D6 D

% −œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ− œ œ œ œ
10

œ œœ œ
3

Ι
3

B µm

∀ ˙ œ œ œ− œ œ œ
Em

œ œ− œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
% ∀ ˙ Ι
15

∀∀ ˙
G D

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ− œ œ œ
19

% Ι œ œ œ œ

∀∀
D G D A D

œ− œ œ −−
œ œ œ œ
23

% œ Ι œ œ œ œ ˙

In the original version, the D note in the first measure of the second line is a C#, and the chord an A chord. I think it's
beautiful that way. But then, as the story goes, John Croziat wrote lyrics to it, and, in 1979, Kate Wolf recorded it with the D
note, instead of the C#, and it's been commonly played that way ever since...
2 Midnight on the Water

In fiddle music, many of us use different tunings. Among folk musicians it's called "cross tuning." It used to be found
among classical musicians. There it's called "scordatura." In recent times, the classical community has turned it's back on
different tunings, but many traditional players use it effectively. The most common cross tuning on fiddle is AEAE. But
there are many others -- Bruce Molsky says he uses 33 different tunings!
Writing out tunes for cross tuning is interesting, because we sight-readers get used to responding to ink spots on a page
like Pavlov's dogs: see note the finger lands on a spot. I don't know if Marion Thede originated the idea, but in her book,
The Fiddle Book, she would write out cross-tuned tunes "as sounds," and "as played."
As Sounds: the notes on the page are the tones a musician plays
As Played: the notes on the page are a sort of "fiddle tablature," where they reflect where our fingers are trained to go.
Below is Midnight on the Water, "As Played." Don't hand out this version to your mandolin or flute player!

Fiddle Tab: AS PLAYED:

∀∀
D D maj7 D6 D

ι œ− œ ˙
27

% œ œ œ œ− œ œ œ œ œ œ Ι œ œ

∀∀
D G D A D

œ− œ œ œ œ œ œ −−
32

% œ Ι œ œ œ œ ˙

∀ œ œ œ ˙˙ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ −− œœ œœ ι 3 œœ
0

% ∀ −− œ œ œ
36 3

œ œœœœ
3

∀∀ ˙ œ ∀œ œ œ ∀œ − œ œ œ
% ˙ œ œ œ œœ −− œ œ−
œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
41

Ι Ι

∀∀ ˙˙ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ −− œœ œœ œ œœ œ œ œœ
45

% Ι œ œ œ

∀ œœ −− œœ œ
% ∀ œœ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ œœ œœ ˙˙ −−
49

Transcription Copyright © Erik Hoffman, 2013