Guitar - Tab

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Tears in the Rain

Remember the cult movie “Blade Runner” by Ridley Scott with Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer?

At the end of the movie the dying replicant Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) makes the comparison that everything he's done and experienced was just like tears in the rain.

In the April 93 issue of Guitar for the Practicing Musician, Satriani mentions that the expression of “metaphysical futility” in that particular movie moment inspired him to this atmospheric, haunting piece.

Another fine example of how art begets art.

From a technical standpoint this shouldn't be too difficult, at least not as difficult as thinking about “metaphysical futility.”   ;-)

You are confronted with:

	steady eighth notes
	a constant right hand fingerpicking pattern

All in all, pretty straightforward stuff...

The real challenge lies in getting the mood across.

Satriani achieves this by playing freely, accelerating and slowing down when appropriate, which is a feel thing. Compare the strictly in time version with the freely interpreted one:

Even better...

Listen to the original recording on the album “The Extremist” to hear how Satch phrases this piece.

Practice Steps:

	Amin(add4) - Fmaj13(#11) - E7(b9)/G#

Get a grip on the chord shapes first so that you are able to easily switch between them without hesitation.

Now you are ready to apply the forward-backward rolls.

Pay attention to the role the open high E-string plays.

	First, the E acts as a common tone throughout the whole progression – functioning as 5th in the Amin measure, as major 7th for Fmaj13#11 and as root over E7b9/G#.
	Listen closely how the high E string adds a special open, ringing sound and quality to the whole phrase.
	Take a look at the 3rd bar and check out how the contour of the line changes. In all the other measures the E is the highest note and the contour of the line follows the forward-backward finger roll.
	Here the F on the 6th fret of the B string breaks the strict ascending-descending contour and adds variety and interest to the line.

Hope for Replicants

Mastering the subtle details of “Tears in the Rain” will keep the feeling of metaphysical futility away.

Even if you are a replicant.... ;-)

Guaranteed.

Treat yourself to a great movie and catch the atmosphere that inspired Joe to come up with this piece. We especially recommend the Director's cut.