Steely Dan Tablature

Steely Dan tablature is a necessity for all guitarists who love the sweet sound of this powerhouse musical group. Steely Dan produced a string of hits in the late 1970s like Hey Nineteen, Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Kid Charlemagne, Deacon Blues, Do It Again, Reelin' In The Years, My Old School, Bodhisattva – the list goes on and on.

While being a major popular music force that sold millions of records, Steely Dan is often considered a band that musicians appreciate because of their complex arrangements and genre melding songwriting that incorporates jazz, funk, blues, rock and pop into a unique, one of a kind sound. Guitar players have always been drawn to Steely Dan because of the incredible lead guitar playing that graces their records. Since the band was basically a studio group with only Donald Fagen and Walter Becker as official members, a revolving door of studio guitar hotshots took turns playing on the records. The most notable guitarists who made the biggest impact on the group were Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and Larry Carlton. Not for the beginner or the feint of heart, learning how to play Steely Dan guitar parts is certainly not a walk in the park. However, the following resources will help you find Steely Dan tablature so you can get busy practicing.

Where to Find Steely Dan Guitar Tablature

• Ultimate Guitar: Leave it to Ultimate Guitar to have a comprehensive Steely Dan tabs catalog. This site features over 80 of the most famous Steely Dan songs including the hits Peg, Josie and Any Major Dude as well as the more obscure Razor Boy, Rose Darling and Turn That Heartbeat Over Again. Several different versions are offered for some of the songs, so you can compare transcriptions and assure yourself that you have all the information needed to play the tracks just like they sound on the record.

• Howard's Steely Dan Guitar Tabs: This site is maintained by a fan and guitar player Howard Wright. Howard's love for Steely Dan is your gain! He has taken the time to transcribe over twenty Steely Dan songs including Chain Lightening, Babylon Sisters, Black Cow, Black Friday and many more. Howard describes that he is only trying to capture the essence of the music in the tabs because the music is so complex and detailed. This would be an excellent site for someone who wasn't necessarily interested in getting every lick Skunk Baxter played exactly right, but rather wanted to work up passable versions of their favorite songs to play with friends.

• Fret Play: Another major player in the Internet tab scene is Fret Play, and they offer a substantial list of Steely Dan classics as well, including Bad Sneakers, Dr. Wu, With a Gun, Green Earring and more. This site even posts a pair of bass tabs for the songs FM and Josie for all the bassists who want to get in on the action.

• Tab Power: Not to be outdone when it comes to Steely Dan tablature is the great tab site Tab Power. This site offers tabs for, among others, Don't Take Me Alive, Here at the Western World, Haitian Divorce, Dirty Work and Fire in the Hole.
• Guitar Masta: The magazine-esque layout of Guitar Masta is refreshing as it offers more color and an easier to read format than many other major tab sites. The site also provides a brief bio and lists the top ten tabs for the group, a list that includes Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Reelin' In The Years and Kid Charlemagne. The tabs can either be searched by which album the song was released on or by a list of song names. Guitar Masta does things a little differently, and you should stop by and check it out for yourself.

Get Ready For a Challenge

Once you get into these tabs, you could easily find yourself in a bit over your head. While Steely Dan might sound like easy music to play at a casual listen, the complexities will quickly present themselves to you. Take the songs in small sections and work them out slowly at first. You will improve as a player, and you will come to love this incredible band more and more as you progress. Remember to take your time, enjoy the music, and have fun.

• Bass Guitar Wallpaper
• Famous Bass Guitar Players
• Ibanez Electric Guitars

• Basic Guitar Chord Charts
• Printable Guitar Chord Charts
• How to Read Guitar Sheet Music
• Bass Guitar Note Charts
• Guitar Amplifier Kits

• Category:Guitar Tabs
• ELO Guitar Tabs