Singing for palliative and complex care patients at the local hospital, I know that people usually really enjoy hearing a song in their own mother tongue. That is why I purposely did this song as Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu in the original Domenico Modugno Italian version from 1958 instead of Volare, which Dean Martin and the MacGuire Sisters also recorded in the same year. I’ve just finished it and thought I would pass it on.
I used my ear, Domenico Modugno’s YouTube performance from 1958 and this guitaretab website to figure it out. Playing the song in the key of G and using a capo on fret 3 enabled me to play along with the video, since the orchestra played it in concert Bb. I noticed in listening to Modugno’s version that many diminished chords were used, so I sprinkled in those liberally because they really enhance the song. The guitaretab website revealed to me the crazy Bb – D piece I was having trouble identifying, but it doesn’t contain the important diminished chords. Also I emphasized the syllables that coincide with the beat to help me with the word timing, since romance languages tend to blend vowel syllables together. That, for an English speaker, helps smooth out the piece. If you would like help with the diminished chords or anything else, comment on my site and I’ll do a post on diminished and augmented chords, which are easy to learn.
mightyturk 