Spring Awakening – Detailed Notes on the Guitar 2 (Violin) Book

Music: Duncan Sheik
Book & Lyrics: Steven Sater
Year: 2006

Recently I was contacted by a Chicago-based violinist who wanted to talk about the Guitar 2 parts for Spring Awakening. I had not previously studied the parts in detail, beyond working out how to cover them using only one guitarist, and I was surprised to find that while the parts are not difficult to play, the charts are a hot mess. In this article, I review the guitar parts in detail, highlight inconsistencies and errors in the charts, provide clarifications, suggest improvements and offer tips on playing the songs. I also provide guidance on guitar tones and effects pedals.

OVERVIEW OF THE GUITAR 2 PARTS
There is no separate Guitar 2 book for Spring Awakening. Instead the Violin book doubles on guitar for five songs, generally the more up-tempo, rockier numbers where the strings are often tacet. The parts are pretty straightforward – guitar-playing violinists are not a common commodity – and mostly serve to beef up the overall guitar sound. The book calls for both electric and acoustic guitars although, for reasons explained below, no acoustic guitar is needed.

The book has a lot of issues affecting the charts for all five numbers, falling into the following categories:

• Errors in standard notation, tab notation and fretboard diagrams;
• Inconsistencies between tab notation and fretboard diagrams;
• Unplayable chord voicings in fretboard diagrams;
• Vagueness in the charts (this is common enough in Guitar books, but more likely than usual in this case to cause difficulty).

I compared the charts to the Broadway cast recording and found that the written parts are not consistent with the recording. This is not unusual; apparently the cast album was recorded while modifications were still being made to the show. Overall the parts as played on the cast recording work better than the parts as written, providing a tighter, clearer sound as a backdrop to the beautiful vocal arrangements. I also listened to an audio recording of the November 2021 15^th Anniversary Concert performance of the show by the original Broadway cast and band, on which Guitar 2 can be heard reasonably well, even thought the audio quality overall is not great. This helped clarify how the songs are meant to be played.

In the following notes I identify and correct all of the errors and inconsistencies I found in the charts. I also suggest adjustments to the parts which will bring them more in line with the Broadway cast recording and the Broadway performance. Making these corrections and adjustments should result in a crisper, more coherent sound for the band for the five songs in question, and make life easier for the guitar-playing violinist.

DETAILED NOTES ON THE GUITAR 2 PARTS
These notes should be read in conjunction with a copy of the Violin/Guitar 2 book. They won’t make much sense without it.

#4: The Bitch Of Living
Instrument: Electric guitar (see note below), tuning DADGAD, Capo 3^rd fret

Errors & Inconsistencies

1. Instrument choice: the chart calls for an acoustic guitar, but this makes no sense at all. This is a loud rock number, and the purpose of Guitar 2 is to make the guitar part sound “bigger”. Of course there is no acoustic guitar on either the Broadway cast recording or the 2021 Reunion Concert recording, and I was informed by Olivier Manchon, the Broadway Violin/Guitar 2 musician, that an electric guitar is required.
2. Inconsistent tabs / fretboard diagrams: the fretboard diagrams are written with “absolute” fret numbers (i.e. counted from the nut of the guitar), while the tab notation uses fret numbers relative to the capo at the third fret. Neither convention is wrong but they should be consistent with each other to avoid confusion. This inconsistency occurs throughout the book. To eliminate this inconsistency I re-transcribed the charts using “absolute” fret numbers for both tab and fretboard diagrams.
3. Errors in tab notation: the tab notation for m.21 is given as 2-2-5-0-0-0. This is incorrect. It should be 2-2-4-0-0-0. This error also occurs in m.22, 35, 36, 41, 42, 64, 65, 70, 71, 76, 77, 82 & 83 (that is, everywhere where this is a Gm7 (add 11) chord).
   
4. Impractical tab notation: the picking pattern shown in the tab notation for m.48-51 and m.56-61 is impractical, and not how this section should be played. Instead, using the same fretboard fingerings as the verse section of the song allows the picking pattern to remain constant throughout the bridge section, as shown in the excerpt below.

Tips for playing the song

• Rhythm playing: for the verses and choruses Guitar 2 plays chords on the offbeats throughout. These should be played tenuto and unaccented. Don’t hit the strings to hard and let the chord sound for its full length before cutting it off cleanly by muting it with your pick hand. Keep the rhythm steady and almost robotic.
• Playing arpeggios: for the benefit of violinists, who may not be used to using a guitar pick, I suggest picking the arpeggios in a circular motion, with three down strokes and one upstroke, as shown below. It’s much easier to play this way.
  
• End of song: for m.80-85, I suggest letting the chords ring a little more than previously. Build the volume and intensity up to the big cut off at m.85, which should be accented as shown below.

#5: My Junk
Instrument: Electric guitar, Capo 7^th fret

Errors & Inconsistencies

1. Inconsistent tabs / fretboard diagrams: the fretboard diagrams are written with “absolute” fret numbers (i.e. counted from the nut of the guitar), while the tab notation uses fret numbers relative to the capo at the seventh fret. Neither convention is wrong but they should be consistent with each other to avoid confusion.
2. Incorrect tab notation: the tab notation for the arpeggiated sections (the verses at m.3-18 and m.57-64) is written one octave too low. The excerpt below shows the original tab together with a corrected version.
   
3. Arpeggios not same as recording: the arpeggios in the verses differ from the Broadway cast recording in the following ways:
   1. Missing first note: on the recording there is an additional root note at the beginning of each arpeggio, as shown in the excerpt below.
   2. Missing arpeggio: the chart has an F#m arpeggio in m.9, which is left ringing into m.10. This sounds odd. There should be a D2 or D5 arpeggio in m.10, as shown in the excerpt below. The same issue occurs at m.64.
   3. No arpeggios at start of 2^nd verse: unlike the Broadway cast recording, the chart has no arpeggios for the first half of the second verse (m.49-56). I added them back in as “optional”, because in stage version, both Guitar 2 and drums don’t come back in until m.57.
   4. Higher notes on recording: the arpeggiated notes on the recording sound an octave higher than written, due to use of a pitch-shifting effect. This is nice to have, but the arpeggios sound just fine if played as written. The 2021 Broadway Reunion Concert recording does not use the effect; the notes are played as written.

The excerpt below shows my suggested approach to playing the arpeggiated sections.

4. Rhythm too busy: the eighth- and sixteenth-note rhythm patterns for the choruses are too busy for a distorted electric guitar; they are more suited to an acoustic. Playing them as written leads to a muddy overall sound. Conversely the corresponding chart for Guitar 1 (acoustic guitar) is not rhythmic enough. It’s almost as if the parts ought to be reversed. On the Broadway recording, this is more or less what happens. The acoustic guitar plays a busier, more percussive rhythm, which locks in well with the percussion, while the electric guitar plays a simpler rhythm providing a warm, fuzzy base to fill out the sound. I recommend this approach. The excerpt below shows part of the chorus as written, and the suggested version (as recorded on the Broadway cast album). Notice that the beats of the recorded part match the accented notes of the chart as written; the recorded part has just been simplified to provide a clearer overall sound and not stifle the vocals.

Tips for playing the song

• 7^th fret capo & tuning: this number requires a standard tuning with a capo at the 7^th fret, while the previous number is a DADGAD tuning with capo at the 3^rd There is very little time to make the required capo and tuning adjustments, and if the band is on stage this risks being distracting for the audience. I recommend using two guitars, one with DADGAD tuning and the other with standard tuning. Before the start of the show set the 7^th fret capo for “My Junk” and check tuning after setting the capo. Re-check the tuning after removing the capo at the end of the song.

#8: The Dark I Know Well
Instrument: Electric guitar, Capo 5^th fret

This part is pretty straightforward, consisting of eight measures of arpeggios repeated over and over. Still, the chart manages to include several errors, which are of course repeated every eight measures.

Errors & Inconsistencies

1. Inconsistent tabs / fretboard diagrams: the fretboard diagrams are written with “absolute” fret numbers (i.e. counted from the nut of the guitar), while the tab notation uses fret numbers relative to the capo at the seventh fret. Neither convention is wrong but they should be consistent with each other to avoid confusion.
2. Incorrect tab notation: the tab and standard notations for the G7(add11) arpeggios at m.27, 28, 35, 36, 60, 61, 68, 69, 72, 73, 76, 77, 84 and 85 are incorrect. The low F is impractical to play and should be a G, as shown in the fretboard diagram.
   
3. Chords and cut off at end of song: at the end of the song (m.87) there is a cut-off consisting of two eighth-notes, which are written as a continuation of the arpeggio pattern from the previous measure. This should probably be a pair of strummed chords, as shown below. This can be heard on the 2021 Reunion Concert recording.

Tips for playing the song

• Playing arpeggios: as for #4: The Bitch Of Living, I suggest picking the arpeggios in a circular motion, this time with three up strokes and one downstroke, as shown below.

#9: And Then There Were None
Instrument: Electric guitar, no capo

This number has no tabulature to be inconsistent with the fretboard diagrams, so you might think that it would be in better shape than the first three numbers. You would be wrong. This chart is messy. Let’s take a look.

Errors & Inconsistencies

1. Vague chart: the central problem with this chart is that it’s extremely vague; it doesn’t really tell you how to play the song. It’s mostly slash marks, and is missing fretboard diagrams in some areas where they would be useful. The part is either absent or inaudible on the Broadway cast recording, so that can’t be used as a guide, but it can be heard clearly on the 2021 Reunion Concert recording. An experienced guitarist wouldn’t have much trouble with this, but presenting it to a violinist who might not be as familiar with guitar notation is far from ideal. I took the view that the part is meant to thicken the overall sound during the sections of the song with a straight 4 rhythm, when the 12-string guitar (Guitar 1) is strumming more broadly, rather than playing the distinctive muted strum pattern used through the much of the song. With that in mind, I suggest using simple rhythms, as shown in the examples below.
2. Errors: the chart is incorrect in two places:
   1. m.40-43: all of the notation for these measures is incorrect. I provide details and a correction below.
   2. m.66: both the fretboard diagram and the standard notation provided are incorrect.
3. Uncertain effects settings: the chart includes a diagram showing settings for a distortion pedal, but doesn’t tell you which pedal was used, or what the knobs are, making it effectively useless. Olivier Manchon, who played the book in the original Broadway production, was kind enough to inform me that the “Distortion” pedal was in fact a Boss BD-2 Blues Driver See the notes on effects pedals below for more details.

Tips for playing the song

I provide more detail in this section than for the previous numbers, because so much information is missing from the chart. In developing my suggestions I listened to the Broadway recording to get a sense of the other instruments’ parts (particularly Guitar 1), and a YouTube recording of the November 2021 Broadway Reunion Concert (where Guitar 2 is easier to hear). I took the one area of the chart where rhythm notation is provided as a general guide (m.76-80), and applied my own experience.

There is flexibility in what rhythms can be played but remember: the general idea is for Guitar 2 to beef up the sound without stepping on the 12-string guitar part. All sections except the arpeggios (m.59-66) are straightforward full-voiced strumming.

• m.35-43: the original chart is all slash marks, and as noted above the chord symbol notation for m.40-43 is incorrect. The following suggestion uses the same chord voicings as the original chart (these can be heard on the 2021 Reunion Concert audio), corrects the errors and provides a suitable rhythm pattern.
  
• m.59-66: the original chart calls for arpeggios and provides chord symbols and slash rhythm notation, except at m.66 which is entirely incorrect. The suggestion below provides suggested arpeggios in full, and is similar to what can be heard on the 2021 Reunion Concert audio.
  
• m.76-88: the original chart provides six measures of rhythm notation and chord names before returning to slash marks. The suggestion below provides a complete suggested rhythm pattern and chord voicings (which are similar to those used earlier in the song). Once again it is fairly similar to what can be heard on the 2021 Reunion Concert audio. It fits well with the Guitar 1 and Drum parts.
  
• m.99-106: the original chart provides chord voicings and slash notation. The suggestion below includes a suitable rhythm pattern. There is a very quick change to the Violin at the end of this number, and it may be necessary to drop out early to make the change. I added a change of rhythm to an eighth-note pattern at m.103 to help the song to build to a big finish.

#15: Totally Fucked
Instrument: Electric guitar, Capo 3^rd fret

Is it too much to hope that at least this chart is in good shape? Sadly, the clue is right there in the name of the song…

Errors & Inconsistencies

1. Incorrect chord diagrams: all of the chord diagrams on this chart are incorrect. The song requires a capo at the 3^rd fret, and (like most songs in this show) uses very specific chord voicings. All of the chord diagrams show voicings with no capo, some of which verge on unplayable. All are incorrect.
2. Unsuitable rhythm pattern: the rhythm pattern for the chorus, shown in m.39-45, is the same as the Guitar 1 rhythm. Guitar 2 should play a fuller strummed rhythm to fill out the overall sound. Having both guitars play the same rhythm would get very sonically messy.
3. Incorrect notation m.47-51: Guitar 2 is shown playing in the “Blah blah” section at the end of the first chorus. It should be tacet.
4. Uncertain effects settings: like #9, the chart includes a diagram showing settings for a distortion pedal, but doesn’t tell you which pedal was used, or what the knobs are, making it effectively useless. See notes on #9 above, and on effects pedals and settings below.

Tips for playing the song

As for #9, I provide a fair amount of detail in this section because the chart is in such bad shape. In developing my suggestions I listened to the Broadway recording to get a sense of the other instruments’ parts (particularly Guitar 1), and the YouTube recording of the November 2021 Broadway Reunion Concert.

There is flexibility in what rhythms can be played; the general idea is for Guitar 2 to beef up the sound without stepping on the Guitar 1 part.

• m.39-46: throughout the song Guitar 2 plays in the choruses and is tacet for the verses. The example below shows correct chord voicings and a suggested rhythm for the first chorus. For the 2^nd and 3^rd choruses a busier eighth-note rhythm can be used for the Gm7 chord to match the drums and build the intensity gradually.
  
• m.98-108: for the final chorus I suggest a ringing eighth-note pattern throughout, accented on the beat, as shown below.

INSTRUMENTS, AMPLIFICATION & EFFECTS

Instruments
Only electric guitar is required for Spring Awakening’s Guitar 2 parts. I recommend a Gibson-style instrument (humbuckers) or a Telecaster. The single coils of a Strat would sound too thin and bright, and high-gain pickups too “metal”. Think of a classic rock vibe. I also strongly recommend using a second electric guitar just to play #4: The Bitch of Living, to avoid an on-stage retuning/capo reset for the following number (#5: My Junk).

Amplification
The amplification required depends on the needs of the production, theatre size, and sound design. It could be any combination of amplifiers, microphones, direct inputs or digital amp modelers. However, assuming that an amplifier is needed for most productions, I recommend avoiding amps with heavily colored, distinctive sounds like the Vox AC30. Fender amplifiers have a great clean sound and are always a good bet. It’s also a good idea to avoid anything too big – a 1×12-inch combo amp is more than enough for almost all theatre work. There’s also no real need to worry about clean vs overdrive channels; just a single input is enough, and you can do the rest with pedals.

Guitar Sounds & Pedalboards
In this section I’m going to look first at the specific guitar sounds required, then go on to describe both a “bare minimum” and a more complete pedalboard setup, bearing in mind that most violinists will not have a roomful of effects pedals. While researching this article I contacted Thad DeBrock, who played the Guitar 2 parts on the cast recording, and Olivier Manchon who played them throughout the Broadway run. They were both kind enough to answer my questions in detail and their answers are incorporated into the following suggestions.

• Overdrive (not Distortion): “Distortion” is required for every Guitar 2 number, but the tones on the cast recording are clearly Overdrive (I’m not going to get into an explanation of the difference between the two, but they are different – Google it). Olivier Manchon confirmed that he used a Boss BD-2 Blues Driver Overdrive pedal for the Broadway run. The little sketches of Distortion settings in the charts for “And Then There Were None” and “Totally Fucked” are for the BD-2 pedal. In fact, you can leave the pedal at one setting for all the guitar parts – a picture of the settings used for Broadway is below. Any good overdrive pedal will do, and the tone can be dialed in to suit the needs of your production and/or by using the Broadway cast recording as a reference.
  
• Delay: delay is required for the arpeggios in the verses of “My Junk” and the bridge section of “And Then There Were None” (you could also use it for the arpeggios on “The Bitch Of Living”). This material suits analog delay sounds, rather than digital. For the Broadway production, a Line 6 DL-4 Delay Modeler was used. This is a digital pedal, but it was used on a setting modeling a tape echo, specifically a Maestro EP-3 Echoplex. The DL-4 is large, power-hungry, expensive and has a reputation for unreliability, so I suggest something like an MXR Carbon Copy, or an EHX Nano Deluxe Memory Man. For settings, I suggest about a 350ms delay, with 3-4 repeats and the delayed signal mixed fairly low. The idea is to create an ambience, rather than a prominent, rhythmic echo.
• Octave Pedal (My Junk): on the Broadway cast recording (but not on the Broadway production) the Guitar 2 arpeggios sound an octave higher than they are played and have a beautiful spacey feel to them. It sounds like a combination of a polyphonic octave pedal, a delay and a reverb. If you want to replicate it on stage, it can be done with an octave pedal (such as the Digitech Whammy, or EHX Nano POG) and an analog delay, preferably with modulation (both of the delay pedals mentioned above have modulation). I was also able to get a pretty close approximation to the recorded sound on my Line 6 Helix.
• EQ & Boost (The Dark I Know Well): Olivier Manchon informed me that he used an EQ for the arpeggios on “The Dark I Know Well”, to give them a little volume boost and presumably to make them a little brighter. Any EQ pedal would be suitable for this (for example the Boss GE-7).

Overall, I would categorize the Overdrive and Delay as essential, while the Octave Pedal and EQ are nice-to-haves. The only other pedals needed are an A/B switch to switch between the two differently-tuned guitars and a volume pedal which, while not strictly essential, I strongly recommend. With all this in mind, these are my suggested signal chains for “complete” and a “bare minimum” pedalboards.

CONCLUSION
The five “Guitar 2” parts in the Spring Awakening Violin book are straightforward to play, but the charts provided are confusing and include many errors. Hopefully this article serves to clear up some of that confusion and will help anyone preparing to play the show. While writing this article I prepared a corrected, consistent set of charts – it’s not too difficult, should you be inclined to make the effort.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am grateful to Broadway musicians Olivier Manchon (Violin/Guitar 2) and Thad DeBrock (Guitar 1) who kindly answered my questions about the guitar effects used on the show. Thanks also to Hillary Bayley of Chicago, Illinois, whose initial questions regarding the Guitar 2 parts prompted me to study them in detail and write this article.

LINKS – OTHER ARTICLES ON THIS SITE
Spring Awakening – Overview: a review of the guitar’s prominent role in the show and equipment required to perform the Guitar 1 book.
Spring Awakening – Detailed Notes: a detailed commentary on the Guitar 1 book.

LINKS – EXTERNAL
Note: all links were valid at the time this article was published
Spring Awakening Wikipedia entry
Duncan Sheik: website & Twitter feed
Spring Awakening Original Broadway Cast Recording CD and YouTube playlist
Spring Awakening Broadway cast 15^th Anniversary reunion concert (audience audio with slideshow)
Olivier Manchon (Broadway violinist/Guitar 2 musician) website
Thad DeBrock (Broadway Guitar 1 musician) website
SecondStory Repertory Theatre
Youth Theatre Northwest