Music Lesson: When I'm Alone

Introduction

Today, I'm excited to teach you a song that is near and dear to my heart. This early song truly launched my career. When Catching a Tiger came out in 2010, its success opened doors to many festivals and shows, and for that, I am incredibly grateful.

The song is called When I'm Alone.

Song Evolution

A couple of interesting facts about When I'm Alone:

• The recorded version features a very high key.
• We typically play it a little slower on the record.
• In live performances, we tend to play it faster, creating a dynamic experience.

This evolution varies depending on whether I perform it with a full band or solo acoustic.

Capo Basics

One focus in our lesson today will be the use of a capo. Some people pronounce it differently, but I prefer "capo."

What Does a Capo Do?

A capo allows you to change the key of the song. For example:

• On the record, the capo is usually placed on the fourth fret.

When I perform, I often consider my vocal condition. If my voice feels tired, I may opt to play it in a higher key, such as:

• "When I'm alone with you, you let me feel..."

Or, if I'm feeling strong, I might bring it down to:

• "When I'm alone with you and you make me feel..."

Experimenting with the Capo

If you find that the key doesn't feel right, I encourage you to experiment!

1. Start by moving the capo around until you find what feels comfortable.
2. Remember, regardless of where you place the capo, knowing your chord shapes is crucial.

Chord Shapes

Here's a list of the chord shapes we'll be using:

• A minor shape
• F shape (I prefer to bar my F chord)
• D minor shape
• E major shape

Verse Structure

In the verse, we have:

• "I turn my back, you were gone in a flash like you always do."

The chord progression is:

• F → D minor → F → E

Repeat this progression.

Chorus Structure

Now moving to the chorus:

• "When I'm alone."

The chords here are:

• F → G → A minor → G → F

Note that I refer to the G shape, but we are technically not playing a G, given the capo's position.

Transitional Notes

There's a transitional note that bridges the first chorus to the second verse:

• Use the B minor → D minor shape.

Example:

• "When I'm alone with you, you are the one."

Then, return to the A minor shape followed by:

• F → D minor → F → E

Final Chorus

The final chorus has:

• F → G → A minor → G → F

This second chorus is a double chorus, and goes like this:

• "When I'm alone with you, you make me feel..."
• "And when I'm alone with you, you are the one."

Conclusion

And that wraps up our lesson on When I'm Alone! Enjoy experimenting with the capo and developing your version of this heartfelt song.