Colored Aristocracy: Mandolin Tab
Mandolin tab and sheet music with synced audio · Key of G · 120 BPM · 4/4 time · Old-timey · Beginner
Chords used in this arrangement: G, Em, C, A, D.
This tune has a wild backstory, it's technically a cakewalk, not a fiddle tune, with that ragtime syncopation baked right into its bones. The version everyone plays today traces back to a single 1936 field recording of West Virginia fiddler Sanford Rich, captured at Arthurdale, an Eleanor Roosevelt–sponsored Depression-era resettlement community, by musicologist Charles Seeger — yes, Mike Seeger's dad. Mike grew up listening to those aluminum Library of Congress discs at home, and when he formed the New Lost City Ramblers in the early '60s, it was one of the first tunes they put on record, which is basically how the whole old-time revival got ahold of it. That slightly unusual syncopated bounce you'll feel in the rhythm, lean into it rather than flattening it out into a straight reel feel, and it'll really click.
This page includes mandolin tablature, standard music notation, and a chord chart, printable as PDF and playable in sync with the original recording. Change the key, slow the tempo down, and loop the bars you want to practise. Download the Colored Aristocracy PDF.
Colored Aristocracy: questions and answers
What key is Colored Aristocracy in?
Colored Aristocracy is in G major. The transpose control on this page moves the tab, notation and chords to any other key.
What chords are used in Colored Aristocracy?
The chords in this arrangement are G, Em, C, A, D. The chord chart on this page shows each shape and highlights the current chord as the tune plays.
How fast is Colored Aristocracy played?
This recording is at 120 BPM in 4/4 time. Use the speed control to slow it down without changing the pitch, then work back up to full tempo.
Is Colored Aristocracy a good tune for beginners?
Yes. Colored Aristocracy is rated beginner, so it suits players who are still learning their first tunes.
Can I download Colored Aristocracy as sheet music?
Yes. A printable PDF with the mandolin tab and standard notation is free at /tab/colored-aristocracy.pdf, and there is a download button on this page.
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