From: walker2@ix.netcom.com (Matt Dickson)

So this is my first fledgling attempt at tabbing. Any constructive 
criticism will be
appreciated. The rhythm and bars may be a little hard to decipher, since 
there is some
syncopation in the melody, i.e., lead-ins to the one beat, but bear with 
me.  Again, criticism is
welcome here, too, and if there is a faq or instruction on writing tab, 
I would be interested in
directions to it.

The melody line is mixed in among the chords and the trick is getting 
the melody note to
stand out over the rest of the chord by either hitting that string a 
little harder, or omitting the
notes on the higher strings so they don't drown it out. Play around with 
it, that's what I do. I tried
to approximate the strumming under te melody as best i could --  You 
know the groove, though,
it has a slow shuffle feel, with the bass at 1 and 3 and the chords on 
the 2 beat and right before three if you think of it in terms of 
4/4...the idea is
to get as many of those in as you can without sacrificing the melody 
line.
Anyway, here it is as I play it:
Prost
Matt

Ripple intro, Grateful Dead, American Beauty Album,  
                                                                      
|-----------------------|-----3--------------|------------------------
|-----------------------|-----0-----0--1--0--|------------------------
|-----------------------|--0--0-----0--0--0--|------------------------
|--------------------0--|-----0-----0--2--0--|------------------------
|--2-----2-----3--------|-----2--------------|------------------------
|-----------------------|-----3--------------|------------------------
                                                                      

                                                                      
---------------------|----------------------|-------------------------
------------0-----0--|-----1-------------1--|-------------------------
------0--0-----2-----|--0--0-------------0--|-------------------------
---------------------|-----2--------0h2--2--|-------------------------
---------------------|-----3-------------3--|-------------------------
3--------------------|----------------------|-------------------------
                                                                      

                                                                      
--------------------------|-------------------|-----------------------
------1-------------------|-----1-------------|-----------------------
------0----------------0--|-----0-----0h2--0--|-----------------------
------2-----------0h2-----|-----2-------------|-----------------------
3-----------3-------------|--3--3-------------|-----------------------
--------------------------|-------------------|-----------------------
                                                                      

                                                                      
------------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------
---1--------------|--1--------------|-----------------|---------------
---0-----------0--|--0--0-----------|-----------------|---------------
---2-----0--2-----|--2--------2-----|--------------0--|---------------
3--3--------------|--3--------------|--2--2-----3-----|---------------
------------------|--------------0--|--3--------------|---------------
                                                                      

                                                                      
---3--------------|-----------------------|----------------|----------
---0-----0--1--0--|-----------0--------0--|-----1-------1--|----------
0--0-----0--0--0--|--0-----0-----2--------|--0--0-------0--|----------
---0-----0--2--0--|-----------------------|-----2--0h2--2--|----------
---2--------------|-----------------------|-----3-------3--|----------
---3--------------|-----------------------|----------------|----------
                                                                      

                                                                      
------------|--------------------|-----2-------------------|----------
------------|--0-----0-----1-----|-----3-------------------|----------
---0--0--2--|--0-----0-----0-----|--2--2-------------------|----------
---2--0--2--|--0-----0-----2-----|-----0-----------------0h|----------
3--3--2--0--|--2-----------------|-------------------------|----------
------------|--3--3--------------|-------------------------|----------
                                                                      

                                                                      
---------------|-----1----------------|-------------------------------
---1-----1-----|-----0----------------|-------------------------------
---0--0--2--0--|--0--0-------------0--|-------------------------------
2--2--0--2--0--|-----0--------0h2-----|-------------------------------
------------2--|-----2----------------|-------------------------------
---------------|-----3----------------|-------------------------------
                                                                      

   if my  words  could  glow                                          
-------------------------|-----1--------------|-----------------------
-------------------------|-----0-----0--1--0--|-----------------------
-------------------------|--0--0-----0--0--0--|-----------------------
---------------------0---|-----0-----0--2--0--|-----------------------
----2------2------3------|-----2--------------|-----------------------
3------------------------|-----3--------------|--3--------------------
                                                                      



======================================================================
==    Created with the a shareware version of the BUCKET 'O TAB     ==
==             tablature creation software for Windows              ==
==                      For more information:                       ==
==                     email: gse@ocsystems.com                     ==
== US Mail: The Bucket, 3176-B5 Summit Square Dr., Oakton, VA 22124 ==
======================================================================


From: BJCURRY@MECHANICAL.watstar.uwaterloo.ca (Brent Curry)
Subject: CRD:Ripple by the Grateful Dead

After posting a request for Chords or Tab to Ripple I got two
great responses through private e-mail.  The first came from
Prashant Andrade  (andrade@elm.circa.ufl.edu)

Ripple by Grateful Dead


       G                               C 
>If my words did glow with the gold of sunshine,
        C                             G
>and my tunes were played on the harp unstrung,
                   G                   C
>would you hear my voice come thru the music,
           D       C                    G
>would you hold it near as it were your own?
>
>It's a hand-me-down,
>the thoughts are broken,
>perhaps they're better left unsung.
>I don't know, don't really care,
>let there be songs to fill the air.
>
 Am         D
>Ripple in still water,
                   C
>when there is no pebble tossed,
     Am      D
>nor wind to blow.
>
>Reach out your hand if your cup be empty,
>if your cup is full may it be again,
>let it be known there is a fountain,
>that was not made by the hands of men.
>
>There is a road, no simple highway,
>Between the dawn and the dark of night,
>and if you go no one may follow,
>that path is for your steps alone.
>Ripple in still water,
>when there is no pebble tossed,
>nor wind to blow.
>
>You who choose, to lead must follow,
>but if you fall you fall alone,
>if you should stand then who's to guide you?
>If I knew the way I would take you home.



Then I got mail from John Lockney who not only gave me the chords
(which are similar to Prashant's) but he also gave me some tablature.

Ripple by the Grateful Dead

sent by "John Lockney! (bs cmsc)" <jlockn1@umbc.edu>

                 (G)
If my words did glow
                  (C)
with the gold of sunshine

and my tunes, were played
          
              (G)
on the harp unstrung


would you hear my voice

                  (C)
come through the music,

  (G)             (D)
would you hold it near

 (C)          (G)
as it were your own


(same chords for next verse)


Chorus:

5th string 3 3 2  0

(Am)              (D)
Ripple  in still water 

           (C)          (G)
WHen there is no peble tossed

    (Am)     (D)
no wind, to blow,


Verse:

It's a hand me down....


This is the intro riff that leads into the verse:
                             
                        (G)
e------------------------
b------------------------
g------------------------
d------------------------0
a----2---------2----3-----             
e--------3----------------          


Hope this helps you out.  (It sure did.  Thank's John.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brent Curry