King Crimson

Three of A Perfect Pair

King Crimson


Tom: A

Here's my transcription of ToaPP. I know this song was transcribed a few
years back in "Guitar"-magazine, but I couldn't get my hands on a copy so
I put myself to work...I know this is not perfect, so any feedback would
be welcome.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The song starts with the verse pattern in Cm

Figure 1  (6/8)
| Guitar 1
||------------|------------|------------|------------|
||------------|------------|------------|------------|
||------8-----|-----%------|-----%------|-----%------|
||10----------|------------|------------|------------|
||----6---8---|------------|------------|------------|
||--8-------6-|------------|------------|------------|
|
| Guitar 2
||8---------8-|----------6-|------------|------------|
||------8-----|------8-----|------8---6-|------8-6---|
||--------5---|5-------5---|5-------5---|5---------8-|
||----5-------|----5-------|----5-------|----5-------|
||--6---------|--6---------|--6---------|--6---------|
||------------|------------|------------|------------|

(The C note with which each bar of guitar 2 starts is 
sometimes played on the high E string like in bar 1, 
and sometimes on the G string like in bar 2,3 and 4. 
Listen to the song to get it exactly right.)

Play Fig. 1 twice.

Figure 2  (6/8) Fm
| Guitar 1
||------------|------------|------------|------------|
||8-----9-----|------------|------------|------------|
||--10----10--|-----%------|-----%------|-----%------|
||----------10|------------|------------|------------|
||------------|------------|------------|------------|
||------------|------------|------------|------------|
|
| Guitar 2
||6-----8-----|------------|------------|------------|
||--6-----6---|------------|------------|------------|
||----------5-|-----%------|-----%------|-----%------|
||------------|------------|------------|------------|
||------------|------------|------------|------------|
||------------|------------|------------|------------|

Then play Fig. 1 once, followed by:

Figure 3  (6/8)  Gm
| Guitar 1
||------------|------------|------------|------------|
||10----11----|------------|------------|------------|
||--12----12--|-----%------|-----%------|-----%------|
||----------12|------------|------------|------------|
||------------|------------|------------|------------|
||------------|------------|------------|------------|
|
| Guitar 2
||8-----10----|------------|------------|------------|
||--8-----8---|------------|------------|------------|
||----------7-|-----%------|-----%------|-----%------|
||------------|------------|------------|------------|
||------------|------------|------------|------------|
||------------|------------|------------|------------|

(Not completely sure about these parts, maybe lower notes 
are also played, but that is only because Adrian seems 
to play also lower notes on the Live in Japan video.)

Then Fig. 2 again, followed by Fig. 1. This completes 
one verse pattern. Play this pattern again for the 
second verse.

Then the chorus:
Figure 4  (7/8)  Am
|Guitar 1
||--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||5-------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||----x-5---7---|------%-------|-------%------|------%-------|
||7---x-7---7---|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
|
|Guitar 2
||--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||5-------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||------5---7---|------%-------|------%-------|------%-------|
||7-7---7-7-7-7-|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|


Figure 5  (7/8)  Dm
|Guitar 1
||--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||6-------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||----x-5---7---|------%-------|-------%------|------%-------|
||7---x-7---7---|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
|
|Guitar 2
||--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||6-------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||------5---7---|------%-------|------%-------|------%-------|
||7-7---7-7-7-7-|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
||--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|

Play Fig. 5 twice, followed by the same figure two fret higher,
in Em. Play that figure once, followed by Fig. 5.

Then, guitar 1 plays the six note pattern of Fig. 1 three frets 
lower, in Am, while guitar 2 plays a eight note pattern over this.

Figure 6   Am
|Guitar 1  (6/8)
||------------|------------|------------|------------|
||------------|------------|------------|------------|
||------5-----|-----%------|-----%------|-----%------|
||7-----------|------------|------------|------------|
||----3---5---|------------|------------|------------|
||--5-------3-|------------|------------|------------|
|
|Guitar 2  (8/8)
||----------------|----------------|----------------||
||--------------5-|----------------|----------------||
||----5-----7-----|--------%-------|--------%-------||
||7-----7-----7---|----------------|----------------||
||--7-----7-------|----------------|----------------||
||----------------|----------------|----------------||

Then again the verse pattern, the chorus pattern and 
Fig. 6 ( -> only guitar 1 ).
The solo is over 4 bars of (in 7/8): F#5,D,F#5,F#5,D,E5,F#5,
mostly played on the A and D strings.
After the solo again the chorus, played twice.
The song ends with Fig. 6 until it fades out.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date Submitted: 5-Mar-01 
By: Steve Turner (s_turner at mailroom dot com) 

==============================================================================
Author/Artist: King Crimson                                     v1.0
Title: Three of a Perfect Pair (GUITAR ONE)
Album: Three of a Perfect Pair

Transcribed by: Steve Turner
Email: s_turner at mailroom dot com
Homepage:  http://go.to/sonicoverflow
==============================================================================


THREE OF A PERFECT PAIR.  This is probably one of King Crimson's most 'catchy'
songs to date...  But don't let it's singability fool you, this is no picnic
to perform.  Work hard at alternate picking each phrase.  If that does you 
no good then just have fun playing a great song anywhich way you can.  

This transcription is for Guitar ONE only.  Guitar TWO is at my website. 
Follow the prompts.  Riffs are named and when repeated the name is mentioned
instead of a needless riff duplication.  


THREE OF A PERFECT PAIR:  GUITAR ONE TRANSCRIPTION.

The song goes straight into VERSE 1:

-|-------------8-----------------|-------------------------------|--------|---
-|---------8--------------8---11-|---------8---------------8-----|--------|---
-|-------------------------------|-------------10--------------8-|--------|---
-|-10--------8----10--------8----|-10--------8-----10--------8---|--------|---
-|----6-10-----------6-10--------|----6-10------------6-10-------|--------|---
-|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|--------|---
  [Main Riff     6/8                                            ]  Main       

-|-------------------------------------|------------|--------|----------------
-|-11-------13-------11-------13-------|------------|--------|----------------
-|----10-------10-------10-------10----|------------|--------|----------------
-|-------10-------10-------10-------10-|------------|--------|----------------
-|-------------------------------------|------------|--------|----------------
-|-------------------------------------|------------|--------|----------------
  [Interjection 1.                    ]  Inter 1 x1   Main x1                     

-|-------------------------------------|------------|------------|---------|--
-|-13-------15-------13-------15-------|------------|------------|---------|--
-|----12-------12-------12-------12----|------------|------------|---------|--
-|-------12-------12-------12-------12-|------------|------------|---------|--
-|-------------------------------------|------------|------------|---------|--
-|-------------------------------------|------------|------------|---------|--
  [Interjection 2.                    ]  Inter 2 x1   Inter 1 x2   Main x1    



VERSE 2:

   Main x2   Inter 1 x2   Main x1   Inter 2 x2   Inter 1 x2   Main x1      
   

-|-------------------------|----------|--------------------------|----------|-
-|-------------------------|----------|--------------------------|----------|-
-|-9--------7--9--------7--|----------|-10--------7--10--------7-|----------|-
-|---7--10--------7--10----|----------|----7--10---------7--10---|----------|-
-|-------------------------|----------|--------------------------|----------|-
-|-------------------------|----------|--------------------------|----------|-
  [CHR 1     7/8          ]  CHR 1     [CHR 2                   ]  CHR 2     -

-|----------|----------|--------------------------|----------|----------------
-|----------|----------|--------------------------|----------|----------------
-|----------|----------|-12--------9--12--------9-|----------|----------------
-|----------|----------|----9--12---------9--12---|----------|----------------
-|----------|----------|--------------------------|----------|----------------
-|----------|----------|--------------------------|----------|----------------
   CHR 2      CHR 2     [CHR 3                   ]  CHR 3                     

-|----------|----------|----------|----------|--------------------------------
-|----------|----------|----------|----------|--------------------------------
-|----------|----------|----------|----------|--------------------------------
-|----------|----------|----------|----------|--------------------------------
-|----------|----------|----------|----------|--------------------------------
-|----------|----------|----------|----------|--------------------------------
   CHR 1      CHR 2      CHR 2      CHR 2                                     

-|---------------------------|--------------------------|---------------------
-|---------------------------|--------------------------|---------------------
-|------------7---9----------|---7---9------------7---9-|---------------------
-|-7---10-7---------7---10-7-|---------7---10-7---------|---------------------
-|---7------7---7-----7------|-7---7-----7------7---7---|---------------------
-|---------------------------|--------------------------|---------------------
  [Bridge  6/8                                         ]                      



VERSE 2:

        Main x2   Inter 1 x2   Main x1   Inter 2 x2   Inter 1 x2   Main x1   

CHORUS 2:

        Play as before, with BRIDGE riff at end.         


LEAD BACKING:

-|----------------------|-----------|----------------------|-----------|------
-|----------------------|-----------|----------------------|-----------|------
-|----------------------|-----------|----------------------|-----------|------
-|-4-4--4--4--4--4-4--4-|-----------|-4-4--4--4--4--4-4--4-|-----------|------
-|-4-4--4--4--4--4-4--4-|-----------|-5-5--5--5--5--5-5--5-|-----------|------
-|-2-2--2--2--2--2-2--2-|-----------|-2-2--2--2--2--2-2--2-|-----------|------
  [BACKING 1           ]  Backing 1  [BACKING 2           ]  Backing 2        

-|----------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------
-|----------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------
-|----------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------
-|-2-2--2--2--2--2-2--2-|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------
-|-4-4--4--4--4--4-4--4-|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------
-|-2-2--2--2--2--2-2--2-|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------
  [BACKING 3           ]  Backing 3   Backing 1   Backing 1                   

-|----------------------|-----------|----------------------|-----------|------
-|----------------------|-----------|----------------------|-----------|------
-|----------------------|-----------|-9-9--9--9--9--9-9--9-|-----------|------
-|-7-7--7--7--7--7-7--7-|-----------|-7-7--7--7--7--7-7--7-|-----------|------
-|-5-5--5--5--5--5-5--5-|-----------|-7-7--7--7--7--7-7--7-|-----------|------
-|----------------------|-----------|----------------------|-----------|------
   BACKING 4              Backing 4  [BACKING 5           ]  Backing 5        

-|-----------|-----------|----------------------------------------------------
-|-----------|-----------|----------------------------------------------------
-|-----------|-----------|----------------------------------------------------
-|-----------|-----------|----------------------------------------------------
-|-----------|-----------|----------------------------------------------------
-|-----------|-----------|----------------------------------------------------
   Backing 1   Backing 1                                                      



CHORUS 3 + 4:

        Play as before, but no BRIDGE between.  

OUTRO:

        Play the BRIDGE two bar riff (3 phrases per 2 bars) 16 times 
        which makes a total of 48 phrases.    


NOTE:

Something interesting just occured to me... 
I think I have worked out what the title means as far as this music is
concerned.  Allow me to extrapolate...

The bridge riff is 3 phrases (or cells) spread over 2 bars of 6/8 time.  
Each phrase is 8 sixteenth notes long.  
8 sixteenth note phrases x 3 phrases = 24 sixteenth notes.
24 sixteenth notes = 12 eighth notes.  
12 eighth notes = two bars of 6/8. 

In a round about way all I am saying is there are 3 phrases played against a
two bar timing.  Three (phrases) of a Perfect Pair (bars).  Okay, enough of 
my ranting... 




THREE OF A PERFECT PAIR:        ARRANGEMENT for GUITAR ONE.

VERSE 1:

Main    x2
Inter 1 x2
Main    x1
Inter 2 x2
Inter 1 x2
Main    x1


VERSE 2:

Main    x2
Inter 1 x2
Main    x1
Inter 2 x2
Inter 1 x2
Main    x1


CHORUS 1:

CHR 1 x2
CHR 2 x4
CHr 3 x1
CHR 2 x3


BRIDGE (2 Bars)


VERSE 3:

Main    x2
Inter 1 x2
Main    x1
Inter 2 x2
Inter 1 x2
Main    x1


CHORUS 2:

CHR 1   x2
CHR 2   x4
CHR 3   x2
CHR 1   x1
CHR 2   x3

BRIDGE (2 bars)

LEAD BACKING:

Backing 1       x2
Backing 2       x2
Backing 3       x2
Backing 1       x2
Backing 4       x2
Backing 5       x2
Backing 1       x2

CHORUS 3:

CHR 1   x2
CHR 2   x4
CHR 3   x2
CHR 1   x1
CHR 2   x3

CHORUS 4:

CHR 1   x2
CHR 2   x4
CHR 3   x2
CHR 1   x1
CHR 2   x3

OUTRO:

Bridge x16.  48 Phrase Cells.  




==============================================================================
Author/Artist: King Crimson                                             v1.0
Title: Three of a Perfect Pair (GUITAR TWO)
Album: Three of a Perfect Pair

Transcribed by: Steve Turner
Email: s_turner at mailroom dot com
Homepage: http://go.to/sonicoverflow
==============================================================================

This is my notation of GUITAR 2 of King Crimson's THREE OF A PERFECT PAIR.  
See the notes accompanying GUITAR 1, available at my website.  Have fun with 
it!  


VERSE 1:

-|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------|----------
-|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------|----------
-|--------8------------8-----|--------8------------8-----|---------|----------
-|-10-----------10-----------|-10-----------10-----------|---------|----------
-|------6---8--------6---8---|------6---8--------6---8---|---------|----------
-|----8-------6----8-------6-|----8-------6----8-------8-|---------|----------
  [Main Riff.                                           ]  Main x2            

-|-------------------------------|---------|---------|------------------------
-|-8------9-------8------9-------|---------|---------|------------------------
-|----------10-------------10----|---------|---------|------------------------
-|-------------------------------|---------|---------|------------------------
-|---8-11------11---8-11------11-|---------|---------|------------------------
-|-------------------------------|---------|---------|------------------------
  [Inter 1                      ]  Inter 1   Main x1                          

-|-------------------------------------|---------|------------|------|--------
-|-10-------11-------10-------11-------|---------|------------|------|--------
-|-------------12----------------12----|---------|------------|------|--------
-|-------------------------------------|---------|------------|------|--------
-|----10-13-------13----10-13-------13-|---------|------------|------|--------
-|-------------------------------------|---------|------------|------|--------
  [Inter 2                            ]  Inter 2   Inter 1 x2   Main          



VERSE 2: Main x2, Inter 1 x2, Main x1, Inter 2 x2, Inter 1 x2, Main x1.      



CHORUS: 1

-|-------------------------------|-------|------------------------------------
-|-------------------------------|-------|------------------------------------
-|-------------------------------|-------|------------------------------------
-|-7-----5---7---7-----5---7-----|-------|------------------------------------
-|-------------------------------|-------|------------------------------------
-|-----5-----------5-------------|-------|------------------------------------
  [CHR 1                        ]  CHR 1                                      

-|-------------------------------|-------|------------------------------------
-|-------------------------------|-------|------------------------------------
-|-7-------------7---------------|-------|------------------------------------
-|-------5---7---------5---7-----|-------|------------------------------------
-|-------------------------------|-------|------------------------------------
-|-----5-----------5-------------|-------|------------------------------------
  [CHR 2                        ]  CHR 2                                      

-|-5----5--5---5----5--5--|-------|-7----7--7---7----7--7--|-------|----------
-|-6----6--5---6----6--5--|-------|-8----8--7---8----8--7--|-------|----------
-|-7----7--7---7----7--7--|-------|-9----9--9---9----9--9--|-------|----------
-|------------------------|-------|------------------------|-------|----------
-|------------------------|-------|------------------------|-------|----------
-|------------------------|-------|------------------------|-------|----------
  [CHR 3                 ]  CHR 3  [CHR 4                 ]  CHR 4            

-|-7----5--5---5----5----5--|-------|-----------------------------------------
-|-8----6--5---6----6----5--|-------|-----------------------------------------
-|-9----7--7---7----7----7--|-------|-----------------------------------------
-|--------------------------|-------|-----------------------------------------
-|--------------------------|-------|-----------------------------------------
-|--------------------------|-------|-----------------------------------------
  [CHR 5                      CHR 3                                           



BRIDGE:

-|-------------------------|--------|-----------------------------------------
-|-------------------------|--------|-----------------------------------------
-|-------5-----------5-----|--------|-----------------------------------------
-|-7-----------7-----------|--------|-----------------------------------------
-|-----3---5-------3---5---|--------|-----------------------------------------
-|---5-------3---5-------3-|--------|-----------------------------------------
   BRIDGE                    BRIDGE                                           


VERSE 3: Main x2, Inter 1 x2, Main x1, Inter 2 x2, Inter 1 x2, Main x1. 


CHORUS 2: as before, with BRIDGE RIFF x2                                      


SYNTH LEAD SECTION:  You are on your OWN!  See the GUITAR ONE notation for the    
rhythm part.  The synth lead is very impressionistic...                      


CHORUS 3 + 4:  Play the same as the first, but with NO BRIDGE between.         


OUTRO:  28 Bars of the BRIDGE riff.  56 phrases.                             




THREE OF A PERFECT PAIR:        ARRANGEMENT for GUITAR TWO.

The arrangement is mostly identical to Guitar ONE but with substituted riffs.  
The CHORUS, BRIDGE and OUTRO riffs are arranged differently (see below).


CHORUS:

CHR 1 x2
CHR 2 x2
CHR 3 x2
CHR 4 x2
CHR 5 x1
CHR 3 x1


BRIDGE (2 Bars)

OUTRO:  Bridge x28.  56 Phrase Cells.  


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date Submitted: 14-Mar-02 
By: Steve Turner (bilbomax at wanadoo dot fr) 

THREE OF A PERFECT PAIR by King Crimson.
( acoustic version played by Adrian Belew in Heavy ConstruKction )

transcribed by Mash

 
the beginning is in 6/8
 
C m
1 2 3 4 5 6
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
---------------------8------------------- x 8
----10----------------------------------
----------------6---------8-------------
-----------8--------------------6-------
 
she is susceptible
 
 
F m
1 2 3 4 5 6
------------------------------------------
----8-----------------9------------------
----------------------------10-----------
------------------------------------------ x 4
----------8----11-----------------8-----
------------------------------------------
 
he is ...
 
 
C m x 4
...impossible
 
G m
1 2 3 4 5 6 
-----------------------------------------
----10---------------11----------------
-----------------------------12---------
----------------------------------------- x 4
----------10----13---------------10---
-----------------------------------------
 
they ... have their...
 
F m x 4
... cross to share 
 
C m
Three of a perfect pair
He has his contradicting views
 
F m
She has her...
 
C m
...cyclothymic moods
 
G m
They make a ...
 
F m
... study in despair
 
C m
Three of a perfect pair
 
 
And the chorus ( in 7/8 )
 
A m
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----5----------------------------------------------5------------------------------------------------ 
-----7------------------5-------------7------------7---------------5---5-------------7------------- x 2
-----7------------------7-------------7------------7---------------7---7-------------7------------- 
-----0------------------0-------------0------------0---------------0---0-------------0-------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
one , one too many schizophrenic tendencies ... keeps it ...
 
 
F/A
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----6----------------------------------------------6--------------------------------------------
-----7-------------------5------------7------------7---------------5---5-------------7--------- x 2
-----7-------------------7------------7------------7---------------7---7-------------7---------
-----0-------------------0------------0------------0---------------0---0-------------0---------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
... complicated ... keeps also...
 
 
D m
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
------5-------------------------------------------5----------------------------------------
------6-------------------------------------------6----------------------------------------
------7-----------------5------------7-----------7--------------5---5------------7------
------7-----------------7------------7-----------7--------------7---7------------7------ x 2
------5-----------------5------------5-----------5--------------5---5------------5------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
.... aggravated ... full of this ...
 
 
E m
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
-----7--------------------------------------------7---------------------------------------
-----8--------------------------------------------8---------------------------------------
-----9-----------------7------------9------------9---------------7---7------------9----
-----9-----------------9------------9------------9---------------9---9------------9---- x 2
-----7-----------------7------------7------------7---------------7---7------------7----
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
... hopelessness ... oooh what ....
 
 
D m x 2
.... a perfect mess 
 
 
A m
1 2 3 4 5 6
------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------
--------------------------5---------------------
----7------------------------------------------- x 4
-------------------3--------------5------------
-----------5-------------------------------3---
 
 
Back to the beginning :
C m
He has his contradicting views
 
F m
She has her ...
 
C m
... cyclothymic moods
 
G m
They make a ...
 
F m
... study in despair 
 
C m
Three of a perfect
 
Chorus 
 
Break :
 
F# 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------- x 2
---4----------4-------4-------4----------4---4---4---4---4---
---2----------2-------2-------2----------2---2---2---2---2--- 
 
F#/D
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------- x 2
---5----------5-------5-------5----------5---5---5---5---5---
---2----------2-------2-------2----------2---2---2---2---2---
 
F#/E 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------- x 2
---7-----------7-------7-------7---------7---7---7---7---7--
---2-----------2-------2-------2---------2---2---2---2---2 
 
F# 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
---4-----------4------4--------4---------4---4---4---4---4--- x 2
---4-----------4------4--------4---------4---4---4---4---4---
---2-----------2------2--------2---------2---2---2---2---2---
 


 
 
F#/D
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
------------------------------------------------------------------
----3----------3------3-------3----------3---3---3---3---3---
----2----------2------2-------2----------2---2---2---2---2---
----4----------4------4-------4----------4---4---4---4---4--- x 2
----5----------5------5-------5----------5---5---5---5---5---
----2----------2------2-------2----------2---2---2---2---2---
 
F#/E
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 
----2----------2-------2-------2---------2---2---2---2---2---
----5----------5-------5-------5---------5---5---5---5---5---
----4----------4-------4-------4---------4---4---4---4---4---
----2----------2-------2-------2---------2---2---2---2---2--- x 2
----x----------x-------x-------x---------x---x---x---x---x---
----2----------2-------2-------2---------2---2---2---2---2---
 
F# m
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
----2-----------2------2--------2---------2---2---2---2---2---
----2-----------2------2--------2---------2---2---2---2---2---
----2-----------2------2--------2---------2---2---2---2---2---
----4-----------4------4--------4---------4---4---4---4---4--- x 2
----4-----------4------4--------4---------4---4---4---4---4---
----2-----------2------2--------2---------2---2---2---2---2---
 
( i m not sure of last two chords but it works )
 
 
Then chorus 
 
End