Tim & The Bears

I’ve always loved this piece by the legendary British folk guitarist, Richard Thompson. Tim & The Bears is from Werner Herzog’s quirky documentary, Grizzly Man. The film is about Timothy Treadwell, a nature enthusiast who lived with Alaskan Grizzlies for 13 seasons — until he was eventually overcome and killed by one of the bears.

The music from Richard Thompson, and it’s some of the best instrumental guitar work you’ll ever hear. I like Tim & The Bears as an étude; a short, musical piece designed to challenge and refine a specific skill on an instrument. It’s barely a minute long, and perfect for beginner guitar players to try something that sounds sophisticated.

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Grizzly Man: Glencoe (Richard Thompson) + TAB

How to play Tim & The Bears | fingerstyle guitar

The guitar tab for this piece is beautifully written across a single page. I divided the tab into 12 small sections — as this is how I personally break it up mentally when I’m playing it. Enjoy, the guitar tab is available below:

***Grizzly Man: Tim & The Bears (Richard Thompson) | fingerstyle guitar

This piece is played in an alternate tuning, a variation of Open G. From low to high: C G D G B D