Forrest Lee, Jr.’s “Smooth Sailing” is a fantastic tune, and Steve Atwood has created a detailed guitar tab for it, perfect for players looking to explore the nuances of multibender guitars. Originally played by Martin Lehfeldt on pedal steel and Forrest Lee, Jr. himself on his album “Telethon”, this song offers a rewarding challenge for guitarists wanting to delve into smooth, bending melodies.
Watch Martin Lehfeldt play “Smooth Sailing” here
Listen to Forrest Lee, Jr.’s original on “Telethon” here
This Smooth Guitar Tab is written for multibender in E tuning, utilizing levers on the second and third strings. Specifically, the second string lever is tuned to C# and the third string lever to A. The notation is straightforward: an “a” above the staff indicates engaging the second-string lever, and “b” signals the third-string lever.
While mastering “Smooth Sailing” to the level of Lehfeldt or Forrest Lee, Jr. is a significant undertaking, this tab provides an excellent starting point. It’s a fun piece to play and a great way to develop your multibender technique.
The tab notation is provided below. If you’re seeking advice on optimizing your multibender setup, such as whether to remove the low E-string for a higher string or add a third lever, your feedback and suggestions are welcome!
[tab]SMOOTH SAILING Forrest Lee, Jr./Martin Lehfeldt (tab by Steve Atwood)
a a a a a a b b b b
E ——3——-0—3—————————————–
B —-3-333—–1—3—3——-8——-8——-3—–3-0-1—
G# –33——————3——-8——-8——-3——-1—–
E 3———————————————————–
a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a b b b b b
E ——————8—5———————8-10108-8————–
B 1-3-4-6-8-8—–108—4———————8-10108-8-8-8—10—–
G# ———-8—–10———-10—-1315——————8-8-10—–
E ————————–8-10—-1315—————————–
a a a a a a a a a a a b b b b b b b
E ———————————————-8-108————-
B —-15–151520——1515–1010—-8-8-8——-8-108-8——-3—
G# 10—-15–1520——1515–1010—-8-8—————8——-3—
a a a a a b b
E —————-8——-8-7———–8————————-
B —-3-3-4-6-8—8———————–8———————–
G# 3——-4-6-8———–8—————8———————–
E —————————————————————-
0:56 a a a a a b b b b b
E ————————————————————-
B 3-6-8-8——-15——1515—136—–10——6—————
G# 3-6-8-8——-15——1515—136—–10——6——-8——-
E —————————————————–8——-
a a a a a a a a a a a b b b
E ——————–15——————————15————
B 8-131515—-13——1515—-8——-8-1010111113131515————
G# 8-131515—-13————–8————————-1515——–
E ————————————————————15—-
a a a a a a a a a a a a a a b b
E ——————————–1012108———————————
B –1515—-15——151513—-10101011108——-151515–13118-8—8——-
G# 15———-15————————8———————–8———
E ————————————————————————
a a a a a a b b
E ————–10—-13108————————-
B –8-8-10101110–101113108-8———————–
G# 8———–10————————————
E ————————————————–
1:40 a a a a a a a b b b b b
E —————————-151720——24——————
B 1515131515—-151520–15—-151720——–252524—-20——
G# 1515131515—-151520–15————————24———-
E ————————————————–24——–
a a a a b b b
E ————————20——————————–
B 2524252520–20—-2220—-22–25——252424——2727—-
G# ——2520—-22———————————-2727—-
E ———————————————————-
a a a a a a a a a a a a b b b
E ——————————————————————
B 2727–2522——2527—-2420—-161515–1515—-8-8—–1516182023
G# 2727–2522——2527——————15———-8—————
E ——————————————————————
2:21 a a a a a a a a a b b b b b b
E ——————————8——————8————-
B 2322201816151313——158-10–8———————-8-8——-
G# —————-131515–8-10–8-8—8————8-8———–
E —————————-10———————–8———
a a a a a a a a a a b
E ——–15————–15–13———————————-
B 15——1515–202018–1615–13–8-8-8—13—-1515–15———-
G# 15————————————–13————–15——
E —————————————————————-
a a a a a a a a a a a a a b b b b
E 1517151313—————-8-10101313————–
B 1516151313—-8-8-8——-8-10101313132025252222–
G# ——————8——————-20252522–22
E ————————————————–
a a a a a a b b b b
E ———————————————————————
B —-151518–22——22–20–27—-252425——13——8——-3——
G# —-151518–22——22–20–27——–25——13———————
E 15——————————————————————-
a a a a a a a a b b b b b
E ———-10–108—————8—1013——15————
B –8—1010–11–8-8—10——8—10–13–13131515———-
G# 8—10————–8-10————————–1515——
E ————————————————————
a a a a a a b b b b b b b b
E ———-20—————————-15————8—–3-
B –20–2020–2020——15————–1515–15——–888—3-
G# 20–20———-2020—-1515–15–15——————888—3-
E —————————-15——————————–
