We're a Winner: Authentic Guitar TAB

This collection captures Mayfield's gift for writing accessible yet harmonically rich material that rewards careful listening and playing. The TAB format democratizes these songs across skill levels while the inclusion of lyrics invites guitarists to engage with the narrative and social consciousness embedded in each piece, making this collection as much about understanding artistry as it is about technical development.

Warm, thoughtful, and purposeful. Mayfield's guitar voice carries a gentle strength, inviting players into intimate moments while never losing sight of larger themes of dignity and change. The music feels conversational; it draws you in rather than overwhelms you.

Guitarists with intermediate fingerstyle skills who want to expand their repertoire with music that has real cultural and historical significance. This collection works well for students ready to engage with socially conscious songwriting and for instructors seeking material that bridges soul, pop, and jazz guitar traditions.

• Pay attention to the fingerstyle patterns notated in the TAB; Mayfield's guitar voice often carries the melody or countermelody, not just rhythm. Letting those lines breathe will reveal the sophistication in his arrangements.
• Study how Mayfield uses silence and space between phrases. Resist the urge to fill every moment with sound; the restraint is part of what makes these songs resonate.
• Use the lyrical content to guide your dynamics and phrasing. Songs like 'People Get Ready' and 'We're a Winner' ask for different emotional weight than 'Gypsy Woman,' and your guitar should reflect that intention.
• Explore the harmonic movement in passages you find difficult. Mayfield often uses unexpected chord choices that sound simple until you map them on the fretboard; understanding the theory deepens your execution.

Feature these songs in recitals focused on American songwriting or social history themes. Individual tracks like 'People Get Ready' and 'Freddie's Dead' work as standalone performance pieces, while programming several songs back-to-back creates a compelling narrative arc that engages listeners in Mayfield's artistic vision and cultural moment.

• Fingerstyle technique and independent voice leading on guitar
• Reading guitar TAB notation alongside standard notation (where applicable)
• Interpreting melody and countermelody relationships in solo guitar arrangements
• Understanding how harmonic sophistication supports lyrical content
• Phrasing and dynamics that reflect emotional and social themes in music