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I Better Be Quiet Now- Elliott Smith
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Tabbed by: Jason (Autopoietic Boy)
Email: [email protected]
This song sounds fairly simple and it is if one were to break down all the
separate instruments and play each part individually. But as I try to do
with all my Elliott Smith tabs, I combine what is on the recording more
than one guitar and sometimes even minimal bass lines so that the song can
be played solo without it sounding flat or as if it were missing parts. I
wouldn't tab anything I couldn't play myself, so I assure you this is all
playable. For the advanced guitar player this should be a cinch. For
beginners, its a good song to practice quick and fluid chord shapes
including chords with several muted notes. Any questions, critiques,
mistakes, requests, let me know.
Tuning: Standard
Verse 1 (Strummed gently)
e|--------------------------------------------(9)----------0----0----0-------|
B|--9--------9---(7)----9----(7)------9--------9-----------9---(7)--(5)------|
G|--9--------9----------9---------9---9--------9----9-8-6--6----6----6-------|
D|--9--------8----------7-------------9--------8----x-x-x--7----7----7-------|
A|--7--------9----------0-------------7--------x----7-6-4--0----0----0-------|
E|---------------------------------------------6-----------------------------|
e|-------------2--0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
B|--5---5---4-----0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
G|--6-------------1----2-2-2-1---1-------------------------------------------|
D|--7-------------2------------4-2-------------------------------------------|
A|--0-------------2--------------2-------------------------------------------|
E|----------------0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
Verse 2 - (the bass notes on the bottom E builds the volume and richness of
the second verse, likely recorded with more than one guitar. I transposed
it as such so that played solo without additional instruments one can still
achieve a similar build in the song's volume and layers. It is more
difficult to play than the first verse, so if you have difficulty with it,
its really the same as the first verse only heavy bottom notes are added
and I inverted the chords for lower neck access.)
e|--4--------4----2-----4--4--4--2--0-4--------4-----------0----0----0-------|
B|--5--------x---(5)----2-------------5--------5---5-4-----9---(7)--(5)------|
G|--4--------3----3-----2-------------4--------3---x-x-6---6----6----6-------|
D|--2--------4----4-----2-------------2--------x---2-1-x---7----7----7-------|
A|--2--------x----x-----0-------------2--------1-------4---0----0----0-------|
E|--0--------2----2-------------------0--------------------------------------|
e|----0---0----2--0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
B|--5---5---4-----0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
G|--6-------------1----2-2-2-1---1-------------------------------------------|
D|--7-------------2------------4-2-------------------------------------------|
A|--0-------------2--------------2-------------------------------------------|
E|----------------0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
Chorus 2x
e|--------------8----3---------------0----2----------------------------------| |
B|--12----12----8----3-------0-------1----1----------------------------------| |
G|--12----12----9----4---2---0-------0----2----------------------------------| |
D|--12----11----10---5---x---2---4---2----0----------------------------------| |
A|--10----12----10---5---0---2---x---3*--------------------------------------| |
E|-------(12)---8----3---2---0---2--------------------------------------------- |
*The chorus' last two measures on the second time through simply adds the
movements in parentheses. Listen carefully to the song and you'll catch it.
e|--0-------------2---2------------------------------------------------------| |
B|--1-------------1---1------------------------------------------------------| |
G|--0----0--0--0--2---2------------------------------------------------------| |
D|--2----2--2--2-(0)-(1)-----------------------------------------------------| |
A|--3---(3)(2)(3)------------------------------------------------------------| |
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Verse 3 - (returns to a gentler strum/same as Verse 1 except for a
descending E major scale at the very end)
e|--------------------------------------------(9)----------0----0----0-------|
B|--9--------9---(7)----9----(7)------9--------9-----------9---(7)--(5)------|
G|--9--------9----------9---------9---9--------9----9-8-6--6----6----6-------|
D|--9--------8----------7-------------9--------8----x-x-x--7----7----7-------|
A|--7--------9----------0-------------7--------x----7-6-4--0----0----0-------|
E|---------------------------------------------6-----------------------------|
e|----0---0----2--0--------------0----------------0--------------------------|
B|--5---5---4-----0--------------0----------------0--------------------------|
G|--6-------------1----2-2-2-1---1----------------1--------------------------|
D|--7-------------2------------4-2--2-1-----------2--------------------------|
A|--0-------------2--------------2------4-2-0-----2--------------------------|
E|----------------0--------------0------------4-2-0--------------------------|
Instrumental
e|--4-4-4-4--4-4--4-4-4-4--4--4--4--4-4-4-4-4--4---4-2-0---0----0----0-------|
B|--5--------x----------2-------------5--------5---5-4-2---9---(7)--(5)------|
G|--4--------3----------2-------------4--------3---x-x-x---6----6----6-------|
D|--2--------4----------2-------------2--------x---2-1-x---7----7----7-------|
A|--2--------x----------0-------------2--------1-------4---0----0----0-------|
E|--0--------2------------------------0--------------------------------------|
e|-------------2--0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
B|--5---5---4-----0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
G|--6-------------1----2-2-2-1---1-------------------------------------------|
D|--7-------------2------------4-2-------------------------------------------|
A|--0-------------2--------------2-------------------------------------------|
E|----------------0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
Repeat Chorus 1x w/Gtr. 2 (electric)
G A/G C G F# Em F# C D7
e|--------------8p7-------------7---5---3-2p0----0h2h3----2-----2------------|
B|------------------10p8----8--8---6---5--3p0--0---------1-----1-------------|
G|-----------------------11---7---5---4------0----------2-----2--------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Verse 4 - Different base or bottom notes are used for this verse which
allows one to play the simpler modes higher on the neck while adding the
bottom notes as indicated.
e|--------------------------------------------(9)----------0----0----0-------|
B|--9--------9----------9----7--------9--------9-----------9---(7)--(5)------|
G|--9--------9---11-----9-------9-----9--------9----9-8-6--6----6----6-------|
D|--9--------8----------7-------------9--------8----x-x-x--7----7----7-------|
A|--7--------x----------x-------------7--------x----7-6-4--0----0----0-------|
E|-----------9----------8-------------7--------6-----------------------------|
e|-------------2--9--9--9--9--9--9--9-----------------9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9------|
B|--5---5---4-------------------------12p9-----------------------------------|
G|--6-------------9-------------------------11p9------9---9---9---9---9------|
D|--7------------11-11-11-11---------------------h11--11--11--11--11--11-----|
A|--0------------11-11-11-11--------------------------13--13--13--13--13-----|
E|----------------9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9-------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
B|--9--7--7--4--0---------------0------------------------------------------------ |
G|--6--6--7--5--1---2-2-2-2-1---1------------------------------------------------ |
D|--7--7--7--7--2-------------4-2------------------------------------------------ |
A|--0--0--5--6--2---------------2------------------------------------------------ |
E|--------------0---------------0------------------------------------------------ |
************************************
| / slide up
| \ slide down
| h hammer-on
| p pull-off
| ~ vibrato
| + harmonic
| x Mute note
| b Bend
| pb Pre-bend
| br Bend release
| pbr Pre-bend release
| brb Bend release bend
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