HARD TO HANDLE
As recorded by Otis Redding
(From the 1968 Album THE IMMORTAL OTIS REDDING)
Words and Music by Otis Redding, Alvertis Isbell & Allen Jones
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (E A D G B E) - 'Steve Cropper - Electric Guitar'
Gtr II (E A D G B E) - 'Booker T. Jones - Piano'
Gtr III (E A D G B E) - 'Wayne Jackson & Andrew Love - Horns'
Intro
Q=98
N.C.
4/4
Gtr II (Piano arr. for Gtr.)
H E S S S E S +H E S S S E S
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|------------7-8-10-|-(10)------8-6-8-6---|
|--------8-8--------|-------------------8-|
|------------5-6--8-|--(8)------6-4-6-4---|
|--------6-6--------|-------------------6-|
Gtr III (Horns arr. for Gtr.)
+H E S S S E S +H E S S S E.
|----------------10-11-13-|-(13)------11-9-11-9--||
|----------11-11----------|----------------------||
|-----------------7--8-10-|-(10)-------8-6--8-6--||
|-(8)-------8--8----------|----------------------||
|-------------------------|----------------------||
|-(6)---------------------|----------------------||
1st - 3rd Verses
$
Bb7
Gtr I (El. Gtr.)
e E S S S S S S S S S S S S e E S S S S S S S S S S S S
||-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
||o--9-x-9-9---x-x-9-x-x-x-9-9-9-|---9--x-9-9-x-x-x--9--9--9-x-x-8-x-|
||---7-x-7-7---x-x-7-x-x-x-7-7-7-|---7--x-7-7-x-x-x-10-10-10-x-x-8-x-|
||---8-x-8-8---x-x-8-x-x-x-8-8-8-|---8--x-8-8-x-x-x------------------|
||o------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
||-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|
| Gtr III
| W +W
||--18---------------------------|-(18)------------------------------|
||o------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
||--15---------------------------|-(15)------------------------------|
||-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
||o------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
||-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
e E S S S S S S S S S S S S e E S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-9-x-9-9---x-x-9-x-x-x-9-9-9-|-9-x-9-9-x-x-x--9--9--9-x-x-8-x--|
|-7-x-7-7---x-x-7-x-x-x-7-7-7-|-7-x-7-7-x-x-x-10-10-10-x-x-8-x--|
|-8-x-8-8---x-x-8-x-x-x-8-8-8-|-8-x-8-8-x-x-x-------------------|
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
e E S S S S S S S S S S S S e E S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-9-x-9-9---x-x-9-x-x-x-9-9-9-|-9-x-9-9-x-x-x--9--9--9-x-x-8-x--|
|-7-x-7-7---x-x-7-x-x-x-7-7-7-|-7-x-7-7-x-x-x-10-10-10-x-x-8-x--|
|-8-x-8-8---x-x-8-x-x-x-8-8-8-|-8-x-8-8-x-x-x-------------------|
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
e E S S S S S S S S S S S S e E S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-9-x-9-9---x-x-9-x-x-x-9-9-9-|-9-x-9-9-x-x-x--9--9--9-x-x-8-x--|
|-7-x-7-7---x-x-7-x-x-x-7-7-7-|-7-x-7-7-x-x-x-10-10-10-x-x-8-x--|
|-8-x-8-8---x-x-8-x-x-x-8-8-8-|-8-x-8-8-x-x-x-------------------|
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
F7
E e S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|-8--8-8-8-x--x-8--8-x--8--x-8-8-8-|
|-7--7-7-7-x--x-7--7-x--7--x-7-7-7-|
|-8--8-8-8-x--x-8--8-x--8--x-8-8-8-|
|----------------------------------|
|
| Gtr III
| Q. S S S S S S E E
|----------------------------------|
|-6----------10---11---11-13-------|
|----------------------------------|
|-3-----------7----8----8-10-------|
|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
E e S S S S S S S S S S S S e E Q H
|----------------------------------|-------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------|
|-8--8-8-8-x--x-8--8-x--8--x-8-8-8-|-8-----------|
|-7--7-7-7-x--x-7--7-x--7--x-7-7-7-|-7-----------|
|-8--8-8-8-x--x-8--8-x--8--x-8-8-8-|-8-----------|
|----------------------------------|-------------|
|
| Q. S S S S S S E E W
|----------------------------------|-------------|
|-6----------10---11---11-13-------|-------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------|
|-3-----------7----8----8-10-------|-------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------|
1.
To Coda
N.C. Eb F
W E E E S S +E E E E
|----------|---------------------------------------------|
|----------|-8-------8-------10-(10)----------10---------|
|----------|-8-------8-------10-(10)----------10---------|
|----------|-8-------8-----x-10-(10)----------10---------|
|----------|-6-------6-----x--8--(8)-----------8---------|
|----------|---------------------------------------------|
|
| W E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------|---------------------------------------------|
|----------|---16-16---16-16---------18-18-18----18-18---|
|----------|---------------------------------------------|
|----------|---13-13---13-13---------15-15-15----15-15---|
|----------|---------------------------------------------|
|----------|---------------------------------------------|
Eb Bb
e S S +E E +H
|------------------6--(6)-----||
|-10-10--8-(8)-----6--(6)----o||
|-10-10--8-(8)-----7--(7)-----||
|-10-10--8-(8)-----8--(8)-----||
|--8--8--6-(6)---------------o||
|-----------------------------||
|
| e S S S S E +H
|-16-16-11-----11-------------||
|-----------------11-(11)----o||
|-13-13--8------8-------------||
|------------------8--(8)-----||
|----------------------------o||
|-----------------------------||
2.
Ab Eb Bb Ab Eb Bb
E S S +S S E +H E S S +S S E +H
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|-4-x-8-(8)-8-6-(6)----------------|---4--x-8-(8)-8-6-(6)------------------|
|-5-x-8-(8)-8-7-(7)----------------|---5--x-8-(8)-8-7-(7)------------------|
|-6-x-8-(8)-8-8-(8)----------------|---6--x-8-(8)-8-8-(8)------------------|
|-6-x-6-(6)-6-8-(8)----------------|---6--x-6-(6)-6-8-(8)------------------|
|-4-----------6-(6)----------------|---4------------6-(6)------------------|
|
| H E S S S E S +H S S S S S S E
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|-------------------11-11-15-16-18-|-(18)-------------16--14-16-14-11-9-11-|
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|--------------------8--8-12-13-15-|-(15)-------------13--11-13-11--8-6--8-|
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
Ab Eb Bb
E S S +S S E +H
|----------------------------------------|
|---4--x-8-(8)-8--6----(6)---------------|
|---5--x-8-(8)-8--7----(7)---------------|
|---6--x-8-(8)-8--8----(8)---------------|
|---6--x-6-(6)-6--8----(8)---------------|
|---4-------------6----(6)---------------|
|
| +Q E S S S E S +Q
|-----------------------------18-(18)----|
|-(11)-----------11-11-15--16------------|
|-----------------------------15-(15)----|
|--(8)------------8--8-12--13------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|
D.S. al Coda &
Ab Eb Bb Ab Eb Bb
E S S +S S E +H E S S +S S E +H
|---------------------------||----------------------------------|
|--4--x--8--(8)-8--6-(6)----||-4-x-8-(8)-8-6-(6)----------------|
|--5--x--8--(8)-8--7-(7)----||-5-x-8-(8)-8-7-(7)----------------|
|--6--x--8--(8)-8--8-(8)----||-6-x-8-(8)-8-8-(8)----------------|
|--6--x--6--(6)-6--8-(8)----||-6-x-6-(6)-6-8-(8)----------------|
|--4---------------6-(6)----||-4-----------6-(6)----------------|
|
| E. S +E e H H E S S S E S
|-16------------------------||----------------------------------|
|-------16-(16)-------------||-------------------11-11-15-16-18-|
|-13--------------15--------||----------------------------------|
|-------13-(13)-------------||--------------------8--8-12-13-15-|
|-----------------13--------||----------------------------------|
|---------------------------||----------------------------------|
Ab Eb Bb
E S S +S S E +H
|-----------------------------------------|
|---4--x-8-(8)-8-6-(6)--------------------|
|---5--x-8-(8)-8-7-(7)--------------------|
|---6--x-8-(8)-8-8-(8)--------------------|
|---6--x-6-(6)-6-8-(8)--------------------|
|---4------------6-(6)--------------------|
|
| +H S S S S S S E
|-----------------------------------------|
|-(18)-------------16--14-16-14-11----11--|
|----------------------------------13-----|
|-(15)-------------13--11-13-11--8-----8--|
|----------------------------------11-----|
|-----------------------------------------|
Ab Eb Bb Ab Eb Bb
E S S +S S E +H E S S +S S E +H
|--------------------------------------|------------------------------||
|---4--x-8-(8)-8--6----(6)-------------|--4--x--8--(8)-8--6--(6)------||
|---5--x-8-(8)-8--7----(7)-------------|--5--x--8--(8)-8--7--(7)------||
|---6--x-8-(8)-8--8----(8)-------------|--6--x--8--(8)-8--8--(8)------||
|---6--x-6-(6)-6--8----(8)-------------|--6--x--6--(6)-6--8--(8)------||
|---4-------------6----(6)-------------|--4---------------6--(6)------||
|
| +Q E S S S E S +Q E. S +E E +E E Q
|-----------------------------18-(18)--|-16---------------------------||
|-(11)-----------11-11-15--16----------|-------16-(16)----------------||
|-----------------------------15-(15)--|-13--------------15-(15)------||
|--(8)------------8--8-12--13----------|-------13-(13)----------------||
|--------------------------------------|-----------------13-(13)------||
|--------------------------------------|------------------------------||
Outro
Bb7
e E S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-----------------------------------------------|
|--9-----x----9--9--x--x-x--9--x--x---x--9-9-x--|
|--7-----x----7--7--x--x-x--7--x--x---x--7-7-x--|
|--8-----x----8--8--x--x-x--8--x--x---x--8-8-x--|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|
| S S S S S S S S S S S S +S S E
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-15-15-15-15---15-15-15---15-15-15-(15)--------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-13-13-13-13---13-13-13---13-13-13-(13)--------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
e E S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------------------------|
|--9-----x----9--9--x--x-x--9--x--x---x--9-9-x-|
|--7-----x----7--7--x--x-x--7--x--x---x--7-7-x-|
|--8-----x----8--8--x--x-x--8--x--x---x--8-8-x-|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|
| S S S S S S S S S S S S +E E
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|-15-15-15-15---15-15-15---15-15-15-(15)-------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|-13-13-13-13---13-13-13---13-13-13-(13)-------|
|----------------------------------------------|
e E S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------------------------|
|--9-----x----9--9--x--x-x--9--x--x---x--9-9-x-|
|--7-----x----7--7--x--x-x--7--x--x---x--7-7-x-|
|--8-----x----8--8--x--x-x--8--x--x---x--8-8-x-|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|
| S S S S S S S S S S S S +E E
|----------------------------------------------|
|----15-15-15---15-15-15---15-15-15-(15)-------|
|-15-------------------------------------------|
|----12-12-12---12-12-12---12-12-12-(12)-------|
|-13-------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
e E S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------------------------|
|--9-----x----9--9--x--x-x--9--x--x---x--9-9-x-|
|--7-----x----7--7--x--x-x--7--x--x---x--7-7-x-|
|--8-----x----8--8--x--x-x--8--x--x---x--8-8-x-|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|
| S S S S S S S S S S S S +E E
|----18-18-18---18-18-18---18-18-18-(18)-------|
|-18-------------------------------------------|
|----15-15-15---15-15-15---15-15-15-(15)-------|
|-15-------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
e E S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------------------------*|
|--9-----x----9--9--x--x-x--9--x--x---x--9-9-x-*|
|--7-----x----7--7--x--x-x--7--x--x---x--7-7-x-*|
|--8-----x----8--8--x--x-x--8--x--x---x--8-8-x-*|
|----------------------------------------------*|
|----------------------------------------------*|
|
| S S S S S S S S S S S S +E E
|----18-18-18---18-18-18---18-18-18-(18)-------*|
|-18-------------------------------------------*|
|----15-15-15---15-15-15---15-15-15-(15)-------*|
|-15-------------------------------------------*|
|----------------------------------------------*|
|----------------------------------------------*|
Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for. Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests. Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for. Low
melody durations appear below the staff
Tablature Legend
----------------
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
b - bend
pb - pre-bend
r - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
/\ - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
s - legato slide
S - shift slide
- natural harmonic
[n] - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
~ - vibrato
tr - trill
T - tap
TP - trem. picking
PM - palm muting
\n/ - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
\n - tremolo bar down
n/ - tremolo bar up
/n\ - tremolo bar inverted dip
= - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
<> - volume swell (louder/softer)
x - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o - on rhythm slash represents single note slash
Misc Legend
-----------
| - bar
|| - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*| - double bar (ending)
: - bar (freetime)
$ - Segno
& - Coda
Tempo markers - = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths
