How to Play Smells Like Teen Spirit on Guitar

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How to Play Smells Like Teen Spirit on Guitar; Music & Instruments
Topic Started: Dec 28 2006, 07:09 PM (527 Views)
Morgan	Dec 28 2006, 07:09 PM Post #1
Dinkin' flicka. Posts: 1,950 Group: Staff Member #2 Joined: June 28, 2006 Gender: Male Name: Morgan Location: Sarasota, FL Last.fm: rockon1824	Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana is usually one of the first songs that any guitarist learns obviously because of it's simplicity and popularity. Here's a step-by-step guide to learning the song to make sure you get all the techniques down easily. Also, make sure you know how to read tablature before going through this. You can learn here. 1. Intro (0:00 - 0:25) Code: `x6 e\|------------------------------------------\| B\|o----------------------------------------o\| G\|----------xxxx-3-3-3---------xxxx-6-6-6---\| D\|---3--3-3-xxxx-3-3-3--6--6-6-xxxx-6-6-6---\| A\|o--3--3-3-xxxx-1-1-1--6--6-6-xxxx-4-4-4--o\| E\|---1--1-1-xxxx--------4--4-4-xxxx---------\|` To start off the song Kurt Cobain plays the above main riff of the song (as it's also used in the chorus) six times: the first 2 clean, the last 4 distorted. To achieve this, you need either a footswitch (which changes the channel from clean to lead on your amp) or a distortion pedal. If you have a beginner's amp I'd suggest picking up a distortion pedal as you'll need it for more songs besides this. Kurt used a Roland Boss DS-1 on this song and I, having the same pedal, suggest turning the distortion close to or all the way up, the tone maybe at 1 or 2 o'clock and setting the level as loud as you possibly can without annoying the neighbors. This will help you sound as close to the original song as possible. Now that you have the settings down, play the riff twice and, on the second time through, switch on the distortion around the second set of "x's" on the above tab. Listen to the song for both the exact time and the rhythm of the riff. Now, let's discuss those x's. In tablature, an "x" symbolizes a fret-hand muting of the strings. In this case, you'll lay your fretting hand across the strings so that the strings don't make a sound but rather make a percussive mute. Again, listen to the song to see what I'm talking about. 2. Verse (0:25 - 0:49) Code: `x6 e\|--------------\| B\|o------6-----o\| G\|----5---------\| D\|--------------\| A\|o------------o\| E\|--------------\|` There are two ways to play this simple two-note phrase that Kurt repeats six times in the verse: two without lyrics and four with. You can play it as specified above (which, if I remember correctly, is the way Kurt played it) or you can play it on the first fret B string and then first fret e string. When you play it, you want to let the second note ring out slightly. 3. Prechorus (0:50 - 1:04) Code: `x16 e\|-----------------\| B\|o--------6-(6)--o\| G\|---5-(5)---------\| D\|-----------------\| A\|o---------------o\| E\|-----------------\|` The prechorus (the "hello, hello" part) is essentially the same thing as the verse, just repeated more frequently. I've included the notes in parentheses as this can also be played two ways: either with quarter notes or eight notes (if you don't know what those are, you should learn before you learn to play any song). If you choose to play it with eighth notes (which personally I find easier to keep the rhythm if you're singing as well) then play each note twice. 4. Chorus (1:05 - 1:30) For the chorus, play the intro riff 6 times, except this time all distorted. Be aware for this, as well as in the intro, Kurt's sloppy playing style caused him to hit a lot of stray notes, so you'll never get it to sound exact. If you wish to duplicate it better, get drunk before you play. 5. "Post-Chorus" (1:31 - 1:39) Code: `x2 e\|-----------------------------------\| B\|o---------------------------------o\| G\|---------------3b------------------\| D\|---3-3-3-4-4-4-----3-3-3-8-8-8-6---\| A\|o--3-3-3-4-4-4-----3-3-3-8-8-8-6--o\| E\|---1-1-1-2-2-2-----1-1-1-6-6-6-4---\|` The post chorus directly follows the chorus with the above tab played twice. You may notice at the end of the first part there's a bend on the third fret G string. This tells you to bend the string, or push down (or up if you feel it's easier) on the string while you are playing that note. For this particular bend Kurt pushed the string about half a semitone up (read about semitones here). From here, the second verse (1:40 - 2:03), second prechorus (2:04 - 2:18), second chorus (2:19 - 2:43), and second post-chorus (2:44 - 2:52) are exactly the same as their first time through. 6. Solo (2:53 - 3:25) Code: `x2 e\|---------------------------------------------------\| B\|o-------------------------------------------------o\| G\|------8--10----8-8b---6--5--6--5-------------------\| D\|--10--------6--------------------8-6--8-8b--6--5---\| A\|o-------------------------------------------------o\| E\|---------------------------------------------------\|` This is the first part of the solo, which sounds exactly like the verse vocal melody and is played twice. Look out for the two bends; they are both around a half-note. Code: `x4 e\|------------------------------\| B\|o----------------------------o\| G\|------------------------------\| D\|--6--5--6--5--6--5--6/5-5/3---\| A\|o----------------------------o\| E\|------------------------------\|` The second part of the solo is played four times and sounds like the "hello, hello" vocal melody from the prechorus. Now the trickiest part of the song is probably the ending here; the slides at the end must be quick and clean for it to sound right. When executing them, make sure to keep your (I'd suggest middle) finger firmly pushed down; worry more about your fretting hand more than your picking hand because, if performed right, the slide will sustain the note (especially with the amount of distortion being used). From here the song goes to the third verse (3:26 - 3:48), which has NO guitar parts. Then to one last prechorus (3:49 - 4:04), which is the same as the previous prechoruses. Finally the song ends with an extended chorus (4:05 - 5:01; the "a denial" part is tacked on the end) so it is longer but still the same as before. End the song with a fading F5 chord (the first chord in the main riff) and congratulations! You can now play Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana.
	Страшный суд скоро, все как свечи гореть будем.


Morgan	Dec 29 2006, 04:06 PM Post #2
Dinkin' flicka. Posts: 1,950 Group: Staff Member #2 Joined: June 28, 2006 Gender: Male Name: Morgan Location: Sarasota, FL Last.fm: rockon1824	Added0rz.
	Страшный суд скоро, все как свечи гореть будем.


Ninja Kitten	Dec 29 2006, 07:59 PM Post #3
01011011 01100100 01110110 01011101 Posts: 1,529 Group: Members Member #9 Joined: June 28, 2006	Eh, I don't know... Those tabs aren't really the best you could have used...
	clicky?


Morgan	Dec 29 2006, 08:03 PM Post #4
Dinkin' flicka. Posts: 1,950 Group: Staff Member #2 Joined: June 28, 2006 Gender: Male Name: Morgan Location: Sarasota, FL Last.fm: rockon1824	How so?
	Страшный суд скоро, все как свечи гореть будем.


Ninja Kitten	Dec 29 2006, 08:08 PM Post #5
01011011 01100100 01110110 01011101 Posts: 1,529 Group: Members Member #9 Joined: June 28, 2006	Give me a day or two and I will take a look at it with my guitar. I guess its basically the same, but I play it a bit different.
	clicky?


Morgan	Dec 29 2006, 08:18 PM Post #6
Dinkin' flicka. Posts: 1,950 Group: Staff Member #2 Joined: June 28, 2006 Gender: Male Name: Morgan Location: Sarasota, FL Last.fm: rockon1824	Honestly, dude, everyone does. Any grunge track is similar in that the distortion takes over so much that exact strumming patterns are impossible. I know all the notes and chords are right, it's just that the amount of times you play each one may differ.
	Страшный суд скоро, все как свечи гореть будем.


Ninja Kitten	Dec 29 2006, 08:28 PM Post #7
01011011 01100100 01110110 01011101 Posts: 1,529 Group: Members Member #9 Joined: June 28, 2006	Yeah, theres also a: d--0- a--0- E--0- in the main riff every now and then (I guess that would be the sloppiness you mentioned). The verse/pre-course is easier when played: e---1- b-1--- And I play the post course differently too... I just can't remember how right now, lol. EDIT: I do realize that Kurt plays it: b---6- g-5--- but its just easier for beginners the other way.
	clicky?


Morgan	Dec 29 2006, 08:33 PM Post #8
Dinkin' flicka. Posts: 1,950 Group: Staff Member #2 Joined: June 28, 2006 Gender: Male Name: Morgan Location: Sarasota, FL Last.fm: rockon1824	Well, I mentioned that but honestly that was harder as a beginner for me because you almost have to barre it or your fingers are in a weird position. Maybe it's just me...
	Страшный суд скоро, все как свечи гореть будем.


Morgan	May 29 2008, 07:39 PM Post #9
Dinkin' flicka. Posts: 1,950 Group: Staff Member #2 Joined: June 28, 2006 Gender: Male Name: Morgan Location: Sarasota, FL Last.fm: rockon1824	Congratulations, your article has been accepted! It will be added to the Music-Talk.org website in the next few days and 5 MT Points will be added to your account. Thank you!
	Страшный суд скоро, все как свечи гореть будем.


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