As part of learning guitar, I'm finding Nirvana songs to be pretty accessible both on acoustic and electric. And because I know most of these songs pretty well, it might be a fun mini task to try to learn them. So below is a set list from their last show, which seems to have a bunch of Drop-D tuning songs at the end, which is handy for practice purposes. As I learn, I'll make notes of chord progressions etc below each one as a reference for myself as I work through them. Most can be played in Eb tuning, though in some cases the album versions vary.
Other non-Nirvana tunes are here.
not studied yet
not studied yet
- B5 D#5 G#5 C#5
- F#5, (E5 C#5 x a lot) B5 A5 G#5
- weird bridge thingy is G5
- then back to regular
- F#, A Open (E string)
- then go up the neck for F#, vibrato on 10f D string, then end on F#5 (i think)
- Chorus: D5 A5 C5 B5 x 4
- End song on E5
- Opening chord is on 11th fret A-string root and stairs down, then
- B7 E7 F# E
- Chorus: A (powerchord) C#5 x 4
- F#5 G/C5 then the weird chord at the end (9f A string, stairs down, pinky 13th E&A strings)
- Tuning: Eb
- Chords: tabs.ultimate-guitar.com
- Video: Come as you are, Nirvana
- Tutorial(s): Marty Music Electric, Adit
not studied yet
E A G5 C5 E G Bridge: B5 C5 (can hit low E on both)
- (Bb G5 F5 Ab) x 4 (with root jiggered a bit on the Ab, up on 4f)
- Verse: Bb F# Eb(6f) B5 A (regular A)
- Tuning: Eb
- Chords: tabs.ultimate-guitar.com
- Video: About a Girl, Nirvana
- Tutorial(s): Marty Music Acoustic, Adit
Chord progression:
- Verse: Em, G x 4
- Chorus: C#, (G# over C#), Gb11 x 2 / Em, E, A5 (A?) C
- Back Em G x 4
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(usually whole step down, but Eb is fine)
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E, G#5, C#5, A
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C5, D5, B5, D5
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G5 D#5 G#5 C#5
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F#5, (E5 C#5 x a lot) B5 A5 G#5
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bridge: A5, C5 a bunch of times, then D5 B5, lick thing and then E5
- Tuning: Eb
- Chords: tabs.ultimate-guitar.com
- Video: Pennyroyal Tea, Nirvana
- Tutorial(s): Marty Music Electric, Adit Acoustic
Chord progression:
- Verse: Am, G x 2
- Chorus: C, D, Bb5 x 4
- Outro: Asus2, Am x 4
not studied yet
- Verse: E5 G D5 C5 x 4
- Chorus: D5 C5 G5 Bb
not studied yet
- B5 G C5 x 5 (where G is just the note on the E)
- E5 A D5 G
- A C5 E G (that sort of weird partial G)
- Bridge: C#5 A (e321 walkdown) x 4
- F5 G5 E5
A5 F5(8f) D5(8f)
Encore:
I think this is the drop D section, except The Man Who...
not studied yet
Drop D
- notes to come
Drop D
- notes to come
Drop D
- notes to come
Drop D
- notes to come
Other Nirvana songs I like to play, for reference:
- You know you're right
F#5 C5 B5 A5 (some chorus ped) A string: 3,4,5,5/6, 6/7, 8/9, 9/10 verse: F#5 C5 B5 A5 (dist, no chorus ped) [B5(7f) clean, D5 dist ] x 2 Chorus: F#5 G5 A5(5f) A#5(6f) B5(7f) A#5 A5 verse chorus
Opening: G# (x6) Em (x3) G (x3) Em (x3) G (x3, not muted) B comes in F#5 G5 Verse: (G# Em G Em G Em G B) x 3 F#5 G Chorus: C# E (7f) D (5f) B (7f) x 3 B Bb A Bb B Bb A G F#5 Solo: tktk
Sappy
D5 Bb G A Bb C5 D5 (Bb G x 3) A
or
C#5 A F#5 G#5 A B5 x 2 C#5 A (F#5 A) x 3 G#5
Some from the unplugged album:
(power chords) G5 F5 Bb / G5 C5 Bb G5 F5 Bb / C5 F5 G5 / F5 Bb G5
Verse; E D C D E x 2, E D C E Chorus (G E) x 4, C D E
- Tuning: Eb
- Chords: tabs.ultimate-guitar.com
- Video: Where did you sleep last night, Nirvana
- Tutorial(s): Justin Guitar
Chord progression:
- Verse/Chorus: E A G B E
Note: Mute the high E string on the A, says Justin Guitar.
Can be drop D, or here's a tut for standard
Verse:
- D G F Em x 2 (or E is ok),
- D C Bm A,
- D G F Em
Chorus: D G Bb (or Bbsus2) Bridge: F E A G (note its Emaj)