• Song:

    Tarantula

  • Artist:

    Smashing Pumpkins

  • Album:

    Tarantula

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             TARANTULA - The Smashing Pumpkins
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tabbed by: Chad Corgan (www.myspace.com/soapyrecords :D)
Email: sld.potato@gmail.com

Tuning: 1/2 step down (Bet you didn't see that coming!)

      INTRO (0:00)

  Eb|--------|
  Bb|--------|
  Gb|--------|
  Db|--2~~~--| Easy!
  Ab|--2~~~--| 
  Eb|--0~~~--|

      After that, one guitar plays the low Eb string (open) over and over
   for sixteen measures. A second guitar plays natural harmonics starting
  at the twelth fret and slides all the way down, then back up again
   for all sixteen measures.

      VERSE (0:16)

  Eb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Bb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Gb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Db|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Ab|--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--5--5--5--5--5--5//10-10-10-10-10-10-| x8
  Eb|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--3--3--3--3--3--3//8--8--8--8--8--8--|

      A lot of tabs I've seen show the Cb5 chord erroniously played on the Ab 
   string. If you listen to the recording carefully, you can hear the slide.
   This makes the song oddly similar to Doomsday Clock. (Shrug). This whole
   song is composed almost entirely of triplets, thus why most of the chords are
   played in multiples of three. 
      
  Eb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Bb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Gb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Db|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Ab|--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--5--5--5--5--5--5//10-10-10-10-10-10-| x8
  Eb|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--3--3--3--3--3--3//8--8--8--8--8--8--|

      PRECHORUS (0:40)

  Eb|--------------------------------------------------------|
  Bb|--------------------------------------------------------|
  Gb|--------------------------------------------------------|
  Db|--4--4--4--4--4--4//7--7--7--7--7--7\\5--5--5--5--5--5--|
  Ab|--0--2--2--0--2--2//0--5--5--0--5--5\\3--3--3--0--3--3--|
  Eb|--------------------------------------------------------|

  Eb|--------------------------------------|
  Bb|--------------------------------------|  It looks really weird, but I'm
  Gb|--------------------------------------| pretty sure that's what's going
  Db|--------------------4--4--4//7--7--7--| on here. Just listen to the
  Ab|--7--7--7--7--7--7--2--2--2//5--5--5--| song closely and you'll hear it.
  Eb|--0--5--5--0--5--5--------------------|

      CHORUS (0:48)

  Eb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Bb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Gb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Db|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Ab|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--|
  Eb|--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--|

  Eb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Bb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Gb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Db|--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--|
  Ab|--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--|
  Eb|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--|

  Eb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Bb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Gb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Db|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Ab|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--|
  Eb|--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--|

  Eb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Bb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Gb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Db|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Ab|--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--|
  Eb|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--|

  Eb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Bb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Gb|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Db|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Ab|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12--|
  Eb|--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--|

  Eb|--------------------------------------|
  Bb|--------------------------------------|
  Gb|--------------------------------------|
  Db|--------------------------------------|
  Ab|--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--|
  Eb|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--|

         It's amazing how off some of the tabs were for the chorus. There's
   also a second guitar playing clean in the backgroud, but it's too quiet
   to make out and be worth tabbing. 

      POST-CHORUS INTERLUDE BRIDGE THING (1:04)

      Riff A
  Eb|--------------------------------------------------|
  Bb|--------------------------------------------------|
  Gb|--------------------------------------------------|
  Db|--------------------------------------------------|
  Ab|--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--5--5--5--5//10-10-10-10-|
  Eb|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--3--3--3--3//8--8--8--8--|
  PM   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

      Riff B
  Eb|-------------------------------------------------------------|
  Bb|-------------------------------------------------------------|
  Gb|-------------------------------------------------------------|
  Db|-------------------------------------------------------------|
  Ab|--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--5----5--5--5--5//10---10-10-10-10--|
  Eb|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--3----3--3--3--3//8----8--8--8--8---|
  PM   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
 
      You play this part in this order:

         Riff A
         Riff B
         Riff A
         Riff B   
         Riff A
         Riff A

      Play the palm muted parts with only downstrokes.

      There's a specific rhythm (That I poorly tabbed) for this part.
   Where the rest of the song is mostly "Play-really-fast-and-pretend-
   like-you're-paying-triplets" This is a lot more distinct. Listen
   to the recording to figure out how to play it exactly. Also, the
   last time you play Riff A there's a slight difference at the very
   end. Once again, listen for it. 

       BUILDUP TO THE FIRST SOLO (1:22)
      
  Eb|-----------------------------------|
  Bb|-----------------------------------|
  Gb|-----------------------------------|
  Db|--4--4//7--7--7//8--8--8//9--9--9--|
  Ab|--2--2//5--5--5//6--6--6//7--7--7--|
  Eb|-----------------------------------|

  Eb|--------------------------------------|
  Bb|--------------------------------------|
  Gb|--------------------------------------|  I'm not sure what Billy's
  Db|--------------------------------------| playing here, but this
  Ab|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--| sounds good enough.
  Eb|--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--|
  PM   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

  Eb|-----------------------------------|
  Bb|-----------------------------------|
  Gb|-----------------------------------|
  Db|-----------------------------------|
  Ab|--4--4//7--7--7//8--8--8//9--9--9--|
  Eb|--2--2//5--5--5//6--6--6//7--7--7--|

      Then one guitar plays the low Eb string (again), and the second guitar
   plays natural harmonics down from the twelfth fret (again) for two measures.
  
      FIRST GUITAR SOLO (1:33)

      Oh, boy. Here we go. First guitar plays the verse riff four times,
   and the second guitar does something a little harder.

      To make life easy, I broke up all the lead parts in the tab
   into phrases. So, yeah, each box is a phrase, not a measure.

  Eb|--10/12p0--10/12p0--10/12p0--10/12p0--10/12p0---------|
  Bb|-----------------------------------------------11~~~--|
  Gb|------------------------------------------------------|
  Db|------------------------------------------------------|
  Ab|------------------------------------------------------|
  Eb|------------------------------------------------------|

  Eb|--10/12p0--10/12p0--10/12p0--10/12p0--10/12p0--|
  Bb|-----------------------------------------------|
  Gb|-----------------------------------------------|
  Db|-----------------------------------------------|
  Ab|-----------------------------------------------|
  Eb|-----------------------------------------------|

  Eb|--19--15------15--------------------|
  Bb|----------17------17--15--14--13~~--|
  Gb|------------------------------------|
  Db|------------------------------------|
  Ab|------------------------------------|
  Eb|------------------------------------|

  Eb|---------------------------------8~~--|
  Bb|------10h12------10h12-----8h10--8~~--|   Technically it's
  Gb|--12~--------11~--------9~------------| two guitars doing the
  Db|--------------------------------------| solo, but I'm going to
  Ab|--------------------------------------| tab it for only one.
  Eb|--------------------------------------|


  Eb|--------------------------------------------|
  Bb|--10--8--7--8--7-----7----------------------|
  Gb|------------------9-----9--7--9--7----------| This is a bit off, but
  Db|------------------------------------9-------| laziness says it's OK.
  Ab|---------------------------------------7~~--|
  Eb|--------------------------------------------|

      There, that wasn't too bad, now was it?

      VERSE (1:46) & INTERLUDE

      The rhythm guitar for the verse is the same as the begining. For
   the interlude, play Riff A four times. There's also a lead bit:

      Soloage: (1:57)
  Eb|--12--10----------------------------------|
  Bb|----------12--10b11r10--8\5~~----13/15~~--|
  Gb|------------------------------------------|
  Db|------------------------------------------|
  Ab|------------------------------------------|
  Eb|------------------------------------------|

      Listen for where all this stuff goes.

      PRECHORUS (2:07)

      Same as the prechorus in the begining... with a guitar solo. 
   This is where the lead starts to get really sweet. :D

  Eb|--14*--------------------|
  Bb|--17b19--15h17p15--------|  *I'm not sure if that 14 is
  Gb|-------------------14~~--| played in the song or not,
  Db|-------------------------| but hey, it sounds cool.
  Ab|-------------------------| 
  Eb|-------------------------|

  Eb|----------------------------|
  Bb|----------------------------|
  Gb|--12--14--12--11--12--11~~--|
  Db|----------------------------|
  Ab|----------------------------|
  Eb|----------------------------|

  Eb|------------------|
  Bb|------------------|
  Gb|--11--12--11\9~~--|
  Db|------------------|
  Ab|------------------|
  Eb|------------------|

      CHORUS (2:16)

      Same as the first one. And there's no lead to worry about!

      SECOND GUITAR SOLO (2:32)

      Because these solos are completely outside of my playing abillity, 
      (Not to mention, I don't have enough frets on my guitar) this is
      based off of the Guitar Pro file by Scott McClelland. I used it
      without permission. Rock on!!! 

      (Well, my version *is* completely different from his,
       so I don't feel guilty for using it. But just know I couldn't
       have done it without his version.)

  Eb|--10b12--12--10-----------------------------------------|
  Bb|-----------------12--10--10b12r10------10b12------------|
  Gb|-----------------------------------12---------9--10b12--|
  Db|--------------------------------------------------------|
  Ab|--------------------------------------------------------|
  Eb|--------------------------------------------------------|

  Eb|-----------------------------------|
  Bb|-----------------------------------|
  Gb|--9--7-----------12~-11-12--9~~//--|
  Db|-------9--7\5~~--------------------|
  Ab|-----------------------------------|
  Eb|-----------------------------------|

  Eb|--10pb12r10----10----------------|
  Bb|------------12----10--12---------|
  Gb|-------------------------12~~//--|  Watch out for those pre-bends!
  Db|---------------------------------|
  Ab|---------------------------------|
  Eb|---------------------------------|

  Eb|--17pb19--17p15---------10----10----10----12b14r12-10-12-10------|
  Bb|----------------17b19~~----12----12----12-------------------12~--|
  Gb|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
  Db|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
  Ab|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
  Eb|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

  Eb|--17-15-17-19-24----24b26(?!)r24-22-24--|
  Bb|-----------------24---------------------|
  Gb|----------------------------------------|
  Db|----------------------------------------|
  Ab|----------------------------------------|
  Eb|----------------------------------------|

  Eb|--------10-12-10-17b*--|
  Bb|--12-10----------------|
  Gb|-----------------------| * Bend that 17 to
  Db|-----------------------| the heavens, baby!
  Ab|-----------------------|
  Eb|-----------------------|

      QUIET INTERLUDE (2:50)

      Featuring some of Billy's favorite chords!
      Just strum along, get a feel for the rhythm
      from the recording. Easy.

         Dsus2/F#
       G         E        C    Em   Am
  Eb|--3----0----0--------0----0----0------|
  Bb|--3----3----0--------1----0----1------|
  Gb|--0----2----0--------0----0----2------|
  Db|--0----0----2--------2----2----2------| x2
  Ab|--2----0----2--------3----2----0------|
  Eb|--3----2----0-------------0-----------|

      And, the lead, of course. Keep going with that 17 bend,
      and then play:

  Eb|--15--13*b--|
  Bb|------------| * That 13 is an
  Gb|------------|   artificial harmonic.
  Db|------------|
  Ab|------------| (Yet you bend it up higher anyways.)
  Eb|------------|

      Then comes some weird-ass noise that I have
      no clue how to tab, so I'll just put x's!

  Eb|--x-------------------------------------------------|
  Bb|--x-------------------------------------------------|
  Gb|--x--12b14r12--11-9-11-9\7~-9b11-9b11r9--7--9-------|
  Db|-----------------------------------------------9~~--|
  Ab|----------------------------------------------------|
  Eb|----------------------------------------------------|

      ANTI-QUIET INTERLUDE (3:12)

  Eb|--------|    |--------|
  Bb|--------|    |--------|
  Gb|--------|    |--2--4--|
  Db|--7--9--| OR |--2--4--| (But not both!)
  Ab|--7--9--|    |--0--2--|
  Eb|--5--7--|    |--------|

      THIRD AND FINAL SOLO!!! (3:13)

      Play that verse riff seven times. Then play:

  Eb|-----------------------------------|
  Bb|-----------------------------------|
  Gb|-----------------------------------|
  Db|--4--4//7--7--7//8--8--8//9--9--9--|
  Ab|--2--2//5--5--5//6--6--6//7--7--7--|
  Eb|-----------------------------------|

  Eb|--------------------------------------|
  Bb|--------------------------------------|
  Gb|--------------------------------------|
  Db|--------------------------------------|
  Ab|--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--|
  Eb|--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--|
  PM   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

  Eb|-----------------------------------|
  Bb|-----------------------------------|
  Gb|-----------------------------------|
  Db|-----------------------------------|
  Ab|--4--4//7--7--7//8--8--8//9--9--9--|
  Eb|--2--2//5--5--5//6--6--6//7--7--7--|

      Which should seem familliar. Then play those crazy harmonics,
      just like how you played them in the intro, and we're almost done!

      By the way, I've must've listened to this song about 11,000
      fucking times by now, figuring this all out. You're welcome.

      Now for the last solo piece: (Sniff, sniff)

  Eb|------------|
  Bb|--15b17~~~--|
  Gb|------------|
  Db|------------|
  Ab|------------|
  Eb|------------|

  Eb|--12-15-12----12-15-12----12-15-12----12-15-12----12--------------|
  Bb|-----------15----------15----------15----------15----12----15-12--|
  Gb|--------------------------------------------------------14--------|
  Db|------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Ab|------------------------------------------------------------------|
  Eb|------------------------------------------------------------------|

  Eb|--12-15-12-------12-15-12----------|
  Bb|-----------15b17----------12-------|
  Gb|-----------------------------12~~--|
  Db|-----------------------------------|
  Ab|-----------------------------------|
  Eb|-----------------------------------|

  Eb|------------|
  Bb|--17--15~~--|
  Gb|------------|
  Db|------------|
  Ab|------------|
  Eb|------------|

  Eb|-------------17pb19r17-15-17---------------------------|
  Bb|--17pb19r17------------------17~~-17b19r17-15-17-------|
  Gb|-------------------------------------------------16~~--|
  Db|-------------------------------------------------------|
  Ab|-------------------------------------------------------|
  Eb|-------------------------------------------------------|

  Eb|--17b19-17-15--------------------------|
  Bb|--------------17~-17b19r17-17-15-------|
  Gb|---------------------------------16~~--|
  Db|---------------------------------------|
  Ab|---------------------------------------|
  Eb|---------------------------------------|

  Eb|--17pb19r17-15-17--------------------------|
  Bb|------------------17~-17b19r17-15-17-------|
  Gb|-------------------------------------16~~--|
  Db|-------------------------------------------|
  Ab|-------------------------------------------|
  Eb|-------------------------------------------|

      This is a bit confusing:

  Eb|-----17-----|
  Bb|--17b19b20--| Basically, you're 
  Gb|------------| playing a note during
  Db|------------| the 17 to 20 bend.
  Ab|------------| Also the coolest part
  Eb|------------| of the song. 

  Eb|-----------------------------------|
  Bb|-----------------------------------|
  Gb|--14-12-12-14-14b16r14-12-14-12~~--|
  Db|-----------------------------------|
  Ab|-----------------------------------|
  Eb|-----------------------------------|

  Eb|------------------------------------------------|
  Bb|------------------------------------------------|
  Gb|--------12-14b16-14b16-12-----------------------|
  Db|--12/14-------------------14-14-12--------------|
  Ab|-----------------------------------14-12--------|
  Eb|-----------------------------------------15-12--|

  Eb|--------------------------------------------|
  Bb|--17b-17b-17b-17b 17b-17b-17b-17b-17b-17~~~-|
  Gb|--------------------------------------------|
  Db|--------------------------------------------|
  Ab|--------------------------------------------|
  Eb|--------------------------------------------|

  Eb|-----------------------------------x\\--|
  Bb|--0----------------------17-15b16--x\\--|
  Gb|-------12-14-14b16r14-12-----------x\\--| And you're done! Yaaay!
  Db|----14----------------------------------|
  Ab|----------------------------------------|
  Eb|----------------------------------------|

      So I hope you liked the tab. I tried being as horribly accurate as
   possible, as a result I talk entirely too much. But I get really
   pissed off when other tabbers act like tablature is a competition
   to tab a whole song out with as little information as possible. I'm
   sure there are going to be people who are going to bitch because
   "u talk 2 much fag idont care" but this is for the rest of you.

Now, show your appreciation by checking out my band... :D

     www.myspace.com/soapyrecords
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