THAT'LL BE THE DAY
As recorded by Buddy Holly & The Crickets
(Released as a Single in 1957)
Words and Music by Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison & Norman Petty
Transcribed by Slowhand (guitar-steve@gmx.de)
Gtr I (E A D G B E) - 'Gtr. 1'
Intro Chorus
Moderate Shuffle Q=123(8=s8)
A (EE7(B7) D (A)
4/4
Gtr I
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E +H E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------0-----0-----0---|-----2-2-(2)----||------------------|-----------------|
|---------0-----0-----0-|-----0-0-(0)----||o-----------------|-----------------|
|---3S4-----3-----2-----|-1-0-2-2-(2)----||------------------|-----------------|
|-----------------------|-2-0-1-1-(1)----||--2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
|-----------------------|-----2-2-(2)----||o-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
|-----------------------|----------------||------------------|-----------------|
A (E) D (A)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-----------------|-----------------|
Verse 1
1.
A (E) E7(BA)(E) D (A) A (E)
W E E E E +Q Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|----------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|----------|---0-0-----------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-1--------|---2-2-1-(1)-----|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2--------|---1-1-2-(2)-----|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|
|-2--------|---2-2-2-(2)-----|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
|-0--------|-------0-(0)-----|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
D (A) A (E) D (A) A (E)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
B (F#) E7(B7)
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------------|-----------------------------||
|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0----o||
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-----||
|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-----||
|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2----o||
|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-----------------------------||
Guitar Solo
2.
E7 A
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E +E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------------------0-0-0-|-0-3-0-------------------|
|---------------------0-0-------0-0-0-|-0-----3-0---------------|
|---------------------2-2-1-(1)-1-1-1-|-1---------/4-4-4-4S2-0--|
|---------------------1-1-2-(2)-------|-------------------------|
|---------------------2-2-2-(2)-------|-------------------------|
|-------------------------0-(0)-------|-------------------------|
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|---3-0------------------|---3-0------------------|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4----|
|-------3-0--------------|-------3-0--------3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3----|
|-----------/4-4-4-4S2-0-|-----------/4-4-4-4-4-4-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4----|
|------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------0--|
|-2----------------------|-2----------------------|--------------------------|
|-0----------------------|-0----------------------|--------------------------|
D (A) A (E)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|-----------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
|-----------------|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
E7(B7) D7(A7) A (E) E7(B7)
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E +E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E +H
|---2---2---0-----|---3---0-(0)-----0-|-0-----0-----0-----0---|---0-2-2-(2)----|
|-----------------|---2---2-(2)-0-2-0-|-0-------0-----0-----0-|---0-0-0-(0)----|
|---------------0-|-------------------|---2S4-----3-----2-----|-1---2-2-(2)----|
|---------1---1---|-2-----------------|-----------------------|-2---1-1-(1)----|
|-2---2-----------|-----0-------------|-----------------------|-----2-2-(2)----|
|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------------|----------------|
Chorus
D (A) A (E)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|-----------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
|-----------------|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
D (A) A (E) E7(BA)(E)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E W E E E E +Q Q
|-----------------|-----------------|----------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|----------|---0-0-----------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-1--------|---2-2-1-(1)-----|
|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2--------|---1-1-2-(2)-----|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2--------|---2-2-2-(2)-----|
|-----------------|-----------------|-0--------|-------0-(0)-----|
Verse 3
D (A) A (E) D (A) A (E)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
D (A) A (E) B (F#)
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
|-----------------|-----------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
Chorus
E7(B7) D (A)
|-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------------|-----------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-----------------|
|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-----------------|
|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
|-------------------------|-----------------|
A (E)
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-----------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|
|-----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
A (E) D (A) A (E)
|-3-| |-3-|
Q Q Q Q Q Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E W
|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------|
|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------|
|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-1-----|
|-------------|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-2-4-4-2-2-4-4-|-2-----|
|-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-2-----|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-----------------|-----------------|-0-----|
Outro
E7(B7) D7(A) A (E)
E E E E +E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E
|-------------------|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|---0-0-------0-0-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1/-|-/2-2-2-2-2-2-2--|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
|---2-2-1-(1)-1-1-1-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1/-|-/2-2-2-2-2-2-2--|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-0-|
|---1-1-2-(2)-------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1/-|-/2-2-2-2-2-2-2--|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
|---2-2-2-(2)-------|------------------|-----------------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2---|
|-------------------|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D (A) A (E)
E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E +E Q E E E E E Q. E
|---------0------|------------------|--------3-(3)-0--0-|--------------0-|
|-0-0-0-0---3--0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1/-|-/2-2-2------------|-0-0-0-0-0------|
|-1-1-1----------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1/-|-/2-2-2------------|-1-1-1-1-1------|
|-2-2-2----------|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1/-|-/2-2-2------------|-2-2-2-2-2------|
|----------------|------------------|-------------------|----------------|
|----------------|------------------|-------------------|----------------|
A (E)
E E E E +Q Q +W
|--------------0--|-(0)----*|
|-3-2-1-0-(0)--0--|-(0)----*|
|-4-3-2-1-(1)--1--|-(1)----*|
|--------------2--|-(2)----*|
|--------------2--|-(2)----*|
|--------------0--|-(0)----*|
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
