• Song:

    I Better Be Quiet Now

  • Artist:

    Elliott Smith

  • Album:

    2003-01-12: Spaceland, ...

Tabbed by: Jason (Autopoietic Boy)


Tuning: Standard

Verse 1 (Strummed gently)

e|--------------------------------------------(9)----------0----0----0-------|
B|--(b9)-------(b9)--(7)----(b9)---(7)------(b9)-------(b9)----------(b9)--(7)--(5)------|
G|--(b9)-------(b9)---------(b9)--------(b9)--(b9)-------(b9)---(b9)8-6--6----6----6-------|
D|--(b9)-------8----------7-------------(b9)-------8----x-x-x--7----7----7-------|
A|--7--------(b9)---------0-------------7--------x----7-6-4--0----0----0-------|
E|---------------------------------------------6-----------------------------|


e|-------------2--0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
B|--5---5---4-----0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
G|--6-------------1----2-2-2-1---1-------------------------------------------|
D|--7-------------2------------4-2-------------------------------------------|
A|--0-------------2--------------2-------------------------------------------|
E|----------------0--------------0-------------------------------------------|


Verse 2 - (the bass notes on the bottom E builds the volume and richness of
the second verse, likely recorded with more than one guitar.  I transposed
it as such so that played solo without additional instruments one can still
achieve a similar build in the song's volume and layers.  It is more
difficult to play than the first verse, so if you have difficulty with it,
its really the same as the first verse only heavy bottom notes are added
and I inverted the chords for lower neck access.)


e|--4--------4----2-----4--4--4--2--0-4--------4-----------0----0----0-------|
B|--5--------x---(5)----2-------------5--------5---5-4-----(b9)--(7)--(5)------|
G|--4--------3----3-----2-------------4--------3---x-x-6---6----6----6-------|
D|--2--------4----4-----2-------------2--------x---2-1-x---7----7----7-------|
A|--2--------x----x-----0-------------2--------1-------4---0----0----0-------|
E|--0--------2----2-------------------0--------------------------------------|


e|----0---0----2--0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
B|--5---5---4-----0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
G|--6-------------1----2-2-2-1---1-------------------------------------------|
D|--7-------------2------------4-2-------------------------------------------|
A|--0-------------2--------------2-------------------------------------------|
E|----------------0--------------0-------------------------------------------|


Chorus 2x

e|--------------8----3---------------0----2----------------------------------|  |
B|--12----12----8----3-------0-------1----1----------------------------------|  |
G|--12----12----(b9)---4---2---0-------0----2----------------------------------|  |
D|--12----11----10---5---x---2---4---2----0----------------------------------|  |
A|--10----12----10---5---0---2---x---3*--------------------------------------|  |
E|-------(12)---8----3---2---0---2--------------------------------------------- |


*The chorus' last two measures on the second time through simply adds the
movements in parentheses.  Listen carefully to the song and you'll catch it.

e|--0-------------2---2------------------------------------------------------|  |
B|--1-------------1---1------------------------------------------------------|  |
G|--0----0--0--0--2---2------------------------------------------------------|  |
D|--2----2--2--2-(0)-(1)-----------------------------------------------------|  |
A|--3---(3)(2)(3)------------------------------------------------------------|  |
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |


Verse 3 - (returns to a gentler strum/same as Verse 1 except for a
descending E major scale at the very end)


e|--------------------------------------------(9)----------0----0----0-------|
B|--(b9)-------(b9)--(7)----(b9)---(7)------(b9)-------(b9)----------(b9)--(7)--(5)------|
G|--(b9)-------(b9)---------(b9)--------(b9)--(b9)-------(b9)---(b9)8-6--6----6----6-------|
D|--(b9)-------8----------7-------------(b9)-------8----x-x-x--7----7----7-------|
A|--7--------(b9)---------0-------------7--------x----7-6-4--0----0----0-------|
E|---------------------------------------------6-----------------------------|


e|----0---0----2--0--------------0----------------0--------------------------|
B|--5---5---4-----0--------------0----------------0--------------------------|
G|--6-------------1----2-2-2-1---1----------------1--------------------------|
D|--7-------------2------------4-2--2-1-----------2--------------------------|
A|--0-------------2--------------2------4-2-0-----2--------------------------|
E|----------------0--------------0------------4-2-0--------------------------|


Instrumental


e|--4-4-4-4--4-4--4-4-4-4--4--4--4--4-4-4-4-4--4---4-2-0---0----0----0-------|
B|--5--------x----------2-------------5--------5---5-4-2---(b9)--(7)--(5)------|
G|--4--------3----------2-------------4--------3---x-x-x---6----6----6-------|
D|--2--------4----------2-------------2--------x---2-1-x---7----7----7-------|
A|--2--------x----------0-------------2--------1-------4---0----0----0-------|
E|--0--------2------------------------0--------------------------------------|


e|-------------2--0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
B|--5---5---4-----0--------------0-------------------------------------------|
G|--6-------------1----2-2-2-1---1-------------------------------------------|
D|--7-------------2------------4-2-------------------------------------------|
A|--0-------------2--------------2-------------------------------------------|
E|----------------0--------------0-------------------------------------------|


Repeat Chorus 1x w/Gtr. 2 (electric)

  G  A/G    C                 G   F#  Em  F#        C  D7
e|--------------8p7-------------7---5---3-2p0----0h2h3----2-----2------------|
B|------------------10p8----8--8---6---5--3p0--0---------1-----1-------------|
G|-----------------------11---7---5---4------0----------2-----2--------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|


Verse 4 - Different base or bottom notes are used for this verse which
allows one to play the simpler modes higher on the neck while adding the
bottom notes as indicated.

e|--------------------------------------------(9)----------0----0----0-------|
B|--(b9)-------(b9)---------(b9)---7--------(b9)-------(b9)----------(b9)--(7)--(5)------|
G|--(b9)-------(b9)--11-----(b9)------(b9)----(b9)-------(b9)---(b9)8-6--6----6----6-------|
D|--(b9)-------8----------7-------------(b9)-------8----x-x-x--7----7----7-------|
A|--7--------x----------x-------------7--------x----7-6-4--0----0----0-------|
E|-----------(b9)---------8-------------7--------6-----------------------------|


e|-------------2--(b9)-(b9)-(b9)-(b9)-(b9)-(b9)-(b9)----------------(b9)(b9)(b9)(b9)(b9)(b9)(b9)(b9)(b9)-----|
B|--5---5---4-------------------------12p(b9)----------------------------------|
G|--6-------------(b9)------------------------11p(b9)-----(b9)--(b9)--(b9)--(b9)--(b9)-----|
D|--7------------11-11-11-11---------------------h11--11--11--11--11--11-----|
A|--0------------11-11-11-11--------------------------13--13--13--13--13-----|
E|----------------(b9)-(b9)-(b9)-(b9)-(b9)-(b9)-(b9)-(b9)-(b9)-(b9)-(b9)-(b9)------------------------|


e|------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
B|--(b9)-7--7--4--0---------------0------------------------------------------------ |
G|--6--6--7--5--1---2-2-2-2-1---1------------------------------------------------ |
D|--7--7--7--7--2-------------4-2------------------------------------------------ |
A|--0--0--5--6--2---------------2------------------------------------------------ |
E|--------------0---------------0------------------------------------------------ |

************************************

| /   slide up
| \   slide down
 h   hammer-on
| p   pull-off
| ~   vibrato
| +   harmonic
| x   Mute note
 b   Bend
| pb  Pre-bend
| br  Bend release
| pbr Pre-bend release
| brb Bend release bend

************************************
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