I Don't Think I'm Ever Gonna Figure It Out
By Elliott Smith
Tabbed by Wraphesh
Tuning: Standard
Capo 3rd Fret
Alright this piece is pretty but a bit difficult. Play it slow until you get all the
finger picking down and then gradually speed it up to Elliott speed (which is really fast).
One tip I'd give is that the thumb picking stays mostly the same throughout, while most
of the tricky portions are picked with the index finger. If you have any questions or
suggestions e-mail me at wraphesh@yahoo.com
Key:
h = hammer-on
p = pull-of
b = bend
r = reverse bend, or release bend
/ = slide up
\ = slide down
s = slide p.m. = palm mute
t = right hand tap
+ = right hand tap
x = rhythm click or muted string
v = vibrato
~ = vibrato
(5) = ghost note, or optional note
<5>= harmonic
Intro:
C
|-----3------------3--|-----3------------3--|-----3------------3--|-----3---------------|
|------------1--------|------------1--------|------------1--------|------------1--------|
|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
|-----2---------2-----|-----2---------2-----|-----2---------2-----|-----2---------2-----|
|--3------3-----------|--3------3-----------|--3------3-----------|--3------3-----------|
|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
Main Verse: Play bracketed section 2x
C
[|-----3------------3--|-----3------------3--|-----3------------3--|-----3------------3--|
[|------------1--------|------------1--------|------------1--------|------------1--------|
[|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
[|-----2---------2-----|-----2---------2-----|-----2---------2-----|-----2---------2-----|
[|--3------3-----------|--3------3-----------|--3------3-----------|--3------3-----------|
[|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
I can wait I can wait
Fmaj7 C Cadd9 C
|----0---0-0-0----0-0----0--|----0-----------0-----0------------|
|----1---1-1-1----1-1----1--|----1-----1------------------1-----|
|----2---2-2-2----0-0----0--|----0------------------------------|
|--3------------2------0----|----2--------2--------2---------2--|
|---------------------------|--3----3-----------3------3--------|
|---------------------------|-----------------------------------|
G C
|-----0-----3-----0--------------(0)----------|----0-----------0-----0------------|]
|--3-------------------3-----1--3b4br3--1---1-|----1-----1------------------1-----|]
|-----------------------------------------2---|----0------------------------------|]
|--------0-----------0----------0-------------|----2--------2--------2---------2--|]
|---------------------------------------------|--3----3-----------3------3--------|]
|--3-----------3----------3-------------------|-----------------------------------|]
This last part is tricky. The best way to learn it is to practice the bass rhythm (all
picking on the A string and below) and add the top. Also, I prefer to bend the 3rd fret
at the end of the phrase but if you want a cleaner sound you can optionally pick the
open e, although I think this is slightly more difficult. Elliot plays it both ways at
different points in the song.
Bridge: After playing the main verse twice, go to the bridge
F C
|----1-----------1----1-----------0-|----0-----------0-----0------------|
|----1-----1----------------1-------|----1-----1------------------1-----|
|----2------------------------------|----0------------------------------|
|----3--------3-------3--------3----|----2--------2--------2---------2--|
|-----------------------------------|--3----3-----------3------3--------|
|--1----1----------1-----1----------|-----------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------3--3--3-3-3--|
|--3-/5--5-5-5---3--3--3-3-3---1--1---0--0--0-0-0--|
|--0-----0-0-0---0--0--0-0-0---2--2---0--0--0-0-0--|
|--3-/5--5-5-5---4--4--4-4-4---0--0---0--0--0-0-0--|
|--0-----0-0-0---0--0--0-0-0---0--0---2--2--2-2-2--|
|------------------------------2--2---3--3--3-3-3--|
Main Verse Alternate Ending:
After playing the bridge, play through the main verse again, but when you get to the
end, play this instead:
G Am G
|-----0-----3-----0--------------(0)----------|-----0--0-0-0-----3--3-3-3--|
|--3-------------------3-----1--3b4br3--1---1-|-----1--1-1-1-----0--0-0-0--|
|-----------------------------------------2---|-----2--2-2-2-----0--0-0-0--|
|--------0-----------0----------0-------------|-----2--2-2-2-----0--0-0-0--|
|---------------------------------------------|--0---------------2--2-2-2--|
|--3-----------3----------3-------------------|---------------3------------|
G C
|-----0-----3-----0--------------(0)----------|----0-----------0-----0------------|
|--4-------------------3-----1--3b4br3--1---1-|----1-----1------------------1-----|
|-----------------------------------------2---|----0------------------------------|
|--------0-----------0----------0-------------|----2--------2--------2---------2--|
|--0------------------------------------------|--3----3-----------3------3--------|
|--------------3----------1-------------------|-----------------------------------|
Solo:
C C7
|-----3------------|-----------3-----------|-----------3-----------|--6----3h6--0--------|
|------------1-----|-----1-----------1-----|-----1-----------1-----|--1--1-1----1h3p1-1--|
|------------------|-----------------------|--------------------0--|------------0-----2--|
|-----2---------2--|--------2-----------2--|--------2--------------|---------------------|
|--3------3--------|--3-----------3--------|--3-----------3--------|---------------------|
|------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|---------------------|
Fmaj7 C Cadd9 C
|----0---0-0-0----0-------|----0-----------0-----0------------|
|----1---1-1-1----1-------|----1-----1------------------1-----|
|----2---2-2-2----0-------|----0------------------------------|
|--3------------2----0-0--|----2--------2--------2---------2--|
|-------------------------|--3----3-----------3------3--------|
|-------------------------|-----------------------------------|
G C
|-----0-----3-----0--------------(0)----------|----0-----------0-----0------------|
|--3-------------------3-----1--3b4br3--1---1-|----1-----1------------------1-----|
|-----------------------------------------2---|----0------------------------------|
|--------0-----------0----------0-------------|----2--------2--------2---------2--|
|---------------------------------------------|--3----3-----------3------3--------|
|--3-----------3----------3-------------------|-----------------------------------|
C C7
|-----0----3-----------|-----------3-----------|-----------3-----------|--6----3h6--0--------|
|--4-------------1-----|-----1-----------1-----|-----1-----------1-----|--1--1-1----1h3p1-1--|
|----------------------|-----------------------|--------------------0--|------------0-----2--|
|-------2-----------2--|--------2-----------2--|--------2--------------|---------------------|
|--3----------3--------|--3-----------3--------|--3-----------3--------|---------------------|
|----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|---------------------|
Fmaj7 C Cadd9 C
|----0---0-0-0----0-0----0--|----0-----------0-----0------------|
|----1---1-1-1----1-1----1--|----1-----1------------------1-----|
|----2---2-2-2----0-0----0--|----0------------------------------|
|--3------------2------0----|----2--------2--------2---------2--|
|---------------------------|--3----3-----------3------3--------|
|---------------------------|-----------------------------------|
G Am G
|-----0-----3-----0--------------(0)----------|-----0--0-0-0-----3--3-3-3--|
|--3-------------------3-----1--3b4br3--1---1-|-----1--1-1-1-----0--0-0-0--|
|-----------------------------------------2---|-----2--2-2-2-----0--0-0-0--|
|--------0-----------0----------0-------------|-----2--2-2-2-----0--0-0-0--|
|---------------------------------------------|--0---------------2--2-2-2--|
|--3-----------3----------3-------------------|---------------3------------|
G C
|-----0-----3-----0--------------(0)----------|----0-------------3----0--0-0--|
|--4-------------------3-----1--3b4br3--1---1-|----1---3-/-4-/-5-0----1--1-1--|
|-----------------------------------------2---|----0---0---0---0-0----0--0-0--|
|--------0-----------0----------0-------------|----2---3-/-4-/-5-5----2--2-2--|
|--0------------------------------------------|--3------------------3---------|
|--------------3----------1-------------------|-------------------------------|
Final Verse and Outro:
C C7
|-----3------------3--|-----3------------3--|-----3------------|--6----3h6--0--------|
|------------1--------|------------1--------|------------1-----|--1--1-1----1h3p1-1--|
|---------------------|---------------------|---------------0--|------------0-----2--|
|-----2---------2-----|-----2---------2-----|-----2------------|---------------------|
|--3------3-----------|--3------3-----------|--3------3--------|---------------------|
|---------------------|---------------------|------------------|---------------------|
Fmaj7 C Cadd9 C
|----0---0-0-0----0-0----0--|----0-----------0-----0------------|
|----1---1-1-1----1-1----1--|----1-----1------------------1-----|
|----2---2-2-2----0-0----0--|----0------------------------------|
|--3------------2------0----|----2--------2--------2---------2--|
|---------------------------|--3----3-----------3------3--------|
|---------------------------|-----------------------------------|
G Am G
|-----0-----3-----0--------------(0)----------|-----0--0-0-0-----3--3-3-3--|
|--3-------------------3-----1--3b4br3--1---1-|-----1--1-1-1-----0--0-0-0--|
|-----------------------------------------2---|-----2--2-2-2-----0--0-0-0--|
|--------0-----------0----------0-------------|-----2--2-2-2-----0--0-0-0--|
|---------------------------------------------|--0---------------2--2-2-2--|
|--3-----------3----------3-------------------|---------------3------------|
G Am G
|-----0-----3-----0--------------(0)----------|-----0--0-0-0-----3--3-3-3--|
|--4-------------------3-----1--3b4br3--1---1-|-----1--1-1-1-----0--0-0-0--|
|-----------------------------------------2---|-----2--2-2-2-----0--0-0-0--|
|--------0-----------0----------0-------------|-----2--2-2-2-----0--0-0-0--|
|--0------------------------------------------|--0---------------2--2-2-2--|
|--------------3----------1-------------------|---------------3------------|
G C Fmaj7 C
|-----0-----3-----0--------------(0)----------|-----0------0------0--0--|
|--4-------------------3-----1--3b4br3--1---1-|-----1------1------1--1--|
|-----------------------------------------2---|-----0------2------0--0--|
|--------0-----------0----------0-------------|-----2----3-3------2--2--|
|--0------------------------------------------|--3--------------3----3--|
|--------------3----------1-------------------|-------------------------|
Play in this order:
Intro
Main Verse
Main Verse
Bridge
Main Verse Alternate Ending
Solo
Bridge
Final Verse and Outro
