When I Come Around Guitar Tab
For Two Guitars

First off, like most of Green Day's earlier songs, such as the ones on Kerplunk, Dookie, and Insomniac, each string is tuned down half a step. Usually, you can still play these songs on standard tuning and they will still sound okay. However, When I Come Around is one of those songs that just sounds better tuned down half a step.

Intro: The intro uses a lot of palm muting. You don't have to palm mute, but you need to have a heavy accent on the 3 and 4 note power chords in the palm muting's place. Guitar 1 plays this only once.
         PM PM PM PM-- PM
Eb---------------------------
Bb--------------------8------
Gb-----0---------7----9--5---
Db---X-0---5---77777-999-5---
Ab---X---55555-55555-777-3---
Eb---X---33333---------------

Main Riff: This is almost identical to the intro, except for the fact that the beginning and the ending are different. Guitar 2 jumps into the action with Guitar 1. They play this riff 10 times during the verse.
     PM PM PM PM-- PM    PM
Eb----------------------------
Bb----------------8-----------
Gb-----------7----9--5-5------
Db-----5---77777-999-5-5-77---
Ab---55555-55555-777-3-3-55---
Eb---33333--------------------

Chorus: This really basic. It's pretty much an A5-Power Chord alternating with a C-Power Chord every eight eighth notes, except for the end of the chorus, you just play the C-Power Chord for five eighth notes. Both guitars play this.

Eb--------------------------------------
Bb--------------------------------------
Gb---22222222-55555555-22222222-55555---
Db---22222222-55555555-22222222-55555---
Ab---00000000-33333333-00000000-33333---
Eb--------------------------------------

Main Riff: Do the same thing you did during the first verse. This riff is played 10 times. Both guitars play the main riff again.
     PM PM PM PM-- PM    PM
Eb----------------------------
Bb----------------8-----------
Gb-----------7----9--5-5------
Db-----5---77777-999-5-5-77---
Ab---55555-55555-777-3-3-55---
Eb---33333--------------------

Chorus: Both guitars play the chorus again.

Eb--------------------------------------
Bb--------------------------------------
Gb---22222222-55555555-22222222-55555---
Db---22222222-55555555-22222222-55555---
Ab---00000000-33333333-00000000-33333---
Eb--------------------------------------

Main Riff: Both guitars play this once together before the solo.
     PM PM PM PM-- PM    PM
Eb----------------------------
Bb----------------8-----------
Gb-----------7----9--5-5------
Db-----5---77777-999-5-5-77---
Ab---55555-55555-777-3-3-55---
Eb---33333--------------------

Main Riff: Guitar 1 plays the main riff alone one time before Guitar 2 starts soloing.

Guitar 1
     PM PM PM PM-- PM    PM
Eb----------------------------
Bb----------------8-----------
Gb-----------7----9--5-5------
Db-----5---77777-999-5-5-77---
Ab---55555-55555-777-3-3-55---
Eb---33333--------------------

Solo: Guitar 2 gets a chance to shine with a guitar solo. Guitar 1 continues to play the main riff twice more during the solo.

Guitar 1 
     PM PM PM PM-- PM    PM
Eb----------------------------
Bb----------------8-----------
Gb-----------7----9--5-5------
Db-----5---77777-999-5-5-77---
Ab---55555-55555-777-3-3-55---
Eb---33333--------------------

Guitar 2
Eb---3---5----33-5-3333333-5555-33333-------------------------
Bb----3-3-3-3-33-3-3333333-3333-33333---5-5---5-/(15)---------
Gb-----0---0--0000-0000000-0000-00000-4-4-4-4h5---------------
Db------------------------------------------------------------
Ab------------------------------------------------------------
Eb----------------------------------------------------(12)\---

Chorus: One last time. Both guitars play this.

Eb--------------------------------------
Bb--------------------------------------
Gb---22222222-55555555-22222222-55555---
Db---22222222-55555555-22222222-55555---
Ab---00000000-33333333-00000000-33333---
Eb--------------------------------------

Main Riff: Both guitars play the main riff 3 more times.
     PM PM PM PM-- PM    PM
Eb----------------------------
Bb----------------8-----------
Gb-----------7----9--5-5------
Db-----5---77777-999-5-5-77---
Ab---55555-55555-777-3-3-55---
Eb---33333--------------------

Outro: Guitar 2 rests, while Guitar 1 plays a variation of the main riff. Let the final C-Power Chord ring.
     PM PM PM PM-- PM
Eb--------------------------
Bb----------------8---------
Gb-----------7----9--5~~~---
Db-----5---77777-999-5~~~---
Ab---55555-55555-777-3~~~---
Eb---33333------------------

When I Come Around is done!
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