• Song:

    How To Handle A Rope

  • Artist:

    Queens of the stone age

Artist Related tabs and Sheet Music

How To Handle A Rope
Artist: Queens of the Stone Age
Album: Queens of the Stone Age
Tab Author: VelvetEyes1986 (AmericanZero1986@aol.com)


Tuning: Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb

I couldn't find a half-decent tab for this incredible song anywhere, so I took matters into my own dirty hands...


Step 1: Tune Down Half a Step. It's a pain, but it's necessary for this song, plus it sounds MUCH better. It's a happy medium. I'm not making you tune down 

to string-floppin' C, and you don't have to fake chords that standard tuning can't play.

Step 2: Earplugs. This song was meant to be played loud. Like, buffalo-rocking loud. If it isn't loud enough to rock a buffalo to it's knees, then you're not 

playing it right.

Step 3: Crank up the amp, and find the absolute filthiest fuzz you can get, turn that EQ up on all frequencies-- dial in the mids and highs, but add some good thunder too! 
	          
No nu-metal distortion allowed, this song is for people with balls.

NOTE: The bends at the end of the main riffs sound better on the higher strings, but it's a pain in the ass (at least for me) to bend at the fourth fret on 

the G string, so I bend the 9th fret of the D string, which is also easier to access. Just know your alternatives...

  

  Intro
Eb-------------------------------  -------------------------------------
Bb-------------------------------  -------------------------------------
Gb-------------------------------  -4b6r4-------------------------------
Db--4-4-4--2-7-7---9b11r9--------OR------------------------------------- 6X
Ab--4-4-4--2-7-7-----------------  -------------------------------------
Eb--2-2-2--0-5-5-----------------  -------------------------------------


  Verse -- Louder, more treble, maybe a second guitar... but only a slight rhythm difference.
Eb----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bb----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gb----------------------------------------------------------------------
Db--4-4-4-4-4-2-7-7---9b11r9/------------------------------------------- 12X
Ab--4-4-4-4-4-2-7-7-----------------------------------------------------
Eb--2-2-2-2-2-0-5-5-----------------------------------------------------
    
Fun Fact: No bend when transitioning to Chorus


  Chorus
Eb---------------------------------------------------------------------
Bb---------------------------------------------------------------------
Gb---------------------------------------------------------------------
Db--4-44444444444424-7-75757575757757-8-8888888888888--2-22222222222222 2X
Ab--4-44444444444424-7-75757575757757-8-8888888888888--2-22222222222222
Eb--2-22222222222202-5-55555555555555-6-6666666666666--0-00000000000000


  2nd Verse                        Fill - 2nd time
Eb-------------------------------  --12b14r12----------------------------
Bb-------------------------------  -----------10------------------------
Gb-------------------------------  -------------------------------------
Db--4-4-4-4-4-2-7-7---9b11r9/----  ------------------------------------- 10X
Ab--4-4-4-4-4-2-7-7--------------  -------------------------------------
Eb--2-2-2-2-2-0-5-5--------------  -------------------------------------


  Chorus
Eb---------------------------------------------------------------------
Bb---------------------------------------------------------------------
Gb---------------------------------------------------------------------
Db--4-44444444444424-7-75757575757757-8-8888888888888--2-22222222222222 2X
Ab--4-44444444444424-7-75757575757757-8-8888888888888--2-22222222222222
Eb--2-22222222222202-5-55555555555555-6-6666666666666--0-00000000000000


  3rd Verse                                 Fills - Last 2 times
Eb-------------------------------  --12b14r12--14-14---  -12b14---------
Bb-------------------------------  --------------------  ---------------
Gb-------------------------------  --------------------  ---------------
Db--4-4-4-4-4-2-7-7---9b11r9/----  --------------------  --------------- 4X
Ab--4-4-4-4-4-2-7-7--------------  --------------------  ---------------
Eb--2-2-2-2-2-0-5-5--------------  --------------------  ---------------


  Outro/Grand Finale/Buffalo Destroyer - 2 Guitars
Eb------------------------------------------------------------
Bb------------------------------------------------------------
Gb----------------7--7-7-77-7-7-7-----------------------------
Db--4-4-6-6-8-8-x-7--7-7-77-7-7-7----------------------------- 8X 
Ab--4-4-6-6-8-8-x-5--5-5-55-5-5-5-----------------------------
Eb--2-2-4-4-6-6-x---------------------------------------------


  Outro Fill 1- If you can't figure out where this stuff goes, tough ***.
Eb---------------------------------------  -----------------------------
Bb---7/9~~------------------------------  --999-7~~--------------------
Gb---------------------------------------  -----------------------------
Db---------------------------------------  -----------------------------
Ab---------------------------------------  -----------------------------
Eb---------------------------------------  -----------------------------

  SOLO - This is from memory, but almost perfect, give or take a note or two.
Eb----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bb--999-7-9-7~~-9-7---7-------------------------------------------------
Gb------------------9---9----9-11/13~~--11b13-11-9-11-------------------
Db------------------------11--------------------------11--9-11----9-12--
Ab-------------------------------------------------------------11-------
Eb----------------------------------------------------------------------

Eb----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bb----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gb----------------------------------------------------------------------
Db--11-9----9--9b11br9--------------------------------------------------
Ab-------12-----------12-9-12~~-9-7-9-7--------------------------------7
Eb--------------------------------------9-7-5-7vv-5-7-2VV---5-7-9--7-9--
                                {__________Lightly Palm Muted____________



Eb---------------------------------------------
Bb---------------------------------------------
Gb---------------------11b14-------------------
Db--------------9-11-9------------------------- Now make strange noises.
Ab-9-11b13-9-11-------------------------------- 
Eb---------------------------------------------
  ____________________}

Good Job! That should be it.  That's about every *** nuance of the song, so it's up to you, valiant tab-reader, to decide when and how to play it.

P.S. E-Mail me at AmericanZero1986@aol.com if you'd like to request more QOTSA tabs, or if you want to whine about a note I left out or something.
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