" S P E E D   O F   L I G H T "

                 by Stratovarius (from "Episode" album)

                          music by Timo Tolkki


Yeah ! That's finally here for you ! The complete tab of the best hyper-speed
melodic-technical song of the last five years (maybe more ...). Very very dif-
ficult to play it, and this time to tab it too ! You won't found this tab
anywhere, neither in the official/unofficial Strato-web sites around the
world, this is (like many others) an absolute exclusive of our mailing list
and of Displacer's site, the BEST tab-site of all Internet ^__^ ! Check out
the tab of the intro ("Episode"), then let the massacre (!?) begins ...

Legend

        ^  = bend ? tone          / = slide up until the note
        ^^ = bend a whole tone     = slide down from the note
        p  = pull off             ~ = let ring
        h  = hammer on            . = palm muted
        v  = tremolo picking     Ah = artificial harmonic
       (x) = ghost note          2x = repeat the bar two times

Tune the guitar an half step down

The intro riff:

E--------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
G--------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
D------9~------9-10-9-7-9~-------|------9~-----------------------------|
A--7-7-----7-7--------------7-7--|--7-7-----7-7-12-12-10-10-9-9-10-10--|
E--------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
   . .     . .              . .     . .     . .  .  .  .  . . .  .  .


E-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
G-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
D------9~------9-10-9-7-9~------|-12-10-9----10-9-------9--------------------|
A--7-7-----7-7--------------7-7-|---------12------12-10---12-10-9-12-10-9-10-|
E-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
   . .     . .              . .    .  . .  .  . .  .  . .  .  . .  .  . .  .


repeat four times

On the fourth replace the last passage with this longer one:


E---------------------------------------------|
B---------------------------------------------|
G---------------------------------------------|
D--12-10-9----10-9-------9--------------------|
A----------12------12-10---12-10-9-12-10-9-7--|
E---------------------------------------------|
    .  . .  .  . .  .  . .  .  . .  .  . . .


E------------------------------------|-----------------|
B------------------------------------|-----------------|
G------------------------------------|-----------------|
D------------------------------------|--9---7---5---4--|
A--10-9-7-6-9-7-6---7-6-----6--------|--9---7---5---4--|
E-----------------8-----8-7---8-7-5--|--7---5---3---2--|
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .



First verse:

"Today is just another day ..."

E-----|-----|-----|------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|
B-----|-----|-----|------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|
G-----|-----|-----|------7-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
D-----|-----|--5--|-(5)--5--7--|--9--|-(9)-|--5--|-(5)-|
A--2--|-(2)-|--3--|-(3)-----5--|--7--|-(7)-|--3--|-(3)-|
E--0--|-(0)-|-----|------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|




Bridge:

"I should have somekind of meaning ..."

Fast keyboard part arranged for guitar:
- We represent it as an arpeggio on the guitar, but due to the speed of
  execution (Jens rules !) it has to be played sweep picked, by tapping
  or with legatos in two strings (however we haven't these problems,
  we let our keyboard-man does it !)


 4x                 4x
E--15--------------|--17--------------|
B------17------17--|------19------19--|
G----------18------|----------19------|
D------------------|------------------|
A------------------|------------------|
E------------------|------------------|


 4x                 2x                 2x
E--17--------------|--19--------------|--17--------------|
B------19------19--|------20------20--|------19------19--|
G----------20------|----------21------|----------19------|
D------------------|------------------|------------------|
A------------------|------------------|------------------|
E------------------|------------------|------------------|



 4x                 4x                 4x
E--15--------------|--15--------------|--17--------------|
B------17------17--|------17------17--|------19------19--|
G----------17------|----------18------|----------19------|
D------------------|------------------|------------------|
A------------------|------------------|------------------|
E------------------|------------------|------------------|


Guitar rhythm:
- we don't trancribe the exact number of the palm muted notes, however
  continue the 'motor-saw' until next chords !

E--------------|--------------|--------------|--------|-----|-----|-----|
B--------------|--------------|--------------|--------|-----|-----|-----|
G--------------|--------------|--------------|--------|-----|-----|-----|
D--6-----------|--7-----------|--8-----------|--9--7--|--5--|--2--|--7--|
A--4-444 etc.--|--5-555 etc.--|--6-666 etc.--|--7--5--|--3--|--4--|--5--|
E--------------|--------------|--------------|--------|-----|-----|-----|
     ...            ...            ...



The fast guitar fill:

E--------------------------------17-19-20--|--20--|
B----------------------17-19-20------------|------|
G------------16-17-19----------------------|------|
D--16-17-19--------------------------------|------|
A------------------------------------------|------|
E------------------------------------------|------|




Second verse:

"I found some pictures of a time ..."


E-----|-----|-----|------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|
B-----|-----|-----|------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|
G-----|-----|-----|------7-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
D--9--|-(9)-|--5--|-(5)--5--7--|--9--|-(9)-|--5--|-(5)-|
A--7--|-(7)-|--3--|-(3)-----5--|--7--|-(7)-|--3--|-(3)-|
E-----|-----|-----|------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|



Slow (luckily !) guitar fill (it's harmonized):


        Left Guitar                            Right Guitar

E--7^--7--5-----5--/8--|--7~--|        E------------------------|------|
B------------8---------|------|        B--8^^--8--7-----7--/10--|--8~--|
G----------------------|------|        G-------------9----------|------|
D----------------------|------|        D------------------------|------|
A----------------------|------|        A------------------------|------|
E----------------------|------|        E------------------------|------|


Play another time the bridge with the fast guitar fill;



Chorus:

"I'm away, lost in my thoughts ..."


E---------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B---------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
G---------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
D------9~-------9-10-9-7-9~-------|------9~-----------------------------|
A--7-7-----7-7---------------7-7--|--7-7-----7-7-12-12-10-10-9-9-10-10--|
E---------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
   . .     . .               . .     . .     . .  .  .  .  . . .  .  .


E------|--------------|                                        E-----|
B------|--------------|  Repeat two times: at the end of the   B-----|
G------|--------------|    second play this stopped chord      G-----|
D--10--|--------------|                                        D--9--|
A--10--|-----------6--|                                        A--9--|
E---8--|--5--8--7-----|                                        E--7--|



Fast guitar fill 2:

E--------------------------------13-15-17-17-15-13--
B----------------------13-15-17---------------------
G------------14-16-17-------------------------------
D--14-16-17-----------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------

E--------------------------------|---------------|
B--17-15-13----------------------|---------------|
G------------17-16-14------------|------------9--|
D----------------------17-16-14--|--14-----9--9--|
A--------------------------------|---------9--7--|
E--------------------------------|---------7-----|



Rhythm guitar during first solo:
- (as in the bridge) we don't trancribe the exact number of the palm muted
  notes, however continue the 'motor-saw' until next chords !

E--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
B--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
G--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
D--9-----------|--------------|--7-----------|--------------|
A--7-777 etc.--|--7-----------|--5-555 etc.--|--9-----------|
E--------------|--5-555 etc.--|--------------|--7-777 etc.--|
     ...            ...            ...            ...


Repeat all this stuff two times, on the second
repeat the last bar another time


First solo:

E-------------------------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------------------------|
G------------14-16-14------------17-16-14-16-14---------|
D--14-16-17------------17-16-14------------------17-16--|
A-------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------|


E-------------------------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------------------------|
G------------19-21-19------------22-21-19-21-19---------|
D--19-21-22------------22-21-19------------------22-21--|
A-------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------|


E-------------------------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------------------------|
G------------12-14-12------------16-14-12-14-12---------|
D--12-14-16------------16-14-12------------------16-14--|
A-------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------|


E-----------------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------17-19-20--20~--|
G------------16-17-19--16-17-19-----------------|
D--16-17-19-------------------------------------|
A-----------------------------------------------|
E-----------------------------------------------|


Repeat two times, on the second end play this:


E--------------------------------17-19-20-20~--|
B----------------------17-19-20----------------|
G------------16-17-19--------------------------|
D--16-17-19------------------------------------|
A----------------------------------------------|
E----------------------------------------------|



Rhythm guitar of the second solo:

E-----|--------|-----|--------|
B-----|--------|-----|--------|
G-----|--------|-----|--------|
D--6--|--------|--6--|--9-----|  Two times
A--4--|--7--9--|--4--|--7--9--|
E-----|--5--7--|-----|-----7--|



Second solo:

                v      v   v   v    v
E-------v------12--|--11--14--12--/19--|--16~--17--16--16^--16--|
B------14---v------|-------------------|------------------------|
G---v------13------|-------------------|------------------------|
D--11--------------|-------------------|------------------------|
A------------------|-------------------|------------------------|
E------------------|-------------------|------------------------|


E------16-------------------|
B--19------19--17--16--17~--|
G---------------------------|
D---------------------------|
A---------------------------|
E---------------------------|




The nearly-impossible hyper speed phrase:
- We think it's just 90% exact, and don't blame us if you can't play it,
  it's a *** tricky solo (about a hundred notes in a few seconds !).
- Because of Timo's fast right hand, some notes are stroken two or more times
  (get your own right timing !). BTW these notes are sixteen triplets.
- If you aren't sure, we have the midi file transcription of this solo, ask
  for it if needed.


E-----------14-16-17-17-16-14-----------------------------------------------|
B--14-16-17-------------------17-16-14-14-17-16-14--------------------------|
G--------------------------------------------------16-14-13-16-14-13-14-16--|
D---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------|


E---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B--14-13-12-12-13-14-14-13-12-----------------------------------------------|
G-----------------------------14-13-14-13-11----------------13-11-13-14-14--|
D--------------------------------------------14-13-14-15-14-----------------|
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------|


E-----------------------------------------------------------------------14--|
B-----------------------------------------------13-14-16-17-16-14-16-17-----|
G--13-14-13----------------13-14-16-14-13-14-16-----------------------------|
D-----------16-14-13-14-16--------------------------------------------------|
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------|


E--16-16-14-------------------------14-16-16-14----------------------14-16--|
B-----------17-17-16-14-14-16-17-17-------------17-17-16-14-14-16-17--------|
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------|


E--17-/19~--|
B-----------|
G-----------|
D-----------|
A-----------|
E-----------|


Rhythm guitar solo 3:
- This rhythm part isn't simple like the previous ...

E-------------------|----------------------------|
B-------------------|----------------------------|
G-------------------|----------------------------|
D----9----9---------|----------------------------|
A--777-7777-777777--|-----10------10--9--10------|
E-------------------|--88--8--888--8--7---8--99--|
   ..  ...  ......     ..     ...            ..


E------------------------------|----------|
B------------------------------|----------|
G------------------------------|----------|
D------------------------------|----------|
A-----11------11-10-11---------|--12---9--|
E--99--9--999--9--8--9--10-10--|--10--11--|
   ..     ...           .  .


E-------------------|----------------------------|
B-------------------|----------------------------|
G-------------------|----------------------------|
D----9--------------|----------------------------|
A--777-77777777777--|-----10------10--9--10------|
E-------------------|--88--8--888--8--7---8--99--|
   ..  ...........     ..     ...            ..


E----------------------------|--------|--------|
B----------------------------|--------|--------|
G----------------------------|--------|--------|
D----------------------------|--------|--------|
A-----11------11-10-11-------|--9--9--|--9--9--|
E--99--9--999--9--8--9--7-7--|--7--7--|--7--7--|
   ..     ...           . .



Solo 3 (harmonized):

E---------------|--------------------|--------------------|------------|
B--12~--12------|--12~--12--10--12~--|--12~--12--10--12~--|--10~-------|
G-----------9~--|--------------------|--------------------|-------11~--| LEFT
D---------------|--------------------|--------------------|------------|GUITAR
A---------------|--------------------|--------------------|------------|
E---------------|--------------------|--------------------|------------|


E-------------|----------------|----------------|----------|
B--8~--8------|--8~--8--7--8~--|--8~--8--7--8~--|--7~------|
G---------9~--|----------------|----------------|------8~--| RIGHT
D-------------|----------------|----------------|----------| GUITAR
A-------------|----------------|----------------|----------|
E-------------|----------------|----------------|----------|





E---------------|--------------------|--------------------|
B--12~--12------|--12~--12--10--12~--|--12~--12--10--12~--|
G-----------9~--|--------------------|--------------------|  LEFT
D-----------Ah--|--------------------|--------------------| GUITAR
A---------------|--------------------|--------------------|
E---------------|--------------------|--------------------|


E-------------|----------------|----------------|
B--8~--8------|--8~--8--7--8~--|--8~--8--7--8~--|
G---------9~--|----------------|----------------| RIGHT
D-------------|----------------|----------------| GUITAR
A-------------|----------------|----------------|
E-------------|----------------|----------------|





E------------|--14~--19~--|
B--12~--16~--|------------|
G------------|------------|  LEFT
D------------|------------| GUITAR
A------------|------------|
E------------|------------|


E------7~--|--10~--7~--|
B--7~------|-----------|
G----------|-----------| RIGHT
D----------|-----------| GUITAR
A----------|-----------|
E----------|-----------|



The high speed-tecnical phrase:
- It's all plectrum-work, so a fast right-hand can be of extreme help
  to perform it.
- We've figured out all the notes on the E string. For sure it's impossible
  to play it in this way, so modify the phrase (in two strings f.e.) to
  perform it right (according to us no one can play it in the E string :)
- If you aren't sure, we have the midi file transcription of this solo, ask
  for it if needed.

                      | this note could appear wrong ... but it isn't
E--19-17-15-14-14-15-18-15-14-12-13-14-15-14-13-10-10-11-14-13-9-13-14-15--|
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E--------------------------------------------------------------------------|


E--17-15-14-12-12-13-15-14-12-10-10-12-14-12-10-8-8-10-12-10-9-10-12-14--|
B------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------------------------------------|


E--15-14-12-10-10-12-14-12-10-9-8-10-12-10-8-7-7-8-10-8-7-9-10-12--|
B------------------------------------------------------------------|
G------------------------------------------------------------------|
D------------------------------------------------------------------|
A------------------------------------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------------------------------|


E--14-12-10-8-8-10-12-10-8-7-7-8-10-8-7-5-5-7-8-7-5-5-3-2--|
B----------------------------------------------------------|
G----------------------------------------------------------|
D----------------------------------------------------------|
A----------------------------------------------------------|
E----------------------------------------------------------|



Ending Chords:

E--------------|
B--------------|
G--------------| 4x
D--------------|
A--9--7--5--4--|
E--7--5--3--2--|


Harmonized ending phrases:

E--11--8---------|--11--8---------|--11~--8~--|-----------|
B---------7--10--|---------7--10--|-----------|--7~--10~--|
G----------------|----------------|-----------|-----------|  LEFT
D----------------|----------------|-----------|-----------| GUITAR
A----------------|----------------|-----------|-----------|
E----------------|----------------|-----------|-----------|


E------------------|------------------|------------|------------|
B--12--10----------|--12--10----------|--12~--10~--|------------|
G----------12--11--|----------12--11--|------------|--12~--11~--| RIGHT
D------------------|------------------|------------|------------| GUITAR
A------------------|------------------|------------|------------|
E------------------|------------------|------------|------------|


Chorus:

"I'm away, lost in my thoughts ..."


E---------------------------------|-------------------------------|------|
B---------------------------------|-------------------------------|------|
G---------------------------------|-------------------------------|------|
D------9~-------9-10-9-7-9~-------|------9~-----------------------|--10--|
A--7-7-----7-7---------------7-7--|--7-7-----7-7-12-12-10-10-9-9--|--10--|
E---------------------------------|-------------------------------|---8--|
   . .     . .               . .     . .     . .  .  .  .  . . .


E--------------|
B--------------|
G--------------|
D--------------|
A-----------6--|
E--5--8--7-----|


Repeat the chorus 3-times



E--------------|
B--------------|
G--------------|  Repeat 3-times
D--------------|
A-----------6--|
E--5--8--7-----|



E-----|
B-----|
G--5--|  repeat the chord since the fast guitar fill
D--5--|
A--3--|
E-----|


The fast guitar fill:


E--------------------------------13-15-17-17-15-13--
B----------------------13-15-17---------------------
G------------14-16-17-------------------------------
D--14-16-17-----------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------


E--------------------------------|---------------|
B--17-15-13----------------------|---------------|
G------------17-16-14------------|------------9--|
D----------------------17-16-14--|--14-----9--9--|
A--------------------------------|---------9--7--|
E--------------------------------|---------7-----|


THE END.