MACHINE by SONIC YOUTH recorded during THE ETERNAL songwriting sessions released as THE ETERNAL preorder bonus also on IN/OUT/IN THURSTON: DDAF#AD (right) LEE: DDDDAA (left) KIM: DADABB (middle) DRUM INTRO 00:00-00:07 (guitars silent) A SECTION 00:07-00:37 Kim's main riff: B--7--10--9-x-x-3-----7--10--9-x-x-5--- she doesn't always play the 9th fret notes, B--7--10--9-x-x-3-----7--10--9-x-x-5--- x 4 sometimes just mutes/slides etc. A-------------------------------------- D-------------------------------------- A-------------------------------------- D-------------------------------------- Thurston plays his riff clean and very loose with lots of open strings: D---18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-------------------- A----0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-------------------- x 8 F#---0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-- A-----------------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-- D-----------------------------x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-- D-----------------------------6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-- slight bend Lee's part is actually able to be decoded from the notes above, specifically "2nd St Hi on 11 - bendy -> lo barre 6" A-------0----0----0----0------------------ A------11b~~11b~~11b~~11b~~--------------- x 8 D--0-------------------------------------- D--0--------------------------6-6-6-6-6--- D--0--------------------------6-6-6-6-6--- D--0--------------------------6-6-6-6-6--- Even before I realized what the notes meant, this was basically how I was playing the riff. I believe his note means to play the 2nd string at the 11th fret, while bending it, and then switch to barring the low strings at the 6th fret. During the first half of this riff, he plays the low Ds and basically attacks the 11th fret note, bending it in an oddly aggressive way, while the open A string rings out. DRUM BREAK 00:37-00:41 B SECTION 00:41-00:55 Kim: B--3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3- etc B--3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3- A-------------------------- D-------------------------- A-------------------------- D-------------------------- Thurston plays the same riff as the A section, only he turns on distortion and slides into the high note on the 18th fret to emphasize it, then plays the 6th fret chord clean and choppy (still sloppy). D--\18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-------------------- A----0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0-------------------- x 8 F#---0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-- A-----------------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-- D-----------------------------x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-- D-----------------------------6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-- slight bend Lee's part during this section is somewhat explained via the 3-string chord shape in the 2nd image, although I hear open low Ds so I think it may be the top 3 strings rather than the entire fretboard. The 7 indicates the dotted notes are played at the 7th fret, with the 8th fret on the high A being added (this is clear on the recording) and also the 5th fret on the A at some points. A-----------7-7-7-7-7-8--8-8-8-- A-----------7-7-7-7-7-7--7-7-7-- D-----7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--7-7-7-- etc D-----7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--7-7-7-- D--0--0-0-0-0------------------- D--0--0-0-0-0------------------- He mostly seems to hold that shape and play around there. To be honest, it sounds like they hadn't entirely fleshed out the song and certain parts were being improvised while they got from A to B (or B to C in this case). B SECTION CONTINUED: 00:56-01:10 Kim switches to this note: B--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7- etc B--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7- A-------------------------- D-------------------------- A-------------------------- D-------------------------- Thurston begins playing this note very staccato: D------ A------ F#----- A------ x 16 after this he begins an ascending riff a little earlier than the rest of the band D---6-- (tabbed below in C section) D---6-- Lee continues improvising around this shape: A--8-- A--7-- D--7-- D--7-- D--0-- D--0-- C SECTION 01:11-01:33 Kim's part is kinda buried, and she has that dirty trebly fuzz going on, but I think it's something like: B---------------------- B---------------------- possibly with a slide? A---------------------- D---------------------- A---------------------- D--12-0-12-0-12-0-12-0- etc it sounds like she hits the 13th fret sometimes too Thurston plays an ascending motif (this actually starts at 1:04): D------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- F#------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D---6-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--8-8-8-8--9-9-9-9--10-10-10-10--11-11-11-11--12-12-12-12--13-13-13-13--14-14-14-14-- D---6-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--8-8-8-8--9-9-9-9--10-10-10-10--11-11-11-11--12-12-12-12--13-13-13-13--14-14-14-14-- D---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- F#--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D---15-15-15-15--16-16-16-16--17-17-17-17--18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18--0-- D---15-15-15-15--16-16-16-16--17-17-17-17--18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18--0-- Lee plays a similar motif but goes up and down: A------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ D------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ D------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ D--10-10-10-10--11-11-11-11--12-12-12-12--9-9-9-9--13-13-13-13--14-14-14-14--11-11-11-11--14-14-14-14-- D--10-10-10-10--11-11-11-11--12-12-12-12--9-9-9-9--13-13-13-13--14-14-14-14--11-11-11-11--14-14-14-14-- A----------------------------------------------------------------- A----------------------------------------------------------------- D----------------------------------------------------------------- D----------------------------------------------------------------- D--15-15-15-15--13-13-13-13--12-12-12-12--16-16-16-16--15---X-0--- D--15-15-15-15--13-13-13-13--12-12-12-12--16-16-16-16--15---X-0--- Both Thurston and Lee's parts are played staccato and very "loose", with optional mutes between notes, optional notes within chords, optional open low Ds between notes, etc. Thurston gets a little looser than Lee in this part. I guess this is the "CHOP" section based on the written chart? D SECTION 01:33-01:47 I assume this is the "metallic crashes" part. Kim just does really nasty distorted bursts, I think she's playing a D but it sounds more like a robot coughing. I love her tone in this era! I'm not sure what combination of effects she using for that gorgeous noise. B------- B------- A------- D---x--- x 8 A---x--- D---0--- Thurston spits ugly choked 7th and 5th fret harmonic chords - played loosely!! - shake w/ bar - and some squealin' feedback... D-----------<5>~~~-- A-----------<5>~~~-- F#--<7>~~~--<5>~~~-- etc etc w/ 8 drum crashes A---<7>~~~---------- D---<7>~~~---------- D----0~~~~---------- Lee's part is actually the end of his stompy bit above: A----------------------------------- A----------------------------------- D----------------------------------- D----------------------------------- etc / 8 drum crashes D-----X-0-----15-15-0----15-15-0---- D-----X-0-----15-15-0----15-15-0---- DRUM INTRO 01:48-01:55 Slight bit of Thurston feedback, otherwise same as intro. A SECTION 01:55-02:25 Same as first "verse". DRUM BREAK 02:25-02:29 Lee blasts a quick open D chord but otherwise the same. B SECTION 02:29-02:43 This is the same as the first time, though Lee is playing variations around the same chord shape. See the notes above. B SECTION CONTINUED 02:44-02:51 Kim and Thurston play the same thing, but Lee changes it up: Kim: B--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7- etc B--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7- A-------------------------- D-------------------------- A-------------------------- D-------------------------- Thurston: D------ A------ F#----- A------ x 16 D---6-- D---6-- Lee: A----- A----- D----- D----- x 16 D--7-- D--7-- C SECTION 02:51-03:21 This part is a bit different, but same concept. I hear Kim playing the 13th fret more heavily: B---------------------- B---------------------- A---------------------- D---------------------- A---------------------- D--13-0-13-0-13-0-13-0- etc Thurston plays the same part, with even more "looseness" - pulling off to the open D strings, adding higher strings, etc D------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- F#------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D---6-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--8-8-8-8--9-9-9-9--10-10-10-10--11-11-11-11--12-12-12-12--13-13-13-13--14-14-14-14-- D---6-7-7-7-7-7-7-7--8-8-8-8--9-9-9-9--10-10-10-10--11-11-11-11--12-12-12-12--13-13-13-13--14-14-14-14-- D---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- F#--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D---15-15-15-15--16-16-16-16--17-17-17-17--18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18--0-- D---15-15-15-15--16-16-16-16--17-17-17-17--18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18-18--0-- Lee changes it up: A------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D--8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8---10-10-10-10--9-9-9-9--11-11-11-11--12-12-12-12--9-9-9-9--15-15-15-15--14-14-14-14-- D--8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8---10-10-10-10--9-9-9-9--11-11-11-11--12-12-12-12--9-9-9-9--15-15-15-15--14-14-14-14-- A-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------0----- A-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------0----- D-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------0----- D-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------0----- D--12-12-12-12--15-15-15-15--17-17-17-17--16-16-16-16--15-15-15-15--15-0-15-0-15-0-15-0---0----- D--12-12-12-12--15-15-15-15--17-17-17-17--16-16-16-16--15-15-15-15--15-0-15-0-15-0-15-0---0----- D SECTION 03:21-03:38 For the final 8 "metallic crashes", Kim is not as loud, but I think she is playing another heavily modulated D note. Thurston repeats his random harmonic/squeal/general guitar abuse. Lee plays open string chords/harmonics rather than the pull-off part he played the first time around. And that's it! tab by Chris Lawrence (silvercircle@shaw.ca) ------------------------------------------------ THE SONIC YOUTH GUITAR/BASS TABLATURE ARCHIVE: http://www.sonicyouth.com/mustang/tab/index.html ------------------------------------------------