SHAKING HELL
by Sonic Youth

Tab by Chris Lawrence (silvercircle@shaw.ca)


TUNINGS:
--------
Lee:	EADGBE
Kim:	C D# D# F# G G# ("ANYTHING") or EADGBE


LAYOUT: A - B - C


A SECTION				00:00-00:52

Lee furiously trem picks skronky chord shapes for various lengths:

E----/-------/------19------/------------
B----/------15------18------0------/-----
G---17------14------16------0------0-----  the third chord is struck four times and rings
D---16------14------17------9------0-----
A---15------14-------------10-----10-----
E---14----------------------------11-----

Kim plays a figure like this:

E-----------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------
G-----------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------
A-----------------------------------------
E---X-11-X-9-X-11-X-9-X-11-X-9-X-11-X-9--- etc

On the record she is probably using Thurston's "anything" guitar that he used for "Bad Mood"
and "World Looks Red". Back in the "EARLY SONIC" piece, I suggested this deliberately atonal
tuning was something like C D# (low) D# (high) F#  G G# (with each of the last three strings
tuned very slightly off from each other, not to the exact pitch)

During post-1983 live versions she would just use one of Thurston's guitars, usually an
F# tuning. In 2006 she just used standard EADGBE, which I've used here since her part is
more about the groove than the pitch. This is to match the CONFUSION IS SEX version though,
not the 2006 remake.

B SECTION				00:52-01:21
          
Lee keeps furiously strumming this chord:

E----0----
B---18----
G----0----
D---15----
A---16----
E----/----

Kim basically just strikes the open strings, possibly with a drumstick, during the
chaotic transition part.

C SECTION				01:21-04:06
          
Lee holds chords for a while, strumming quickly:

E---14---
B----0---
G---11---
D---12---
A--------
E--------

At 1:53 move to:

E---14---
B---11---
G----0---
D---13---
A--------
E--------

At 2:01 move back to the first chord:

E---14---
B----0---
G---11---
D---12---
A--------
E--------

   2:30     2:33     2:44
E--------------------------
B---12-------14-------11---
G---13-------14-------14---  til 3:28
D---11-------11-------12---
A------------13-------13---
E--------------------------

Drop out for a few bars, then back with quick bursts of aggressive chords:

   3:37    3:50  3:55
E---13-----14-----15----
B----------16-----------
G----0-----14------0----
D---11-----13-----11----
A-----------------------
E-----------------------

Kim doesn't play while she sings.


Last updated: 09/06/24

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