Back Up Against The Wall by Mars Volta Band: The Mars Volta Song: Back Up Against The Wall Album: Bedlam in Goliath Notes: I thought I'd tab this wicked song. It's my favourite yet. Not because of it's length, but because if I were to play a TMV live, this would be it (well... Day of The Baphomets or a Fully Blown hour version of Gemini would be awesome too...) The track can be found on the TMV site: http://www.themarsvolta.com/puzzle I did it in 444 moves! Intro: 0:00-0:07 E|------------------------------| B|-8p7~----------7~-8p7---10~---| G|-----7~-----7~--------7~------| D|-------7~---------------------| A|------------------------------| E|------------------------------| 1st Verse: 0:07-0:27 E|-----------------------------------| B|-----------------------------------| G|-------------12-12-----9-9-----7-7-| D|-----9-9-----12-12-----9-9-----7-7-| x8 A|-----9-9-----10-10-----7-7-----5-5-| E|-----7-7---------------------------| Play on the Offbeats. First time played the first chord is struck once. 1st Chorus: 0:27-0:37 E|---------| |---------| |---------| |---------| |---------| B|---------| |---------| |---------| |---------| |---------| G|---------| |---------| |---------| |---------| |---------| D|-2-2-2-2-|x4|-5-5-5-5-|x4|-2-2-2-2-|x4|-5-5-5-5-|x2|-7-7-7-7-|x2 A|-2-2-2-2-| |-5-5-5-5-| |-2-2-2-2-| |-5-5-5-5-| |-7-7-7-7-| E|-0-0-0-0-| |-3-3-3-3-| |-0-0-0-0-| |-3-3-3-3-| |-5-5-5-5-| Just general strumming. Nothing Fancy. 2nd Verse: 0:37-0:52 E|-----------------------------------| B|-----------------------------------| G|-------------12-12-----9-9-----7-7-| D|-----9-9-----12-12-----9-9-----7-7-| x6 A|-----9-9-----10-10-----7-7-----5-5-| E|-----7-7---------------------------| Again the first time played, the first chord is struck once. 2nd Chorus: 0:52-1:02 E|---------| |---------| |---------| |---------| |---------| B|---------| |---------| |---------| |---------| |---------| G|-1-1-1-1-| |-4-4-4-4-| |-1-1-1-1-| |-4-4-4-4-| |-6-6-6-6-| D|-2-2-2-2-|x4|-5-5-5-5-|x4|-2-2-2-2-|x4|-5-5-5-5-|x2|-7-7-7-7-|x2 A|-2-2-2-2-| |-5-5-5-5-| |-2-2-2-2-| |-5-5-5-5-| |-7-7-7-7-| E|-0-0-0-0-| |-3-3-3-3-| |-0-0-0-0-| |-3-3-3-3-| |-5-5-5-5-| Second Chorus I like to beef it up a little. Solo: 1:02-1:12 E|--------------------------------------------------| B|--------------------------------------------------| G|---9---9---9---9------9----12--12--12--12-----12--| D|-12b-12b-12b-12b-12b-----15b-15b-15b-15b-15b------| A|--------------------------------------------------| E|--------------------------------------------------| I prefer to play here, but can play on the B+G strings if you feel more comfortable. E|------------------------------------------------------------| B|--------------------------------------------------------(0)-| G|--------16-14-16-14-------------------------------------(0)-| D|-b15h14-------------14tr--17p14tr-17p14tr--17p14h17p14tr----| A|------------------------------------------------------------| E|------------------------------------------------------------| E|-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17\--| B|-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-17-17-17-17-17-17-17-17\--| G|---------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------| E|---------------------------------------------------| 3rd Verse: 1:12-1:20 E|-----------------------------------| B|-----------------------------------| G|-------------12-12-----9-9-----7-7-| D|-----9-9-----12-12-----9-9-----7-7-| x4 A|-----9-9-----10-10-----7-7-----5-5-| E|-----7-7---------------------------| Tempo speeds up drastically as each bar progresses. 3rd Chorus: 1:20-1:30 E|(0-0-0-0)| |(3-3-3-3)| |(0-0-0-0)| |(3-3-3-3)| |(5-5-5-5)| B|-0-0-0-0-| |-3-3-3-3-| |-0-0-0-0-| |-3-3-3-3-| |-5-5-5-5-| G|-1-1-1-1-| |-4-4-4-4-| |-1-1-1-1-| |-4-4-4-4-| |-6-6-6-6-| D|-2-2-2-2-|x4|-5-5-5-5-|x4|-2-2-2-2-|x4|-5-5-5-5-|x2|-7-7-7-7-|x2 A|-2-2-2-2-| |-5-5-5-5-| |-2-2-2-2-| |-5-5-5-5-| |-7-7-7-7-| E|-0-0-0-0-| |-3-3-3-3-| |-0-0-0-0-| |-3-3-3-3-| |-5-5-5-5-| Last Chorus, I like to play it in Barre Chords. Ending Chord: 1:30-1:33 E|---| B|---| G|---| D|-2-| A|-2-| E|-0-| Staccato hit and stop dead. And that the end to the shortest "full-length" TMV song ever! Legend: h = hammer-on p = pull-off ~ = let ring #b = bend up (in this tab its up a tone only) b# = bend down to that note. tr = trill (#) = note played with little emphasis. (Or by accident, on purpose) Enjoy... www.TAB6.com