+
-

Breath

Pearl Jam

Text File

Breath - as recorded by Pearl 
Jam                                                                               
 
Transcribed by Bryan Steele - bsteele@asu.edu - October 1, 1994
 
 
First of all, Breath is probably one of my favorite Pearl Jam songs because
of the guitar arrangment.  It just jams.  Get used to the basic E to D 
pattern of the riff, then make use of your own talent to spiff it up and
play it like it sounds.  This transcription is very basic to eleviate
confusion when reading -- it gives you the basic "where-to-go."
 
 
The song starts off by raking all the strings a couple of times and sliding
an E chord down the neck to the E an octave lower.  You may not be able to
get the E to sound perfect; remember that Stone probably plays a full E chord
when Mike plays the open strings B and E.
 
E-|-0-0-0-----------0-ring-----------------------0----------------------------|
B-|-0-0-0-----------0--------------------------3------------------------------|
G-|-0-0-0---9--------------------------------2---------------------9----------|
D-|-0-0-0---9-------2----------------------0-----------------------9----------|
A-|-0-0-0---7slide--2------------0--2--3--------------5-----0-2-3--7-slide----|
E-|-----------------0--------4--------------------------4---------------------|
                                                                               
                                                                               
Here are the "Hendrix-Style" Octaves that Mike plays at the begining (and
end).  Get the feel of sliding the octaves...don't just play them like 
single notes.  
 
E-|-----------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
B-|-----------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
G-|-13---11---13----13-13-13-14-|-14sl-13--14--14sl-13--14sl-16--13-----------|
D-|-----------------------------|------------------------------------14sl-----|
A-|-11---9----11----11-11-11-12-|-12sl-11--12--12sl-11--12sl-14--11-----------|
E-|-----------------------------|------------------------------------12sl-----|
                                                                               
                                                                               
E-|----------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
B-|----------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
G-|-13--13sl-11sl-13--11-------|----------------------------------------------|
D-|-----------------------12---|----------------------------------------------|
A-|-11--11sl-9-sl-11--9--------|---5----0--2--3-------------------------------|
E-|-----------------------10---|-----4----------------------------------------|
                                                                               
                                                                               
This is a pretty lame part of the tab.  I figured that it would take tons 
of 
time to get all the natural harmonics and improvised notes that they play.
This just gives you 1 idea to base how to play the song during Eddie's
vocals.  Remember that it is an E to D pattern and improvise.  I have never
heard this song live (would like to), but I would bet Mike and Stone do a 
lot 
of their own stuff during this part.
 
 
E-|------------0-----------------5--------------------------------------------|
B-|---------0----ring--------3------ring--------------------------------------|
G-|----------------------2----------------------------------------------------|
D-|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A-|----2----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E-|----0----------------------------------------------------------------------|
                                                                               
 
These are the chords played during "Here it comes, There it goes, etc."
I give the octaves that Mike plays as a fill to this part.  If you can get
the octaves at the beginning of the song, you'll be able to figure out this
fill.
 
E-|--------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
B-|--------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
G-|--6--6--6--6--6--6--6--6--|-6-6--8-8--9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|--13----14------------|
D-|--6--6--6--6--6--6--6--6--|-6-6--8-8--9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|----------------------|
A-|--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--|-4-4--6-6--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|--11----12------------|
E-|--------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
   Here it comes,  There is goes 
...                                                                            
 
                                                                               
E-|----------------------------|----------------------------------e-----------|
B-|----------------------------|---------------------------------d------------|
G-|----------------------------|-----------------------------9--i-------------|
D-|--6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6---|---7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7---9-l--------------|
A-|--6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6---|---7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7---7s---------------|
E-|--4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4---|---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--------------------|
   If I knew where it was, I would take you there 
...                                                                            
   
 
Take it from here...  Teach it to a friend...
 
Send comments to bsteele@asu.edu!

search

Breath

Pearl Jam