+
-

Big Empty

Stone Temple Pilots

Text File

Song: Big Empty
Artist: Stone Temple Pilots
Author(of this version): Russ Allen

This is the first time I've posted to the OLGA, and I was hesitant to 
do it at all.  I was looking through the collected versions of "Big 
Empty" just for the lyrics, because I already knew how to play the 
song.  I noticed that none of the other versions are particularly clear 
on a couple of things, and there is no tab at all for the solos before 
the verses.  Since the solos are an important part of the song, I 
figured I'd post my own version.  Before I start, I'd like to say that 
I'm not insinuating that MY way is the RIGHT way to play the song, and 
that everyone else who has posted is wrong.  All I'm saying is that my 
version is acceptable to me, and on the few occasions that I've played 
in front of a crowd, everyone there seems to agree that I appear to 
have it right.  So here it is.

Chords for the verses:

Em7: 022030
C9: 332333  The easiest way to play this chord(for me anyway) is to 
use your thumb to bar the top two strings on the third fret, your index 
finger to hit the third string on the second fret(you can lay your 
index finger across all the strings just to get that one string), and 
your ring finger to bar the last 3 strings on the third fret.  If you 
finger the chord this way, it's easy to do, it's almost like grabbing 
the neck of the guitar, you don't have to think about it.

Chords for the chorus:

G: 355433 (To me it sounds better with the barred G than the regular G)
F: 133211
C: 335553 (Again, I think it sounds better with the barred chord)

The above chords are for the "Time to take her home, her dizzy head is 
conscious laden...etc." part.  When you get to "..Conversation 
kills.."  use this chord progression:

G: 355433
F: 133211
Esus4: 022200
E: 022100

For the two E chords, play them one after the other.  When playing the 
Esus4 chord, use the regular E fingering, and just stick your pinky 
down on the fourth string down, then lift it to play the E.

When going back into the verse after the chorus, start with the C9 
chord, then go into the regular rhythm for the verse starting with Em7.

Okay, now for the solos.  There are two solos, one before the first 
verse and another before the second.  I'm pretty sure STP used a Dobro 
guitar with a slide for these solos.

Solos:
(The only strings I use to play these solos are the two high stings, e 
and B.  So I won't go to the trouble of typing out all 6.  It's 
pointless.  In case you wonder why I only use these two strings, it's 
because I play this with a slide, and I'm tabbing it with that in mind)

Legend:
~~   = Vibrato
x/y  = Slide up from note x to note y
x\y  = Slide down from note x to note y
x\\  = Slide from note x down until sound is gone
x//  = Slide up from note x until sound is gone
 
First Solo:
e------------------------------3/7-10~~~~-7-10-6~~~\3-3-5-6\5-3--5-3|
B----8~~~7-8-7~~~~\3-3-3~~~~--0------------------------------------|

e--3/7-10~~~7-10-6~~~~-------|
B----------------------------|


Second Solo:
e---10/12\3-3/6~~~-----3-5-6~~~~3-5-3-3/7-10~~~10/12\10-6~~~\\-3/6-|
B------------------3/5---------------------------------------------|

e--3/5-------|
B-----3/5~~~~|

That's it for the solos.  They play a few little runs during the 
verses, but you can improvise just using the notes you play for 
the actual solos.

Last of all, the lyrics:

(play solo 1 along with the Em7 and C9 chords, then the verse starts)
[verse 1]

Em7                  C9            Em7
Driving faster in my car
Falling farther from just what we are
Smoke a cigarette and lie some more
These conversations kill
Driving faster in my car

(start playing the second chord progression)
[chorus]

G       F       
Time to take her home
C                               
Her dizzy head is conscience laden
Time to take a ride that leaves today
No conversation
Time to take her home
Her dizzy head is conscience laden
Time to wait to long
To wait to long, to wait to long


(start playing the third chord progression)

G F Esus4 E

(Go back to first chord progression, start with C9 and play second solo, 
then the verse starts)
[verse 2]

Too much walkin' shoes worn thin
Too much trippin' and my soul's worn thin
Time to catch a ride that leaves today
Her name is what is means
Too much walkin' shoes worn thin

(play the chorus)

(play the third chord progression again)

G F Esus4 E (let ring)     G F Esus4 E(etc.)
          ...Conversation kills...


Well, that's it.  If anyone feels a need to correct me on anything, just 
write me at ryoma@uwyo.edu.  Enjoy playing!

search

Big Empty

Stone Temple Pilots