DAY HOWIE - "sweet" Tablature

Howie Day - Sweet(live)



There are 3 parts:

Part 1 - Verse ("Bittersweet you're too complete...")


g d c
e -3------2h3p2----(3)-|
b -3------3---------1--|
g -0------2---------0--|
d -0------0---------2--|
a -x------0---------3--|
e -3-------------------|


Part 2 - Pre-Chorus ("You got nowhere to run...")


emin g d a7 c
e -3----3----2----0----|--3--|
b -0----3----3----2----|--0--|
g -0----0----2----0----|--0--|
d -2----0----0----2----|--2--|
a -2----x----0----0----|--3--|
e -0----3---(2)--------|-----|


Part 3 - Chorus ("You think you're so...")


em g d a7 c
e -3----3----2h3p2----0----|--3--|
b -0----3----3--------2----|--1--|
g -0----0----2--------0----|--0--|
d -2----0----0--------2----|--2--|
a -2----x----0--------0----|--3--|
e -0----3------------------|-----|



-- SECTION 2: 'Optimistic' Jam Guitar Tab --


Yup, this is the Radiohead cover part. The real version of Optimistic,
as performed by Radiohead is done so in the key of D (with drop D tuning).
Since Howie is playing Sweet in standard tuning, he's shifted the Optimistic
jam to the key of E. Keep in mind Howie's jam is not exactly the same as
the way Radiohead performs it. Things might seem a little off at first, but
listen to Howie play it, and you'll see it matches.

The jam is fairly straight forward. Only play the notes/strings indicated.
All other strings should be muted. I find that playing all the notes on the
"a" string with my index finger, and playing all notes on the "g" string with
my ring finger seems to work, and naturally mute the other strings.

You should let your low E string ring out with every strum. Since your only
playing a few strings at any given time, adding the low E creates depth.


"Flies are buzzing around my head..."

e ---------------------------|
b ---------------------------|
g --9-9--9-7--11-11--11-9----|
d ---------------------------|
a --7-7--7-5---9--9---9-7----|
E --0-0--0-0---0--0---0-0----|



"You can try the best you can..."

e -------------------------------------|
b -------------------------------------|
g --16-15--14-13--12-11----9-9-7-/9----|
d -------------------------------------|
a --14-13--12-11--10--9----7-7-5-/7----|
E ---0--0---0--0---0--0----0-0-0--0----|




-- SECTION 3: 'Give Yourself Away' Outro Guitar Tab --


As soon as Howie finsihes singing the Optimistic lyric,
"The best you can is good enough", the outro begins.

The set up is easy:


e -------------------------------------|
b -------------------------------------|
g -------------------------------------|
d -------------------------------------|
a -------------------------------------|
E ----0----0----0----0----0----0----0--|


Following suit with the Optimistic jam, Howie just builds a
cadence and a bass line by playing the Low E string. Keep
in mind this base line is fairly forceful and you should be muting
the other 5 strings. Doing this will create a percussion effect (duh!)
that will match with the low E bassline.

Keep in mind, there's no looping with the delay modeler pedal yet.


The next minute or so howie basically builds into the "fuck you" part.
His vocals are ad-libbed and fairly mumbled. His vocals are delayed
through the use of Boss DD-5 delay pedal. I'm note sure of the settings
because I don't use this pedal. I'm going to assume the delay is set to
a quarter note delay.

As this vocal build progresses the baseline should as well. Nothing changes,
it's still just the low E, but anger that builds in his voice should be
felt in the playing.

It builds... and builds... and build... and creshendos. Then...


**take a 4 beat pause from playing and singing, let everything just ring**


If you're going to perform outro like Howie did on june 23, as you take this
pause take 2 full steps back from the mic. Conjour up the memory of every
girlfriend or boyfriend that's done you wrong, and begin screaming,

"GIVE YOURSELF AWAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!"



The outro now begins to take shape. The new chord progression is:


c d emin
e ----0----2----0----|
b ----1----3----0----|
g ----0----2----0----|
d ----2----0----2----|
a ----3----0----2----|
E ---------2----0----|


Fairly straightforward stuff. I will sometimes make some minor variations,
just to keep things interesting. eg:


c d emin
e ----0----0h5--3----|
b ----1----3----0----|
g ----0----0----0----|
d ----2----4----2----|
a ----3----5----2----|
E --------------0----|


Once the vocals are finished, Howie begins to close the song, by building a
small guitar loop with his Line 6 Delay Modeler Pedal

Line 6 settings: effect dial turned to "loop sampler",
every dial set to 0, except mix, which is turned to FULL. As far as I can
tell there is no echo or delay on the guitar. If there was any delay it would be
managed seperately through the DD-5 pedal.

Again, he sets up the base line from the begining of the outro:


e -------------------------------------|
b -------------------------------------|
g -------------------------------------|
d -------------------------------------|
a -------------------------------------|
E ----0----0----0----0----0----0----0--|


The loop is set at 8 beats, or two bars worth of howie playing the bassline.
Unlike some of his other songs this loop is short.


Next Howie adds the high fill. This is played on the high e string.
Here's a basic pattern:


e |---12-12-12-12-12--10---


Once that's looped, Howie the plays the same pattern again, but with different
notes, creating harmony.


e |---5--5--5--5--5---3---


[note this high fill part I'm tabbing from memory, I may be slightly off from
the Metro Cafe performance, but I know it will work]


Finally, Howie's last build is the drums. This a simplistic beat, with emphasis on
the bass drum part. Less is more. Also, remember to make your 'bass drum' sounds
use the palm of a closed, but not clenched, fist on the front of the guitar body
(towards the bottom). The "snare drum" sound is made with the open slap of your hand
(towards the top).


Once your drums are playing back hit the stop record button (middle knob).
Let the loop ride for a bit. Grin. When you're ready to end your performance stop the loop.
At the end of the Metro Cafe performance there's a "techno-whirl" kind of sound. This is
most likely done by turning the line 6 "delay" and "repeat" knobs to full, hitting the low E sting once
and then turning the "delay" knob counter clockwise slowly.