SONIC YOUTH - "Bull In The Heather" Tablature

Official SONIC YOUTH Tablature & Sheet Music »

Sonic Youth - Bull in the Heather

Intro: A number in between * * is a harmonic

Eb---------------------- Strum -*9*-*9*-*9*-*9*-*9*--- Strum
Eb---------------------- behind -*9*-*9*-*9*-*9*-*9*--- behind
D---*9*-*9*-*9*-*9*-*9*- bridge ----------------------- bridge
D---*9*-*9*-*9*-*9*-*9*- -----------------------
G----------------------- -----------------------
G----------------------- -----------------------

On most live versions post 1993, Thurston forgoes the harmonics
altogether and just strums behind the bridge for the whole riff,
subtly bending the strings behind the nut for effect.

While Thurston plays this, Kim plays pick scrapes, and Lee plays what
sounds to me like pushing the string into the pick-up while scratching
it, with delay. You should get a muted poppy sound w/echo or delay. Then:

Both guitars play open low G strings before:

Lee:

D-------12--------10------------------------------------------------------0--
C--9\11------11/9----------9--------9-----9\11-11--------9----9-----9-9\7-7--
G-----------------------10---10--10---10-10\12-12--12/10---10----10----------
C----------------------------------------------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thurston keeps droning G, throwing in the D strings for accents.

Thurston verse:

Eb----------------------------------------------------------------------16--16---
Eb----------------------------------------------------------------------16--16---
D-------------------------16----16--------------------------------------16--16---
D--9----12-11---11--------16----16-----9---12--11-12-11-12-11----11-----16--16---
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

repeat twice. the 2nd time, pick the last notes in a gliding manner so they
oscillate.

Lee verse:

D--0--------------16-14-12----11-12-14-----9----\16-----14-12----
C----------------------------------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------
C----------------------------------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------

D--11-12-14---16---9-------16br-----11-12-14---11-----16----16---
C----------------------------------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------
C----------------------------------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------

"Betting on the Bull in the heather":

All harmonics for Thurston.

Eb-------------*5*----------------*5*------
Eb-------------*5*----------------*5*------ then strum harmonics
D---------*5*-------*5*--*7*--*5*------*5*- circa 9th/10th fret
D---------*5*-------*5*--*7*--*5*------*5*- randomly
G----*7*-----------------------------------
G----*7*-----------------------------------

Lee plays notes with delay.

D------------------------------------------------------------
C------------------------------------------------------------
G---------------15--14---------------------------------------
C---------------------------------------------15----14-------
G------------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------------------

After that, Thurston picks viciously behind the bridge, and Lee plays
harmonics all up and down the fretboard with delay to maximize effect.

After the replay of the intro, Lee plays:

D--12\10--10-----------------0-----
C--11\-9--------11\9--9------2-----
G---------------12\10-10-----0-----
C----------------------------------
G----------------------------------
G----------------------------------

Lee's verse riff:

D--14-12-11-----9-11-12---14--\16---16br-------14-12-11----9-11-12---14\9---
C---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
C---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------

D--9\16------11-12-14--\11--/14---16---16---16br---
C--------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------
C--------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------

Return to SONIC YOUTH Tablature »

Official SONIC YOUTH Tablature & Sheet Music »