Kurt Cobain Guitar Method

Nirvana was well-known for using heavy distortion and feedback in their songs and implemented a soft verse, hard chorus dynamic to add to their songs, something that Kurt Cobain acknowledges the Pixies for. Songs such as Smells Like Teen Spirit and Lithium are prime examples of this. The lyrics he used were often cathartic and filled with angst, and seemingly contradictory at times. There is also more depth musically to Kurt's songs than many people realize.

Rhythm

One thing that Kurt used a lot of in his music were rhythms establish by triplet figures.

From the intro of Floyd the Barber:

        |-3-|          |-3-|
   Q Q  E E E     Q Q  E E E
e|-------------|--------------|
B|-------------|--------------|
G|-------------|--------------|
D|--3-3--2-2-2-|--3-3--2-2-2--|
A|--3-3--2-2-2-|--3-3--2-2-2--|
E|--1-1--0-0-0-|--1-1--0-0-0--|

As you can see here he establishes rhythm by using two quarter notes and then a eighth note triplet.

And from About a Girl:

             |-3-|
    Q Q H    E E E
e|--0-0-3----3-3-3----| 
B|--0-0-0----0-0-3----|
G|--0-0-0----0-0-0----|   
D|--2-2-0----0-0-0----|  
A|--2-2-2----2-2-2----|
E|--0-0-3----3-3-3----|

Once again he uses two quarter notes then a half note before an eight note triplet.

One more example, Pennyroyal Tea:

            |--3--|         |--3--|
  H    Q Q. E  E  E  Q   Q. E  E  E  E
e:0------0-----0----|-------0-----0-------|
B:1------1-----1----|-------1-----1-------|
G:2------2-----2----|-------2-----2-------|
D:2---------2-----2-|----2-----2-----2----|
A:0----0------------|-0-------------------|
E:------------------|---------------------|

(I stole this tab from the archive so thank you Unregistered User, whoever you may be.) Again you can see the triplet figure following a quarter note and then a dotted quarter note.

Riffs

Many of Nirvana's riffs are not too complicated, just picking through chords. A great example of this is Heart-Shaped Box.

Heart-Shaped Box: (*Note Drop D)

    A5      F5        D5              A5      F5    
    E E E E E E E E   E  E  E E E E   E E   E E E E E E  E E E  E E E E E Q
e|-------------------|--------------------|-------------------|-------------|
B|-------------------|--------------------|-------------------|-------------|
G|------2------------|--------------------|-2-----------------|-------------|
D|----2---2-----3----|------0---0-------2-|---2-----3------2/4|-4-4-4-------|
A|--0---------3---3--|---0----0---0---0---|-------3-----------|-------3-3-3-|
D|----------3--------|-0------------------|-----3-----3--0----|-------------|

Another example (a very basic one) is Something in the Way: (Some people play this in Drop D, but I don't so just go along with it because the point is being made regardless.)

   G#5                 E5             G#5              E5
    Q. Q  E  E  E     Q. Q  E  E  E     Q. Q  E  E  E     Q. Q  E  E  E
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------| 
A|-----6-----6-----|-----2-----2-----|-----6-----6-----|-----2-----2------|  
E|--4-----4-----4--|--0-----0-----0--|--4-----4-----4--|--0-----0-----0---|

Kurt also had a unique, avant-garde method to some of the things he played, like the intro to Milk It.

Milk It:

e|-13--------------12----------6--x-x-x-|-8-----6--------------------------|
B|----12-13----11-----------6-----------|-----5----------8--7--6--5--4-----|
G|-----------10-------------------------|---6--------7------------------5/-|
D|--------------------10----------------|----------8-----------------------|
A|--------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
E|-----------------------6--------------|----------------------------------|

Soloing

Kurt's style of playing uses a lot of feedback for some solos (You Know You're Right, for example has a to of feedback) while others are a little bit more of what one would think your typical guitar solo should sound like (Smells Like Teen Spirit). Often times he'd play what seems to be the the vocal part to add a different dynamic to his songs. In the more musical solos he utilized minor pentatonic scales.

Smells Like Teen Spirit: Key of Fm

e|---------------|---------------|-----------------|-------------|
B|---------------|---------------|-----------------|-------------|
G|-----8--10-----|--8--8b--6--5--|--6--5-----------|-------------|
D|-10---------6--|---------------|--------8--6--8--|--8b--6--5---|
A|---------------|---------------|-----------------|-------------|
E|---------------|---------------|-----------------|-------------|

e|---------------|---------------|-----------------|-------------|
B|---------------|---------------|-----------------|-------------|
G|-----8--10-----|--8--8b--6--5--|--6--5-----------|-------------|
D|-10---------6--|---------------|--------8--6--8--|--8b--6--5---|
A|---------------|---------------|-----------------|-------------|
E|---------------|---------------|-----------------|-------------|

e|-------------|-----------------|--------------|----------------|
B|-------------|-----------------|--------------|----------------|
G|-------------|-----------------|--------------|----------------|
D|-6--5--6--5--|--6--5--6--5-----|--6--5--6--5--|--6--5--6--5----|
A|-------------|--------------8--|--------------|-------------8~~|
E|-------------|-----------------|--------------|----------------|

In Bloom: Key of A#m (I took this tab from the archive also so a special thanks goes out to bratzie, nice tab)

e--------------------------------------------------------------------------
b---)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--------)-----(--------------)-------(-----------
g--8-----------------------------8-------8-(0)--6---(6)---------(6)--6-----
d--------------------------------------------------------------------------
a--------------------------------------------------------------------------
e--------------------------------------------------------------------------

e--------------------------------------------------------------------------
b----------------)----------------)----------------------------------------
g--6/8--6---8---8--------6--8--(8)--8~~6----6--8--8------------------------
d------------------6/8---------------------------------0-------------------
a--------------------------------------------------------------------------
e--------------------------------------------------------------------------

e-----------------------------------------------)------)------)------------
b-----)-------(----------------8-----8/9---8---9---(11)-----11-------------
g--/10---------(10)--10----10----------------------------------------------
d--------------------------------------------------------------------------
a--------------------------------------------------------------------------
e--------------------------------------------------------------------------

e-------------)-----(------------------------------------------------------
b--(11)~~~~~11-------(11)---11/-----------8------8-------------------------
g-------------------------------------6------6-------6-----3---------------
d----------------------------------------------------------3---------------
a----------------------------------------------------------1---------------
e--------------------------------------------------------------------------

And it ends right in key on an A#5 chord.

Kurt Cobain has a legacy that will live on for as long as music lives. RIP Kurt. Please rate this highly and comment so I know where and how to improve on any future articles. Thanks!

Comments

[cyborg_monkey]

not massively descriptive on each mehod, but a good overview of kobains techniques, both playing and writing
might wanna go into detail a bit more instead of fitting in a massive example
still, good little lesson, nice work

[Shread_6009]

just a hint, 99% of the tabs i read like these ones always just say standard and drop d tuning, but all the official tablatures from magazines and tab books all say Eb, just for a bit of help on getting his sound.

another thing to note is tha on his jaguar he'd play behind the bridge for cool sounds think you know yo're right

[GQ9999]

Kurt wasn't very technicaly proficient on the guitar. To say that Kurt had "avant-garde method to some of the things he played, like the intro to Milk It." It seems more like Kurt didn't really know how to play the guitar very well so he wrote very simplistic leads and solos. Don't get me wrong, they sound good, but they're just dead easy.

[CrosingTheSpasm]

Kurt Kobain created every you see above. None of this existed before, so lets continue praising a man who does not deserve to be praised. This is an epic failure. Listen to Cannibal Corpse, they use triplets. Listen to Opeth, they do arpeggio's also. Good lesson, don't get me wrong, it was presented very nicely, but Cobain was nothing breakthrough, and there is nothing avant-garde about that solo in Milk it. Saying that would mean that Slayer is avant-garde, when we all know they aren't.

[JucaOPastor]

You are kidding, right?

[cyborg_monkey]

CrossingTheSpasm is evidently retarded. Just because someone else uses a technique, does not invalidate any other use. The solo from Stairway To Heaven is based on a pretty simple A minor pentatonic, which plenty of other people have, but this doesnt make Page's work a failure.
This lesson is celebrating Cobains greatness, so dont come on and start saying its all unoriginal or a failure, you complete dickhead.

[Kear Bear]

the thing about cobain is that he was more vocally and lyrically centric and that he mainly used his instrument for rhythmic purposes. not that that's a bad thing, that's the thing with most punk-rock/alternative/grunge. the purpose behind the music isn't virtuostic, but it's still amazing

[eatfresh1736]

the thing about cobain is that he was more vocally and lyrically centric and that he mainly used his instrument for rhythmic purposes. not that that's a bad thing, that's the thing with most punk-rock/alternative/grunge. the purpose behind the music isn't virtuostic, but it's still amazing

I completely agree. I listen to metallica and yngwie, but I believe that there's nothing wrong with playing a simple riff. This is for CrosingTheSpasm - Eventually, everyone will use a technique used by someone else. What's so great about Opeth? Mozart used arpeggios. Opeth doesn't have talent cuz Mozart already used their technique before.(sarcasm)

[rhoadrunner]

dude kurt was known for sounding different than alot of the other band with his stuff... he wasnt that good of a guitar player... you go on and on about his musical depth and awesomeness then you say " kurts rythms were established by triplet figures"(aka power chords just like every other band on the face of the earth). Kurt was an average guitarist.. i think the only genius in him was his song writing

[IRISH_PUNK13]

@ CrosingTheSpasm. ok being a great guitarist doesnt mean you have to know all the scales or play 16 notes per second. kurt took his very basic knowlage of the guitar and he made unique music. also i read somewhere that historians are saying that in 100 or so yrs people will look at kurt as being in the same league as mosart even though he didnt know as much theory he did the same thing mozart did by expressing himself in a unique way that sounded amazing RIP

[tabershane]

CrosingTheSpasm wrote:

Kurt Kobain created every you see above. None of this existed before, so lets continue praising a man who does not deserve to be praised. This is an epic failure. Listen to Cannibal Corpse, they use triplets. Listen to Opeth, they do arpeggio's also. Good lesson, don't get me wrong, it was presented very nicely, but Cobain was nothing breakthrough, and there is nothing avant-garde about that solo in Milk it. Saying that would mean that Slayer is avant-garde, when we all know they aren't.

you have to be mental man,whether kurdt was breakthrough or not is not an issue,its like irish_punk13 said, kurdt and his basic knowlegde of the guitar did their thing.so he didnt have riffs and shit like slayer,or metallica,that doesent make his music any less worth listening to or appreciating.i personally think he deserves to be in the same league as mozart,i mean,kurdts stuff isnt complex,but i think he made simplicity into art,isnt that what its about...? it is for me. RIP kurdt C.

[wasssup]

CrosingTheSpasm wrote:

Kurt Kobain created every you see above. None of this existed before, so lets continue praising a man who does not deserve to be praised. This is an epic failure. Listen to Cannibal Corpse, they use triplets. Listen to Opeth, they do arpeggio's also. Good lesson, don't get me wrong, it was presented very nicely, but Cobain was nothing breakthrough, and there is nothing avant-garde about that solo in Milk it. Saying that would mean that Slayer is avant-garde, when we all know they aren't.

its not his technical brilliance that made his music good. jesus, any guitarist these daus can play 64th notes at 600bpm or whatever, but the fact is, kurt wasnt a guitarist, he was a song writer. he didnt write guitar pieces, he wrote songs. it was his style that made him unique. a bluesman can make the guitar cry, and if it came between that and playing boring chromatic licks and 600bpm or whatever, i know what i'd choose.

[smudgertom]

there si nothing wrong with simple songs. look at blink 182. some of the simplest songs ever, and millions of people love them. AC/DC also do quite easy songs, and they are great. you dont have to make up hundreds of great sounding riffs to have good music. ok, the people who do make up hundreds of riffs are good, no complaint there, but simple songs are also great. screw your head on right.

[metalcore16]

not bad, and i agree there is nothin' wrong with simple songs, i mean simple songs can be great, i mean KISS, Ramones, the Who, they all have some simple songs that kick ass.

[koalabacon]

CrosingTheSpasm wrote:
Listen to Cannibal Corpse, they use triplets.

whoa no way! triplets? holy shit that must be so hard dude.

.... im still shitting myself!1

[12jfrey]

@ CrosingTheSpasm: lets c cannibal corpse move an entire decades music like nirvana did. i cood rite a freakin book about how wrong u reely r . decent colum btw cood b a little more detailed but still good

[fendercobain87]

this was pretty good even though kurt wasen't a very technical guitar player he still got his point across, kurt was an amazing guitarist. kurt was possibly one of the best muscians who could chain diffrent effects together and get a reall good sound . that is my opinion