Logo for GuitarTabsExplorer
Radio Friendly Unit Shifter Tab by Nirvana

Radio Friendly Unit Shifter tab by Nirvana

Guitar Tab

//Written by Kurt Cobain


Tuning: Regular E-A-D-G-B-E
TEMPO: 152


PM = PALM MUTED


//First off, you do not need to tune down a half step. Kurt may have done
so during the recording of this song, but it can be played in standard
tuning. I find this much easier, because tuning all your strings down a
half step can be a big hassle and a waste of time.

🎸
Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -
Intro


//The Intro of RFUS consists of a strange feedback, many have  failed to
exactly replicate. I've spent many hours trying to get the right sound,
and I believe this comes close, if not nearly 99% exact to what Kurt did.


//Supposedly Kurt used a Poly chorus vibrato pedal. Well, most of us do
not have one, or feel like buying one just to play this song. We use what
we have to work with. Now I don't know about anyone else  but I have a
Zoom PS - 02 Digital 3-Track, which has effects  you can create on it.
This being said, here are the   settings I use in order to achieve the
effect
of the intro:


"Intro" effect

Using a Zoom PS-02 Palmtop Studio 3 Track:

DISTORTION: MTZONE - GAIN: 30
THRESH: 15
HIGH: 12
MID: 8
LOW: 5
EQ LVL 3
EFFECT: VIBE (MOST IMPORTANT) - RATE 10 - DEPTH: 10 - BALANCE: 30
ROOM (REVERB) - ALL SETTINGS = 0
P-LVL: 30


//If you are lucky enough to have one of these devices, then you will in
fact see how darn close it comes. If you happen to have a distortion
petal with the VIBE or VIBRATO effect, try the following settings:

VIBE - RATE 10 - DEPTH 10 - BALANCE 30

ON top of that effect, try and use a "Crunchy" yet sustaining distortion.


Here's the guitar part:



INTRO - (USING  VIBRATO AND CRUNCHY DISTORTION)

     pick UPWARDS AND LET RING
     \              \             \
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---10------------10-----------10----------15---------10--------|
G|---13------------13-----------13----------18---------13--------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------|



     PICK UPWARDS AND LET RING                   RINGS INTO VERSE
     \           \          \       \    \             \
E|--------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---15-----------10---------15------10---15--------------------|
G|---18-----------13---------18------13---18--------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------4------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------8------|



//Again, if you do not have VIBRATO or the PS-02, you could mess with
different chorus or whatever effects, maybe even bend the strings up and
down to get that sound. However, this is the actual guitar part of the
intro.




VERSE

DRUMS 1..2...3..4 THEN


(WITH A CRUNCHY DISTORTION AND A LOT OF MID LEVEL. ALSO PLAY WITH
VERY LOUD VOLUME - CLOSE TO AN AMP FOR FEEDBACK)

       PM
E|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|   STRUM THIS CHORD PLAM MUTED
G|---------------------------|   WITH EVERY SNARE HIT -
D|-----6---------------------|   LOTS OF FEEDBACK
A|-----6---------------------|
E|-----4---------------------|




CHORUS INTRO

           /PM
E|----------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------4-4------------3-3---------------------|   x 4
D|-----6--6----4-4----4-4-4---3-3---3-3-3-3-----------|
A|-----6--6----2-2----4-4-4---1-1---3-3-3-3-----------|
E|-----4--4-----------2-2-2---------1-0-1-0-----------|




VERSE

E|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|   WHILE THIS IS PLAYING - A SECOND
G|---------------------------|   GUITAR IS USING THE VIBRATO EFFECT
D|-----6---------------------|   WITH VARIOUS FEEDBACK
A|-----6---------------------|
E|-----4---------------------|
       SINGLE STRUM UNTIL FEEDBACK CUTS IN




CHORUS

E|----------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------4-4------------3-3---------------------|
D|-----6--6----4-4----4-4-4---3-3---3-3-3-3-----------|
A|-----6--6----2-2----4-4-4---1-1---3-3-3-3-----------|
E|-----4--4-----------2-2-2---------1-0-1-0-----------|

                              What is wrong with me



VERSE 2


E|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|   WHILE THIS IS PLAYING - A SECOND
G|---------------------------|   GUITAR IS USING THE VIBRATO EFFECT
D|-----6---------------------|   WITH VARIOUS AMP FEEDBACK - IMPORV
A|-----6---------------------|
E|-----4---------------------|
       SINGLE STRUM UNTIL FEEDBACK CUTS IN






CHORUS

E|----------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------4-4------------3-3---------------------|
D|-----6--6----4-4----4-4-4---3-3---3-3-3-3-----------|
A|-----6--6----2-2----4-4-4---1-1---3-3-3-3-----------|
E|-----4--4-----------2-2-2---------1-0-1-0-----------|

                              What is wrong with me



BRIDGE

E|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|------9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-/----13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13---|
A|------9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-/----13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13---|
E|------7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-/----11-11-11-11-11-11-11-11---|

                             Hate...............your


E|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|----6-6-9-9-6-6-6-6---4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4----------------|
A|----6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6---4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4----------------|
E|----4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4---2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2----------------|

      enemies..........................




CHORUS


then 3rd VERSE (WHICH HAS AN INTRO WITH NO LYRICS) WITH FEEDBACK


CHORUS X 2 (2ND TIME OF CHORUS USES HEAVIER SYMBOLS)


THEN MIDDLE PART with DRUM CHANGES:

USE FEEDBACK WITH VIBRATO EFFECT
AND THEN KICK INTO "INTRO" RIFF VARIATIONS


ENDING EFFECT IS RANDOM PALM MUTED PICKING ON THE
E-B-G STRINGS VERY CLOSE TO THE BRIDGE.



THE END. :)


HAVE FUN!! REMEMBER: YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET THE FEEDBACK AND EVERYTHING
100% CORRECT. EVEN NIRVANA HAD MANY VARIATIONS OF THIS SONG.


________________________________________________________________________________

Your last visited songs

Nirvana tabs for Radio friendly unit shifter

What is this?

Learn how to play "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" by Nirvana with our easy-to-follow guide. Build confidence, sharpen your technique, and enjoy playing guitar.

Who Is This Page For?

This guitar tabs tutorial for "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" by Nirvana is crafted for all musicians players ready to learn and grow. Whether you're just starting or refining your skills, this guide meets you where you are.

Why This Page Is Perfect for You

No matter your skill level, this page is a valuable resource for improving your guitar tab playing.

What You Will Gain

By using our guitar tabs, you’ll not only learn to play "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" by Nirvana with accuracy and style, but you'll also elevate your overall musicianship. Explore our full archive of guitar tabs for more songs, skills, and inspiration.

Other versions of Radio Friendly Unit Shifter by Nirvana

Find guitar tabs and chords

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #

×