My Brother Taught Me How To Swim Acoustic tab by Passion Pit
Guitar Tab
Tuning: Standard (EADGBe)
This is an interpretation of only the main guitar part of the song. Since it features so many layers of
guitars (and/or mandolins?) it was difficult to extract the correct parts. Because of this, there may be some
notes added in that would have been played on the other instruments.
Verse 1:
Bm Fm G D Dsus2
e|-----------------|-----------------|-------3-----3---|-----2-------0---|
B|-----3-------3---|-----2-------2---|-----------------|-----3-------3---|
G|-----4-------4---|-----2-------2---|-----4-----------|-------2---------|
D|-------4-------4-|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|
A|-2-------2-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-2-------2-------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
My brother taught me how to swim
Em G D A
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----2-------2---|-----0-----0-0---|
B|-----8-------8---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----2-----2-2---|
G|-----9-------9---|-----4-------4---|-------2-------2-|-------2---------|
D|-------9---------|-------5---------|-0-------0-------|-----------------|
A|/7-------7-------|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|
E|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
We treaded water underneath the ocean's skin
Bm Fm G D Dsus2
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----2-----0-0---|
B|-----3-------3---|-----2-------2---|-----3-------3---|-----3-----3-3---|
G|-----4-------4---|-----2-------2---|-----4-------4---|-------2---------|
D|-------4---------|-------4---------|-------5---------|-0-------0-------|
A|-2-------2-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-2-------2-------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
And then he washed away my sins
Em G D A
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----2-------2---|-----0-----0-0---|
B|-----8-------8---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----2-----2-2---|
G|-----9-------9---|-----4-------4---|-------2-------2-|-------2---------|
D|-------9---------|-------5---------|-0-------0-------|-----------------|
A|/7-------7-------|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|
E|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
He held me closer as the tide was coming in But then
Pre-Chorus:
(Play through the 2 lines and repeat, using the words from "2)" the second time)
G Fm Em7 A
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----3-------3---|-----3-------2---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------2---|
G|-----4-------4---|-----4-------2---|-----0-------0---|-----0-------2---|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------0-0-----|
E|-3-3-----3-3-----|-3-3-----2-2-----|-0-0-----0-0-----|-0-0-------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
1) why, what could I say? What would it
2) I, I'd give away All the love I
Bm C#m D
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----3-------3---|-----3-------5---|-----7-------7---|-----7-------7---|
G|-----4-------4---|-----4-------6---|-----7-------7---|-----7-------7---|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-2-2-----2-2-----|-2-2-----4-4-----|-5-5-----5-5-----|-5-5-----5-5-----|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| x2
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
1) mean? Ohh-oh-o-oh o-oh Cause then
2) feel Woah-o-o-oa o-oh
Chorus:
G A
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
G|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
E|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Just a child, I was waiting On the line, he elevated
Bm D Dsus2
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----2-------2---|-------0-----0---|
B|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-----3-----|
G|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----------------|---2-------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0---------------|
A|-2-------2-------|-2-------2-------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
He stayed put while I was wandering Count so long he started wondering
G A (Optional Riff)
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------10---------------|
B|-----3-----------|-----------------|-----------------|-10-12----10----------0-|
G|-----4-----------|---------6-------|-----------------|-------------11-9--7----|
D|---------5---4---|-2-------7-------|-----------------|------------------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------------|
E|-3-------3---2---|-0------/5-------|-----------------|------------------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Why, I got lost
Verse 2:
Bm Fm G D Dsus2
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----2-----0-0---|
B|-----3-------3---|-----2-------2---|-----3-------3---|-----3-----3-3---|
G|-----4-------4---|-----2-------2---|-----4-------4---|-------2---------|
D|-------4---------|-------4---------|-------5---------|-0-------0-------|
A|-2-------2-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-2-------2-------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
My brother taught me how to give
Em G D A
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----2-------2---|-----0-----0-0---|
B|-----8-------8---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----2-----2-2---|
G|-----9-------9---|-----4-------4---|-------2-------2-|-------2---------|
D|-------9---------|-------5---------|-0-------0-------|-----------------|
A|/7-------7-------|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|
E|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
He spilt his love until it stretches too thin
Bm Fm G D
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----2-------0---|
B|-----3-------3---|-----2-------2---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|
G|-----4-------4---|-----2-------2---|-----4-------4---|-------2---------|
D|-------4---------|-------4---------|-------5---------|-0-------0-------|
A|-2-------2-------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-2-------2-------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Oh how I wanna be like him
Em G D A
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----2-------2---|-----0-----0-0---|
B|-----8-------8---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----2-----2-2---|
G|-----9-------9---|-----4-------4---|-------2-------2-|-------2---------|
D|-------9---------|-------5---------|-0-------0-------|-----------------|
A|/7-------7-------|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|
E|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
He takes away the weight before your heart gives in
[Pre-chorus]
Chorus 2:
G A
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
G|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
E|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Just a child, I was waiting On the line, he elevated
Bm D
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----2-------2---|-----5-----10----|
B|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-------3---|-----3-----7-----|
G|-----4-------4---|-----4-------4---|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
A|-2-------2-------|-2-------2-------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
He stayed put while I was wandering Count so long he started wondering
G A
e|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----3-----------|-----------------|
G|-----4-----------|---------6-------|
D|---------5---4---|-2-------7-------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-3-------3---2---|-0------/5-------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
Why, I got lost
Interlude:
(This was incredibly tricky to tab. The main guitar stops most of its playing and plays mostly bass notes.
I improvised a bit, so feel free to do the same. Just hold the chord shape and go at it.)
G A
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----0-----------|-----0-----------|
B|-----3-----3-3---|---------3-------|-----2-----------|-----2-----------|
G|-------4---------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
E|-3---------------|-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
I got
G A
e|-----------------|-----------------|-0---0-----------|-0-----0---------|
B|-3-----3---------|-3-----3---------|---2-------------|---2-------2-----|
G|---4-------4-----|---4-------4-----|-----------------|-----2-----------|
D|-----5-----------|-----5-----------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
E|-3---------------|-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
lost
G A
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----3-----------|-----3-----------|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
G|-----4-----------|-----4-----------|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------0-------|
E|-3---------------|-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
If I love the way my brother loves
Bm D A
e|-----2-----------|-----2-----------|----5------------|---2---0---------|
B|-3---------------|-3---------------|----3------------|----3------------|
G|-4---------------|-4---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|
A|-2---------------|-2---------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
None of it would happen like the way that it was Oh then
[Pre-chorus]
[Chorus 2]
End
************************************
| / slide up
| \ slide down
| h hammer-on
| p pull-off
| ~ vibrato
| + harmonic
| x Mute note
| b Bend
| pb Pre-bend
| br Bend release
| pbr Pre-bend release
| brb Bend release bend
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