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Hard To Handle Tab by Otis Redding

Hard To Handle tab by Otis Redding

Guitar Tab

HARD TO HANDLE

As recorded by Otis Redding
(From the 1968 Album THE IMMORTAL OTIS REDDING)

Words and Music by Otis Redding, Alvertis Isbell & Allen Jones

Transcribed by Slowhand


Gtr I (E A D G B E) - 'Steve Cropper - Electric Guitar'
Gtr II (E A D G B E) - 'Booker T. Jones - Piano'
Gtr III (E A D G B E) - 'Wayne Jackson & Andrew Love - Horns'


 Intro
  Q=98
  N.C.
 4/4
  Gtr II (Piano arr. for Gtr.)
  H    E S S S E  S    +H     E S S S E S
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|------------7-8-10-|-(10)------8-6-8-6---|
|--------8-8--------|-------------------8-|
|------------5-6--8-|--(8)------6-4-6-4---|
|--------6-6--------|-------------------6-|


         Gtr III (Horns arr. for Gtr.)
  +H     E  S  S  S  E  S    +H     E  S S  S E.
|----------------10-11-13-|-(13)------11-9-11-9--||
|----------11-11----------|----------------------||
|-----------------7--8-10-|-(10)-------8-6--8-6--||
|-(8)-------8--8----------|----------------------||
|-------------------------|----------------------||
|-(6)---------------------|----------------------||


   1st - 3rd Verses
    $
    Bb7
    Gtr I (El. Gtr.)
     e E S S S S S S S S S S S S     e  E S S S S S  S  S  S S S S S
||-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
||o--9-x-9-9---x-x-9-x-x-x-9-9-9-|---9--x-9-9-x-x-x--9--9--9-x-x-8-x-|
||---7-x-7-7---x-x-7-x-x-x-7-7-7-|---7--x-7-7-x-x-x-10-10-10-x-x-8-x-|
||---8-x-8-8---x-x-8-x-x-x-8-8-8-|---8--x-8-8-x-x-x------------------|
||o------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
||-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|
|   Gtr III
|    W                              +W
||--18---------------------------|-(18)------------------------------|
||o------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
||--15---------------------------|-(15)------------------------------|
||-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
||o------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
||-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|


  e E S S S S S S S S S S S S   e E S S S S S  S  S  S S S S S
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-9-x-9-9---x-x-9-x-x-x-9-9-9-|-9-x-9-9-x-x-x--9--9--9-x-x-8-x--|
|-7-x-7-7---x-x-7-x-x-x-7-7-7-|-7-x-7-7-x-x-x-10-10-10-x-x-8-x--|
|-8-x-8-8---x-x-8-x-x-x-8-8-8-|-8-x-8-8-x-x-x-------------------|
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|


  e E S S S S S S S S S S S S   e E S S S S S  S  S  S S S S S
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-9-x-9-9---x-x-9-x-x-x-9-9-9-|-9-x-9-9-x-x-x--9--9--9-x-x-8-x--|
|-7-x-7-7---x-x-7-x-x-x-7-7-7-|-7-x-7-7-x-x-x-10-10-10-x-x-8-x--|
|-8-x-8-8---x-x-8-x-x-x-8-8-8-|-8-x-8-8-x-x-x-------------------|
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|


  e E S S S S S S S S S S S S   e E S S S S S  S  S  S S S S S
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-9-x-9-9---x-x-9-x-x-x-9-9-9-|-9-x-9-9-x-x-x--9--9--9-x-x-8-x--|
|-7-x-7-7---x-x-7-x-x-x-7-7-7-|-7-x-7-7-x-x-x-10-10-10-x-x-8-x--|
|-8-x-8-8---x-x-8-x-x-x-8-8-8-|-8-x-8-8-x-x-x-------------------|
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|


  F7
  E  e S S S  S S  S S  S  S S S S
|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|-8--8-8-8-x--x-8--8-x--8--x-8-8-8-|
|-7--7-7-7-x--x-7--7-x--7--x-7-7-7-|
|-8--8-8-8-x--x-8--8-x--8--x-8-8-8-|
|----------------------------------|
|
| Gtr III
| Q.       S  S S  S S  S  E   E
|----------------------------------|
|-6----------10---11---11-13-------|
|----------------------------------|
|-3-----------7----8----8-10-------|
|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|


  E  e S S S  S S  S S  S  S S S S   e E Q  H
|----------------------------------|-------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------|
|-8--8-8-8-x--x-8--8-x--8--x-8-8-8-|-8-----------|
|-7--7-7-7-x--x-7--7-x--7--x-7-7-7-|-7-----------|
|-8--8-8-8-x--x-8--8-x--8--x-8-8-8-|-8-----------|
|----------------------------------|-------------|
|
| Q.       S  S S  S S  S  E   E     W
|----------------------------------|-------------|
|-6----------10---11---11-13-------|-------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------|
|-3-----------7----8----8-10-------|-------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------|
|----------------------------------|-------------|


            1.
To Coda
  N.C.       Eb              F
  W          E  E    E     S  S  +E      E     E     E
|----------|---------------------------------------------|
|----------|-8-------8-------10-(10)----------10---------|
|----------|-8-------8-------10-(10)----------10---------|
|----------|-8-------8-----x-10-(10)----------10---------|
|----------|-6-------6-----x--8--(8)-----------8---------|
|----------|---------------------------------------------|
|
| W          E  S  S S  S  S  S   S   S  S  S  S  S  S S
|----------|---------------------------------------------|
|----------|---16-16---16-16---------18-18-18----18-18---|
|----------|---------------------------------------------|
|----------|---13-13---13-13---------15-15-15----15-15---|
|----------|---------------------------------------------|
|----------|---------------------------------------------|


        Eb        Bb
   e  S  S +E      E  +H
|------------------6--(6)-----||
|-10-10--8-(8)-----6--(6)----o||
|-10-10--8-(8)-----7--(7)-----||
|-10-10--8-(8)-----8--(8)-----||
|--8--8--6-(6)---------------o||
|-----------------------------||
|
|  e  S  S  S   S  E  +H
|-16-16-11-----11-------------||
|-----------------11-(11)----o||
|-13-13--8------8-------------||
|------------------8--(8)-----||
|----------------------------o||
|-----------------------------||


  2.
  Ab  Eb      Bb                     Ab     Eb      Bb
  E S S +S  S E +H                     E  S S +S  S E +H
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|-4-x-8-(8)-8-6-(6)----------------|---4--x-8-(8)-8-6-(6)------------------|
|-5-x-8-(8)-8-7-(7)----------------|---5--x-8-(8)-8-7-(7)------------------|
|-6-x-8-(8)-8-8-(8)----------------|---6--x-8-(8)-8-8-(8)------------------|
|-6-x-6-(6)-6-8-(8)----------------|---6--x-6-(6)-6-8-(8)------------------|
|-4-----------6-(6)----------------|---4------------6-(6)------------------|
|
| H              E   S  S  S  E  S    +H               S   S  S  S  S S  E
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|-------------------11-11-15-16-18-|-(18)-------------16--14-16-14-11-9-11-|
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|--------------------8--8-12-13-15-|-(15)-------------13--11-13-11--8-6--8-|
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------------|


  Ab     Eb      Bb
    E  S S +S  S  E    +H
|----------------------------------------|
|---4--x-8-(8)-8--6----(6)---------------|
|---5--x-8-(8)-8--7----(7)---------------|
|---6--x-8-(8)-8--8----(8)---------------|
|---6--x-6-(6)-6--8----(8)---------------|
|---4-------------6----(6)---------------|
|
|  +Q       E     S  S  S   E  S  +Q
|-----------------------------18-(18)----|
|-(11)-----------11-11-15--16------------|
|-----------------------------15-(15)----|
|--(8)------------8--8-12--13------------|
|----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|


             D.S. al Coda   &
  Ab    Eb        Bb           Ab  Eb      Bb
   E  S  S  +S  S  E +H        E S S +S  S E +H
|---------------------------||----------------------------------|
|--4--x--8--(8)-8--6-(6)----||-4-x-8-(8)-8-6-(6)----------------|
|--5--x--8--(8)-8--7-(7)----||-5-x-8-(8)-8-7-(7)----------------|
|--6--x--8--(8)-8--8-(8)----||-6-x-8-(8)-8-8-(8)----------------|
|--6--x--6--(6)-6--8-(8)----||-6-x-6-(6)-6-8-(8)----------------|
|--4---------------6-(6)----||-4-----------6-(6)----------------|
|
|  E.    S  +E     e  H        H              E   S  S  S  E  S
|-16------------------------||----------------------------------|
|-------16-(16)-------------||-------------------11-11-15-16-18-|
|-13--------------15--------||----------------------------------|
|-------13-(13)-------------||--------------------8--8-12-13-15-|
|-----------------13--------||----------------------------------|
|---------------------------||----------------------------------|


  Ab     Eb      Bb
    E  S S +S  S E +H
|-----------------------------------------|
|---4--x-8-(8)-8-6-(6)--------------------|
|---5--x-8-(8)-8-7-(7)--------------------|
|---6--x-8-(8)-8-8-(8)--------------------|
|---6--x-6-(6)-6-8-(8)--------------------|
|---4------------6-(6)--------------------|
|
|  +H               S   S  S  S  S  S  E
|-----------------------------------------|
|-(18)-------------16--14-16-14-11----11--|
|----------------------------------13-----|
|-(15)-------------13--11-13-11--8-----8--|
|----------------------------------11-----|
|-----------------------------------------|


  Ab     Eb      Bb                      Ab    Eb        Bb
    E  S S +S  S  E    +H                 E  S  S  +S  S  E  +H
|--------------------------------------|------------------------------||
|---4--x-8-(8)-8--6----(6)-------------|--4--x--8--(8)-8--6--(6)------||
|---5--x-8-(8)-8--7----(7)-------------|--5--x--8--(8)-8--7--(7)------||
|---6--x-8-(8)-8--8----(8)-------------|--6--x--8--(8)-8--8--(8)------||
|---6--x-6-(6)-6--8----(8)-------------|--6--x--6--(6)-6--8--(8)------||
|---4-------------6----(6)-------------|--4---------------6--(6)------||
|
|  +Q       E     S  S  S   E  S  +Q      E.    S  +E     E  +E  E Q
|-----------------------------18-(18)--|-16---------------------------||
|-(11)-----------11-11-15--16----------|-------16-(16)----------------||
|-----------------------------15-(15)--|-13--------------15-(15)------||
|--(8)------------8--8-12--13----------|-------13-(13)----------------||
|--------------------------------------|-----------------13-(13)------||
|--------------------------------------|------------------------------||


 Outro
  Bb7
   e     E    S  S  S  S S  S  S  S   S  S S S
|-----------------------------------------------|
|--9-----x----9--9--x--x-x--9--x--x---x--9-9-x--|
|--7-----x----7--7--x--x-x--7--x--x---x--7-7-x--|
|--8-----x----8--8--x--x-x--8--x--x---x--8-8-x--|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|
|  S  S  S  S S  S  S  S S  S  S  S  +S  S E
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-15-15-15-15---15-15-15---15-15-15-(15)--------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-13-13-13-13---13-13-13---13-13-13-(13)--------|
|-----------------------------------------------|


   e     E    S  S  S  S S  S  S  S   S  S S S
|----------------------------------------------|
|--9-----x----9--9--x--x-x--9--x--x---x--9-9-x-|
|--7-----x----7--7--x--x-x--7--x--x---x--7-7-x-|
|--8-----x----8--8--x--x-x--8--x--x---x--8-8-x-|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|
|  S  S  S  S S  S  S  S S  S  S  S  +E    E
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|-15-15-15-15---15-15-15---15-15-15-(15)-------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|-13-13-13-13---13-13-13---13-13-13-(13)-------|
|----------------------------------------------|


   e     E    S  S  S  S S  S  S  S   S  S S S
|----------------------------------------------|
|--9-----x----9--9--x--x-x--9--x--x---x--9-9-x-|
|--7-----x----7--7--x--x-x--7--x--x---x--7-7-x-|
|--8-----x----8--8--x--x-x--8--x--x---x--8-8-x-|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|
|  S  S  S  S S  S  S  S S  S  S  S  +E    E
|----------------------------------------------|
|----15-15-15---15-15-15---15-15-15-(15)-------|
|-15-------------------------------------------|
|----12-12-12---12-12-12---12-12-12-(12)-------|
|-13-------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|


   e     E    S  S  S  S S  S  S  S   S  S S S
|----------------------------------------------|
|--9-----x----9--9--x--x-x--9--x--x---x--9-9-x-|
|--7-----x----7--7--x--x-x--7--x--x---x--7-7-x-|
|--8-----x----8--8--x--x-x--8--x--x---x--8-8-x-|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|
|  S  S  S  S S  S  S  S S  S  S  S  +E    E
|----18-18-18---18-18-18---18-18-18-(18)-------|
|-18-------------------------------------------|
|----15-15-15---15-15-15---15-15-15-(15)-------|
|-15-------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|


   e     E    S  S  S  S S  S  S  S   S  S S S
|----------------------------------------------*|
|--9-----x----9--9--x--x-x--9--x--x---x--9-9-x-*|
|--7-----x----7--7--x--x-x--7--x--x---x--7-7-x-*|
|--8-----x----8--8--x--x-x--8--x--x---x--8-8-x-*|
|----------------------------------------------*|
|----------------------------------------------*|
|
|  S  S  S  S S  S  S  S S  S  S  S  +E    E
|----18-18-18---18-18-18---18-18-18-(18)-------*|
|-18-------------------------------------------*|
|----15-15-15---15-15-15---15-15-15-(15)-------*|
|-15-------------------------------------------*|
|----------------------------------------------*|
|----------------------------------------------*|


Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for.  Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests.  Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for.  Low
melody durations appear below the staff

Tablature Legend
----------------
 h   - hammer-on
 p   - pull-off
 b   - bend
 pb  - pre-bend
 r   - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
 /\  - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
 s   - legato slide
 S   - shift slide
  - natural harmonic
[n]  - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
 ~   - vibrato
 tr  - trill
 T   - tap
 TP  - trem. picking
 PM  - palm muting
\n/  - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
 \n  - tremolo bar down
 n/  - tremolo bar up
/n\  - tremolo bar inverted dip
 =   - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
 <>  - volume swell (louder/softer)
 x   - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
 o   - on rhythm slash represents single note slash

Misc Legend
-----------
 |  - bar
||  - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*|  - double bar (ending)
 :  - bar (freetime)
 $  - Segno
 &  - Coda
Tempo markers -  = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths

Last updated: September 10, 2025

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