Logo for GuitarTabsExplorer
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-|
🎸
Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -

         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:

Your last visited songs

Otis Redding tabs for Hard to handle

What is this?

Learn how to play "Hard To Handle" by Otis Redding 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 "Hard To Handle" by Otis Redding 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 "Hard To Handle" by Otis Redding 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 Hard To Handle by Otis Redding

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 #

×