Soil tab by System Of A Down

Song:   Soil (track 7)   (revised tab)
Artist: System of a Down
Album:  System of a Down
Label:  Columbia/American

Tabbed by Edd Dawson - all my own work
Email me at ma0etd@bath.ac.uk if you have any questions, comments etc.

This song is in the follwing tuning: CGCFAD (low to high)
To get to this tuning do drop-d and then tune all strings down two
semi-tones/half-steps, i.e:

E|--- down 2 semitones --> |D
B|--- down 2 semitones --> |A
G|--- down 2 semitones --> |F
D|--- down 2 semitones --> |C
A|--- down 2 semitones --> |G
E|--- down 4 semitones --> |C  (assuming we start from standard tuning)

Incidentally, the song sounds fine in drop-d, just a bit high.
Make sure you crank up the gain and the bass for this one.
Sounds best to me when played using a humbucker in the bridge position.

The key to getting this whole song right is timing - you will NEED to
listen to the song while learning this tab as a lot of the timing is
in 3, not 4 so be careful! I've *tried* to illustrate this above the
lines of tab but because of the limitations of tabbing songs on
computers, it might look a bit messy and uneven. I don't know if it'll
be of any help or not but it's there if you want to use it.

In my opinion it's one of the coolest songs on the album, at least as
far as guitar playing goes because of it's variation. It's the one I
enjoy playing the most anyway. If someone could send confirmation/
correction of the solo I'd really appreciate it - ma0etd@bath.ac.uk.


Some notation:

H = harmonic: gently rest your finger on the string without pressing it
    against the fretboard at the position indicated.
x^= bend up from x. The number below the tab tells you how many
    semi-tones to bend up to.
x^v=bend up from x and lower back down to x after apex. The number
    below the tab tells you how many semi-tones to bend.
M = Palm-mute
P = 'pinch'. No idea if this is the correct term but it's what I call
    it. There could also be a 'proper' way of doing it, but here's what
    works for me: Hold the pick near the point between thumb and middle
    finger. Instead of plucking the string cleanly, half strike, half
    slice it with your thumb and the pick. I know thats not all that
    clear but have a go if you don't know what I'm on about - you'll
    find it somewhere...
/ \=upward and downward slides respectively
. = Usually means truncate the note, i.e do not let it ring UNLESS it
    indicates where to lie your finger when doing harmonics
h = hammer on.
p = pull off.
d/u=downstroke and upstroke respectively. If I haven't specified then
    just do what comes naturally :)
()= brackets indicate 'ghost' notes, ones that are kind of hinted at,
    rather than played out-right.


Song Structure:
===============
Intro         x1
Chorus 1      x4
Verse         x4
Chorus 2      x4 (2nd line of tab only)
Break 1       x1
Verse         x4
Chorus 2      x4
Break 2       x1
Solo          x1
Post Solo Bit x1
Ending        x1



Intro:
======
Despite the fact the intro consists of only one chord, I'm still not
sure this is exactly right - if anyone can find a better way please
tell me! From the start bend the A and F strings to an apex of 0.25 of
a semitone at the point I've marked then bring it back down.

D|------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|-10-1010-10-1010-10-1010-10-1010-10-1010-10-1010-10-1010-10-10-10101010-
F|-10-1010-10-1010-10-1010-10-1010-10-1010-10-1010-10-1010-10-10-10101010-
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|--8--8-8--8--8-8--8--8-8--8--8-8--8--8-8--8--8-8--8--8-8--8--8--8-8-8-8-
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------
    |                                 |                                 |
  start bend (A & F strings)       bend apex (0.25 semitones)     end bend

D|-------------------------
A|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-
F|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-
C|-------------------------
G|--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8-
C|-------------------------



Chorus 1:
=========
I've included an indication of drum beats at the end of this riff
because it sounds like it could be palm-muted guitar although I'm
pretty sure it's not. If you are playing without a drummer, you might
want to chug four quick C notes there instead to fill it out (I know I
do :)

   1 2 3 1  2 3  1 2 3 1  2 3
D|-------------------------------
A|-------------------------------
F|-------------------------------
C|-3-1-0-03-1-0--3-1-0-03-1-0----
G|-3-1-0-03-1-0--3-1-0-03-1-0----
C|-3-1-0-03-1-0--3-1-0-03-1-0----
                             |||| <--drum beats (I think)


Verse
=====
This looks like it's simlar to the chorus with a few extra notes, and
it is, BUT annoyingly the timing changes slightly, although it's still
in 3! It's tricky to show how using tab, so have a listen to the
song...
I've marked a place where one would expect a rest to be but there is
none. In my opinion missing out this rest is the key to getting the
timing of the whole riff right.

   1 2 3  1  2 3  1 2 3  1 2  3
D|--------------------------------
A|--------------------------------
F|--------------------------------
C|--------------------------------
G|--------------------------------
C|-3-1-0-03-31-00-3-1-0-03-31-000-
   M M M MM MM MM M M M MM MM MMM
                 |
          DON'T rest here!


Chrous 2
========
D|------------------
A|------------------
F|------------------
C|------------------
G|-------1/12121212-
C|-0--0--1/12121212- <-- these are twelves not ones and twos!

   1 2 3  1 2 3  1 2 3  1 2 3
D|------------------------------
A|------------------------------
F|------------------------------
C|-3-1-0-03-1-0--3-1-0-03-1-0.--
G|-3-1-0-03-1-0--3-1-0-03-1-0.--
C|-3-1-0-03-1-0--3-1-0-03-1-0.--




Break 1
=======
The numbers below are 10's, 11's, 12's, 17's and 18's rather than their
single digit constituents. You can play these notes lower down on higher
strings and that would have looked nicer in tab but the slightly bassier
nature of the tone leads me to believe they're played on these strings.

D|--------------------------------------------------------
A|-------9-999-999-9999------12-121212-121212-12121212----
F|-------7-777-777-7777------10-101010-101010-10101010----
C|--------------------------------------------------------
G|--------------------------------------------------------
C|-0-------------------0----------------------------------

D|----------------------------------------------------------------
A|-------11-111111-111111-11111111------18-181818-181818-18181818-
F|--------9--9-9-9--9-9-9--9-9-9-9------17-171717-171717-17171717-
C|----------------------------------------------------------------
G|----------------------------------------------------------------
C|-0------------------------------0-------------------------------




Break 2
=======
I expect the first line of tab here is actually just an open low-C string
played on bass, but if you're playing without a bassist you might as well
fill in the gap :)
The muting shown in the second line of tab is not very strong.

D|-------------------------------------------------------------
A|-------------------------------------------------------------
F|-------------------------------------------------------------
C|-------------------------------------------------------------
G|--0--0----------0--0----------0--0----------0----0----0----0- x2
C|--0--0----------0--0----------0--0----------0----0----0----0-
    M  M          M  M          M  M          M    M    M    M
 "dont you...     realize...."

D|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------
A|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------
F|-7-7-7~7-77-7-7-7~|7-7-7~7-77-7-7-7~|7-7-7~7-77-7-7-7~|7-7-7~7-77-7-7-7~
C|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------
G|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------
C|------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------
         M    M M P        M    M M P        M    M M P        M    M M P
 "dont you...        realize....       evil......"

D|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-
A|-------------------------------------------------
F|------------------------------------------------- x4 (i.e play the note
C|-------------------------------------------------   a total of 64 times)
G|-------------------------------------------------
C|-------------------------------------------------



Solo
====
I'm not saying this is 100% correct :) The first half is I think, but
then it gets dodgy :) I welcome corrections with open arms.....

D|--------------------10--10-12-13---12-13-15-----------10--12-13------
A|-------------------10-----------------------14^v-----10---------14^v-
F|------------------10--------------------------------10---------------
C|-0-------------------------------------------------------------------
G|-0-------------------------------------------------------------------
C|-0-------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                1                   1

D|-------------------------------------------------------------
A|-------------------------------------------------------------
F|-------------------------------------------------------------
C|-5-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3--33- not
G|----3h5p3-3h5p3-3h5p3-3h5p3-3h5p3-3h5p3-3h5p3-3h5p3~~~~3--33- really
C|------------------------------------------------------------- hamronics,
   H  M MMM M MMM M MMM M MMM M MMM M MMM M MMM M MMM    H  HH <-more like
                                                         M  MM   'clicks'.

D|--------------------------------------------------------
A|--------------------------------------------------------
F|--------------------------------------------------------
C|----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3-----3------33-
G|-3h5p3-3h5p3-3h5p3-3h5p3-3h5p3-3h5p3-3h5p3-3h5p3~~~~-33-
C|--------------------------------------------------------
   M MMM M MMM M MMM M MMM M MMM M MMM M MMM M MMM     MM
                                                       HH

D|--------------------------------------------
A|--------------------------------------------
F|------10---------10---------10---------10---
C|-10h12-p10--10h12-p10--10h12-p10--10h12-p10-
G|--------------------------------------------
C|--------------------------------------------

D|------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|-------------------------------------------------------10^v-11^-11-10---
F|------10---------10---------10---------10-------10--------------------10
C|-10h12-p10--10h12-p10--10h12-p10--10h12-p10-1212--1212------------------
G|------------------------------------------------------------------------
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           1   2

D|------(10)10.------(10)10.------(10)10.--------------------/15^15^15^15^
A|-10.10.10.10.-10.10.10.10.-10.10.10.10.-------------13^-13--------------
F|-10.10.10(10)-10.10.10(10)-10.10.10(10)-10h12-10-10---------------------
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|------------------------------------------------------------------------
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------
   d  d  d  u   d  d  d  u   d  d  d  u                 1

D|-15^15^15^15^15^15^15^15^15^15^15^15^- <- this is all one continuous
A|--------------------------------------    bend upto the apex at the end,
F|--------------------------------------    hitting the string repeatedly
C|--------------------------------------    and NOT a series of small
G|--------------------------------------    bends. Listen to the CD :)
C|--------------------------------------
                                     |
              apex of 1.5 semitones here


Post Solo Bit
=============
D|------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------
F|-12-12-12-12-11-11-11-11--8--8--8--8--7--7--7--7--8--8--8--8-11-11-11-11
C|-11-11-11-11-10-10-10-10--7--7--7--7--6--6--6--6--7--7--7--7-10-10-10-10
G|-10-10-10-10--9--9--9--9--6--6--6--6--5--5--5--5--6--6--6--6--9--9--9--9
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------

D|------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------
F|-12-12-12-12-11-11-11-11-12-12-12-12-15-15-15-15-14-14-14-14-12-12-12-12
C|-11-11-11-11-10-10-10-10-11-11-11-11-14-14-14-14-13-13-13-13-11-11-11-11
G|-10-10-10-10--9--9--9--9-10-10-10-10-13-13-13-13-12-12-12-12-10-10-10-10
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------

D|-------------------------------------
A|-------------------------------------
F|-11-11-11-11--8--8--8--8--7--7--7--7-
C|-10-10-10-10--7--7--7--7--6--6--6--6-
G|--9--9--9--9--6--6--6--6--5--5--5--5-
C|-------------------------------------

D|------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------
F|-12-12-12-12-11-11-11-11-8-8-8-8-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-11-11-11-11-12-12-12-12
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|------------------------------------------------------------------------
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------

D|------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------
F|-11-11-11-11-12-12-12-12-15-15-15-15-14-14-14-14-12-12-12-12-11-11-11-11
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|------------------------------------------------------------------------
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------

D|-----------------
A|-----------------
F|-8-8-8-8-7-7-7-7-
C|-----------------
G|-----------------
C|-----------------

D|-15-15-15-15-14-14-14-14-11-11-11-11-10-10-10-10-11-11-11-11-14-14-14-14
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------
F|------------------------------------------------------------------------
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|------------------------------------------------------------------------
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------

D|-15-15-15-15-14-14-14-14-15-15-15-15-18-18-18-18-17-17-17-17-15-15-15-15
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------
F|------------------------------------------------------------------------
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------
G|------------------------------------------------------------------------
C|------------------------------------------------------------------------

D|-14-14-14-14-11-11-11-11-10-10-10-10-
A|-------------------------------------
F|-------------------------------------
C|-------------------------------------
G|-------------------------------------
C|-------------------------------------


Ending
======
This is very similar to the chorus part.

Shout this as loud as you can (making sure your grand-parents are in
the room for added humour):
"WHY THE FORK DID YOU TAKE THEM AWAY FROM US YOU MOTHER-FORKAAAAAS?!?!?!"

Then play the following guitar:

D|-----------------------------|----------------------------
A|-----------------------------|----------------------------
F|-----------------------------|----------------------------
C|-3-1-0-03-1-0-3-1-0-3-31-000-|3-1-0-03-1-0-3-1-0-3-31-0.-
G|-3-1-0-03-1-0-3-1-0-3-31-000-|3-1-0-03-1-0-3-1-0-3-31-0.-
C|-3-1-0-03-1-0-3-1-0-3-31-000-|3-1-0-03-1-0-3-1-0-3-31-0.-
                                                        M

That's it! Phew! Enjoy!
Edd