Tabs
Black Math by The White Stripes from the album Elephant Tabbed by Keith Railton (guitar @ mooworldorder.com) So, it's obvious that Jack is playing two chords in the main riff: C majorC and G, but how? Well, here are two variations that sound okay to me. The (0)'s represent basic random string hitting in between changing chords, but hitting bass strings seems to sound best. The D MajorD in the last A augmentedA chord is faint, but I'm sure it's there (at least occasionally). The rhythm is swinging and the tempo is fast...
MAIN RIFF ||--------------------------|--------------------------| ||-5------------5-----------|-5------------5-----------| ||-5----(5)-----5----(5)----|-5----(5)-----5----(5)----| ||-5-(0)-5-(0)--5-(0)-5-(0)-|-5-(0)-5-(0)--5-(0)-5-(0)-| ||-3-(0)-5-(0)--3-(0)-5-(0)-|-3-(0)-5-(0)--3-(0)-5-(0)-| ||---(0)-3-(0)----(0)-3-(0)-|---(0)-3-(0)----(0)-3-(0)-| ------------------|-----------------|| ------------------|-----------------|| -(7)--------------|(7)--------------|| --7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|| --7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|| --5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|| p.m.---------------------------------| Variation (see which is best for you) ||--------------------------|-------- ||-5------------5-----------|-------- ||-5-----0------5-----0-----|-------- ||-5-(0)-0-(0)--5-(0)-0-(0)-|--etc.-- ||-3-(0)-x-(0)--3-(0)-x-(0)-|-------- ||---(0)-3-(0)----(0)-3-(0)-|-------- So, that's the main riff A. This is chopped up and used in different ways (it is also the rhythm under the solo). This is followed by some sustained power chords: ||-0----|-5----|(0)---|------|| ||-0----|-5----|-x----|------|| ||-x----|-0----|-2----|-5----|| ||-2----|-0----|-2----|-5----|| ||-2----|-x----|-0----|-3----|| ||-0----|-3----|------|------|| E5E5 G5G5 A5A5 C5C5
After a few repeats of this type of thing, the tempo changes completely (slower), and the guitar distortion goes through the roof: RIFF BB ||------------------|----------------| ||------------------|----------------| ||*-----------------|---------.--7--*| ||*-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7--7--*| ||--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7--5---| ||--5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5------| (last time) |------------------------------------------------------------------------| |------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-------------------------------------2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--| |-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5---2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--| |-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3--| |-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3--------------------------------------| E5E5 G5G5 A5A5 C5C5 Then into the solo, which I won't even bother to attempting to work out. Basically, the first few bars, Jack plays one frenzied bent note (the E MajorE bent from the 15th to the 17th fret on the BB string, occasionally doubled with the 12th fret on the high E MajorE string). Then there's some octave pedal stuff, and then a little bit I like... |-15b17-17-17-17-17--15b17-17-17-17-17-|--20b22v20-20b22-15~--| |--------------------------------------|----------------------| |--------------------------------------|----------------------| |--------------------------------------|----------------------| |--------------------------------------|----------------------| |--------------------------------------|----------------------| Some more playing in the 12th fret position, and some long held feedbacky bends between 7th fret G+G string to 8th fret. Some flicking between pickups on a sustained A... ...then a little bit like this... |-15-----------15----------| |-15b17-15-13--15b17-15-13-| |--------------------------| |--------------------------| |--------------------------| |--------------------------| ...ending with more pentatonic/pickup switching stuff... Into another verse/chorus. Outro with a repeated A augmentedA figure with Jack yelping 'yeah!': x4 ||-----------------|--------------------|----|| ||-----------------|-----------Y--------|----|| ||-----------------|-----------E-------*|----|| ||-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-A-----7-*|-7--|| ||-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-H-----7--|-7--|| ||-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-------5--|-5--|| End. (www.mooworldorder.com)
Other versions of Black Math
Alternative guitar chords and tabs for Black math intro right verson by The White Stripes
Version | Type |
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Black math | Chords |
Black math intro right verson | Tabs |