Godspeed You! Black Emperor - We Drift Like Worried Fire
from 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! (2012)
Hey guys, sorry that this tab is in standard tuning, Im not positive if they use their usual tuning on this
album but it shouldn't be too hard to transpose, or just play it in standard. Since it's GY!BE, there's going
to be a lot of stuff going on a lot of the time that will be hard to tab out but Ill try my best to include
all of the major themes and lead lines.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Song opens with drones and, I believe, the guitar screwdriver technique they use.
Mess around with these notes/melodies:
e|-----------------------------------|
B|--6-/-8-------12-/-11--9-----------|
G|-----------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------|
[2:41, Guitar enters]
Gtr 1:
e|-------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------|
D|------6---10-6--------6---10-6--------6----|
A|-10--------------10--------------10--------|
E|-------------------------------------------|
Gtr 2, improv a bit:
e|-------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------|
D|----6--5-----6--5-----6--5-----6--5--------|
A|-6--------6--------6--------6--------------|
E|-------------------------------------------|
Both parts above are repeated for a few minutes as the song builds
[5:40]
Lead Gtr, trem picked: (here on out, slashes indicate beats)
e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-8-/-/-9-/-/-/-11-/-/-13-/-/-11-/-/-9-/-/-8-/-/-/-/----------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------10-/-/-/-/-8-/-/-6-/-/-/-/-5-/-/-/-/-/-| x2
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
[6:14]
Left panned Gtr, trem picked:
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-6-/-/-/-/-8-/-/-/-/-6-/-/-/-/-8-/-/-/-/-6-/-/-/-/-8-/-/-/-/-6-/-/-/-/-8-/-/-/-/-|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|
A center panned Gtr goes nuts with this at the same time: |
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-13-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/--|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
[6:31]
Back to the Lead Gtr, trem picked:
e|----------------------------------------|
B|-9-/-/-/-/-13-/-/-/-/-------------------|
G|----------------------8-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-|
D|----------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------|
| | x2
Left panned Gtr, same time: |
e|----------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------|
G|----------------------*-----------------|
D|-6-/-/-/-/-10-/-/-/-/-1-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-|
A|----------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------|
*you can play a 6 on the A string here,
this is just easier for me while trem picking*
[6:47]
Lead Gtr;
e|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
G|-5-//-6-//-5-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/--|-5-//-6-//-5-/-/-/-/-12-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-|
D|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| |
Left panned Gtr: |
e|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
D|-6-/-/-/-/-10-/-/-/-/-1-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-|-6-/-/-/-/-10-/-/-/-/-1-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-|
A|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| |
Violin: |
e|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
B|-13---14---11----9----8----9----6---8---|-13---14---13-----11-13---11---8---6----|
G|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
[7:04]
Left Gtr:
e|----------------------------------|
B|-----9--13-9------9--13-9------9--|
G|-12-----------12-----------12-----| x8
D|----------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------|
I think the Lead Gtr does a variation of the riff from [5:40],
it's very difficult to make it out in the chaos
[7:37]
Lead Gtr:
e|-----------------------|--|------|
B|-----------------------|--|------|
G|-8-//-/-/-/-/-/-10-/-/-|x8|-8~---|
D|-----------------------|--|------|
A|-----------------------|--|------|
E|-----------------------|--|------|
| |
Left Gtr: |
e|-----------------------|--|------|
B|-----------------------|--|------|
G|-12-/-/-/-/-/-/-13-/-/-|x8|-12~--|
D|-----------------------|--|------|
A|-----------------------|--|------|
E|-----------------------|--|------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[7:56]
Background Gtr: (keep playing this throughout this part, let ring)
*this part has a lot of variations but its all these same 3 notes*
e|----16-20p16----16-20p16----16--|
B|-20----------20----------20-----|
G|--------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
Bass Gtr: (for rest of this part)
G|---------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------|
A|-4------------------6------------------|
E|---------------------------------------|
[8:11]
Left Gtr:
e|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
B|-18-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-18~~~~---------|---------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------|-------------18b17-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-//-17~~~~---------|
D|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| | |
Center Gtr: | |
e|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|-16-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-16~~~~---------|
G|--------17-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-17~~~~--------|---------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| | |
Right Gtr: | |
e|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------15-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-//-15~~~~--------|--------17-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-17~~~~--------|
D|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
Left Gtr:
e|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
B|--------16-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/16b~~~---------|-14-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-14b~~~---------|
G|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| | |
Center Gtr: | |
e|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
B|-14-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-14~~~~---------|--------14-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-//-14~~~~---------|
G|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| | |
Right Gtr: | |
e|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|--------------13-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-//-13~~~~---------|
G|---------------13-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-//-13~~~~--------|---------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
[8:45]
Left Gtr:
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------21-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-----|
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
| |
Center Gtr: |
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|-9-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/----|
G|--------------------------------------------------| hold for ~16 bars
D|--------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
| |
Right Gtr: |
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------13-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/----|
D|--------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
[9:10]
Left and Right Gtr:
e|----------------------------------------|--|-------------|
B|-9-/-/-/-/-13-/-/-/-/-4-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-|--|-9~~~~-------|
G|----------------------------------------|x8|-------------|
D|----------------------------------------|--|-------------|
A|----------------------------------------|--|-------------|
E|----------------------------------------|--|-------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 3
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[10:00]
Dist Violin: (maybe guitar idk) fade out here
e|-16--15-----16--15------16--15--16------15--16--15-----16--15-----16--15----16--15-------|
B|---------16---------16--------------16--------------16---------16--------16--------16----|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
[10:25]
Clean Gtr:
e|-----------------------------16~~------|
B|-13-14-16~~----------------------------|
G|---------------15-13-12~~--------------| x5, played in free time
D|---------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------|
Clean Gtr:
e|----------------------|
B|----------------------|
G|----------------------| this part fades in, keeps going for a long time
D|----6----6----6----6--|
A|-10---10---10---10----|
E|----------------------|
Right Gtr:
e|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|
G|-8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--| fades in as well, play for a while
D|-------------------------|
A|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|
[12:22]
Left Gtr:
e|-----------------------|
B|-----------------------|
G|-----------------------|
D|-----------------------|
A|-8~~~~-----------------|
E|-----------------------|
| | x2
Right Gtr: |
e|-----------------------|
B|-----------------------|
G|-8----x32--------------|
D|-----------------------|
A|-----------------------|
E|-----------------------|
Left Gtr:
e|-----------------------|
B|-----------------------|
G|-----------------------|
D|-----------------------|
A|-5~~~~-----------------|
E|------4~~~~------------|
| | x2
Right Gtr: |
e|-----------------------|
B|-----------------------|
G|-13---x32--------------|
D|-----------------------|
A|-----------------------|
E|-----------------------|
Left Gtr:
e|-----------------------|
B|-----------------------|
G|-----------------------|
D|-----------------------|
A|-8~~~~-----------------|
E|------7~~~~------------|
| | x2
Right Gtr: |
e|-----------------------|
B|-----------------------|
G|-16---x32--------------|
D|-----------------------|
A|-----------------------|
E|-----------------------|
Repeat the last two figures 3 times
[14:43]
Right Gtr:
e|-----------------------------------------------|
B|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12b-13-13-13-|
G|-----------------------------------------------| play around with
D|-----------------------------------------------| this a bunch
A|-----------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------|
Left Gtr: (picked as 16th notes, not gonna write it all out, slashes indicate beats)
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------------------12//////14/12//////14/15////////-|
G|-------------------9/10///////12/10//////12/13//////15/13//////15/---------------------------------|
D|-9//////11/12//////--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
keep picking that last note for a while
[15:28]
Violin/Dist Gtr: (one an octave higher
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------12-12-------------------------------------------------------|
G|-11--12--14-14-------14-14-12-12-11---11-----------------------------------| x4
D|-----------------------------------------14---12-12-10-10-----9-9-7--------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
[15:57]
Left Gtr:
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------| x4
D|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
[16:26]
Right Gtr:
e|-----------------------------------------------|
B|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12b-13-13-13-|
G|-----------------------------------------------| play around with
D|-----------------------------------------------| this a bunch again
A|-----------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------|
Left Gtr:
e|-----------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------|
G|-12////////16////////21////////////////--| x2
D|-----------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------|
[16:45]
Left Gtr:
e|---------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------|
G|-7--6----------------------------------------|
D|-------9--8--7--6----------------------------|
A|-------------------9--8--7------6--6---------|
E|-----------------------------------4---------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Okay, Ill have to come back and revisit this last section of the song. I don't have the willpower to
try and figure out all the chromatic madness that goes on here right now. However, this clean riff opens
up the section and might give you a good start to figuring it out.
[16:58]
Clean Gtr: (listen for rhythm)
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-11////////10////////9////////12/////11/10/9////////////8//9//////11////10////////9/////////-|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
************************************
| x Dead note
| g Grace note
| (n) Ghost note
| h Hammer-on
| p Pull-off
| r Release
| > Accented note
| t Tapping
| b Bend
| br Bend release
| pb Pre-bend
| pbr Pre-bend release
| / Trem pick
| \ Slide down
| ~ Vibrato
| s Slap
| P Pop
| PM Palm mute
| TR Trill
************************************
https://primoaccordo.net/godspeed-you-black-emperor/we-drift-like-worried-fire.htm