SECRETS by Van Halen From the 1982 album _Diver Down_ Transcribed by DanAmrich@aol.com Exclusively created for The Guitar & Bass Place - http://fly.to/gbp I know this isn't the most important Van Halen song to tab out, what with all the Panamas and Poundcakes to choose from, but I've always liked this song and its groove, so hey. I sat down to tab this out (does "official" published tab exist for this song?) and found I was playing it completely differently than Eddie! As a result, I'll include both the real version and my version, which is unsurprisingly a bit easier. Hey, Eddie himself has said that if it sounds good, it is good, so I guess there's room for interpretation. As with most early VH, tune your guitar down a half-step to Eb across the board (high to low: Eb, Ab, Bb, Gb, Db, Eb) in order to play in tune with the record. Chord names will be listed as if the guitar is tuned a half-step down (in other words, while you're really playing an Eb chord, I'm notating it as an E, since that's how your fingers will be positioned). You have a copy of the song handy, right? Good. :) I found this song humblingly tricky to transcribe, and I am fairly certain that some of the positions I use will prove to be inefficient and incorrect. This is *one* way to play it, just my interpretation, and I am always open to corrections. I realize I am leaving out little bits like the occasional harmonic or grace note on a particular verse...and, um, the solo, 'cause as a rhythm player I suck at figuring them out. Use this as a jumping-off point, and improvise. :) And email me with fixes. Dan DanAmrich@aol.com Version 1: The Eddie Van Halen "Right" Way The opening chord (as best as I can tell--the bass doubles on the low E string, and your ear's mileage may vary) NOTE: This intro chord is plucked in 6/4 time. E -------------|-------------|-------------|-------------- B -5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-- G -------------|-------------|-------------|-------------- play this pattern twice D -7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-- (total of eight measures) A -------------|-------------|-------------|-------------- drums join final measure E -5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-- Opening and main verse riff "She ain't waiting 'til she gets older..." v--Use pinky to hit 9th fret while still holding barre chord E ----------5----9---9---------------------3------2-------- B -8-7--5-5---5----5----6-5--3-3---------3--------3-------- G -7-7--7-6-------------5-5--5-4------------------2-------- D -7-7--7-7-------------5-5--5-5------------------0-------- A -5-5--5-5-------------3-3--3-3---0-2-3-----2-0----------- E --------------------------------------------------------- v--Bend slightly (1/2 step) here E ----------5----9---9-------------3--------3--------------- B -8-7--5-5---5----5----6-5--3-3---3-3-5b-3---3------------- G -7-7--7-6-------------5-5--5-4--------------------------- D -7-7--7-7-------------5-5--5-5--------------------------- A -5-5--5-5-------------3-3--3-3--------------------------- E --------------------------------------------------------- "Aw, aw, aw, got that rhythm..." (0:40) v--Slide the chord up two frets E --------3-------3-------3--------7-/-9----------------------------- B ----------3-------3-------3------8-/-10---------------------------- G ---------------------------------7-/-9----------------------------- D ------------------------------------------------------------------- A -0-2-3-------2-------1-------0------------------------------------- E ------------------------------------------------------------------- E --------3-------3-------3----------------7-/-9--------------------- B ----------3-------3-------3------6-/-8---8-/-10-------------------- G ---------------------------------5-/-7---7-/-9--------------------- D ------------------------------------------------------------------- A -0-2-3-------2-------1-------0------------------------------------- E ------------------------------------------------------------------- "She's just lookin' good..." (0:58) E ---7-/-9----9--\-7-------------- B ---8-/-10---10-\-8-------------- G ---7-/-9----9--\-7-------------- D -------------------------------- A -------------------------------- E -------------------------------- "You know how sometimes, you've got to run..." (1:40) Eddie does this bit with a stocatto strumming that is better heard than explained no slide! --v E -------------------------------------------------------------------- B -------6-/-8---8-\-6---6-/-8-/-11----6-/-8---8-\-6---6-/-8--6------ G -------5-/-7---7-\-5---5-/-7-/-10----5-/-7---7-\-5---5-/-7--5------ D -------3-/-5---5-\-3---3-/-5-/-8-----3-/-5---5-\-3---3-/-5--3------- A -------------------------------------------------------------------- E -------------------------------------------------------------------- "You're running blind..." (1:48) I am almost certainly wrong/incomplete here; it doesn't sound full enough E -------------------------12-------------------------------------- B --15-\-13--15-\--------------15-\-13--15-\-17--17----17----17---- G --14-\-12--14-\-14-----------14-\-12--14-\-17-------------------- D ----------------14--14-12-------------------------17----17------- A ----------------------------------------------------------------- E ----------------------------------------------------------------- E ----------------------------------------------------------------- B --15-\-13--15-\-10---13--12-------------------------------------- G --14-\-12--14-\-9------------------------------------------------ D ---------------------14--12-------------------------------------- A ----------------------------------------------------------------- E ----------------------------------------------------------------- E -----------------------5-/-7-/-10-/-12-/-14---------------------- B ----6--6-/-8--8--------6-/-8-/-11-/-13-/-15---------------------- G ----5--5-/-7--7--------5-/-7-/-10-/-12-/-14---------------------- D ----------------------------------------------------------------- A ----------------------------------------------------------------- E ----------------------------------------------------------------- (the rhythm under the solo is a variation on the segment above) Ending (3:11) v-- natural harmonics E -----------3----3-------3--------5--------------------------------- B ---------3--------3-------3------3-------------------------<7>----- G ---------------------------------2------------------<5>------------ D ---------------------------------0------------<5>------------------ A --0-2-3-------2------1--------------------------------------------- E ------------------------------------------------------------------- Version 2: The Dan Amrich "Obviously Wrong But More Comfy" Way Main verse riff: E -3-2--0-0-0-----0-------1-0--3-3-----------3------2-------- B -3-3--3-2---2-----2-----1-1--3-3---------3--------3-------- G -2-2--2-2-----2---------0-0--5-4------------------2-------- D -0-0--0-0---------------0-0--0-0------------------0-------- A -----------------------------------0-2-3-----2-0----------- E --------------------------------------------------------- This is what I've always used and it's a hell of a lot easier to play, so long as you don't mind it being totally wrong from what's on the record. :) DanAmrich@aol.com