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Editorβs notes
In this lesson, Iβll teach you how to play the unplugged (acoustic) version of βAbout a Girlβ by Nirvana. This tutorial includes chords, tabs, strumming pattern, and explains how to play the riff heard between verses. Nirvanaβs unplugged in NY album was one of my favorites from my middle school years (1993-1995) β and I always preferred the acoustic Nirvana sound to that of their proper studio albums. This is the opening track to their unplugged album, and of course you can find the original version on their first album βBleachβ.
Tuning FYI
Note, youβll need to tune down 1/2 step if you want to play along with Nirvanaβs version (theyβre using E-flat tuning). I decided to use standard tuning in my video lesson above. Take note of this in case you want to play along with Nirvana.
Chord progressions
For every chord listed below, play two counts (e.g., 2 counts of E-minor, then 2 counts of G-major).
INTRO Em G x4
VERSE "I need an easy friend..."
Em G x4
CHORUS "I'll take advantage while..."
C# C#/G# F# F# x2
"But I can't see you every night..."
Em Em A C x1
"Free..."
Em G x4
How to play the chords
E βββ0βββββ3ββββββββββββββββββ(2)βββ(0)βββ(0)ββββ
B βββ0βββββ0ββββ(6)ββββ(6)ββββ(2)βββ(2)βββ(1)ββββ
G βββ0βββββ0βββββ6ββββββ6βββββ(3)ββββ2βββββ0βββββ
D βββ2βββββ0βββββ6ββββββ6ββββββ4βββββ2βββββ2βββββ
A βββ2βββββ2βββββ4ββββββxββββββ4βββββ0βββββ3βββββ
E βββ0βββββ3ββββββββββββ4ββββββ2βββββββββββββββββ
Em G C# C#/G# F# A C
Strumming the Em and G
Most of the song uses this simple progression. Broadly, this is what youβll want to play:
"I need an easy friend..."
E βββ0βββββββββββ3ββββββββββββ
B βββ0βββββββββββ0ββββββββββββ
G βββ0βββββββββββ0ββββββββββββ
D βββ2βββββββββββ0ββββββββββββ ...repeat
A βββ2βββββββββββ2ββββββββββββ
E βββ0βββββββββββ3ββββββββββββ
β β β β β β
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Em G
And if you want to get precise with your strumming, follow these tabs. If you can emphasize the highest note in each strum to give bit of melodic suggestion to your playing.
E βββββββββ0ββββββββ3ββ3ββ3βββ
B βββββββββ0ββ0βββββ0ββ0ββ0βββ
G βββββββββ0ββ0βββββ0ββ0ββ0βββ
D βββ2ββββββββ2ββββββββ0ββββββ ...repeat
A βββ2βββββββββββββββββ2ββββββ
E βββ0βββββββββββββββββ3ββββββ
β β β β β β
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Em G
Spicing up the F#
In the refrain/chorus section of the song, hereβs a tab. Youβll either need to use barre chords or power chords (the latter being much easier β only focus on the bottom 2 or 3 strings). Note on the F#, the second time I pay it I like to remove my fingers from the thinnest two strings. This creates a nice dissonant sound that seems to match what you hear in the Nirvana version.
"Take advantage while..."
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ(2)ββββββ(0)βββββββββββββ
B ββ(6)βββββββββ(6)βββββββββ(2)ββββββ(0)βββββββββββββ
G βββ6βββββββββββ6ββββββββββ(3)ββββββ(3)βββββββββββββ
D βββ6βββββββββββ6βββββββββββ4ββββββββ4ββββββββββββββ
A βββ4βββββββββββxβββββββββββ4ββββββββ4ββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββ4βββββββββββ2ββββββββ2ββββββββββββββ
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
β β β β β β β β β β β β
C# C#/G# F#
Transitioning from Em to A to C
For this section, I like to focus on the bassiest 3-4 strings only, to give a deep and raw sound.
"But I can't see you every night..."
E ββ(0)βββββββββββββββββββββ(0)ββββββ(0)βββββββββββββ
B ββ(0)βββββββββββββββββββββ(2)ββββββ(1)βββββββββββββ
G ββ(0)ββββββββββββββββββββββ2ββββββββ0ββββββββββββββ
D βββ2βββββββββββββββββββββββ2ββββββββ2ββββββββββββββ
A βββ2βββββββββββββββββββββββ0ββββββββ3ββββββββββββββ
E βββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
β β β β β β β β β β β β
Em A C
The riff
Finally, the riff. This can be played on top of the Em-G progression. The piece of advice Iβd give here is that you can see the suggestion of the E and G powerchords, via (x 7 9 9 x x) and (x 10 12 12 x x) in the second half of this tab. This isnβt need-to-know information, but it makes playing it a bit easier in my opinion.
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G βββββββββββββββββ7/9ββββ9βββββββββ/12ββββ12ββββββββ
D ββββββββββββ5β7ββ7/9ββββ9βββββββββ/12ββββ12ββββββββ
A βββββββ5β7βββββββββββββ(7)ββββββββββββββ(10)βββββββ
E βββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Good luck!
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