Plateau – Nirvana (Unplugged)

This song was originally performed by The Meat Puppets, but I will be giving you an EZ version on how to play this song using a much more user- friendly guitar/vocal arrangement.

Tempo: 90 BPM

This is the moment you've been waiting for. All of the fingerstyle/arpeggio-based lessons that might have bored you to death are basically coming together in this song.

In this song, the idea is to ONLY use your thumb, 1st, and 2nd fingers. By now you should realize the logical way in which you should employ your picking fingers. I HAVE simplified the tablature here, but you can play right along with the original song.

Important: The tuning is NOT standard. It is 'flattened.'

In other words, instead of E-A-D-G-B-e you will need to tune to: Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb-Eb

The chords are relative to the tuning, so when you see a "G" chord you will still basically play a G chord in its normal position.

Applying Fingerstyle

Because you might not have taken my tutorials on how I like to apply fingerstyle, here’s a quick guide:

In general, the thumb can be used for any notes on the Low E, A, and even D strings at times. I also recommend using your 1 st finger for notes on the G and B strings if this is comfortable to you. You can then use your 2 nd finger to play any notes on the High E string (and sometimes B if you’re up to it).

This allows you to use a maximum of three digits (thumb, 1 st , and 2 nd ) to keep your picking focus on. Traditional fingerstyle teachers won’t agree with me, but we’re trying to get through a song, so I say keep it simple. When you arrange your digits this way, a “C” is formed with your picking hand, with the thumb being the digit closest to the ceiling and the 1 st and 2 nd fingers being closest to the floor.

You’ll notice the way I finger the progressions might look weird, but I’ve found this to be the easiest way. Here are the fretting hand fingerings for each theme. Before We Begin....

Structure is the key to this song. It's not nearly as challenging when you realize the arrangement.

Intro Verse 1 Chorus Verse 2 Chorus Verse 3 Bridge Outro

The Intro

The intro and verse theme are absolutely identical, but are played a different number of times. First, take a look at the tab for the intro and verse:

This piece of tab should become your best friend in this song because it is the overall theme.

For the Intro: The above tab is played FOUR times and then you proceed to the first verse. Fretting Hand Fingerings:

Picking Hand Fingerings:

Verse 1:

For the Verse: This same tab is played FOUR times as well before moving into a 2/4 time change.

The 2/4 Time Change

This tab is played immediately after you have played through the verse theme four times:

Play this only once and be sure not to turn it into a 4/4 time signature. This part is 'cut time' and will feel a bit awkward at first.

After you have completed this part, you will then move directly into the chorus.

Fretting Hand Fingerings:

Picking Hand Fingerings:

The Chorus

This is played during the chorus:

Don't pay too much attention to every detail. Really you are just playing a G chord until you reach the Bb. The Bb then turns into a Bb/F (bass note!) to end each measure. This is played for the duration of the chorus. I didn't include fingerings for either picking or fretting hand here because you are really just playing any variation of picking from the G chord to Bb.

Again - don't focus on the detail of each note.

After you have played the chorus, you will need to play the intro/main theme below, which is the same as it was from the very beginning:

You will play this part a TOTAL of TWO times and then go back into the verse.

Verse 2

Verse 2 is cut a bit short, so instead of four times you will play this verse a total of TWO times. You still play the same intro/main theme:

Guess what comes next? The 2/4 time change again:

The Chorus (2)

Simply repeat the same chorus as before.

Verse 3

Yet another verse, which is played differently again. You'll play the same intro/main theme a total of FOUR times:

The Bridge This might not technically be a bridge, but I'm calling it one anyway. What you are playing here is just a two chord combo of what you've already played. Here it is:

It's just the Abmaj7 into the Bb. After this you will play the outro.

The Outro

This is MUCH more confusing to look at - not play, but the movements are rather tricky. You will play this entire series of chords through a total of FOUR times, and then end on A Major.

I have included fingerings for the fretting hand:

I have also included fingerings for the picking hand:

Note: As always feel free to modify these as you want. I don't want to force your fingers into a pattern, but this is basically what I am doing.

Before You Begin The Video

You might want to watch it the first time before playing along. Also, it's hard to sing this song, but the chord reference file should help get the basic structure down. I tried my best to avoid 'stealing' the way Cobain performed this song, but it's hard not to. The original Meat Puppets version is super weird, so I avoided that completely. Here is the ‘chord’ version of the song:

Note: The ‘names’ of the chords might not be 100% accurate, but they are still complimentary to the chord version below. Notice on the C6add9 that I included a (1) which indicates that the “1” is played immediately after the “0” on the same string. When you get to the actual tab for the outro you will see what I mean. If a string doesn’t have a note on it then it simply doesn’t need to be played in this easy version.

The last thing to note is the two Bb and Bb/F chords, which are played during the chorus. These are ‘standard’ Bb and Bb/F chords. In other words, really you are just playing a Bb (not the one on the ‘6’) and then adding the F bass note to the Bb to end this progression.

Intro: G – Bb (x3) then Fadd9 (entire progression played x4)

Verse 1:

G Bb G Bb G Bb Fadd9 Many a hand has scaled the grand old face of the plateau G Bb G Bb G Bb Fadd9 Some belong to stra------ngers and some to folks you know G Bb G Bb G Bb Fadd9 Holy ghosts and talk show hosts are planted in the sand G Bb G Bb G Bb Fadd9 – Abmaj7 (2/4 time for Abmaj7) To beau----tify the foot------hills and shake the many hands

Chorus:

G Bb* Bb/F* Nothing on the top but a bucket and a mop G Bb* Bb/F* And an illustrated book about birds G Bb* Bb/F* You see a lot up there but don't be scared G Bb* Bb/F* Who needs action when you got words?

G – Bb (x3) then Fadd9 (entire progression played x2)

Verse 2:

G Bb G Bb G Bb Fadd9 / When you've finished with the mop then you can stop and look at what you’ve done G Bb G Bb G Bb Fadd9 /– Abmaj7 (2/4 time for Abmaj7) The plateau's clean, no dirt to be seen, and the work - it was fun

Chorus 2:

G – Bb (x3) then Fadd9 (entire progression played x2)

Verse 3:

G Bb G Bb G Bb Fadd9 Many hands began to scan around for the next plateau G Bb G Bb G Bb Fadd9 Some said it was Greenland and some say Mex----ico G Bb G Bb G Bb Fadd9 Others decided it was nowhere except for where they stood G Bb G Bb G Bb Fadd9 – Abmaj7 – Bb (regular 4/4 time) Those are all just guess---es, wouldn't help you if they could.

Outro:

A – Add9 | Dmaj7 – C6add9 | A – Aadd9 | Fb5 – C6add9 (x4) then end on A Major

Here is the reference again:

Note that the Aadd9 is shown at the beginning, but really it is an A being played that goes into the Aadd9.