Birth Ritual (Guitar)
Other versions:
Birth Ritual was recorded during the 1991 Badmotorfinger sessions, but set aside. The demos can be found on
the re-releases for the 2016 Badmotorfinger 25th anniversary and the 2014 Superunknown 20th anniversary.
The riff was written by Matt Cameron and Chris Cornell said that this is one of Soundgarden's favorite songs!
The band made an appearance in the 1992 film Singles, performing this song live. It's first release was on the
soundtrack. The 2017 25th anniversary re-issue included the performance in whole. The next release would be on
2010's Telephantasm and 2014's Echo of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across the Path compilations.
The low E and the A string will each be tuned down a whole step to D and G. This leaves us in DGDGbe, or how
it was affectionaly called by Kim Thayil: Digga digga tuning. The time signature can be thought of as 7/4,
though you may also split it up into alternating bars of 4/4 and 3/4.
The intro was recorded being played "forwards" and edited to play "backwards" in the song, so what we hear
is in reverse. We can replicate a similar effect through arpeggiating and alternate picking. For the verses
& outro, resist the urge to chug the open high D and G strings or slide up to the 5th fret on the low D
string after ringing out the G7sus chord. I isolated the guitar track and that is omly Ben Shepherd playing
on the bass.
Original release: https://youtu.be/Xq6V8uNnjZY
Demo from Badmotorfinger anniversary: https://youtu.be/4Qgy-MH04tk
Demo from Superunknown anniversary: https://youtu.be/8v1oBuQlpuA
My video lesson: https://youtu.be/mRGLJdQjI_g
[0:01 INTRO rhythm guitar]
e|-----------------| x4 |----------------------| x1 |---------| x3 |----------------| x1 |----------| x2
b|--------------3~-| |----------------------| |-------3-| |----------------| |--------3-|
G|-------------0~--| |------------4~--hb-r--| |------0--| |------4~--hb-r--| |-------0--|
D|------------0~---| |--------------------0-| |-----0---| |--------------0-| |------0---|
G|--0-5-5-0--------| |--0-5-5-0----------0--| |--0------| |--0----------0--| |--0-------|
D|-3---3-3-3-------| |-3---3-3-3------------| |-3-3-----| |-3-3------------| |-3-3------|
----AP--- ----AP--- -AP- -AP- -AP-
[0:02 simult. lead guitar]
e|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|----------------------------------------------------12-hb-r--10~-----10~------(12)------------------|
G|-12------------------11/12--12\10-------11/12-12\10----------------------(10)------12~--12-9-11h12~-|
D|---------9--------9-------------------9-------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---(12)------12--------------------12---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------17------------------------------|
b|---------12-h13-12----------17-hb-r----17-hb-r---------17-hb-r-(17)-|
G|-(12)---------------14~---------------------------------------------|
D|-----(9)-----------------15----------------------17~----------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
[0:42 VERSE, 0:55 VOX]
Dsus2 G7sus
e|------------------------------| x14
b|------------------------------|
G|---------------------------0~-|
D|-(2)-----------------------0~-|
G|--2------------------------x--|
D|--0--0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0--3~-|
---------PM---------
[1:27 CHORUS short]
A# C A#
/E /E /F
e|--------------------|
b|--------------------|
G|--------------------|
D|-2--5-5---3---------|
G|-3--3-3---3---5-3-5-|
D|--------------------|
[1:30 VERSE]
e|------------------------------| x12
b|------------------------------|
G|---------------------------0~-|
D|-(2)-----------------------0~-|
G|--2------------------------x--|
D|--0--0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0--3~-|
---------PM---------
[2:08 CHORUS long]
A# F F G D
sus sus 5 sus sus
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10-------------12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12--------|
D|--8--8--8--8--8--8---8--8--8--8--8----8/10--10--10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10--10/12-|
G|--8--10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10---8/10--10--12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12--10/12-|
D|--8-----------------------------------8/10--10----------------------------------10/12-|
D D D D A D
sus 5 aug sus4 /E /G
e|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------0-|
D|-(12-12-12)---------------------------12-10-12---7--2-2---------------0-|
G|--12-12-12--14-14-14-14--15-15-15-15--12-10-12---7--2-2-----------------|
D|--12-12-12--12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12--12-10-12---5--------0-0-0-0-0-----|
---------------v------------------ ----PM---
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10-------------12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12--------|
D|--8--8--8--8--8--8---8--8--8--8--8----8/10--10--10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10--10/12-|
G|--8--10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10---8/10--10--12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12--10/12-|
D|--8-----------------------------------8/10--10----------------------------------10/12-|
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-(12-12-12)---------------------------12-10-12---2--5-5---3---------|
G|--12-12-12--14-14-14-14--15-15-15-15--12-10-12---3--3-3---3---5-3-5-|
D|--12-12-12--12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12--12-10-12----------------------|
---------------v------------------
[2:35 VERSE]
e|------------------------------| x14
b|------------------------------|
G|---------------------------0~-|
D|-(2)-----------------------0~-|
G|--2------------------------x--|
D|--0--0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0--3~-|
---------PM---------
[3:19 CHORUS long]
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10-------------12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12--------|
D|--8--8--8--8--8--8---8--8--8--8--8----8/10--10--10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10--10/12-|
G|--8--10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10---8/10--10--12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12--10/12-|
D|--8-----------------------------------8/10--10----------------------------------10/12-|
e|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------0-|
D|-(12-12-12)---------------------------12-10-12---7--2-2---------------0-|
G|--12-12-12--14-14-14-14--15-15-15-15--12-10-12---7--2-2-----------------|
D|--12-12-12--12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12--12-10-12---5--------0-0-0-0-0-----|
---------------v------------------ ----PM---
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10-------------12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12--------|
D|--8--8--8--8--8--8---8--8--8--8--8----8/10--10--10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10--10/12-|
G|--8--10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10---8/10--10--12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12--10/12-|
D|--8-----------------------------------8/10--10----------------------------------10/12-|
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-(12-12-12)---------------------------12-10-12---2--5-5---3---------|
G|--12-12-12--14-14-14-14--15-15-15-15--12-10-12---3--3-3---3---5-3-5-|
D|--12-12-12--12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12--12-10-12----------------------|
---------------v------------------
[3:45 BRIDGE]
D/G Am
e|--------------------------------| x4 |---------------------------------|
b|--------------------------------| |---------------------------------|
G|-2------------------------------| |-2----------------------------0--|
D|-2---------------------------10-| |-2----------------------------0--|
G|----------------------------(9)-| |------------------------------x--|
D|-----3-3-3-3-3---3-3-5-5-5---7--| |------3-3-3-3-3---3-3-5-5-5---3--|
---------PM---------- ---------PM----------
[4:01 SOLO lead guitar w/ wah]
e|-------------------13-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|-----------15-hb-r--------------------------------10-hb-wb-r-11-11-11-11----------------------13hb-r-wb-|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12h15-----------|
D|-------12hb-------------------------10\--12\--(12\)---------------------5/11-11-------------------------|
G|---------------------12-12---12\-12\------------------------------------------------12-12---------------|
D|-12hb-r--------------------------------12\--12---------------------------------11-11--------------------|
--------TP---------
e|-------------------15qb-r-qb-r-qb-13--13-----------------------------------|
b|-13-11h13p11---11-------------------15--15p13h15---------11--11-13hb-r-11~-|
G|-------------12--------------------------------------------12--------------|
D|----------------------------------------------10-12-10---------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-12/13-15-18-17-15-17hb-r-hb-17-15-18-15h17p15-13-12-----------------13-hb-r-hb-r-13wb~--(13wb)--|
b|------------------------------------------------------15-13-hb-15--13----------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|13----13-----13---------------------------------------------------------------------------8hb-r-~v--\-|
b|---15---13-15--15-13-11h13p11--11h13p11-------------------------------------------------------------\-|
G|-----------------------------12----------12p10h12p10--------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------10-8p7--7--8-8--7-7--5-5--3--7-/8-----------------|
G|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
[4:01 simult. rhythm guitar repeats]
e|------------------------------| x4
b|------------------------------|
G|---------------------------0~-|
D|-(2)-----------------------0~-|
G|--2------------------------x--|
D|--0--0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0--3~-|
---------PM---------
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10-------------12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12--------|
D|--8--8--8--8--8--8---8--8--8--8--8----8/10--10--10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10--10/12-|
G|--8--10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10---8/10--10--12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12--10/12-|
D|--8-----------------------------------8/10--10----------------------------------10/12-|
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-(12-12-12)---------------------------12-10-12---2--5-5---3---------|
G|--12-12-12--14-14-14-14--15-15-15-15--12-10-12---3--3-3---3---5-3-5-|
D|--12-12-12--12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12--12-10-12----------------------|
---------------v------------------
e|------------------------------|
b|------------------------------|
G|---------------------------0~-|
D|-(2)-----------------------0~-|
G|--2------------------------x--|
D|--0--0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0--3~-|
---------PM---------
[4:30 CHORUS long]
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10-------------12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12--------|
D|--8--8--8--8--8--8---8--8--8--8--8----8/10--10--10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10--10/12-|
G|--8--10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10---8/10--10--12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12--10/12-|
D|--8-----------------------------------8/10--10----------------------------------10/12-|
e|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------0-|
D|-(12-12-12)---------------------------12-10-12---7--2-2---------------0-|
G|--12-12-12--14-14-14-14--15-15-15-15--12-10-12---7--2-2-----------------|
D|--12-12-12--12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12--12-10-12---5--------0-0-0-0-0-----|
---------------v------------------ ----PM---
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10-------------12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12--------|
D|--8--8--8--8--8--8---8--8--8--8--8----8/10--10--10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10--10/12-|
G|--8--10-10-10-10-10--10-10-10-10-10---8/10--10--12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12--10/12-|
D|--8-----------------------------------8/10--10----------------------------------10/12-|
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-(12-12-12)---------------------------12-10-12---2--5-5---3---------|
G|--12-12-12--14-14-14-14--15-15-15-15--12-10-12---3--3-3---3---5-3-5-|
D|--12-12-12--12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12--12-10-12----------------------|
---------------v------------------
[4:56 VERSE/OUTRO rhythm guitar]
Dsus
e|------------------------------| x18 |---------------------------------|
b|------------------------------| |---------------------------------|
G|---------------------------0~-| |---------------------------0-----|
D|-(2)-----------------------0~-| |-(2)-----------------------0---0-|
G|--2------------------------x--| |--2------------------------x---0-|
D|--0--0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0--3~-| |--0--0-0-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-0--3---0-|
---------PM--------- ---------PM---------
[5:09 simult. lead guitar w/ chorus or flanger]
D/G D/F# A/D
e|----1-----1--3hb-r-2-----| x9 |-1-----1-----3hb-r-2-----|
b|-1-----1-----3hb-r-3---3-| |----1-----1--3hb-r-3---3-|
G|-----------------------2-| |-----------------------2-|
D|-------------------------| |-------------------------|
G|-------------------------| |-------------------------|
D|-------------------------| |-------------------------|
-----------AP---------- -----------AP----------
D5
e|----1-----1--3hb-r-2-----| x4 |----1-----1--3hb-r-2-(2)-----|
b|-1-----1-----3hb-r-3---3-| |-1-----1-----3hb-r-3-(3)--3~-|
G|-----------------------2-| |--------------------------2~-|
D|-------------------------| |--------------------------0~-|
G|-------------------------| |-----------------------------|
D|-------------------------| |-----------------------------|
-----------AP---------- -------------AP---
[6:05 fin]
Tab legend
h hammer on
p pull off
~ let note ring out
v vibrato
() ghost note
qb quarter step bend
hb half step bend
wb whole step bend
r release bend
/ slide up
\ slide down
x muted strum
PM palm mute
TP tremolo picking
AP alternate picking