Black Rain (Guitar)
Other versions:
Black Rain was released in 2010 and was Soundgarden's first single since 1997. It was however initially
recorded during the Badmotorfinger sessions in 1991 and scrapped from the album due to frustrations with
songwriting. When the band got back together again in 2010, they revisited the demo, which would then also be
released on the 2016 25th anniversary re-issue of Badmotorfinger. It's title was "Black Days", with the chorus
lyrics "Fell on black days", rather than the ultimate "Cry on, black rain". Chris Cornell would later use
said lyrics to write the 1994 Superunknown song of the same title. The band re-arranged the song and while the
vocals in the chorus were recorded by Chris in 2010, the rest are from 1991!
Kim added some pretty gnarly guitar overdubs with a wah, whammy or chorus effect. Probably a mix thereof.
He also plays some bends by pushing down behind the bridge on his Guild S-100. Should your bridge not allow
for that, a nearly identical effect can be achieved by pushing down on the string behind the nut, instead.
If your bridge is equipped with an actual tremolo arm, you of course may use that. To re-create the feedback,
you could try having your guitar's volume knob turned all the way down and then turn it back up. Or you could
bring your pickups close to your amp at full volume. I heavily suspect that the first segment of the intro
was recorded backwards and is being played in reverse in the final mix. I don't know which guitar pedal or
plugin could be used to recreate this effect, so I wrote out the notes as they would be played "forwards".
At least four guitar tracks are featured, all of them in drop D tuning (DADGbe). As far as the strumming
pattern is concerned, Kim and Chris did not consistently play alternating up- and downstrokes throughout
the intro/chorus segments, but went back and forth between them pretty randomly, which you could also see
them do live. Just strum how it feeels most ergonomic to you. The song's time signatures are mostly 9/8
and 3/4. Take care to play the 4th bar of each pre-chorus a bit shorter than the others. I tried to indicate
this with a stop symbol.
This is my transcript of the 5:24 long full album version, found on the compilations Telephantasm from 2010
and Echo of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across the Path from 2014. A 4:09 shortened radio edit with most of the
intro and all of the outro cut was also released and featured in the video games Guitar Hero: Warriors of
Rock and Guitar Hero Live.
See my video lesson: https://youtu.be/fe1h8xJqsfA
Black Rain album version: https://youtu.be/K913KVe3kH8
Black Days demo version: https://youtu.be/v6r3616hOlQ
[0:01 INTRO w/ 1 guitar]
e|--------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
b|--------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
G|---5-7-5-5-5-5-7-5-5-5-5v-|-10p7-7-7-7-11-11-11-10\7-7p5-5h7qb-9hb-r-9p7-7-7-7-|
D|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--|-0----0-0-0-0--0--0--0----0---0-----0-----0---0-0-0-|
A|--------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
... fade in
e|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
b|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
G|-14-14-14-14\7--7p5-5h7qb-9hb-9p7-7-7-7-|-12-12-12v\5--7p5-5h7qb-9hb-r-9p7-7-7-7-|
D|-0--0--0--0--0--0---0-----0---0---0-0-0-|-0--0--0------0---0-----0-----0---0-0-0-|
A|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
e|------------------------|-------------------------------|
b|------------------------|-------------------------------|
G|-7p5-5-5-5v--10p7-------|-11-11-11-10\7-7p5-5h7qb-7h9qb-|
D|-0---0-0-0---0----0-0-0-|-0--0--0--0----0---0-----0-----|
A|------------------------|-------------------------------|
D|------------------------|-------------------------------|
[0:20 INTRO cont. 1st rhythm guitar]
D5 F5 D5 D5
e|------| |-------------|-------------|-------------|------------------------|
b|------| |-3-------3---|-3-------3---|-3-------3---|-3----------------------|
G|------| |-2-------2---|-2-------2---|-2-------2---|-2----------------------|
D|------| |-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3--------------------|
A|------| |---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3--------------------|
D|------| |---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3--/--16-15v--12-11v-|
feedback
[simult. 2nd rhythm guitar]
D5 F D D5 D F5
maj sus2 maj
e|------| |---------0---|-2-------0---|-2-------0---|-2----------------------|
b|------| |-3-------3---|-3-------3---|-3-------3---|-3----------------------|
G|------| |-2-------2---|-2-------2---|-2-------2---|-2----------------------|
D|------| |-0-7-----0-0-|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3--------------------|
A|------| |---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3--------------------|
D|------| |---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3--/--16-15v--12-11v-|
[0:31 lead guitar] w/ whammy or wah
e|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------14v----12**---0~-----(12h14)-14-----12h14~-|
D|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
... fade in PH
[0:41 VERSE w/ 2 guitars playing simult.]
D#5
e|---------------------------|----------------------------|---------------------------| x2 |-----------------|
b|---------------------------|----------------------------|---------------------------| |-----------------|
G|---------------------------|----------------------------|---------------------------| |-----------------|
D|---------------------------|----------------------------|---------------------------| |-----------------|
A|---------------------------|----------------------------|---------------------------| |---------1-------|
D|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--16hb-15v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--15hb-14v--|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--15hb-12v-| |-0-0-2h3-1--/17\-|
[1:04 VERSE cont. vocals join. 1st rhythm guitar]
e|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|------------------| x2
b|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|------------------|
G|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|------------------|
D|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|------------------|
A|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------1--------|
D|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--16hb-15v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--15hb-14v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--15hb-12v-|-0-0-2h3-1----/12-|
e|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|-----------|
b|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|-----------|
G|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|-----------|
D|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|-----------|
A|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------1-|
D|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--16hb-15v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--15hb-14v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--15hb-12v-|-0-0-2h3-1-|
e|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
b|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
G|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
D|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
A|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
D|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--16hb-15v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--15hb-14v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--15hb-12v-|
e|-----------|-------------------|
b|-----------|-------------------|
G|-----------|-------------------|
D|-----------|-------------------|
A|---------1-|---------1---------|
E|-0-0-2h3-1-|-0-0-2h3-1---/17\1-|
[simult. 2nd rhythm guitar]
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|------------------| x2
b|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|------------------|
G|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|------------------|
D|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|------------------|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|---------1--------|
D|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--4hb-3v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--3hb-2v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--3hb-0-|-0-0-2h3-1----/12-|
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|------------------|
b|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|------------------|
G|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|------------------|
D|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|------------------|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|---------1--------|
D|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--4hb-3v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--3hb-2v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--3hb-0-|-0-0-2h3-1----/17-|
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
b|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
G|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
D|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|
D|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--4bh-3v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--3hb-2v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--3hb-0-|
e|------------------------------|
b|------------------------------|
G|------------------------------|
D|------------------------------|
A|---------1----------1---------|
E|-0-0-2h3-1--0-0-2h3-1---/17\1-|
[1:56 PRE-CHORUS w/ 2 guitars playing simult.]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
b|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
D|-0-0-3-6-5v--8v-|-0-0-3-5-3v--6v-|-0-0-3-6-5v--8v-|-0-0-3-5-3v--6hb-.-|
e|--------------|---------------|----------------|------------|
b|--------------|---------------|----------------|------------|
G|--------------|---------------|----------------|------------|
D|--------------|---------------|----------------|------------|
A|--------------|---------------|----------------|------------|
D|-0-3-6-5v--8v-|-0-0-3-5-3v-6v-|-0-0-3-6-5v--8v-|-0-0-3-5-3v-|
[2:18 CHORUS 1st rhythm guitar]
e|-------------|-------------|-------------|------------------------|
b|-3-------3---|-3-------3---|-3-------3---|-3----------------------|
G|-2-------2---|-2-------2---|-2-------2---|-2----------------------|
D|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3--------------------|
A|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3--------------------|
D|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3--/--16-15v--12-11v-|
[simult. 2nd rhythm guitar]
e|-2-------0---|-2-------0---|-2-------0---|-2----------------------|
b|-3-------3---|-3-------3---|-3-------3---|-3----------------------|
G|-2-------2---|-2-------2---|-2-------2---|-2----------------------|
D|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-7-----0-0-|-0-3--------------------|
A|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3--------------------|
D|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3--/--16-15v--12-11v-|
[VERSE 2:37 1st rhythm guitar]
e|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------| x2
b|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------|
G|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------|
D|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------|
A|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|---------1-------|
D|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--16b-15v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--15b-14v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--15b-12v-|-0-0-2h3-1---/12-|
e|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
b|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
G|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
D|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
A|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|---------1----------1-----|
D|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--16b-15v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--15b-14v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--15b-12v-|-0-0-2h3-1--0-0-2h3-1-/12-|
[simult. 2nd rhythm guitar]
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|-----------------| x2
b|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|-----------------|
G|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|-----------------|
D|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|-----------------|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|---------1-------|
D|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--4hb-3v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--3hb-2v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--3hb-0-|-0-0-2h3-1---/12-|
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|----------------------|
b|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|----------------------|
G|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|----------------------|
D|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|----------------------|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|------------------------|---------1----------1-|
D|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--4hb-3v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--3hb-2v-|-0-0-2h3-2-0-0-0--3hb-0-|-0-0-2h3-1--0-0-2h3-1-|
[2:50 simult. lead guitar] w/ whammy or wah
e|----------------------17-----------------------------------------------------------|
b|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--12h14--------------------14-------------\-------14qb**--14-14**-14-----12h14--12-|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
PH PH
[3:02]
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------17**---15**-17**----|
b|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-(12)-14**-----qb-r-12h14p12h14-12h14----12h14p12h14h-12h14-12**h14-14p12-14--12**---14-----------------12-|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------14-----------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
PH PH PH PH PH PH
[3:17 INTERLUDE w/ 1 guitar]
e|-------------------------------------------| x2
b|-------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------0h3h5-0h5h7-|
D|-------0h5h7-0h3h5-------0h3h5-------------|
A|-0h5h7-------------0h3h5-------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------|
[simult. lead guitar]
e|-----|
b|-----|
G|-12~-|
D|-----|
A|-----|
D|-----|
[3:23 PRE-CHORUS w/ 2 guitars playing simult.]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
b|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
D|-0-0-3-6-5v--8v-|-0-0-3-5-3v--6v-|-0-0-3-6-5v--8v-|-0-0-3-5-3v--6hb-.-|
e|--------------|------------|
b|--------------|------------|
G|--------------|------------|
D|--------------|------------|
A|--------------|------------|
D|-0-3-6-5v--8v-|-0-0-3-5-3v-|
[3:38 CHORUS 1st guitar]
e|-------------|-------------|-------------| x2
b|-3-------3---|-3-------3---|-3-------3---|
G|-2-------2---|-2-------2---|-2-------2---|
D|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3-----0-0-|
A|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|
D|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|
e|-------------|---------------------|
b|-3-------3---|-3-------------------|
G|-2-------2---|-2-------------------|
D|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3-----------------|
A|---3-------0-|---3-----------------|
D|---3-------0-|---3--16-15v--12-11v-|
[simult. 2nd guitar]
e|-2-------0---|-2-------0---|-2-------0---| x2
b|-3-------3---|-3-------3---|-3-------3---|
G|-2-------2---|-2-------2---|-2-------2---|
D|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3-----0-0-|
A|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|
D|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|---3-------0-|
e|-2-------0---|-2-------------------|
b|-3-------3---|-3-------------------|
G|-2-------2---|-2-------------------|
D|-0-3-----0-0-|-0-3-----------------|
A|---3-------0-|---3-----------------|
D|---3-------0-|---3--16-15v--12-11v-|
[3:52 1st lead guitar]
e|----| |---------|---------| x3 |---------|-------------|
b|----| |-9tr-----|-9hb-tr--| |-9-------|-9hb-tr--r-\-|
G|-7*-| |-12hb-tr-|-12wb-tr-| |-12hb-tr-|-12wb-tr-r-\-|
D|----| |---------|---------| |---------|-------------|
A|----| |---------|---------| |---------|-------------|
D|----| |---------|---------| |---------|-------------|
x13 x13 x13 x13
[4:08 simult. 2nd lead guitar] w/ whammy or wah
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|-(15---18)--(15-18)-18wb-v------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------19hb-r-brbrbrbrbrbr-19\--------7**--qb-r-|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------5*-----------|
D|----------------------------------------------------5*--------------|
NH NH PH
[4:19 PRE-CHORUS w/ 2 guitars simult.]
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
b|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|-------------------|
D|-0-0-3-6-5v--8v-|-0-0-3-5-3v--6v-|-0-0-3-6-5v--8v-|-0-0-3-5-3v--6hb-.-|
stop
e|--------------|--------------|
b|--------------|--------------|
G|--------------|--------------|
D|--------------|--------------|
A|--------------|--------------|
D|-0-3-6-5v--8v-|-0-0-3-5-3v-6v|
[4:35 INTERLUDE w/ 1 guitar]
e|-------------------------------------------| x2
b|-------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------0h3h5-0h5h7-|
D|-------0h5h7-0h3h5-------0h3h5-------------|
A|-0h5h7-------------0h3h5-------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------|
[4:42 OUTRO rhythm guitar]
e|--------------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------|
b|-----13-15----15----15----15----|-15----15----15----15-----|-13----13-------13----13-|-----------------|
G|-14#-------14----14----14----14-|----12*---12*---12*---12*-|----12*------12*---12*---|-14--------------|
D|--------------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|----16-(16)-(12)-|
A|--------------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------|
D|--------------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------|
PM NH NH NH NH NH NH NH
[4:44 simult. lead guitar]
e|---------------------------------------|
b|-----------------------7------------hb-|
G|---------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------|
D|-0-----b--------r----------------------|
bend behind fade in... fade out...
the bridge
or behind
the nut
[4:52 rhythm guitar cont.]
e|-------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|-------|
b|-15----15----15----15----|-15----15----15----15-----|-13----13------13----13-|-------|
G|----14----14----14----14-|----12*---12*---12*---12*-|----12*-----12*---12*---|-14----|
D|-------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|----16-|
A|-------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|-------|
D|-------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------|-------|
NH NH NH NH NH NH NH
[04:55 simult. lead guitar]
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
b|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------7**-------------------------5**------------------------(7**)-|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
PH PH PH
[5:03 rhythm guitar cont.]
e|---------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------|
b|-15-----15----15----15-----|-15----15----15----15-----|-13----13-------13-----13-|-----------------|
G|----14-----14----14----14--|----12*---12*---12*---12*-|----12*------12*---12*----|-14--------------|
D|---------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|----16-(16)-(12)-|
A|---------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------|
D|---------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------|
NH NH NH NH NH NH NH fade out slowly...
[5:06 simult. lead guitar]
e|-----------------------------------------------------------|
b|-----------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------7**-------5**---------------7**-|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------|
D|-(0)---0---------------------------------------------------|
PH PH PH
[5:13 rhythm guitar cont.]
e|---------------------------|----------------------------|-------------------------|
b|-15----15----15----15------|-15----15----15----15-------|-13----13------13-----13-|
G|----14----14----14----14---|----12*---12*---12*---12*---|----12*-----12*---12*----|
D|---------------------------|----------------------------|-------------------------|
A|---------------------------|----------------------------|-------------------------|
D|---------------------------|----------------------------|-------------------------|
NH NH NH NH NH NH NH
[5:15 simult. lead guitar]
e|--------------------|
b|--------------------|
G|----------------7**-|
D|--------------------|
A|--------------------|
D|-0------------------|
PH
[FIN 5:24]
Tab legend:
p pull off
h hammer on
v vibrato
\ slide down
/ slide up
. stop
~ ring out
() ghost note
* NH natural harmonic
** PH pinch harmonic
# PM palm mute
qb quarter step bend
hb half step bend
wb whole step bend
r release bend
tr tremolo picking
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