Me Wise Magic Van Halen (Best Of Volume 1) Transcribed by Mike Heasley (mheasley@hmc.edu). Corrections, flames, etc welcome! :) Edward uses a special version of his Peavey Wolfgang guitar that has a trans-trem bar on it. I've never been fortunate enough to see one of these close up, but basically it's like your standard whammy bar except when you pull up or push down to a different (TRANSposed) tuning, you can lock the bar in place. That way the whole guitar stays tuned up or down until you unlock it. As you can imagine, this makes certain parts of the song difficult to play for those of us with mere mortal guitars. What I've done is when there's section where Ed has his guitar locked to a different tuning (or at least when I think he does...), I have two sections of tab. One is for those lucky people with a trans-trem equipped axe, the other is for the rest of us. Some of these parts can be played reasonably using the standard tuning, others really need something like a capo to do them justice (but you gotta be quick putting on and taking off that capo!). So here goes... Key: / = slide pm = palm muted h = hammer on p = pull off v = tremolo bar down ^ = tremolo bar up ^( ) = bend to the note in parentheses Intro part 1: Trans-trem version, locked one whole step up ============================================================ E ---------------------------0---------- B -------0-----------------0------------ G -----2---2-------------2-------------- D ---2-----------------2---------------- A -0-----------------0------------------ E -----------1-2-1h2-----------1-2-1h2-- For standard guitars, this can be played pretty easily with or without a capo. With a capo, put your capo over the second fret and play the above with the fret positions relative to the second fret (i.e. 0 really means second fret, but it's still open since the capo is there). If yours is the type that clips on over the strings, try to put it over every string *except* the low E string. You'll see why in a bit. Without a capo, play the following: Normal version ============================================================ E ---------------------------2---------- B -------2-----------------2------------ G -----4---4-------------4-------------- D ---4-----------------4---------------- A -2-----------0---0-2-----------0---0-- E -----------3---3-------------3---3---- For both versions, repeat once, then repeat the first nine notes of the phrase six times. Intro part 2: Trans-trem version ============================================================ Start with the guitar locked up one whole step (continuing from Intro part 1). After strumming the first chord, adjust the tremolo bar so that the tuning goes down one whole step (back to normal tuning), back up one whole step, and then down again one whole step to normal tuning. On the second chord, go down one whole step below normal tuning, then pull back up two whole steps so that it's one whole step above normal tuning. I've tried to illustrate this using v's to show downward tuning and ^'s to show upward tuning. Lock the guitar into place, again one whole step above normal tuning. Listen to the song to hear how this goes... E -------------------------------------- B -------------------------------------- G -2-v-^-v------------------------------ D -2-v-^-v-2-v-^------------------------ A -0-v-^-v-2-v-^------------------------ E ---------0-v-^------------------------ Normal version ============================================================ If you're using a capo, just play the above using the whammy bar. Note that when I say "normal tuning" above, it's really one whole step down for you, "one whole step down" above is really two whole steps down, and "one whole step above normal" above is really normal with the capo there. If your capo does not cover the low E string (as described in intro part 1), simply play the last chord all open. Otherwise play as written. Without a capo, play the above but start with the whammy bar up a whole step and go from there. Intro part 3: Trans-trem version ============================================================ The guitar should be locked one whole step above normal at this point. E ---------------------------------------------------------- B ------12------10----10----8-----7-----5-----3-----1------- G ------12------11----11----9-----7-----6-----3-----2-2----- D -0h12----0h12----12----10---0h7---0h7---0h3---0h3---2---2- A ----------------------------------------------------0---2- E --------------------------------------------------------0- ^ Unlock the tremolo bar to normal position here (quickly) Normal version ============================================================ With a capo, just play the above with fret positions relative to the second fret (note that 12 above means 14th fret for you). If your capo does not cover the low E string (as described in intro part 1), simply play the last chord all open. Otherwise, where it says unlock the tremolo bar, get rid of that capo fast! Without a capo at all, play the following: E ----------------------------------------------------------- B -------14-------12----12----10-----9-----7-----5-----3----- G -------14-------13----13----11-----9-----8-----5-----4-4--- D ----14-------14----14----12------9-----9---2h5---2h5---4-2- A -------------------------------7-----7-----------------2-2- E -12-------12---------------------------------------------0- Intro part 4: Here all types of guitars play the same thing. The trans-trem should be fixed at normal tuning and no capos should be used. E -------------------- B -------------------- G -----4-4---4-4---4-- D -----4-4---4-4---4-- A ---0-2-2-0-2-2-0-2-- E -3------------------ Verse: E -------------------------------------------------------- B -------------------------------------------------------- G -----------------------------------------------8p7p5---- D ---------2-2-2-2-2-2-2-------------2-2-2-2-2-2-8p7p5---- A -------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-3p2-------0-0-0-0-0-0-0---------- E -3^(5)---------------------3^(5)------------------------ E -------------------------------------------------------- B -------------------------------------------------------- G -------------------------------------------2h5p2h6p2h7-- D ---------2-2-2-2-2-2-2-------------2-2-2-2-2h5p2h6p2h7-- A -------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-3p2-------0-0-0-0-0-------------- E -3^(5)---------------------3^(5)------------------------ E -------------------------------------------------------- B -------------------------------------------------------- G -------------------------------------------5h7p5h8p7p5-- D ---------2-2-2-2-2-2-2-------------2-2-2-2-5h7p5h8p7p5-- A -------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-3p2-------0-0-0-0-0-------------- E -3^(5)---------------------3^(5)------------------------ E -------------------------------------------------------- B -------------------------------------------------------- G -------------------------------------------------------- D ---------2-2-2-2-2-2-2-------------2---2-2---2---------- A -------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-3p2-------0-0---0-0---0---------- E -3^(5)---------------------3^(5)-----3-----3------------ E --------------------------------------------- B -8p7p5-7-5--5-8-7-5-7-5--8p7p5-7-5--5-8-7-5-- G -8p7p5-7-5--5-8-7-5-7-5--8p7p5-7-5--5-8-7-5-- D -8p7p5-7-5--5-8-7-5-7-5--8p7p5-7-5--5-8-7-5-- A --------------------------------------------- E --------------------------------------------- E --------------------------------------------- B --------------------------------------------- G --------------------------------------------- D --------------------------------------------- A -3/5h12p5/6h13p6/7h14p7/8h15p8/9h16p10------- E --------------------------------------------- E -------------------------------------------------------- B -------------------------------------------------------- G -------------------------------------------------------- D ---------2-2-2-2-2-2-2-------------2---2-2---2---------- A -------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-3p2-------0-0---0-0---0---------- E -3^(5)---------------------3^(5)-----3-----3------------ E ---3---------8-----------13------------------ B -5---7-7--10---12-12--15----17-17------------ G -5---7-7--10---12-12--15----17-17------------ D -5---7-7--10---12-12--15----17-17------------ A -3---5-5--8----10-10--13----15-15------------ E --------------------------------------------- Lead-in to chorus: Here we start using the trans-trem again... Trans-trem version ============================================================ Strum the first chord, then pull the tuning one whole step up and lock into place (as indicated by the ^'s). E ------------------------------------------------ B -12-^--10-10-10-12-12--10-10-10-10-12-12-12-12-- G -12-^--11-11-11-12-12--11-11-11-11-12-12-12-12-- D -12-^--12-12-12-12-12--12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-- A -10-^------------------------------------------- E ------------------------------------------------ Normal version ============================================================ Push the whammy bar down a full step before strumming the chord, then pull it back up to the normal tuning (as indicated by the v's and ^'s). E -------------------------------------------------- B -v-14-^--12-12-12-14-14--12-12-12-12-14-14-14-14-- G -v-14-^--13-13-13-14-14--13-13-13-13-14-14-14-14-- D -v-14-^--14-14-14-14-14--14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-- A -v-12-^------------------------------------------- E -------------------------------------------------- Chorus: Trans-trem version ============================================================ E -0-0-0--0-0------------------------------------- B -2-0-3--2-0-5----------------------------------- G -2-1-2--2-1-5----------------------------------- D -2-2-0--2-2-5--7h16p7h12p7p4p0-12p10p7h10p0----- A -0-0-0--0-0-3----------------------------------- E ------------------------------------------------ E -0-0-0--0--------------------------------------- B -2-0-3--2--10-7--12-9-9-2----------------------- G -2-1-2--2--10-7--12-9-9-2----------------------- D -2-2-0--2--10-7--12-9-9-2----------------------- A -0-0-0--0--8--5--10-7-7-0----------------------- E ------------------------------------------------ At this point, retune the guitar down to normal tuning for the upcoming verse. Normal version ============================================================ E -2-2-2--2-2------------------------------------- B -4-2-5--4-2-7----------------------------------- G -4-3-4--4-3-7----------------------------------- D -4-4-2--4-4-7--9h18p9h14p9p6---14p12p9h12------- A -2-2-2--2-2-5---------------h7-----------h7----- E ------------------------------------------------ E -2-2-2--2--------------------------------------- B -4-2-5--4--12-9--14-11-11-4--------------------- G -4-3-4--4--12-9--14-11-11-4--------------------- D -4-4-2--4--12-9--14-11-11-4--------------------- A -2-2-2--2--10-7--12-9--9--2--------------------- E ------------------------------------------------ Repeat verse and chorus. There are a few slight variations this time around, but nothing major. Solo: (rhythm guitar, the actual solo's going to take a while to figure out...). E -------------------------------------------------- B -------------------------------------------------- G -------------------------------------------------- D -------4-2-2-2------5-4---4-2-2-2----------------- A -------4-2-2-2------5-4---4-2-2-2----------------- E -3p2p0-2-0-0-0--x-0-3-2-0-2-0-0-0--x-x-x---------- Repeat 3 times with slight variations. The next part is essentially the same, but moved up one string: E -------------------------------------------------- B -------------------------------------------------- G -------4-2-2-2------5-4---4-2-2-2----------------- D -------4-2-2-2------5-4---4-2-2-2----------------- A -3p2p0-2-0-0-0--x-0-3-2-0-2-0-0-0--x-x-x---------- E -------------------------------------------------- Repeat three times with slight variations. Lead-out from the solo: E -----------------9-10-----------------10-11------- B -4h12p4h7h13p5h8-6-7--5h13p5h8h14p6h9-7--8-------- G -----------------6-7------------------7--8-------- D -----------------6-7------------------7--8-------- A -------------------------------------------------- E -------------------------------------------------- E ------------------11-12-------------------12-13--- B -6h14p6h9h15p7h10-8--9--7h15p7h10h16p9h11-9--10--- G ------------------8--9--------------------9--10--- D ------------------8--9--------------------9--10--- A -------------------------------------------------- E -------------------------------------------------- E -------------------13-14-11-15-12-16-13----17----- B -8h16p8h11h17p9h12-10-11----12----13----17-------- G -------------------10-11----12----13-------------- D -------------------10-11----12----13-------------- A -------------------------------------------------- E -------------------------------------------------- Repeat chorus, starting with the lead-in (without the first chord written above in "Lead-in"). The first line of the chorus as written above remains the same. The second line becomes: Trans-trem version (locked one whole step up) ============================================================ E -0-0-0--0-0------------------------------------- B -2-0-3--2-0-5------7---8p7---------------------- G -2-1-2--2-1-5--7-----7-----7-------------------- D -2-2-0--2-2-5----7------------------------------ A -0-0-0--0-0-3----------------------------------- E ------------------------------------------------ <-p m-> Normal version ============================================================ E -2-2-2--2-2------------------------------------- B -4-2-5--4-2-7------9---10p9--------------------- G -4-3-4--4-3-7--9-----9------9------------------- D -4-4-2--4-4-7----9------------------------------ A -2-2-2--2-2-5----------------------------------- E ------------------------------------------------ <-p m-> The whole chorus (with modified second line) is played a total of three times. Then: Trans-trem version (locked one whole step up) ============================================================ E -0-0-0--0---------------------------------------- B -2-0-3--2--9-5--10-7--12-9--9-5--10-7--12-9-9-2-- G -2-1-2--2--9-5--10-7--12-9--9-5--10-7--12-9-9-2-- D -2-2-0--2--9-5--10-7--12-9--9-5--10-7--12-9-9-2-- A -0-0-0--0--7-3--8--5--10-7--7-3--8--5--10-7-7-0-- E ------------------------------------------------- Normal version ============================================================ E -2-2-2--2--------------------------------------------- B -4-2-5--4--11-7--12-9--14-11--11-7--12-9--14-11-11-4-- G -4-3-4--4--11-7--12-9--14-11--11-7--12-9--14-11-11-4-- D -4-4-2--4--11-7--12-9--14-11--11-7--12-9--14-11-11-4-- A -2-2-2--2--9--5--10-7--12-9---9--5--10-7--12-9--9--2-- E ------------------------------------------------------ Repeat Intro part 1 until the end. After a few repetitions, play the same thing, only tapping the harmonics twelve frets (one octave) above with your right hand (keeping your left hand in the same fingering position). Well, that's it kiddies. I'm pretty sure most of this is very close if not correct, but I'm also quite sure that some of it is not exactly right. So please, if you have any other ideas, let me know.