Whale And Wasp Guitar Tab

Jar Of Flies Tabs:

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Date: Thu, 20 Jul 95 14:32:00 PDT
From: Amit Srivastava 
Subject: Alice-in-Chains - Whale & Wasp

                                Alice-in-Chains
                                 Whale & Wasp
                        Transcribed by: Amit Srivastava
                                 slash@mit.edu

Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything to the archive, and I 
noticed this song wasn't there, so I'll give it my best shot.  As with 
all Alice-in-Chains songs, you must tune down 1/2 step to play this 
song.  Note:  I was too lazy to tune down 1/2 step, so parts of this 
(especially Rhy. Fig. 2) aren't totally accurate, but the bass (root) 
notes are definitely correct.  Here goes:

Rhy. Fig. 1

Gtr. I

Eb----------------|--------3------|---------------|3-------3------|
Bb----------------|----------3----|---------------|--3-------3----|
Gb-----0-----0---0|----0-------0--|----0-----0----|----0-------0--|
Db---0-----0------|--0------------|--0-----0------|---------------|
Ab----------------|---------------|------3-----6--|---------------|
Eb-6-----5-----4--|3-----3-------3|6--------------|------3-------3|

Gtr. II

Eb---B----slow rel|---------------|---------------|---------------|
Bb-10-(11)--------|(8)------------|---------------|---------------|
Gb----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
Db----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
Ab----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
Eb----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

The (8) is a ghost note.  As you're releasing the bend on the 10, lift 
up your finger so that the 8 sounds.  In a way it's a VERY gentle 
pull-off.  You can also pick it softly if you want, I guess.

Rhy. Fig. 2
                                                            HP
Eb-----3-----3---3|----3-----3---3|----3-----3----|2-------232----|
Bb---3-----3------|--3-----3------|--3-----3------|3-----------3--|
Gb-0-----2-----2--|5-----4-----4--|5-----4-----5--|2-------------2|
Db----------------|---------------|---------------|0--------------|
Ab----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
Eb----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

The 232 thing is just a triplet, and I wanted to stick to the pattern of 
two dashes per eighth note.

Rhy. Fig. 3

   G              |C              |C              |G

                Full                  1/2 Full  Full 
Eb--------------/-|---------------|--/---/-----||---------------|
Bb-12----13----13-|-13------------|12----10----10-|8--------------|
Gb----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
Db----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
Ab----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
Eb----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|

Rhy. Fig. 4

                  ------          ----
                  |1,2,3          |4 
                  |               |
   D              |C              |N.C. (G)
    1/2           |               | 
Eb--/------------| 1/2 ----------|sl ------------|
Bb-7-----5-----3--|-/-----------7|/12------------|
Gb----------------|4-----2-0------|---------------|
Db----------------|---------------|---------------|
Ab----------------|---------------|---------------|
Eb----------------|---------------|---------------|

Now for the structure of the song:

Rhy. Fig. 1  4x
Rhy. Fig. 2  2x
Rhy. Fig. 1  2x
Rhy. Fig. 3  4x
Rhy. Fig. 4  4x
Rhy. Fig. 1  2x

That's the whole song.  No lyrics, of course.  I love posting 
instrumentals.  :)  Comments, corrections, gifts, donations, etc. may by 
mailed to slash@mit.edu

Brought to you by the GUITARMASTA - http://www.guitarmasta.net

Source: http://www.guitarmasta.net/a/alice_in_chains/220647.html

Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques


No Picture Flappy Average	#1 by Flappy Bob at Sep 26, 2007 at 8:38 PM EST
	innumerable ur stupid...how can this song be about drugs...ur an idiot...just relax and listen to this sooothing music...makes me cry...wired instruments...I wish AIC woulda done more instrumentals like this...This is wut AIC sounds like if they were instrumerntl

No Picture James Wanna Be	#2 by James Wareing at Sep 27, 2007 at 2:59 PM EST
	beautiful song, however, i think that the string instrument in the background is a viola

No Picture Ben Average	#3 by Ben at Sep 27, 2007 at 5:50 PM EST
	Jerry said he originally recorded the demo to this song when he was 13 at his uncles house. Amazing tune 1

No Picture Fontaine Average	#4 by Fontaine at Sep 28, 2007 at 8:50 PM EST
	Jerry Cantrell is an amazing songwriter. The music here is beautiful. And I think the Whale & Wasp thing comes out in the instruments used in the song. The whale is the electric lead guitar playing (bending) the sustained high notes during the song. Which sound a lot like whale calls. The wasp seems to be the violin or cello which kinda responds to it later in the song. The violin has a buzzing tone, kinda like a flying wasp would. So that's my theory on where the whale & wasp idea came from. Whether there's some deeper meaning to the music or to the theory of whale & wasp, I don't know. If anyone out there has a deeper meaning, put it up here.

No Picture evan Average	#5 by evan at Sep 29, 2007 at 1:43 AM EST
	this song is pure genius! what more can i say? listening to this when i am high is fuckin bad ass! cantrell is genius for making his guitar actually resemble whale calls.

No Picture kevin Wanna Be	#6 by kevin Beaubien at Sep 29, 2007 at 4:18 AM EST
	The song gives me a sort of sinking feeling withe the guitar. Then the cello reminds me that there is hope even as I plunge into a canyon of despair

No Picture Seamus Average	#7 by Seamus at Sep 29, 2007 at 5:38 AM EST
	it says in the booklet that came with the cd it's a cello playing not viola.

No Picture CHAD Wanna Be	#8 by CHAD at Sep 29, 2007 at 6:08 PM EST
	Yea, the bending guitars are awesome. But they're kinda over-powering in the beginning. Beautiful song anyways. Is this alice in chains' only instrumental?

No Picture ChilDog Wanna Be	#9 by ChilDog Unknown at Sep 30, 2007 at 12:07 AM EST
	Who's the moron who thought that cello was a violin?

No Picture Jesse Rhythm Player	#10 by Jesse Holmes at Sep 30, 2007 at 1:02 PM EST
	You've found the prize...put this link in the address bar... http://gorillamask.net/extremebugs.shtml

No Picture Maverick Average	#11 by Maverick at Sep 30, 2007 at 3:31 PM EST
	this song is amazing... truly one of the most meaningful songs done by alice in chains, even though no words are spoken theres still a feeling of pure emotion put into this song... it's simply unbeleivable they should deffinitly make a video for this song as a tribute to Layne, it would be so perfect. rip layne/aic

No Picture stuart Professional	#12 by stuart finlayson at Sep 30, 2007 at 3:58 PM EST
	Jerry Cantrell doesn't have to say a word to convey his feelings in this song.. It's absolutely amazing.

No Picture Callum Average	#13 by Callum Baker at Oct 1, 2007 at 2:21 AM EST
	This song is so beautiful. I never thought an instrumental could make me cry.

No Picture Guillaume Wanna Be	#14 by Guillaume at Oct 3, 2007 at 3:57 PM EST
	this song is one of the best AIC songs ever

No Picture Eric Lead Player	#15 by Eric Hanstein at Oct 4, 2007 at 7:50 PM EST
	yes indeed imthemaninthebox, the string instrument is a viola...it reminds me of a funeral...think about that and listen to it

No Picture Paul Average	#16 by Paul at Oct 4, 2007 at 9:18 PM EST
	Maybe it was induced by drugs, innumerable, but I sincerely disagree. I think this song is about balancing extremes in sound and AIC did it oh so well with this song. I was in awe when I first heard this tune. It was just beyond masterful. I think the viola is the wasp and the electric is the whale. Maybe the steel acoustic guitar is there is provide some balance between the extremes. Anyway you look at it, you shall still find one of the most beautiful instrumental pieces of all time. It's shivering and yet so melodic that it might send you to the land of nodding off.

No Picture Roxie Wanna Be	#17 by Roxie Ramos at Oct 5, 2007 at 3:27 AM EST
	The string instrument in the background is a whale. What the hell are you guys talking about.

No Picture Adam Average	#18 by Adam at Oct 5, 2007 at 5:32 PM EST
	I think this song is about drugs.