Sonic Youth › The Diamond Sea Guitar Tab

Washing Machine Tabs:

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The Diamond Sea Tab

Send "The Diamond Sea" Ringtone to your Cell Phone

Sonic Youth - The Diamond Sea

thurston's part
tuning: EGDGED

intro:
part 1

D---------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------
D---12--12--12--14----------------------
G----0---0---0---0---14--16--16--16-----
E---------------------0---0---0---0-----
play part one 4 times, followed by (part 2)

D-------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------
G---16-14-12-14-----12----14/16---16-14-12-14------12---------------
E---------------12-----12---------------------10------10------------


G------14/16-----14-----12-------
E--------------------------------
play that part twice


for the verses, T's plays nothing

chorus: play part 2 of intro

break:
(part 1)
D-------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------
E------12/1412----12/1512----12/1412-----

(part 2) w/ distortion play twice
D-----------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------
G-----------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------------------------------
G---7-7-74--4--4--4/11--11-11-11---------------------------------
E----------------------------------12-12-12--10-10-10---7--7--7-7-

after that part, basically just improv (that's what he does live) the next 
section, which consists of various harmonics on the 5th, 7th and 12th  
frets. He plays that for awhile, until he goes up to a tremelo picked 
section for awhile

G-----19------17-------
D------0-------0-------

then, it breaks down to noise for a bit..
more to come later..


LEE'S PART   tuning:  EEBBEF#

tabbed by chris lawrence (mustang@islandnet.com)

intro/verse:

F#--15---13---12---10--  w/ slight delay
E----------------------
B----------------------
B----------------------
E----------------------
E----------------------

2nd part of intro/chorus:

F#------------------------------------------         -------
E-------------------------------------------         -------
B-------------------------------------------  PLAY   -------
B--------57--5------------810-8----8------  TWICE  --7-0--
E------------------10-----------------------         -------
E---0---------------------------------------         -------

the choruses have some slight variation, but not much!

INSTRUMENTAL:

F#---57--7-7-5--5--5---58-8-8-8/5-5--5---5--57--7-7-5--5--5--
E----0----0-0-0--0--0---0---0-0-0---0--0---0--0----0-0-0--0--0--
B----57--7-7-5--5--5---58-8-8-8/5-5--5---5--57--7-7-5--5--5--
B---------------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------------

F#---------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------
B---10---107--7-7-7--714--14-14-14-14--
B---10---107--7-7-7--714--14-14-14-14--
E---10---107--7-7-7--714--14-14-14-14--
E---10---107--7-7-7--714--14-14-14-14--

F#--------0----------------3--------------------7---------------
E-------------0----------------3------------7-----7-------------
B-----------------0----------------3------7---7-----7-----------
B-----0----------------3------------------7-----------7--7-7-7--
E-------------------------------------37-------------7--7-7-7--
E---0---0---0---0----3---3---3---3----37-------------7--7-7-7--

REPEAT BOTH THOSE SEGMENTS...

F#----------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------
B--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6--
B--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6--
E-----------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------

F#----------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------
B--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8--
B--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8--
E-----------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------

F#-----------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------------ PLAY TWICE
B------------------------------------------------------------------
E--8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--
E--8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--

F#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12--
B--15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12--
B--15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12--
E--15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12--
E--15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-15-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12--

Keep repeating that riff, start including the notes on the F# string too.

Eventually he moves into a pattern like this (bottom 5 strings stay the
same, play this on F#):

F#---15--15--15-17--12--12-12-12-12-12--

then:

F#----------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------
B--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6--
B--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6--
E-----------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------

F#----------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------
B--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8--
B--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8--
E-----------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------

F#-----------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------------ PLAY TWICE
B------------------------------------------------------------------
E--8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--
E--8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--

then start droning on a dissonant chord like this:

F#-----
E--13--
B--12-- change the fingering a bit, just bend a skronky chord around...
B--11--
E--10--
E--10--

this spills out into the final verse...

which is a little different than before... w/ delay:

F#---15---13---17-------15---13---12-------15---13---17----
E----------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------

return to normal verse riff when vocals begin.

quietly pick open strings after last chorus...

turn phaser on and it's all in your hands from there.........

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The Diamond Sea Tab

Send "The Diamond Sea" Ringtone to your Cell Phone

Source: http://www.guitarmasta.net/s/sonic_youth/309876.html

Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques


No Picture Squats Average	#1 by Squats at Oct 6, 1970 at 8:28 AM EST
	This song is absolutely mindblowingly amazing. I think it's about self image in regards to relationships, and how love is judgemental and volatile. The constant references to mirrors and reflection are allusions to the self, in my opinion.

No Picture Jake Average	#2 by Jake Bounds at May 24, 1971 at 4:30 AM EST
	as much as i love this song i wish the background music was different... no offense to any hard-core fans but that echoing sound makes me dizzy

No Picture everett Wanna Be	#3 by everett at Oct 30, 1972 at 12:09 AM EST
	Actors, and the entertainment industry in general? Diamond Rain makes me think of drugs, money, and sex, and going through withdrawl from that.

No Picture Jon Wanna Be	#4 by Jon Leff at Jan 3, 1975 at 2:13 PM EST
	yeah. it's nearly 20 minutes long, but i never feel like it's dragging, you know? sonic youth owns.

No Picture GRIM Professional	#5 by GRIM at Jun 13, 1976 at 2:39 AM EST
	Anyone noticed that the chorus sounds like "Wouldn't it be nice" by the Beach Boys? It might be a coincidence, or maybe they inspired themselves in that song. Great song anyway, haunting and deep.

No Picture John Lead Player	#6 by John Fitch at Feb 25, 1982 at 7:00 PM EST
	reminds me of jerry maguire, eh. i'm seeing sonic youth this saturday, and i cannot WAIT.

No Picture TAMARA Musical Genius	#7 by TAMARA at Sep 1, 1984 at 4:06 AM EST
	always so few post on youth´s lyrics.. the lyrics are really good.. but they are understimated i guess

No Picture ben Lead Player	#8 by ben Tee at Dec 24, 1984 at 11:22 AM EST
	wow. it was totally enlightening to read other peoples' takes on this song. i've had these crazy "alice in wonderland" or "poor, sensitive bastard blindly loves shallow, vain (hence the mirror) girl" theories all this time. it's nice to read other opinions. "the diamond sea" is definitely one of my favorite sonic youth songs (especially when i'm high) and i've been a fan since the eighties. i've always gotten hypnotized by this track. i wouldn't say it's the best sy song though. imho, i think "mote" captures the same kinda melancholy but it rocks way more and don't get me started on "teenage riot"! like i said, that's just my opinion but "diamond sea" is in my top five, without a doubt.

No Picture Patrick Wanna Be	#9 by Patrick Wade at Dec 22, 1985 at 12:59 PM EST
	this is the most inspirational song i am in love with it

No Picture Badass	#10 by Nirvana at Mar 10, 1987 at 5:02 AM EST
	why is the mirror her only friend? and why will it steal her soul? yea, the references to mirrors is stuff everyone can sort of say, i know... we look for ourselves in the mirror. how can we let it tell us what we are?

No Picture joel Average	#11 by joel christman at Nov 6, 1987 at 5:37 AM EST
	this song is fucking beautiful. about a girl who marries a guy. She likes him, but doesnt love him, and after a while, she feels so alone, tho he loves her. the 'mirror girl' is who she could have been if she didnt marry him.

No Picture Sam Average	#12 by Sam at Dec 10, 1991 at 2:14 PM EST
	Not too sure why there is 2 entries in the database as "the diamond sea" and "diamond sea", anyway I will write what I wrote in the other one... This is one of my all time favourite songs. I think the song is about a girl that doesnt love the guy she is with.... but decides to marry him anyway. Then after time everything turns to shit and her only friend is herself.

No Picture The Great South Lead Player	#13 by The Great Southern Trendkill at Sep 5, 1994 at 1:33 AM EST
	I totally agree with jezzyboy, this is the best sonic youth song out there. I love both the 5 minute and 25 minute version. I think the song is about a girl that doesnt love the guy she is with.... but decides to marry him anyway. Then after time everything turns to shit and her only friend is herself.

No Picture john Average	#14 by john at Nov 6, 1994 at 11:13 PM EST
	has anyone heard the Yeah Yeahs Yeah's acoustic version of this song? It's awsome...even more "miserable" then the original version! You can find it at: http://hype.non-standard.net/search/yeah%20yeah%20yeahs%20diamond%20sea/1/

No Picture Brett Professional	#15 by Brett Czap at Dec 7, 1996 at 7:32 PM EST
	I have a very out there idea about this song. I think it's about television or the media in general, getting wrapped up looking at ourselves. Or the myth of Narcisses in general.

No Picture btotherizzad Average	#16 by btotherizzad moriznad at Jan 9, 1999 at 12:42 PM EST
	It could be about love overcoming vanity.

No Picture Razzle Wanna Be	#17 by Razzle jester at Nov 9, 2001 at 6:52 PM EST
	For me this song refers to the net of Indra, a Buddhist image-- it is a beautiful web which spans the universe, and at the each knot in the web is a mirror, illuminated by the sun, each mirror in the net reflects light onto the other mirrors. If I am not getting this wrong (and I heartily appologize if I do and someone takes offense at this), Indra's net is a sort of allegory for the unity of consciousnesses in the universe.

No Picture David Average	#18 by David Tims at Dec 22, 2001 at 7:10 PM EST
	No comments? This is the best SY song ever bar none! It's so profoundly thought-provoking that it can evoke emotion on every listen.

No Picture Jer Average	#19 by Jer at Jan 29, 2002 at 8:46 AM EST
	on Washing Machine, The Diamond Sea is just over 19 minutes. On The Destroyed Room it is just over 25 minutes. i love this song, but i skip some parts occasionally cuz its long. but it awesome

No Picture Brandon Average	#20 by Brandon Weathers at Mar 10, 2002 at 10:10 PM EST
	This song is about two people in a relationship and is told from the female's perspective. "time takes it's crazy toll and how does your mirror grow" How does her self image change over time? Eventually the girl is drawn into a relationship. Her man asures her that everything will be perfect and hold up to her ideals. She glosses over problems and incompatabilities between the two of them. Now that she is comitted and has fallen in love with the "diamond ring" (representing plans and relationship ideals") she understands how close she came to reaching a feeling of one-ness with herself (before the relationship). She can look into his eyes and realize the complexity and depth of the hype she's bought into. How will the guy react if he notices she's no longer into him? There bond has lost its strength or "crystallized to sand" and she is now more alone than before. "look into his eyes and you will see that men are not alone on the diamond sea " They both led each other on until things got to this point (drifting in a "diamond sea" of unattainable ideals). She understands why things are no longer the same between them. How will he "make her smile" when neither of them are "feeling it"? Kind of a downer really :(

No Picture M Average	#21 by M K-O at Aug 21, 2003 at 11:22 PM EST
	absolutely awesome song... i agree that's it's SY's best, by far. Love the haunting lyrics and vocals mixed with the overal subtle tones of the instruments. incredibly poignant.

No Picture The REAL Godfat Average	#22 by The REAL Godfather at Aug 6, 2005 at 11:18 AM EST
	I don't think that anyone has said this but, "blood crystalized to sand," could also be representing the blood diamond trade, which causes civil wars in many African countries. It could be hinting at the blood of the people of Africa being crystalized into something many Americans purchase and treasure.