Taking Back Sunday › New American Classic Acoustic Guitar Tab

Send "New American Classic Acoustic" Ringtone to your Cell Phone

First thing's first...
The tab put up for this originally, is like, 90% right,
but it's not, if that makes ANY sense.
I learned the song initially off the tab up here, then I saw the live acoustic performance of the song on youtube
and noticed that the chords Fred was playing were different, I tried playing along to Fred's chords but it sounded different
and I realised that it's because the song is played in different tuning. you only tune down the A string a step to G.
which wouldn't normally make a difference to playing it in standard except that it's SO much easier to play the bridge
section as you need a-LOT of G notes, which is why he tunsed it down: for beginners, take note:
[^ = Downstroke, V= Upstroke]
[Example: (7) = harmonic on the seventh fret. (12) = harmonic on the 12th fret]
certain parts of this sound different on the actual record because they can record over themselves, there are actually
more guitar parts on the album.
This is how fred plays it live.
this is the link to watch it live acoustic on youtube, this is how I worked out the tuning really:
Try playing along with it if it will make you more comfortable:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2AIig6P5Cs
Note: fred plays something different on the bridge section in this video.
but you'll probably just want to play it as it is on the record.
So I've just tabbed that version out:
Remember that the most important thing about learning tabs is that you have fun, so don't get majorly stressed out with it,
it IS a difficult tab if you're new to picking:
e|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Note: Keep your plec in your hand while your picking because you need it on hand when you go into the chorus:
Verse:
"We've got to get better, I said it's all in you're head
We could live through these letters or, forget it all together
See the months they don't matter, it's the days I can't take
When The Hours turn to minutes and I'm seconds away..."
intro/verse riff: x2 FOR INTRO before lyrics:
e|--------------------------------------------|
B|---0------3--------7----------5p0---3-------|
G|-------------0--------0---(7)-----5---------|
D|------0h4-------0---------------------------|
G|---0---------------7----------5-------------|
E|--------------------------------------------|
In all chorus' use your plectrum:
Chorus:
"just ask the question come untie the knot,
Say you won't care, Say you won't care..."
e|--0---0-0---0-0-----0-0-----|
B|--3---5/7---7-7h8---7-h8----|
G|--0---0-0---0-0-----0-0-----|
D|--5---x/x---9-9-----0-0-----|
G|--5---5/7---9-9-----0-0-----|
E|------------x-------x-------|
second time you play this, play THIS:
"Retrace the steps, as if we forgot,
Say you won't care, Say you won't care..."
|
e|--0---0-0---0-------0-----|-10-| < this last section is played
B|--3---5/7---7-7h8---7-----|-8--|   in place of where the second
G|--0---0-0---0-------0-----|-0--|   hammer on is usually played
D|--5---x/x---9-------0-----|----|   I play it with 5 strokes
G|--5---5/7---9-------0-----|----|   Just the usual ^V^V^ rhythm
E|------------x-------x-----|----|   (Down, Up, Down, Up, Down)
The third and final time the chorus is played you play this:
"Try to avoid it, but there's not a doubt and there's
one thing, I can do nothing a-
e|--0---0-0--|-0---0---0---0------|
B|--3---5/7--|-7---3---3---5------|
G|--0---0-0--|-0---0---0---0------|
D|--5---x/x--|-9---5---5---7------|
G|--5---5/7--|-9---4---5---7------|   with the vocals "One thing, I can do nothing..."
E|-----------|-x------------------|   etc.
-bout...
The riff plays twice through without vocals.
The first time he plays this
e|--------------------------------------------|
B|---0------3--------7----------5p0---3-------|
G|-------------0--------0---(7)-----5---------|
D|------0h4-------0---------------------------|
G|---0---------------7----------5-------------|
E|--------------------------------------------|
however the second time it slightly changes to this
e|---------------------------------------------|
B|---0---------3-------7---------5p0---3---0---|
G|------0--------0-------0---(7)-----5---5-----|
D|--------0h4------0---------------------------|
G|---0-----------------7---------5-------------|
E|---------------------------------------------|
Now the vocals come in for the second verse
and this is played through til the second chorus:
Verse 2:
"When all that we need, is just a reaction,
It's too much to ask for, when there's no attraction (anymore)
If chasing our dreams, is just a distraction
I'll want to remember, when I know that I can't go..."
e|--------------------------------------------|
B|---0------3--------7----------5p0---3-------|
G|-------------0--------0---(7)-----5---------|
D|------0h4-------0---------------------------|
G|---0---------------7----------5-------------|
E|--------------------------------------------|
chorus: Use your plectrum:
"[...back.]"
"just ask the question come untie the knot,
Say you won't care, Say you won't care..."
e|--0---0-0---0-------0-------|
B|--3---5/7---7-7h8---7-h8----|
G|--0---0-0---0-------0-------|
D|--5---x/x---9-------0-------|
G|--5---5/7---9-------0-------|
E|------------x-------x-------|
second time you play this, play THIS:
"Retrace the steps, as if we forgot,
Say you won't care, Say you won't care..."
|
e|--0---------0-------0-----|-10-| < this last section is played
B|--3---5/7---7-7h8---7-----|-8--|   in place of where the second
G|--0---0-0---0-------0-----|-0--|   hammer on is usually played
D|--5---x/x---9-------0-----|----|   I play it with 5 strokes
G|--5---5/7---9-------0-----|----|   Just the usual ^V^V^ rhythm
E|------------x-------x-----|----|   (Down, Up, Down, Up, Down)
The third and final time the chorus is played you play this:
The end of the chorus is played an extra 2 times aswel, like so...
"Try to avoid it, but there's not a doubt and there's
one thing, I can do nothing, there's one thing, I can do nothing
There's ONE...THING...I can do nothing a-
e|--0---0-0-|--0---0---0---0--| < this last box of chords is played
B|--3---5/7-|--7---3---3---5--|   X3
G|--0---0-0-|--0---0---0---0--|
D|--5---x/x-|--9---5---5---7--|
G|--5---5/7-|--9---4---5---7--|
E|----------|--x--------------|
-bout...
bridge: instrumental (All finger picked)
^
e|---0---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------|
B|---5----5----3------3----5--------7\3----0h3-3---5-----------0h3p0-------0h3p0----5--5h6p5\3h5p3-|------|
G|---0-------0----0------0----0----------0------------0----------------0---------------------------|------|
D|---0---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------|
G|---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--0-0---0--0-0--0-------0---|------|  Little pause
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-3--5-|
bridge(continued): bass and strings join in! (+soft drumming)
e|-------------------------------|--------5~------5----7\-2-------|
B|-------3--------------3--------------3--------------------3-----|
G|-----0----0---------0----0---------0----0-------------------0-- |
D|---4--------4-----4--------0-----4--------4---------------------|
G|--------------0---5----------5---0----------0---0--0----0-0-----|
E|---0------------------------------------------------------------|
|Use you plectrum from here onwards|
^     ^ ^       V    ^  V    ^   ^ V    ^   ^    V^V  ^ VV
e|----------5-------------3p2-2----------------|-3---3---|-3/5\3---3-------3p2--2--2----2-|-3/5/7--7~--7h8--888p7--77-|
B|-------3--------------3-3------------3-------|-3---3---|-3/5\3-0-0-------3----3--3p0--0-|-3/5/8--8~--8----888----88-|
G|-----0------0-------0--------------0---0-----|---------|-0-------0-------0----0--0----0-|-0/0/0--0~--0----000--0-00-|
D|---4--------------4--------------4-------4---|---------|-0---------------0--------------|--------9~--9--------------|
G|--------------0---5-----5--5--5--0---------0-|---0---0-|-0------------------------------|--------9~--9--------------|
E|---0-----------------------------------------|---------|--------------------------------|---------------------------|
...cont.            "It's time to leave..."
^   V (alt.) |    ^     V
e|--8p7-7--------|---------10-------------|
B|--8---8--------|----7h8---8-------------|
G|--0---0--(x8)--|----0--------(x8)-------|
D|--0------------|----0-------------------|
G|--x------------|----0-------------------|
E|--8------------|----x-------------------|
chorus: Use your plectrum
"just ask the question come untie the knot,
Say you won't care, Say you won't care..."
e|--0---0-0---0-------0-------|
B|--3---5/7---7-7h8---7-h8----|
G|--0---0-0---0-------0-------|
D|--5---x/x---9-------0-------|
G|--5---5/7---9-------0-------|
E|------------x-------x-------|
second time you play this, play THIS:
"Retrace the steps, as if we forgot,
Say you won't care, Say you won't care..."
|
e|--0---------0-------0-----|-10-| < this last section is played
B|--3---5/7---7-7h8---7-----|-8--|   in place of where the second
G|--0---0-0---0-------0-----|-0--|   hammer on is usually played
D|--5---x/x---9-------0-----|----|   I play it with 5 strokes
G|--5---5/7---9-------0-----|----|   Just the usual ^V^V^ rhythm
E|------------x-------x-----|----|   (Down, Up, Down, Up, Down)
The third and final time the chorus is played you play this:
The end of the chorus is played an extra 2 times aswel, like so...
"Try to avoid it, but there's not a doubt and there's
one thing, I can do nothing, there's one thing, I can do nothing
There's ONE...THING...I can do nothing a-
e|--0---0-0-|--0---0---0---0--| < Just like the second chorus,
B|--3---5/7-|--7---3---3---5--|   this last box of chords is played
G|--0---0-0-|--0---0---0---0--|   three times.
D|--5---x/x-|--9---5---5---7--|
G|--5---5/7-|--9---4---5---7--|
E|----------|--x--------------|
outro: same as intro and verses really, with a change at the VERY end:
1st time:
e|--------------------------------------------|
B|---0------3--------7----------5p0---3-------|
G|-------------0--------0---(7)-----5---------|
D|------0h4-------0---------------------------|
G|---0---------------7----------5-------------|
E|--------------------------------------------|
Last time:
e|---------------------------------------------|
B|---0-------3--------7----------5p0---3---0~--|< let the last note ring out for a few seconds...
G|-----0--------0--------0---(7)-----5---5-----|
D|-------0h4-------0---------------------------|
G|---0----------------7----------5-------------|
E|---------------------------------------------|
e|----------|
B|---(12)---|
G|---(12)---|
D|---(12)---|
G|---(12)---|
E|----------|
That's the whole thing.
I'm so happy that I finished off this tab,
it took me 3 days to make all the corrections
and get it on this site:
please leave comments to tell me what you think
this is as close to perfect as I could have got the song and i am 99% sure that it's right:
bonus_mosher@hotmail.com
any bother with other tbs songs, i'm canny obsessed like.
gimme a bell and I'll try and help you out as much as I can.

Send "New American Classic Acoustic" Ringtone to your Cell Phone