King Crimson - Elektrik guitar tab
Elektrik (Tab)
Date Submitted: 19-Mar-03
By: Jeremy Lewis (oddfellow101 at hotmail dot com)
"Elektrik" by King Crimson from the 2003 "Power to Believe" album
Transcribed by Jeremy Lewis oddfellow101 at hotmail dot com
Elektrik is a fairly complex song. It contains several different time signatures and I will let
you listen and figure out the rhythms. Throughout the "verses" Fripp and Belew play similar lines
but are third apart and start at different points. For instance, in the first "verse" Belew plays
on the down-beats and Fripp plays on the off-beats giving a delay effect. For the intro, I have
transcribed the two guitar parts together to give a sense of the rhythm, but for the rest of the
song, I've gone all the way through Belew's part and then all the way through Fripp's. If you have
any questions, comments, or corrections, e-mail me at oddfellow101 at hotmail dot com.
Intro:
Through synth giving a clarinet-like sound
Belew- in 4/4
|13----------12----------13----------8-----------13----------12----------13----------8-------------|-
|13----------14----------13----------9-----------13----------15----------13----------9-------------|-
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Fripp- |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|17----------18----------17-----------------------17----------19---------17-------------------------|
|-------19-----------------------19---18-----------------19----------------------19----18-----------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Belew- in 6/8 in 5/8
|---13----------12----13----------8-----13----------12----13---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------9------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------10-------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Fripp- |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|17--------18------17----------------17--------19-------17------------------------------------------|
|-------19-----------------19-18------------19-----------------19-18--------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Belew- 5/8
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------9----------------9-----------------9-------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------11---------------12---------------10--------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Fripp- |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|18-------------18----------------18-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Belew- 4/4 (This segment is also the outro of the song)
|13----------12----------13----------8-----------13----------12--------------------------------------|
|13----------14----------13----------9-----------13----------15--------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Fripp- |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|17----------18----------17-----------------------17----------19-------------------------------------|
|-------19-----------------------19---18-----------------19-------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Belew's part
"Verse" (where rhythm section comes in) in 7/8
Clean guitar on down-beats (let ring throughout).
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|10---------------------10--------------------10--------------------10--------------------------------|
|--------10----6----8---------8----6----10---------10----6----8----------8-----6-----10-----------|
|------------7----5---------------7----5-----------------7----5----------------7-----5----------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|14----------------------14---------------------13--------------------13------------------------------|
|--------12----10---14--------12----10---14--------13-----9---11-------11-----9----13----------|
|------------11----9---------------11----9----------------10---8---------------10--- 8--------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|17-----------------------17----------------------18-----------------------18-------------------------|
|--------17----13----15--------15-----13---17--------18-----14----16--------16----14----18----|
|------------14----12---------------14----12---------------15----13---------------15-----13-------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
The next 3 lines make up Belew figure 1. I will refer to this later.
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|12---------------------12---------------------12--------------------12-------------------------------|
|--------12----8----10--------10---8----12---------12----8---10---------10----8----12-----------|
|------------9----7----------------9----7-----------------9----7----------------9-----7---------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|16-----------------------16----------------------15-----------------------15-------------------------|
|--------16----12----14--------14-----12---16--------15-----11----13--------13----11----15----|
|------------13----11---------------13----11---------------12----10---------------12-----10-------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|19-----------------------19----------------------20-----------------------20-------------------------|
|--------19----15----17--------17-----15---19--------20-----16----18--------18----16----20----|
|------------16----14---------------16----14---------------17----15---------------17-----15-------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
At this next 4/4 section Belew "echoes" Fripp by playing this on the off-beats (one eighth note behind Fripp).
I will call these two lines Belew figure 2. The bracketed part will be referred to later in the song.
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---18---------20---------16---------18---------14---------16---------12---------------------------|
|---------18---------16---------14---------16---------12---------14---------10-12-----------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---16---------18---------14---------16---------12---------14--------|-10----------|----------------|
|---------17---------15---------13---------15---------11---------13--|-------9-11--|---------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|----------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|----------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|----------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|----------------|
Repeat Belew figure 1, but shift back half a beat to echo Fripp's down-beats.
Then repeat Belew figure 2, substituting this for the bracketed measure:
|-10-------------|
|-------11-9-----|
|-----------------|
|-----------------|
|-----------------|
|-----------------|
Then play this line on the down beats to lead into the next section.
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|16---------18---------14---------16---------12---------14---------10------------------------------|
|------16---------14---------12---------14---------10---------12---------8----10------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Next is the part where the song really kicks in. Belew and Fripp are in sync rhythmically and Fripp is
harmonizing Belew's part. The rhythm is alternating measures of 6/8 and 7/8, but you will have to listen
to time the guitar part correctly. This is what Belew plays.
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----7-----------7----------7------7-----7------------7-----------7-----------7-----7------7---------|
|--9---5------9----5-----9-----9------9---5-------9----5------9---5------9-----9------9-----7------|
|6--6-------6--6-------6--6--6--6--6--6--------6--6--------6--6-------6--6--6--6--6--6-----------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-10-12-----10-12-----10-12-10-12-10-12-----10-12-----10-12-----10-12-10-12-10-12------|
|-------10---------10-------------------------10---------10---------10-------------------------12----|
|11-11-----11-11-----11-11-11-11-11-11-----11-11-----11-11-----11-11-11-11-11-11-------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-15-17-----15-17-----15-17-15-17-15-17-----18-20-----18-20-----18-20-18-20-18-20------|
|-------15---------15-------------------------17---------18---------18-------------------------20----|
|16-16-----16-16-----16-16-16-16-16-16-----19-19-----19-19-----19-19-19-19-19-19-------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|-17-19-----17-19-----17-19-17-19-17-19---------------|
|-------17---------17-------------------------17-------------|
|18-18-----18-18-----18-18-18-18-18-18----------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
At this part, use a volume pedal to make each note swell. The part is in 4/4 with Belew playing on the down-beats.
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|18----16--------------14----12--------------10----8------------6------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------15--19----------------11--15--------------7--11----------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|16----14--------------12----10-------------8-----6-----------4---------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------13--17----------------9--13---------------5--9------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
In alternating 6/8 and 7/8 again.
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----3-----------3----------3------3-----3------------3-----------3-----------3-----3------3---------|
|--5---1------5----1-----5-----5------5---1-------5----1------5---1------5-----5------5-----3------|
|2--2-------2--2-------2--2--2--2--2--2--------2--2--------2--2-------2--2--2--2--2--2-----------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--6--8-------6--8-------6--8--6--8--6--8-------6--8-------6--8--------6--8--6--8--6--8----------|
|--------6----------6-------------------------6----------6-----------6-------------------------8--------|
|7--7-------7--7-------7--7--7--7--7--7-------7--7-------7--7--------7--7--7--7--7--7------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-11-13-----11-13-----11-13-11-13-11-13-----11-13-----11-13-----11-13-11-13-11-13------|
|-------11---------11-------------------------11---------11---------11-------------------------13----|
|12-12-----12-12-----12-12-12-12-12-12-----12-12-----12-12-----12-12-12-12-12-12-------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-16-18-----16-18-----16-18-16-18-16-18-----19-21-----19-21-----19-21-19-21-19-21------|
|-------16---------16-------------------------18---------19---------19-------------------------21----|
|17-17-----17-17-----17-17-17-17-17-17-----20-20-----20-20-----20-20-20-20-20-20-------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|-18-20-----18-20-----18-20-18-20-18-20---------------|
|-------18---------18-------------------------18-------------|
|19-19-----19-19-----19-19-19-19-19-19----------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
Once again, play down-beats in 4/4, making each note swell with the volume pedal.
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|18----16--------------14----12--------------10----8------------6----4-----------2------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------15--19----------------11--15--------------7--11-------------3--7----------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|16----14--------------12----10-------------8-----6-----------4-----2-----------0--------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------13--17----------------9--13---------------5--9--------------1--5-----------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|15----13-------------11-----9------------7-----5----------3-----1------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------3-----1-----------------|
|-------------12--16---------------8--12--------------4--8-------------0--4-----------------0--4-----|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
With distortion and heavy vibrato throughout the next part (4/4). The note in parenthesis is a natural harmonic
that Belew bends down with the whammy bar.
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------5----3-----9----7----5--(4)---|
|-----------------------------------------------------------6----4----2-----------6----------------------|
|---------------------------------------------6----4----2-------------------------------------------------|
|---3----1-------3----1-------7----5----3---------------------------------------------------------------|
|0------------0-------------4-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------4----2------8----6----4---8----|
|-----------------------------------------------------------5----3----1-----------5----------------------|
|---------------------------------------------5----3----1-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------6----4----2---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---3----1-------7----5----3-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|0------------4-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Here, sustain these heavily distorted chords the first time you hit them and cut them short the second time.
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|6------------------------6---------------------------2----------------------------2---------------------|
|6------------------------6---------------------------2----------------------------2---------------------|
|4------------------------4---------------------------0----------------------------0---------------------|
Now turn the distortion off and play this in 7/8.
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-10-12----10-12----10-12----10-12-10-12---10-12---10-12---10-12----10-12-10-12--------|
|-------10--------10--------10---------------10-------10-------10--------10----------------10------|
|11-11----11-11----11-11----11-11-11-11---11-11---11-11---11-11----11-11-11-11---------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-14-16----14-16----14-16----14-16-14-16---10-12---10-12---10-12----10-12-10-12--------|
|-------14--------14--------14---------------14-------10-------10--------10----------------10------|
|15-15----15-15----15-15----15-15-15-15---11-11---11-11---11-11----11-11-11-11---------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Play this line on the off-beats.
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---15-----------------------15----------------------15-----------------------15-----------------------|
|-----------15----11----13--------13-----11---15--------15-----11----13--------13----11----15--|
|---------------12----10---------------12----10---------------12----10---------------12-----10-----|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-16-18----16-18----16-18----16-18-16-18---16-18---16-18---16-18----16-18-16-18--------|
|-------16--------16--------16---------------16-------16-------16--------16----------------16------|
|17-17----17-17----17-17----17-17-17-17---17-17---17-17---17-17----17-17-17-17---------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
On the off-beats:
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|17-----------------------17----------------------17-----------------------17-------------------------|
|--------17----13----15--------15-----13---17--------17-----13----15--------15----13----17----|
|------------14----12---------------14----12---------------14----12---------------14-----12-------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
