Vanhalen - Me Wise Magic guitar tab
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 ------------------------------------------------
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 ------------------------------------------------
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.
