'Communication Breakdown' by Led Zeppelin - Guitar Tutorial

            
From: ihateuw@u.washington.edu (David Wong)
 
 	Here`s TAB to Led Zepplin`s "Communicaton Breakdown". I believe someone  
 requested it awhile back but am not sure whether it ever got posted.  Anyway,  
 the main part is just plucking an open E and changing between D and A at the  
 fifth fret.  So:
 			 D   A  D
 e---------------------------------
 B---T--------------------7---5--7-
 G---A--------------------7---6--7-
 D---B--------------------7---7--7-
 A------------------------5---7--5-
 E------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-----5----
 
 	This pattern doesn`t change until the Chorus, where it switches to:
 
        A5  A6A5  A6  A7  A5A6A5  A6  A7  A5A6A5    A6A7  A5A6A5    A6A5
 e--------------------5---------------5---------------5-----------------
 B---T----------------5---------------5---------------5-----------------
 G---A----------------6---------------6---------------6-----------------
 D---B----------------5---------------5---------------5-----------------
 A------7-7-9-7-7-9-x-7---7-9-7-7-9-r-7---7-9-7-7-7-9-7---7-9-7-7-7-9-7-
 E------5-5-5-5-5-5-x-5---5-5-5-5-5-r-5---5-5-5-5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-
                    |             |                 |
        Semi P.M.----     Semi P.M.       Semi P.M.--     Semi P.M.-----
         
    B5  B6B5      B6B7  B5B6B5    B6B7 B5B6B5      B5B7  B5B6B5    B6
 e------------------7---------------7----------------7----------------
 B------------------7---------------7----------------7----------------
 G------------------8---------------8----------------8----------------
 D------------------7---------------7----------------7----------------
 A--9-9-119-9-9-9-119---9-119-9-9-119---9-1199-9-9-119---9-119-9-9-11-
 E--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-7-7-7---7-7-77-7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-7-7-0
                      |               |
 ----------------------    Semi P.M.---
 note:  The parts where it looks like I have the 119th fret indicated came from  
 the inconvenience of a two digit number (11), therefore no dash.  The part  
 where it says "1199" and "77" are due to this same problem, as well as that two  
 sixteenth notes are played while up until here the pattern has been eigth  
 notes.  In other words he doubles time splitting the note into two, but not  
 skipping a beat.  This isn`t really complex at all, the problem is the way I`ve  
 written out the TAB. It wouldn`t be confusing if I knew how to do this  
 properly.  Sorry.
 					-Dave
 
 	Then back to the main riff of eigth note Es and the D-A-D changes,  
 after which the chorus is repeated.  The second time through the main riff and  
 chorus there are some minor changes which are probably not too hard to figure,  
 including some slides and harmonics (at the seventh fret).  This is because  
 there have actually been two electric guitars doing this part, and the second  
 guitar changes to these minor variations.  Anyway, let`s get to the solo:
 
 	During the solo the second guitar repeats this pattern (until the  
 chorus):
        
        E                 D     A   E
 e--------------------------------------
 B---T--9-----------------7-----5---7---
 G---A--9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-r-7-----6---7---
 D---B--9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-r-7-----7---7---
 A------7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-r-5-----7---5---
 E------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-r-------5-------
        Semi-P.M. throughout
 
 	Окау, this is probably a no-no to do in writing TAB, but to write the  
 solo I`m going to pretty well forget about having the dashes mean anything in  
 terms of keeping time, and just get the notes down in proper order.  And I  
 thought I had no problems with tablature.  Anyone who wants to "clean-up" a  
 copy of this and repost is welcome to, perhaps along with sending me a detailed  
 e-message as to exactly where I went wrong tabbing things out.  Anyway, lead  
 guitar goes like:
 
 e----------12-----------------14--------------------------------------12-------
 B---T--12-----15^12-12--------12-15^12-12-12-----12-15^12-12-----12------15^12-
 G---A--14b-------------14-14b----------------14b-------------14b-14b-----------
 D---B--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 A------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 E------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 ------------------------------------12--------12-------------------------------
 12----12---12-15----12--12-15^12-12--------------------------------------------
 ---14-14b--------14-14b------------------14b-14b-14^12------14-12h----------12-
 -------------------------------------------------------14----------14-12-14----
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 -------12----12----12---12---15b---15---12----12------------12-----------------
 ----12----15----15-------------------------15------------12--------------------
 14b----------------------------------------------14b-14b-------14b^14^12----14-
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------14----
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 --------9----9----9---------------------------------------------------------10-
 ------9-9-12-9-12-9-------------------------------9--------------------10b-10b-
 12-----------------11b^11^9-11-11-9----9-9-11b-----11b^11^9----11-9-9---------
 ---12--------------------------------11----------------------11----------------
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 ----10-------------------------------7/9---9-97-7-0     Окау, I know the solo
 10b----10b^10^8---10-8---------------7/9---9-97-7-0 continues on into the 
 ----------------9------9-8-9---------7/9---9-97-7-0 chorus, but it`s 1:40 A.M.
 ---------------------------------------------------- right now, and I`ve got 
 ---------------------------------------------------- classes from 8:30.  I`m 
 ----------------------------/12-x-0-r--------------- not sure if this is really 
            					     going to do anyone any  
 good anyway, what with my absolute lack of any time structure here.  
 	Anyway, I`ll post the rest of the solo later if someone will nicely  
 e-mail me and show me how to post TAB where dual digit fret numbers and adding  
 embellishments like bends won`t mess up the time kept by the dashes.  If you  
 have a copy of the song to listen to, this posting may yet do you some good, as  
 the notes are accurate, I`m fairly sure.  Yawn...
 	Sorry, all, I`m going to catch some sleep.
 
     #                                 EDWARD LEAR 1812-1888
     ##    __________________________  The Оwl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea
     # #  |                          |    In a beautiful pea-green boat.
     #	 | David V. Wong            | They took some honey, and plenty of money
     #    | ihateuw@u.washington.edu |    Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
     #    | University of Washington | The Оwl looked to the stars above
   ###    | Seattle, USA             |    And sang to a small guitar,
  #### 	 |__________________________| `Он lovely Pussy! О Pussy, my love,
   ##              			 What a beautiful Pussy you are.`
    
 	P.S.- I suppose I should explain my symbols.  "r" stands for a rest,  
 "b" means to bend the preceding note a full step, "h" means to bend half a  
 step, and "^" means to either hammer-on or pull-off depending on whether the  
 number increases or decreases.  Make sense?  I don`t know, I hope so.
 					-Dave