--------------------------TIGHTROPE by Stevie Ray Vaughan------------------------------------
Album: IN STEP, 1989
I've looked at every Tightrope tab I can find, and, well, I'm all for people creating their
own interpretations, but yikes. Below is what my ears tell me along with having
watched him perform it a few times.
Send any comments, questions, or abuse to vossie@mindspring.com. I'll probably
ignore it, but what the hell.
As always, he's tuned to Eb. Whole mess is in Bb, but is depicted in B as he would
play it with his tuning.
I. Intro
E|------------------------------------------0--------------|
B|------------------------------------------x--------------|
G|-----------------------8--8-8---2-----------2b3b2p0------|
D|-----6--9------4-------7--7-7---2--------------------2-0-|
A|--7---------5----------6--6-6---0------2-----------------|
E|------------------7----7--7-7------3b4-0-----------------|
Repeat twice. Then we go into...
II. First shuffle rhythm (verse)
NOTE: First chord is on the SECOND beat. All are staccato:
E|-----------------------------|
B|---7-7--7---7---7------------|
G|---6-6--6---6---6------------|
D|---7-7--7---7---7------------|
A|---6-6--6---6---6------------|
E|-----------------------------|
Repeat through first verse. Then...
III. Abbreviated Bridge
E|-----4---/---7--------|
B|-----4---/---7--------|
G|-----4---/---7--------|
D|-----6---/---9--------|
A|----------------------|
E|----------------------|
After the above, do the "I." intro again, exactly the same, and then
loop through "II." again for the second verse. Then...
IV. Slightly Less Abbreviated Bridge
E|-----4---/---7------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----4---/---7------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----4---/---7--------------------8--8-8------------------------8--8-8----|
D|-----6---/---9-----6--9-----4-----7--7-7-------6---------4------7--7-7----|
A|----------------7--------5--------6--6-6----7-----9---5---------6--6-6----|
E|------------------------------7---7--7-7--------------------7---7--7-7----|
Once through, then...
V. Shuffle rhythm 2 (refrain):
E|--/---7-7--7---7---7-------------------|
B|--/---7-7--7---7---7---7-7--7---7---7--|
G|--/---7-7--7---7---7---6-6--6---6---6--|
D|--/---6-6--6---6---6---7-7--7---7---7--|
A|--/---7-7--7---7---7---6-6--6---6---6--|
E|---------------------------------------|
Repeat four times, then...
VI. Third Freaking Bridge
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/v/vaughan_stevie_ray/tightrope_tab.html ]
E-----5----/----7--------|
B|----5----/----7--------|
G|----6----/----7--------|
D|----7 ---/----9--------|
A|-----------------------|
E|-----------------------|
Afterward comes the first lead. During the first lead they play a straight 12 bar blues
progression, carried by the piano and the bass. The lead is two loops through the blues
progression. This is important if you're going to follow his lead closely, as it's designed
to be played over the full progression. Then...
VII. Intro Variation
E|------------------------------------------0--------------|
B|------------------------------------------x--------------|
G|-----------------------8--8-8---2-----------2b3b2p0------|
D|-----6--9------4-------7--7-7---2--------------------2-0-|
A|--7---------5----------6--6-6---0------2-----------------|
E|------------------7----7--7-7------3b4-0-----------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------8--8-8---2------------------------|
D|-----6--9------4-------7--7-7---2------------------------|
A|--7---------5----------6--6-6---0------2-----------------|
E|------------------7----7--7-7------3b4-0-----------------|
Hold------------->
We have most of the pieces above for the rest, so play:
II. First shuffle rhythm (Verse 3)
III. Slightly Less Abreviated Bridge
IV. Second shuffle rhythm (Refrain)
Then...
VIII. Yet Another #%^ Bridge
Only difference between it and "III." above is the first chord. He starts with BMaj as in
the "VI." bridge but continues with the rest of the "III." bridge.
E|-----5---/---7------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----5---/---7------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----6---/---7--------------------8--8-8------------------------8--8-8----|
D|-----7---/---9-----6--9-----4-----7--7-7-------6---------4------7--7-7----|
A|----------------7--------5--------6--6-6----7-----9---5---------6--6-6----|
E|------------------------------7---7--7-7--------------------7---7--7-7----|
Then we go into:
IV. Second shuffle rhythm (last refrain)
When we hit the point where we played various and sundry bridges above, just continue
with the two-chord jam of "IV."; this is the opening of the second lead. Again this is
important if you want to follow his lead, in this case it's meant to be played just over the
B and the E.
Hopefully this helps. I have the leads too, will add them at some point. In the meantime,
just jam away in a straight B pentatonic, that's what he does. Just way better than us.
Have fun.
JMT
