#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
RUINER
As recorded by Nine Inch Nails
(From the 1994 Album THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL)
Transcribed by Adam Steele
Words and Music by Trent Reznor
Arranged by Trent Reznor
Gtr I (D A D G B E) - 'Synth Arranged for Guitar (one octave higher)'
Gtr II (D A D G B E) - 'Synth Arranged for Guitar'
Gtr III (D A D G B E) - 'Distorted Guitar'
Gtr IV (D A D G B E) - 'Distorted Guitar (1 Octave Below Normal Pitch)'
Intro
Q=115
N.C.
4/4
Gtr I
Wx8
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
Verse
N.C.
Wx8
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
Pre-Chorus
N.C.
Wx8
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
Chorus
A5/E F Gsus2 D5 A/C#
W H H W W
|----------|---------------|------------|--------|
|----------|---------------|------------|--------|
|-2--------|-(2)----(2)----|-(2)--------|-(2)----|
|-2--------|--3------5-----|--0---------|--------|
|----------|---------------|------------|--4-----|
|----------|---------------|------------|--------|
W +H +H +W +W
A5/E F Gsus2 D5 A/C# C#
W H H W H H
|----------|---------------|------------|-------------|
|----------|---------------|------------|--------2----|
|-2--------|-(2)----(2)----|-(2)--------|-(2)---------|
|-2--------|--3------5-----|--0---------|-------------|
|----------|---------------|------------|--4----------|
|----------|---------------|------------|-------------|
W +H +H +W +W
A5/E F Gsus2 D5 A/C#
W H H W W
|--------------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|
|--------------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|
|-2------------|-(2)------(2)------|-(2)------------|-(2)------------|
|-2------------|--3--------5-------|--0-------------|----------------|
|--------------|-------------------|----------------|--4-------------|
|--------------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|
| W +H +H +W +W
|
| Gtr II
| H E E E E +Q Q. Q E +H E E E E +Q Q. Q E
|----------5-3-|-(3)---------------|------------5-3-|-(3)------------|
|------1-3-----|------3-------5----|--------1-3-----|------3----5----|
|--------------|-----------------2-|-(2)------------|--------------2-|
|--------------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|
|--------------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|
|--------------|-------------------|----------------|----------------|
A5/E F Gsus2 D5 A/C# C#
W H H W H H
|----------------|-------------------|----------------|-----------------|
|----------------|-------------------|----------------|----------2------|
|--2-------------|-(2)------(2)------|-(2)------------|-(2)-------------|
|--2-------------|--3--------5-------|--0-------------|-----------------|
|----------------|-------------------|----------------|--4--------------|
|----------------|-------------------|----------------|-----------------|
| W +H +H +W +W
|
| +H E E E E +Q Q. Q E +H E E E E +Q Q. Q E
|------------5-3-|-(3)---------------|------------5-3-|-(3)-------------|
|--------1-3-----|------3-------5----|--------1-3-----|------3-----5----|
|-(2)------------|-----------------2-|-(2)------------|---------------2-|
|----------------|-------------------|----------------|-----------------|
|----------------|-------------------|----------------|-----------------|
|----------------|-------------------|----------------|-----------------|
Pre-Verse
N.C.
Wx8
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
Verse
N.C.
Wx8
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
Pre-Chorus
N.C.
Wx8
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
Chorus
A5/E F Gsus2
W H H
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-2---------------|-(2)-------(2)-------|
|-2---------------|--3---------5--------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
| W +H +H
|
| Gtr III
| PM-------------------------------------
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--0--0-0-0--0--0-0-0-|
|-----------------|---------------------|
D5 A/C#
W W
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-(2)---------------|-(2)---------------|
|--0----------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|--4----------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|
| +W +W
|
|-------------------------------------|
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|
|--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--5--5-5-3-3-3-----|
|-------------------|---------------5-5-|
A5/E F Gsus2
W H H
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-2---------------|-(2)-------(2)-------|
|-2---------------|--3---------5--------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
| W +H +H
|
| PM-------------------------------------
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-----------------|---------------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--0--0-0-0--0--0-0-0-|
|-----------------|---------------------|
D5 A/C# C#
W H H
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-----------2-------|
|-(2)---------------|-(2)---------------|
|--0----------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|--4----------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|
| +W +W
|
|-------------------------------------|
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|
|--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--5--5-5-3-3-3-----|
|-------------------|---------------5-5-|
A5/E F Gsus2
Gtr I
W H H
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-2---------------|-(2)--------(2)-------|
|-2---------------|--3----------5--------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
| W +H +H
|
| Gtr II
| H E E E E +Q Q. Q E
|-------------5-3-|-(3)------------------|
|---------1-3-----|-------3--------5-----|
|-----------------|--------------------2-|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|
| Gtr III
| PM--------------------------------------
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-----------------|----------------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--0--0-0--0--0--0-0-0-|
|-----------------|----------------------|
D5 A/C#
W W
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-(2)---------------|-(2)----------------|
|--0----------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--4-----------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
| +W +W
|
| +H E E E E +Q Q. Q E
|---------------5-3-|-(3)----------------|
|-----------1-3-----|-------3------5-----|
|-(2)---------------|------------------2-|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|
|--------------------------------------|
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--5--5-5--3-3-3-----|
|-------------------|----------------5-5-|
W H H
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|--2----------------|-(2)----------------|
|--2----------------|--3---------5-------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
| W +W
|
| +H E E E E +Q Q. Q E
|---------------5-3-|-(3)----------------|
|-----------1-3-----|-------3------5-----|
|-(2)---------------|------------------2-|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|
| PM-------------------------------------
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--0--0-0--0-0-0-0-0-|
|-------------------|--------------------|
W H H
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|------------2-------|
|-(2)---------------|-(2)----------------|
|--0----------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--4-----------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
| +W +W
|
| +H E E E E +Q Q. Q E
|---------------5-3-|-(3)----------------|
|-----------1-3-----|-------3------5-----|
|-(2)---------------|------------------2-|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|
|--------------------------------------|
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--5--5-5--3-3-3-----|
|-------------------|----------------5-5-|
Guitar Solo
N.C.
Gtr III
W W W W
|----------|----------|----------|------|
|----------|----------|----------|------|
|----------|----------|----------|------|
|----------|----------|----------|------|
|----------|----------|----------|------|
|----------|----------|----------|------|
N.C.
W W W H H
|----------|----------|----------|---------------|
|----------|----------|----------|---------------|
|----------|----------|----------|------7pb9r====|
|----------|----------|----------|---------------|
|----------|----------|----------|---------------|
|----------|----------|----------|---------------|
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/n/nine_inch_nails/ruiner_tab_ver_4.html ]
N.C.
~
|-3-| |-3-|
H E E E E E S E Q.. S S E Q Q Q Q Q Q S S E Q Q Q
|--------------|----------------------|-------------|--------------10b12--|
|--------------|----------------------|-------------|-----8h10------------|
|------5h7-7-5-|-7b8rp5---------------|-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7s9-----------------|
|-5------------|--------7-------5h6h7-|-------------|---------------------|
|--------------|----------------------|-------------|---------------------|
|--------------|----------------------|-------------|---------------------|
N.C.
~~~~~~~~~
+Q.. Q +Q +S H +E E E E
|-(10)pb12---10pb12--(10)pb12r=(10)-|----------10-8-10-|
|-----------------------------------|-8----(8)---------|
|-----------------------------------|------------------|
|-----------------------------------|------------------|
|-----------------------------------|------------------|
|-----------------------------------|------------------|
|-----3-----| |----3----| |-----3-----| |--3--|
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-10b12-10b12-10b12-10b12-8b10-8-|-10b12-10b12-10b12-15-15-15--|
|--------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--------------------------------|-----------------------------|
N.C.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q Q Q Q H Q. E
|-17--17--17--17--|-17------------|
|-----------------|---------------|
|-----------------|---------------|
|-----------------|---------------|
|-----------------|------------/3-|
|-----------------|---------------|
|---3---| |-3-| |-3-|
+Q E E Q Q Q S S S E E Q. S S S E
|----------------------|-------------------------|
|----------------------|-------------------------|
|----------------------|-------------------------|
|----------------------|-------------------------|
|-(3)--5---5b6-5b6-5b6-|-3h5p3p0-3------3h5p3p0--|
|----------------------|-------------------------|
N.C. D5/A D5/A N.C.
~~
E E E E H H H E E E E E E E E E E E E H
|---------------|---------------|-----------------|----------------|
|---------------|---------------|-----------------|----------------|
|----------7----|-7b7.5r===7----|-----5---5-------|----------------|
|------5-7-7----|-7b7.5r========|===7---7---7-5---|----------/7----|
|---/7----------|---------------|-0-------------7-|-6-5------------|
|---------------|---------------|-----------------|-----10-7-------|
N.C. D5C5/G D5C5/D5/A C5/N.C.
~~~ ~ ~~
W E E Q H E Q q q E Q Q Q Q
|------------|-------------|---------------------------|---------------|
|------------|-------------|---------------------------|---------------|
|-[0]--------|-7s5-5-------|-7s5--7b7.5--7pb7.5--7b7.5s|=5--7\---------|
|------------|-7s5-5-------|-7s5--7b7.5--7b7.5---7b7.5s|=5-------------|
|------------|-------------|---------------------------|-----------/5--|
|------------|-------------|---------------------------|---------------|
N.C. A5 A5/E
~~~~~~ TP
|-3-| |-3-|
+Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q H H. Q W
|---------------|------------|----------5--|-5/----|
|---------------|------------|----------5--|-5/----|
|---------------|------------|--2----------|-------|
|---------------|------------|--2----------|-------|
|-(5)--4--4S3-3S|=2-2-2-0----|-(0)---------|-------|
|---------------|------------|-------------|-------|
Out-Chorus
N.C.
Gtr IV
PM------------------------------------------------------------------|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-5-5-5-3-3-3-----|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------5-5-|
N.C.
Gtr II
H E E E E +Q Q. Q E
|-------------5-3-|-(3)----------------|
|---------1-3-----|-------3------5-----|
|-----------------|------------------2-|
|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|--------------------|
|
| Gtr IV
| PM------------------------------------
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|--------------------|
|-----------------|--------------------|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--0--0-0--0-0-0-0-0-|
|-----------------|--------------------|
+H E E E E +Q Q. Q E
|---------------5-3-|-(3)----------------|
|-----------1-3-----|-------3------5-----|
|-(2)---------------|------------------2-|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|
|--------------------------------------|
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--5--5-5--3-3-3-----|
|-------------------|----------------5-5-|
N.C.
+H E E E E +Q Q. Q E
|---------------5-3-|-(3)----------------|
|-----------1-3-----|-------3------5-----|
|-(2)---------------|------------------2-|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|
| PM-------------------------------------
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--0--0-0--0-0-0-0-0-|
|-------------------|--------------------|
+H E E E E +Q Q. Q E
|---------------5-3-|-(3)----------------|
|-----------1-3-----|-------3------5-----|
|-(2)---------------|------------------2-|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|
|--------------------------------------|
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|-------------------|--------------------|
|--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--5--5-5--3-3-3-----|
|-------------------|----------------5-5-|
A5/E F Gsus2
Gtr I
W H H
||------------------|----------------------|
||o-----------------|----------------------|
||--2---------------|-(2)--------(2)-------|
||--2---------------|--3----------5--------|
||o-----------------|----------------------|
||------------------|----------------------|
| W +H +H
|
| Gtr II
| H E E E E +Q Q. Q E
||--------------5-3-|-(3)------------------|
||o---------1-3-----|-------3--------5-----|
||--2---------------|--------------------2-|
||------------------|----------------------|
||o-----------------|----------------------|
||------------------|----------------------|
|
| Gtr IV
| PM--------------------------------------
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
||------------------|----------------------|
||o-----------------|----------------------|
||------------------|----------------------|
||------------------|----------------------|
||o-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--0--0-0--0--0--0-0-0-|
||------------------|----------------------|
D5 A/C#
W W
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-(2)---------------|-(2)-----------------|
|--0----------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|--4------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
| +W +W
|
| +H E E E E +Q Q. Q E
|---------------5-3-|-(3)-----------------|
|-----------1-3-----|-------3------5------|
|-(2)---------------|------------------2--|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|
|--------------------------------------|
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|-------------------|---------------------|
|--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--5--5-5--3-3-3------|
|-------------------|----------------5-5--|
A5/E F Gsus2
W H H
|-------------------|----------------------|
|-------------------|----------------------|
|--2----------------|-(2)--------(2)-------|
|--2----------------|--3----------5--------|
|-------------------|----------------------|
|-------------------|----------------------|
| W +H +H
|
| +H E E E E +Q Q. Q E
|---------------5-3-|-(3)------------------|
|-----------1-3-----|-------3--------5-----|
|-(2)---------------|--------------------2-|
|-------------------|----------------------|
|-------------------|----------------------|
|-------------------|----------------------|
|
| PM---------------------------------------
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------|----------------------|
|-------------------|----------------------|
|-------------------|----------------------|
|-------------------|----------------------|
|--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--0--0-0--0--0--0-0-0-|
|-------------------|----------------------|
D5 A/C# C#
W H H
|-------------------|---------------------||
|-------------------|------------2-------o||
|-(2)---------------|-(2)-----------------||
|--0----------------|---------------------||
|-------------------|--4-----------------o||
|-------------------|---------------------||
| +W +W
|
| +H E E E E +Q Q. Q E
|---------------5-3-|-(3)-----------------||
|-----------1-3-----|-------3------5-----o||
|-(2)---------------|------------------2--||
|-------------------|---------------------||
|-------------------|--------------------o||
|-------------------|---------------------||
|
|--------------------------------------|
| E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------|---------------------||
|-------------------|--------------------o||
|-------------------|---------------------||
|-------------------|---------------------||
|--0--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|--5--5-5--3-3-3-----o||
|-------------------|----------------5-5--||
Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for. Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests. Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for. Low
melody durations appear below the staff
Tablature Legend
----------------
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
b - bend
pb - pre-bend
r - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
/\ - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
s - legato slide
S - shift slide
- natural harmonic
[n] - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
~ - vibrato
tr - trill
T - tap
TP - trem. picking
PM - palm muting
\n/ - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
\n - tremolo bar down
n/ - tremolo bar up
/n\ - tremolo bar inverted dip
= - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
<> - volume swell (louder/softer)
x - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o - on rhythm slash represents single note slash
Misc Legend
-----------
| - bar
|| - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*| - double bar (ending)
: - bar (freetime)
$ - Segno
& - Coda
Tempo markers - = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths
