Speed Of Light Chords & Tabs
Legend
^ = bend « tone / = slide up until the note
^^ = bend a whole tone \ = slide down from the note
p = pull off ~ = let ring
h = hammer on . = palm muted
v = tremolo picking Ah = artificial harmonic
(x) = ghost note 2x = repeat the bar two times
Tune the guitar an half step down
The intro riff:
E--------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
G--------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
D------9~------9-10-9-7-9~-------|------9~-----------------------------|
A--7-7-----7-7--------------7-7--|--7-7-----7-7-12-12-10-10-9-9-10-10--|
E--------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
E-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
G-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
D------9~------9-10-9-7-9~------|-12-10-9----10-9-------9--------------------|
A--7-7-----7-7--------------7-7-|---------12------12-10---12-10-9-12-10-9-10-|
E-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
repeat four times
On the fourth replace the last passage with this longer one:
E---------------------------------------------|
B---------------------------------------------|
G---------------------------------------------|
D--12-10-9----10-9-------9--------------------|
A----------12------12-10---12-10-9-12-10-9-7--|
E---------------------------------------------|
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
E------------------------------------|-----------------|
B------------------------------------|-----------------|
G------------------------------------|-----------------|
D------------------------------------|--9---7---5---4--|
A--10-9-7-6-9-7-6---7-6-----6--------|--9---7---5---4--|
E-----------------8-----8-7---8-7-5--|--7---5---3---2--|
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
First verse:
"Today is just another day ..."
E-----|-----|-----|------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|
B-----|-----|-----|------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|
G-----|-----|-----|------7-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
D-----|-----|--5--|-(5)--5--7--|--9--|-(9)-|--5--|-(5)-|
A--2--|-(2)-|--3--|-(3)-----5--|--7--|-(7)-|--3--|-(3)-|
E--0--|-(0)-|-----|------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|
Bridge:
"I should have somekind of meaning ..."
Fast keyboard part arranged for guitar:
- We represent it as an arpeggio on the guitar, but due to the speed of
execution (Jens rules !) it has to be played sweep picked, by tapping
or with legatos in two strings (however we haven't these problems,
we let our keyboard-man does it !)
4x 4x
E--15--------------|--17--------------|
B------17------17--|------19------19--|
G----------18------|----------19------|
D------------------|------------------|
A------------------|------------------|
E------------------|------------------|
4x 2x 2x
E--17--------------|--19--------------|--17--------------|
B------19------19--|------20------20--|------19------19--|
G----------20------|----------21------|----------19------|
D------------------|------------------|------------------|
A------------------|------------------|------------------|
E------------------|------------------|------------------|
4x 4x 4x
E--15--------------|--15--------------|--17--------------|
B------17------17--|------17------17--|------19------19--|
G----------17------|----------18------|----------19------|
D------------------|------------------|------------------|
A------------------|------------------|------------------|
E------------------|------------------|------------------|
Guitar rhythm:
- we don't trancribe the exact number of the palm muted notes, however
continue the 'motor-saw' until next chords !
E--------------|--------------|--------------|--------|-----|-----|-----|
B--------------|--------------|--------------|--------|-----|-----|-----|
G--------------|--------------|--------------|--------|-----|-----|-----|
D--6-----------|--7-----------|--8-----------|--9--7--|--5--|--2--|--7--|
A--4-444 etc.--|--5-555 etc.--|--6-666 etc.--|--7--5--|--3--|--4--|--5--|
E--------------|--------------|--------------|--------|-----|-----|-----|
... ... ...
The fast guitar fill:
E--------------------------------17-19-20--|--20--|
B----------------------17-19-20------------|------|
G------------16-17-19----------------------|------|
D--16-17-19--------------------------------|------|
A------------------------------------------|------|
E------------------------------------------|------|
Second verse:
"I found some pictures of a time ..."
E-----|-----|-----|------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|
B-----|-----|-----|------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|
G-----|-----|-----|------7-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
D--9--|-(9)-|--5--|-(5)--5--7--|--9--|-(9)-|--5--|-(5)-|
A--7--|-(7)-|--3--|-(3)-----5--|--7--|-(7)-|--3--|-(3)-|
E-----|-----|-----|------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|
Slow (luckily !) guitar fill (it's harmonized):
Left Guitar Right Guitar
E--7^--7--5-----5--/8--|--7~--| E------------------------|------|
B------------8---------|------| B--8^^--8--7-----7--/10--|--8~--|
G----------------------|------| G-------------9----------|------|
D----------------------|------| D------------------------|------|
A----------------------|------| A------------------------|------|
E----------------------|------| E------------------------|------|
Play another time the bridge with the fast guitar fill;
Chorus:
"I'm away, lost in my thoughts ..."
E---------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
B---------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
G---------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
D------9~-------9-10-9-7-9~-------|------9~-----------------------------|
A--7-7-----7-7---------------7-7--|--7-7-----7-7-12-12-10-10-9-9-10-10--|
E---------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
E------|--------------| E-----|
B------|--------------| Repeat two times: at the end of the B-----|
G------|--------------| second play this stopped chord G-----|
D--10--|--------------| D--9--|
A--10--|-----------6--| A--9--|
E---8--|--5--8--7-----| E--7--|
Fast guitar fill 2:
E--------------------------------13-15-17-17-15-13--
B----------------------13-15-17---------------------
G------------14-16-17-------------------------------
D--14-16-17-----------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------
E--------------------------------|---------------|
B--17-15-13----------------------|---------------|
G------------17-16-14------------|------------9--|
D----------------------17-16-14--|--14-----9--9--|
A--------------------------------|---------9--7--|
E--------------------------------|---------7-----|
Rhythm guitar during first solo:
- (as in the bridge) we don't trancribe the exact number of the palm muted
notes, however continue the 'motor-saw' until next chords !
E--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
B--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
G--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
D--9-----------|--------------|--7-----------|--------------|
A--7-777 etc.--|--7-----------|--5-555 etc.--|--9-----------|
E--------------|--5-555 etc.--|--------------|--7-777 etc.--|
... ... ... ...
Repeat all this stuff two times, on the second
repeat the last bar another time
First solo:
E-------------------------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------------------------|
G------------14-16-14------------17-16-14-16-14---------|
D--14-16-17------------17-16-14------------------17-16--|
A-------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------------------------|
G------------19-21-19------------22-21-19-21-19---------|
D--19-21-22------------22-21-19------------------22-21--|
A-------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------------------------|
G------------12-14-12------------16-14-12-14-12---------|
D--12-14-16------------16-14-12------------------16-14--|
A-------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------|
E-----------------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------17-19-20--20~--|
G------------16-17-19--16-17-19-----------------|
D--16-17-19-------------------------------------|
A-----------------------------------------------|
E-----------------------------------------------|
Repeat two times, on the second end play this:
E--------------------------------17-19-20-20~--|
B----------------------17-19-20----------------|
G------------16-17-19--------------------------|
D--16-17-19------------------------------------|
A----------------------------------------------|
E----------------------------------------------|
Rhythm guitar of the second solo:
E-----|--------|-----|--------|
B-----|--------|-----|--------|
G-----|--------|-----|--------|
D--6--|--------|--6--|--9-----| Two times
A--4--|--7--9--|--4--|--7--9--|
E-----|--5--7--|-----|-----7--|
Second solo:
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/s/stratovarius/speed_of_light_tab.html ]
v v v v v
E-------v------12--|--11--14--12--/19--|--16~--17--16--16^--16--|
B------14---v------|-------------------|------------------------|
G---v------13------|-------------------|------------------------|
D--11--------------|-------------------|------------------------|
A------------------|-------------------|------------------------|
E------------------|-------------------|------------------------|
E------16-------------------|
B--19------19--17--16--17~--|
G---------------------------|
D---------------------------|
A---------------------------|
E---------------------------|
The nearly-impossible hyper speed phrase:
- We think it's just 90% exact, and don't blame us if you can't play it,
it's a DAMN tricky solo (about a hundred notes in a few seconds !).
- Because of Timo's fast right hand, some notes are stroken two or more times
(get your own right timing !). BTW these notes are sixteen triplets.
- If you aren't sure, we have the midi file transcription of this solo, ask
for it if needed.
E-----------14-16-17-17-16-14-----------------------------------------------|
B--14-16-17-------------------17-16-14-14-17-16-14--------------------------|
G--------------------------------------------------16-14-13-16-14-13-14-16--|
D---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B--14-13-12-12-13-14-14-13-12-----------------------------------------------|
G-----------------------------14-13-14-13-11----------------13-11-13-14-14--|
D--------------------------------------------14-13-14-15-14-----------------|
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------14--|
B-----------------------------------------------13-14-16-17-16-14-16-17-----|
G--13-14-13----------------13-14-16-14-13-14-16-----------------------------|
D-----------16-14-13-14-16--------------------------------------------------|
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E--16-16-14-------------------------14-16-16-14----------------------14-16--|
B-----------17-17-16-14-14-16-17-17-------------17-17-16-14-14-16-17--------|
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E--17-/19~--|
B-----------|
G-----------|
D-----------|
A-----------|
E-----------|
Rhythm guitar solo 3:
- This rhythm part isn't simple like the previous ...
E-------------------|----------------------------|
B-------------------|----------------------------|
G-------------------|----------------------------|
D----9----9---------|----------------------------|
A--777-7777-777777--|-----10------10--9--10------|
E-------------------|--88--8--888--8--7---8--99--|
.. ... ...... .. ... ..
E------------------------------|----------|
B------------------------------|----------|
G------------------------------|----------|
D------------------------------|----------|
A-----11------11-10-11---------|--12---9--|
E--99--9--999--9--8--9--10-10--|--10--11--|
.. ... . .
E-------------------|----------------------------|
B-------------------|----------------------------|
G-------------------|----------------------------|
D----9--------------|----------------------------|
A--777-77777777777--|-----10------10--9--10------|
E-------------------|--88--8--888--8--7---8--99--|
.. ........... .. ... ..
E----------------------------|--------|--------|
B----------------------------|--------|--------|
G----------------------------|--------|--------|
D----------------------------|--------|--------|
A-----11------11-10-11-------|--9--9--|--9--9--|
E--99--9--999--9--8--9--7-7--|--7--7--|--7--7--|
.. ... . .
Solo 3 (harmonized):
E---------------|--------------------|--------------------|------------|
B--12~--12------|--12~--12--10--12~--|--12~--12--10--12~--|--10~-------|
G-----------9~--|--------------------|--------------------|-------11~--| LEFT
D---------------|--------------------|--------------------|------------|GUITAR
A---------------|--------------------|--------------------|------------|
E---------------|--------------------|--------------------|------------|
E-------------|----------------|----------------|----------|
B--8~--8------|--8~--8--7--8~--|--8~--8--7--8~--|--7~------|
G---------9~--|----------------|----------------|------8~--| RIGHT
D-------------|----------------|----------------|----------| GUITAR
A-------------|----------------|----------------|----------|
E-------------|----------------|----------------|----------|
E---------------|--------------------|--------------------|
B--12~--12------|--12~--12--10--12~--|--12~--12--10--12~--|
G-----------9~--|--------------------|--------------------| LEFT
D-----------Ah--|--------------------|--------------------| GUITAR
A---------------|--------------------|--------------------|
E---------------|--------------------|--------------------|
E-------------|----------------|----------------|
B--8~--8------|--8~--8--7--8~--|--8~--8--7--8~--|
G---------9~--|----------------|----------------| RIGHT
D-------------|----------------|----------------| GUITAR
A-------------|----------------|----------------|
E-------------|----------------|----------------|
E------------|--14~--19~--|
B--12~--16~--|------------|
G------------|------------| LEFT
D------------|------------| GUITAR
A------------|------------|
E------------|------------|
E------7~--|--10~--7~--|
B--7~------|-----------|
G----------|-----------| RIGHT
D----------|-----------| GUITAR
A----------|-----------|
E----------|-----------|
The high speed-tecnical phrase:
- It's all plectrum-work, so a fast right-hand can be of extreme help
to perform it.
- We've figured out all the notes on the E string. For sure it's impossible
to play it in this way, so modify the phrase (in two strings f.e.) to
perform it right (according to us no one can play it in the E string :)
- If you aren't sure, we have the midi file transcription of this solo, ask
for it if needed.
| this note could appear wrong ... but it isn't
E--19-17-15-14-14-15-18-15-14-12-13-14-15-14-13-10-10-11-14-13-9-13-14-15--|
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E--17-15-14-12-12-13-15-14-12-10-10-12-14-12-10-8-8-10-12-10-9-10-12-14--|
B------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E--15-14-12-10-10-12-14-12-10-9-8-10-12-10-8-7-7-8-10-8-7-9-10-12--|
B------------------------------------------------------------------|
G------------------------------------------------------------------|
D------------------------------------------------------------------|
A------------------------------------------------------------------|
E------------------------------------------------------------------|
E--14-12-10-8-8-10-12-10-8-7-7-8-10-8-7-5-5-7-8-7-5-5-3-2--|
B----------------------------------------------------------|
G----------------------------------------------------------|
D----------------------------------------------------------|
A----------------------------------------------------------|
E----------------------------------------------------------|
Ending Chords:
E--------------|
B--------------|
G--------------| 4x
D--------------|
A--9--7--5--4--|
E--7--5--3--2--|
Harmonized ending phrases:
E--11--8---------|--11--8---------|--11~--8~--|-----------|
B---------7--10--|---------7--10--|-----------|--7~--10~--|
G----------------|----------------|-----------|-----------| LEFT
D----------------|----------------|-----------|-----------| GUITAR
A----------------|----------------|-----------|-----------|
E----------------|----------------|-----------|-----------|
E------------------|------------------|------------|------------|
B--12--10----------|--12--10----------|--12~--10~--|------------|
G----------12--11--|----------12--11--|------------|--12~--11~--| RIGHT
D------------------|------------------|------------|------------| GUITAR
A------------------|------------------|------------|------------|
E------------------|------------------|------------|------------|
Chorus:
"I'm away, lost in my thoughts ..."
E---------------------------------|-------------------------------|------|
B---------------------------------|-------------------------------|------|
G---------------------------------|-------------------------------|------|
D------9~-------9-10-9-7-9~-------|------9~-----------------------|--10--|
A--7-7-----7-7---------------7-7--|--7-7-----7-7-12-12-10-10-9-9--|--10--|
E---------------------------------|-------------------------------|---8--|
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
E--------------|
B--------------|
G--------------|
D--------------|
A-----------6--|
E--5--8--7-----|
Repeat the chorus 3-times
E--------------|
B--------------|
G--------------| Repeat 3-times
D--------------|
A-----------6--|
E--5--8--7-----|
E-----|
B-----|
G--5--| repeat the chord since the fast guitar fill
D--5--|
A--3--|
E-----|
The fast guitar fill:
E--------------------------------13-15-17-17-15-13--
B----------------------13-15-17---------------------
G------------14-16-17-------------------------------
D--14-16-17-----------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------
E--------------------------------|---------------|
B--17-15-13----------------------|---------------|
G------------17-16-14------------|------------9--|
D----------------------17-16-14--|--14-----9--9--|
A--------------------------------|---------9--7--|
E--------------------------------|---------7-----|
OK WELL THERE IT IS
Robert Weatherall
Sway_Back@Hotmail.com
