Play About a girl: GUITAR

About a girl tabs: Complete Guide to Playing the Intro to “About a Girl” by Nirvana

In this detailed guide About a girl tabs, we will explore how to play the introduction of the song About a Girl by Nirvana as Kurt Cobain, specially taken from the famous live MTV Unplugged in New York.

This iconic recording, made in 1993, is often praised for its acoustic purity and the emotional sincerity of the performance.

To faithfully reproduce this version of About a girl tabs, it is crucial to pay attention to some technical and stylistic details.
Here I offer you a version in standard tuning. Note that if you want to play like the original you will have to change your guitar tuning.
In fact, you will have to tune your guitar a semitone below the standard tuning to capture exactly the tone and sound of the MTV Unplugged version. This means that each string will be tuned to the note a semitone lower than usual tunings (for example, E will become Eb, A will become Ab, etc.).

To get started, here's how to do it:

1. Guitar tuning: Use a tuner to lower each string by a semitone. The low E string (E) will become E flat (Eb), the A string (A) will become A flat (Ab), the D string (D) will become D flat (Db), the G string (G) will become G flat (Gb), the B string (B) will become B flat (Bb), and the high E string (e) will become high E flat (eb). This alteration gives the guitar a warmer, softer tone, which is characteristic of the Unplugged recording.
2. Execution of agreements About a girl tabs : The introduction of About a Girl is based on a series of simple but effective agreements. Kurt Cobain uses precise fingerwork that gives the song its unique signature sound. Focus on the dynamics of the chords, playing the notes clearly and distinctly, while letting some strings sound softer to capture the essence of the original performance.
3. Playing techniques: Observe the nuances of Cobain's performance. He uses lightly percussive playing, often striking the strings with some force to create an accenting effect. Picking technique is essential here: try to reproduce the same rhythmic patterns, paying attention to when playing individual notes and letting the strings vibrate freely.
4. Interpretation: Beyond the technical aspects, the way Cobain performs the song is equally important. He plays with an emotional sensitivity that translates into subtle nuances in his playing. Listen carefully to the Unplugged version to capture the feeling and soul of the performance, focusing on the small variations that add character to the performance.

1. About a girl tabs: Position of the Agreements

The introduction to “About a Girl” is based on two main chords: E minor (Em) and G major (G). Here are the details for each agreement:

• E minor (Em):
  • Finger position: Place your index, middle and ring fingers on the second and third frets of the A, D, and G strings respectively.
  • Diagram :e|—0—
    B|—0—
    G|—0—
    D|—2—
    A|—2—
    E|—0—
• G major (G):
  • Finger position: Place your middle finger on the third fret of the E string (6th string), your index finger on the second fret of the A string (5th string), and your ring finger on the third fret of the B string (2nd string) .
  • Diagram :e|—3—
    B|—0—
    G|—0—
    D|—0—
    A|—2—
    E|—3—

I offer two versions for each chord, with possible variations to suit your comfort and playing style. Both versions are valid, so choose the one that seems most natural to you.

2. About a girl tabs: Rhythm and Structure

Rhythm is the key to giving the right groove to the introduction. The rhythmic structure is simple and is played in eighth notes:

• First measurement:
  • A quarter note on E minor (Em), followed by eighth notes.
  • Rhythm diagram:
    • 1st beat: Noire (Em)
    • 2nd beat: Eighth notes
    • 3rd beat: Eighth notes
    • 4th beat: Eighth notes
• Second measure:
  • All beats are played in eighth notes on G major (G).
  • Rhythm diagram:
    • 1st beat: Eighth note (G)
    • 2nd beat: Eighth note (G)
    • 3rd beat: Eighth note (G)
    • 4th beat: Eighth note (G)

Practical advice:
Make sure your handclap continually follows the movement of the eighth notes without interruption. This means playing down then up for each eighth note, except for the quarter note where you only perform a down stroke.

3. About a girl tabs: Method of working

To master this introduction, follow these steps:

1. Chord Practice:
   • Objective : Become comfortable with changing chords.
   • Method : Start by practicing the transition between E minor (Em) and G major (G) without worrying about the rhythm. Just focus on the accuracy of the chord change.
2. Rhythm work:
   • Objective : Play with the right timing and rhythm.
   • Method : Once you have mastered the chords, practice the rhythm by focusing only on the hand that performs the pick strokes. Make sure you maintain a consistent and precise rhythm.
3. Chord and Rhythm Synchronization:
   • Objective : Combine chords and rhythm seamlessly.
   • Method : Start slowly by playing the chords with the appropriate rhythm. Focus on coordinating the chord changes and rhythm pattern. Gradually increase the speed as you feel more comfortable.