Soundgarden – Cold Bitch (Guitar Solo Tab)
Drop D (D-A-D-G-B-E)
• Video Lesson
Versions
(4)
Auto-scroll
Speed:
1.0x
Chords
Cold Bitch is an outtake from the 1991 Badmotorfinger sessions and happens to be one of Ben Shepherd's
favorite Soundgarden songs! It first got released as a B-side on some European and Australasian versions
of the Outshined single in 1992. Next, it would be included on a French promo CD with Exit Stonehenge
(Indedit)in 1994. The same year also saw it released as B-side again, this time on most versions of the
Spoonman single; With Exit Stonehnge and Fresh Tendrils, too. It was later included on the 2014 compilations
Echo of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across The Path, as well as Soundgarden – Superunknown: The Singles.
It's demo would also be released on 2016's Badmotorfinger 25th anniversary re-issue. The song structure is
nearly identical, but lacks the guitar solo and features a longer intro with a riff that was cut from the
studio version.
As far as the time signatures are concerned, I count the intro as four bars of 7/4, of which the guitar
plays every note "on the beat" for the first two bars and off-beat for the third and fourth, followed by
one bar of 4/4, where it just rings out as the drums keep going. You could also count it as alternating
or even mixed bars of 3/4 and 4/4, respectively. The chorus could be counted as two bars of 7/4, with the
first on the beat and the second off-beat, followed by one bar of 2/4, where the guitar again just rings out.
It can also be counted as four bars of 4/4, of which three are played more or less on the beat and the
fourth one only rings out. The bridge could either be counted as 6 bars of 4/4, or three alternating bars of
3/4 and 5/4.
There are two guitars mostly playing the same riffs - But they will differ in that one one plays the lower and
the other the higher octave for some notes. These accents will also not be played at the same relative
volume every time, for which I tried to indicate the lower volume ones as ghost notes. In the studio, this
was perhaps achieved by a booster pedal or extra gain, if not adjusted during mixing. The lead guitar is
only played during the solo. The tuning is Drop D (DADGbe).
For the rhythm guitars, I made a conscious decision to reach for the thicker sounding notes up the neck,
rather than delegating to the thinner gauge strings just to preserve economy of movement. Even if they are
a bit further away from the successive chords, all positions can be gotten to in time without trouble. This
is what I'm hearing in the recording. There is no footage of Soundgarden ever having played this song to my
knowledge, thus I gladly trust my experience as a Knight Of The Soundtable: When in doubt, thicken it up!
Demo version: https://youtu.be/DlDBUA-iWhU
Link to my video lesson: https://youtu.be/ScGXfQOU0FA
[0:01 guitar feedback, vocals, drums]
[0:12 INTRO 1st guitar, lower octave]
D B A# A G F# F D# 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 e|----------------------------------------------------------------------| b|----------------------------------------------------------------------| G|----------------------------------------------------------------------| D|-0---------0-9-8-7-0-------0-5-4-3-0------0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-| A|-0-15-14v--0-9-8-7-0-10-9v-0-5-4-3-0-6-5v-0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-| D|-0---------0-9-8-7-0-------0-5-4-3-0------0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-| e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| b|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| D|-0----------0-9-8-7-0---------0-5-4-3-0--------0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-| A|-0-(15-14v)-0-9-8-7-0-(10-9v)-0-5-4-3-0-(6-5v)-0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-| D|-0----------0-9-8-7-0---------0-5-4-3-0--------0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-|
[simult. 2nd guitar, higher octave]
e|-------------------------------------------------------------------| b|-------------------------------------------------------------------| G|---(17-16v)------------(12-11v)------------(8-7v)------------------| D|-0----------0-9-8-7--0----------0-5-4-3--0--------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-| A|-0----------0-9-8-7--0----------0-5-4-3--0--------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-| D|-0----------0-9-8-7--0----------0-5-4-3--0--------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-| e|-------------------------------------------------------------| b|-------------------------------------------------------------| G|---17-16v------------12-11v------------8-7v------------------| D|-0--------0-9-8-7--0--------0-5-4-3--0------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-| A|-0--------0-9-8-7--0--------0-5-4-3--0------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-| D|-0--------0-9-8-7--0--------0-5-4-3--0------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-|
[0:35 VERSE 1st guitar, vocals join]
e|---------------------------------------------------------------| b|---------------------------------------------------------------| G|---------------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------------------------------| A|-0-15-14v-0-9-8-7v-0-10-9v-0-5-4-3-0-6-5v-0--1---0--3--1--0-3~-| D|-0--------0-9-8-7v-0-------0-5-4-3-0------0--1---0--3--1--0-3~-| e|----------------------------------------------------------------------| b|----------------------------------------------------------------------| G|----------------------------------------------------------------------| D|----------------------------------------------------------------------| A|-0-15-14v-0-9-8-7v-0-10-9v-0-5-4-3-0-6-5v-0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-| D|-0--------0-9-8-7v-0-------0-5-4-3-0------0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-| e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| x2 b|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|-0-15-14v---14-15-17v---10-9v---(9-10-12v)---6-5v-0--1--0-3--1-0--3------/-| D|-0--------0-----------0-------0------------0------0--1--0-3--1-0--3------/-|
[0:35 simult. 2nd guitar]
e|-------------------------------------------------------------------| x2 b|-------------------------------------------------------------------| G|---(17-16v)------------(12-11v)------------(8-7v)------------------| D|-------------------------------------------------------------------| A|-0----------0-9-8-7--0----------0-5-4-3--0--------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-| D|-0----------0-9-8-7--0----------0-5-4-3--0--------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-| e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| x2 b|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| G|---(17-16v)---(16-17-19v)---(12-11v)---11-12-14v----8-7v)--------------------| D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|-0--------------------------------------------------------0--1---0-3--1-0--3-| D|-0----------0-------------0----------0-----------0--------0--1---0-3--1-0--3-|
[1:28 CHORUS 2 guitars simult.]
e|-----------------------------------| x3 |------------------------------------------| x1 b|-----------------------------------| |------------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------| |------------------------------------------| D|-----------------------------------| |------------------------------------------| A|-----------------------------------| |------------------------------------------| D|-0-13-12qb-0-7-6v-0-5~--/15-14-13v-| |-0-13-12qb-0-7-6v-0-5~--/15-14-13v------\-|
[1:53 INTRO 1st guitar]
e|----------------------------------------------------------------------| b|----------------------------------------------------------------------| G|----------------------------------------------------------------------| D|-0---------0-9-8-7-0-------0-5-4-3-0------0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-| A|-0-15-14v--0-9-8-7-0-10-9v-0-5-4-3-0-6-5v-0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-| D|-0---------0-9-8-7-0-------0-5-4-3-0------0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-|
[simult. 2nd guitar]
e|---------------------------------------------------------------| b|---------------------------------------------------------------| G|---(17-16v)------------12-11v------------8-7\------------------| D|-0----------0-9-8-7--0--------0-5-4-3--0------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-| A|-0----------0-9-8-7--0--------0-5-4-3--0------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-| D|-0----------0-9-8-7--0--------0-5-4-3--0------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-|
[2:03 VERSE 1st guitar]
e|----------------------------------------------------------------------| x2 b|----------------------------------------------------------------------| G|----------------------------------------------------------------------| D|----------------------------------------------------------------------| A|-0-15-14v-0-9-8-7v-0-10-9v-0-5-4-3-0-6-5v-0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-| D|-0--------0-9-8-7v-0-------0-5-4-3-0------0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-| e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| b|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|-0-15-14v---14-15-17v---10-9v---(9-10-12v)---6-5v-0--1--0-3--1-0--3------/-| D|-0--------0-----------0-------0------------0------0--1--0-3--1-0--3------/-|
[simult. 2nd guitar]
e|-------------------------------------------------------------------| x2 b|-------------------------------------------------------------------| G|---(17-16v)------------(12-11v)------------(8-7v)------------------| D|-------------------------------------------------------------------| A|-0----------0-9-8-7--0----------0-5-4-3--0--------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-| D|-0----------0-9-8-7--0----------0-5-4-3--0--------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-| e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------| b|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------| G|---(17-16v)---(16-17-19v)---(12-11v)---(11-12-14v)---(8-7v)--------------------| D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|-0----------------------------------------------------------0--1---0-3--1-0--3-| D|-0----------0-------------0----------0-------------0--------0--1---0-3--1-0--3-|
[2:44 CHORUS 2 guitars simult.]
e|-----------------------------------| x3 |------------------------------------------| x1 b|-----------------------------------| |------------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------| |------------------------------------------| D|-----------------------------------| |------------------------------------------| A|-----------------------------------| |------------------------------------------| D|-0-13-12qb-0-7-6v-0-5~--/15-14-13v-| |-0-13-12qb-0-7-6v-0-5~--/15-14-13v------\-|
[03:07 BRDIGE]
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| b|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| D|-13-------13-------------3------3------------10-------10---------------------------| A|----13-------13----13\-----3------3---3/--------10-------10----10------------------| D|-------13-------13-----3-----3------3-----10-------10-------10------0~-------(12\)-|
[3:21 cont. ]
e|------------------------------------| x3 |-----------------------------| x1 b|------------------------------------| |-----------------------------| G|------------------------------------| |-----------------------------| D|------------------------------------| |-----------------------------| A|-------15-14v---10-9v---4-5~------/-| |-------15-14v---10-9v---4-5~-| D|-(0-0)--------0-------0-------------| |-(0-0)--------0-------0------|
[3:47 cont.]
e|----------------------------| b|----------------------------| G|----------------------------| D|------3----(3)--------------| A|--------3------(3)-----(3)--| D|-0--3-----3--------(3)------|
[3:49 SOLO lead guitar]
e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| b|-13--qb------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| G|----------(12h)-14v-15\-17hb-r-v-(14h)-17p-14-----------------------------------14qb-r-qb-r-qb-r-qb-r--| D|-----------------------------------------------15wb-v---12-15(p12)-15qb-v-12h15------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| e|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| b|--------------------18------------------------------------------------------| G|-----------17wb-17v----17wb-r-p14h17-----14h17p14---------------------------| D|-17p15-15-----------------------------17----------17p15h17p15----15h17-hb-v-| A|--------------------------------------------------------------17------------| D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| b|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| D|-5/-10-(12p10)-12hb-r-p10h12p10----10v--------------9h10-9hb-(r)------------------------------10-10-12hb-r-| A|--------------------------------12-------12p10-p9h10-------------12-p10-------8hb-(10-10)-12---------------| D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------14-p12------------------------------| e|-----------------------------------------------------------------| b|--------------13-------------------------------------------------| G|-----12--hb-r----13phb-r-----------------------------------------| D|-14v---------------------10v-----10-12-hb-r----------------------| A|------------------------------12------------10--\7--/10h12p10h12-| D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
[simult. 1st rhythm guitar]
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------| b|---------------------------------------------------------------------| G|---------------------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------------------------------------| A|-0-15-14v-0-9-8-7-0-10-9v-0-5-4-3-0-6-5v-0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-| D|-0--------0-9-8-7-0-------0-5-4-3-0------0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-| e|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| b|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| G|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| A|-0-(15-14v)-0-9-8-7v-0-(10-9v)-0-5-4-3-0-(6-5v)-0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-| D|-0----------0-9-8-7v-0---------0-5-4-3-0--------0--1---0--3--1--0-3~------/-|
[simult. 2nd rhythm guitar]
e|-------------------------------------------------------------------| b|-------------------------------------------------------------------| G|---(17-16v)------------(12-11v)------------(8-7v)------------------| D|-------------------------------------------------------------------| A|-0----------0-9-8-7--0----------0-5-4-3--0--------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-| D|-0----------0-9-8-7--0----------0-5-4-3--0--------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-| e|-------------------------------------------------------------| b|-------------------------------------------------------------| G|---17-16v------------12-11v------------8-7v------------------| D|-------------------------------------------------------------| A|-0--------0-9-8-7--0--------0-5-4-3--0------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-| D|-0--------0-9-8-7--0--------0-5-4-3--0------0-1--0-3--1--0-3-|
[4:14 CHORUS 2 guitars simult.]
e|-----------------------------------| x4 b|-----------------------------------| G|-----------------------------------| D|-----------------------------------| A|-----------------------------------| D|-0-13-12qb-0-7-6v-0-5~--/15-14-13v-|
[4:47 BRIDGE]
e|----------------------------------------------------------------------| b|----------------------------------------------------------------------| G|----------------------------------------------------------------------| D|-13-------13-------------3------3------------10-------10--------------| A|----13-------13----13\-----3------3---3/--------10-------10----10-----| D|-------13-------13-----3-----3------3-----10-------10-------10------0~|
[4:54 feedback, 4:57 fin]
e|--------| b|--------| G|--------| D|-5*--5*-| A|--------| D|--------|
Tab legend:
h hammer on
p pull off
/ slide up
\ slide down
v vibrato
qb quarter bend
hb half bend
wb whole bend
r release (bend)
* natural harmonic
() ghost note