-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STAIRCASE - Radiohead
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tabbed by: Tim van Kester
This tab is mainly for giving my ideas about this song. I used the
'From the Basement'-version for this. So when you read this while in
the meantime a new version is released, the variations may be different
Update Oct. 12 2011: After watching some more recent performances, I changed
the part after the arpeggio's. Use a delay with one repeat
(feedback on the lowest setting). This way, you get the sound of two notes.
--> Main (verse) riffs
e|--------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------| 1
A|-3--5-----3---5---3--5-----3---5------|
E|------(5)--------------(5)------------|
e|--------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------| 2
A|--------------------------------------|
E|-3--5-(0)-3---5---3--5-(0)-3---5------|
e|--------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------| 3
A|-3--2-----3---2---3--2-----3---2------|
E|------(3)--------------(3)------------|
Before the singing starts, the order is: 1-1-1-2-3-2-1-1-1-2-3-2
Then: 1-1-1-2-3-1-1-1-2-3-2.
This second one will become the standard one.
--> Arpeggio's.
e|---15-------|----|---15-------|----|---15--------|----|
B|---------13-|----|---------11-|----|---------10--|----|
G|------------|-x4-|------------|-x4-|-------------|-x4-|
D|13----13----|----|12----12----|----|10----10-----|----|
A|------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------|
e|----8--7-----5--3-----2--0-----8--7-----5--3-----2--0-----8--7-|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0-------|
--> Variation
e|---20-19----17-15----14-12-----8--7-----5--3-----2--0-----8--7-|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0-------|
--> The last time he plays this part (at the very end), he goes a bit
further down the scale, making it something like this:
e|---20-19----17-15----14-12-----8--7-----5--3-----2--0-----8--7-|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0-------|
e|----5--3-----2--0----------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------3--0-------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------2--0----------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------2--0-------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------3--2-----0----|
E|-0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0-----3-|
e|---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0--2--0~------------------------------------------------------|
--> Tremolo-part. This one is used the first time.
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-10-----8-----5---8--5--3----(5)-1----10-----8-----5---8--5--3----1--------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Second time Jonny does tremolo picking, he plays it a bit different.
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-10-----8-----5---8--5--3--------1----10-----12----13---12--15----17-------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
It sometimes sounds like he bends a string slightly, or puts a
different note in shortly. I don't really know if these are mistakes
or small variations. I think you just have to play with it.
--> Order of playing:
- Main (verse) riffs
- Arpeggio's x1
- Tremolo (first bar)
- Main (verse) riffs (minus the part without singing you play at the start)
- Tremolo (second bar)
- Arpeggio's until the end.
************************************
| / slide up
| \ slide down
| h hammer-on
| p pull-off
| ~ vibrato
| + harmonic
| x Mute note
| b Bend
| pb Pre-bend
| br Bend release
| pbr Pre-bend release
| brb Bend release bend
************************************
Staircase - Radiohead
00:00 / 00:00
Tabs and lyrics
Tunning: Standard (E A D G B e)
Tunning: Nashville (E A D G B E)
Jonny's part, it's all in the left earphone.
Jonny is using the neck pickup on his Fender Telecaster Plus V1. For delay his is using
the Boss RE20 Space Echo, and if he does use a phaser it would be his EHX Small Stone V4.
I listed this as intermediate because of the Chorus/Outro, which require slightly
difficult finger picking.
Introduction x1
Verse 1 x3
Chorus x1
Verse 2 x1
Coda x1
___________________________________________________________________________________
Introduction
Play once.
Palm mute. Play with pick.
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5-|
E|-----5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5----|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------3-2--3-2--3-2--3-2--------------------------|
E|-3-5--0-3-5--3-5--0-3-5-------3---------3-----3-5--0-3-5--3-5--0-3-5--|
___________________________________________________________________________________
Verse 1
Play this section three times.
Palm mute, play with pick.
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5-|
E|-----5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5----|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------3-2--3-2--3-2--3-2--------------------------|
E|-3-5-m0-3-5--3-5-m0-3-5-------3---------3-----3-5-m0-3-5--3-5-m0-3-5--|
___________________________________________________________________________________
Chorus
Play once.
Finger pick with thumb and index finger.
E|----15-----------|----15-----------|----15-----------| Play each for times.
B|----------13-----|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|----------15-----|----------14-----|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-15----15--------|-13----13--------|-12----12--------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Finger pick with thumb, index, and middle finger.
E|----8--7-----8--7-----5--3-----8--7-----8--7-----5--3-----8--7-----8--7|
B|----10-8-----7--5-----7--5-----10-8-----10-8-----7--5-----10-8---------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0-------0-------|
___________________________________________________________________________________
Verse 2
Play once.
Tremolo Pick, with delay and phaser?
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| x2
B|-10------8------5---8--5-8-5-3------5--1-----10------8------5----8---5--3-----1------|
G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Palm mute, use pick.
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5-|
E|-----5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5----|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------3-2--3-2--3-2--3-2--------------------------|
E|-3-5-m0-3-5--3-5-m0-3-5-------3---------3-----3-5-m0-3-5--3-5-m0-3-5--|
Tremolo Pick, with delay and phaser?
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-10------8------5---8--5-8-5-3------5--1-----10------8------5----8---5--3-----1------|
G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|
B|-10------12-----13----12--15-------17-----|
G|------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|
___________________________________________________________________________________
Coda
Play Once.
Finger pick with thumb and index finger.
E|----15--------------15--------------15-----------------15--------|
B|----------13--------------13--------------13--------13----13-----|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-15----15--------15----15--------15----15--------15--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----15--------------15--------------15-----------------15--------|
B|----------------------------------------------------13----13-----|
G|----------15--------------15--------------15---------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-13----13--------13----13--------13----13--------13--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----15-----------------15-----------15-----------------15--------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------14--------14----14--------------14--------14----14-----|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-12----12--------12----12--------12----12--------12--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Finger pick with thumb, index and middle finger.
E|----8--7-----8--7-----5--3-----8--7-----8--7-----5--3-----8--7-----8--7|
B|----10-8-----7--5-----7--5-----10-8-----10-8-----7--5-----10-8-----7--5|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0-------0-------|
Finger pick with thumb and index finger.
E|----15--------------15--------------15-----------------15--------|
B|----------13--------------13--------------13--------13----13-----|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-15----15--------15----15--------15----15--------15--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----15--------------15--------------15-----------------15--------|
B|----------------------------------------------------13----13-----|
G|----------15--------------15--------------15---------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-13----13--------13----13--------13----13--------13--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----15-----------------15-----------15-----------------15--------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------14--------14----14--------------14--------14----14-----|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-12----12--------12----12--------12----12--------12--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Finger pick with thumb, index and middle finger.
E|---20-19----20-19----17-15----14-12-----8--7-----5--3-----8--7-----8--7-|
B|------------21-20----19-17----15-13-----10-8-----7--5-----10-8-----7--5-|
G|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0-------|
Finger pick with thumb and index finger.
E|-------15-----------15-----------------15-----------15-----------|
B|----13----13--------------13--------13--------------------13-----|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-15--------------15--------------15--------------15----15--------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----15--------------15--------------15-----------------15--------|
B|----------------------------------------------------13----13-----|
G|----------15--------------15--------------15---------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-13----13--------13----13--------13----13--------13--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----15--------------15--------------15---------------15----------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------14-----------14p12---------------14-----------14p12----|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-12----12--------12--------------12----12--------12--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Finger pick with thumb, index and middle finger.
E|---20-19----20-19----17-15----14-12-----10-8-----8--7-----5--3-----3--8-----7--8-|
B|------------21-20----19-17----15-13-----12-10----10-8-----7--5-----5--10----5--10|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0-------|
E|----8--7-----5s3------8s7------8--7-----8--7-----5--3--|
B|----7--5-----7s5------7s5------10-8-----10-8-----7--5--|
G|-------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------|
E|--------------------|
B|----5----5----------|
G|--------------------|
D|--------------------|
A|----7----7----------|
E|-0----000-----0--0--|
Jonny is using the neck pickup on his Fender Telecaster Plus V1. For delay his is using
the Boss RE20 Space Echo, and if he does use a phaser it would be his EHX Small Stone V4.
I listed this as intermediate because of the Chorus/Outro, which require slightly
difficult finger picking.
Introduction x1
Verse 1 x3
Chorus x1
Verse 2 x1
Coda x1
___________________________________________________________________________________
Introduction
Play once.
Palm mute. Play with pick.
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5-|
E|-----5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5----|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------3-2--3-2--3-2--3-2--------------------------|
E|-3-5--0-3-5--3-5--0-3-5-------3---------3-----3-5--0-3-5--3-5--0-3-5--|
___________________________________________________________________________________
Verse 1
Play this section three times.
Palm mute, play with pick.
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5-|
E|-----5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5----|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------3-2--3-2--3-2--3-2--------------------------|
E|-3-5-m0-3-5--3-5-m0-3-5-------3---------3-----3-5-m0-3-5--3-5-m0-3-5--|
___________________________________________________________________________________
Chorus
Play once.
Finger pick with thumb and index finger.
E|----15-----------|----15-----------|----15-----------| Play each for times.
B|----------13-----|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|----------15-----|----------14-----|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-15----15--------|-13----13--------|-12----12--------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Finger pick with thumb, index, and middle finger.
E|----8--7-----8--7-----5--3-----8--7-----8--7-----5--3-----8--7-----8--7|
B|----10-8-----7--5-----7--5-----10-8-----10-8-----7--5-----10-8---------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0-------0-------|
___________________________________________________________________________________
Verse 2
Play once.
Tremolo Pick, with delay and phaser?
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| x2
B|-10------8------5---8--5-8-5-3------5--1-----10------8------5----8---5--3-----1------|
G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Palm mute, use pick.
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5--3-5-|
E|-----5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5----|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------3-2--3-2--3-2--3-2--------------------------|
E|-3-5-m0-3-5--3-5-m0-3-5-------3---------3-----3-5-m0-3-5--3-5-m0-3-5--|
Tremolo Pick, with delay and phaser?
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-10------8------5---8--5-8-5-3------5--1-----10------8------5----8---5--3-----1------|
G|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|
B|-10------12-----13----12--15-------17-----|
G|------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|
___________________________________________________________________________________
Coda
Play Once.
Finger pick with thumb and index finger.
E|----15--------------15--------------15-----------------15--------|
B|----------13--------------13--------------13--------13----13-----|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-15----15--------15----15--------15----15--------15--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----15--------------15--------------15-----------------15--------|
B|----------------------------------------------------13----13-----|
G|----------15--------------15--------------15---------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-13----13--------13----13--------13----13--------13--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----15-----------------15-----------15-----------------15--------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------14--------14----14--------------14--------14----14-----|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-12----12--------12----12--------12----12--------12--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Finger pick with thumb, index and middle finger.
E|----8--7-----8--7-----5--3-----8--7-----8--7-----5--3-----8--7-----8--7|
B|----10-8-----7--5-----7--5-----10-8-----10-8-----7--5-----10-8-----7--5|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0-------0-------|
Finger pick with thumb and index finger.
E|----15--------------15--------------15-----------------15--------|
B|----------13--------------13--------------13--------13----13-----|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-15----15--------15----15--------15----15--------15--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----15--------------15--------------15-----------------15--------|
B|----------------------------------------------------13----13-----|
G|----------15--------------15--------------15---------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-13----13--------13----13--------13----13--------13--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----15-----------------15-----------15-----------------15--------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------14--------14----14--------------14--------14----14-----|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-12----12--------12----12--------12----12--------12--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Finger pick with thumb, index and middle finger.
E|---20-19----20-19----17-15----14-12-----8--7-----5--3-----8--7-----8--7-|
B|------------21-20----19-17----15-13-----10-8-----7--5-----10-8-----7--5-|
G|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0-------|
Finger pick with thumb and index finger.
E|-------15-----------15-----------------15-----------15-----------|
B|----13----13--------------13--------13--------------------13-----|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-15--------------15--------------15--------------15----15--------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----15--------------15--------------15-----------------15--------|
B|----------------------------------------------------13----13-----|
G|----------15--------------15--------------15---------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-13----13--------13----13--------13----13--------13--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----15--------------15--------------15---------------15----------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|----------14-----------14p12---------------14-----------14p12----|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-12----12--------12--------------12----12--------12--------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Finger pick with thumb, index and middle finger.
E|---20-19----20-19----17-15----14-12-----10-8-----8--7-----5--3-----3--8-----7--8-|
B|------------21-20----19-17----15-13-----12-10----10-8-----7--5-----5--10----5--10|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0-------|
E|----8--7-----5s3------8s7------8--7-----8--7-----5--3--|
B|----7--5-----7s5------7s5------10-8-----10-8-----7--5--|
G|-------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------|
E|-0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------0--------|
E|--------------------|
B|----5----5----------|
G|--------------------|
D|--------------------|
A|----7----7----------|
E|-0----000-----0--0--|
Song info
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-3292708-1324299829.jpeg.jpg)
Staircase
Radiohead
2001
- Electronic
- Rock
- Alternative Rock
- Experimental
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