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A Beginner's Guide To Pearl Jam Songs
by Rick Posey

Last Updated: 3/29/2003

Big thanks to Chris Kletecka for the idea and for his help on this!

Still can't get that one Pearl Jam song down? New to Pearl Jam tabs and want to learn some easy, recognizable stuff? Well, here ya go. This is designed for beginners who want to learn how to play (or jump on the path to learning how to play) Pearl Jam songs. As you work your way through the songs, you'll notice an increase in the difficulty (starting with simple open chords up through different levels of soloing) of the songs.

It might help to also check out our Lessons page to help with different techniques. If you still have trouble with something, be sure to check out the FAQ page. If you have a correction or a suggestion, send an email to us. Have a question? Check the FAQ or the forums.

>>Return to the Given To Wail Main Page
>>Discuss This in the Forums

This document may not be reprinted without the author's expressed, written permission.

Table of Contents

A General List of Relatively Easy Songs To Have In Your Catalogue:
  • Release: A very simple song that came from the band just playing around.
  • Elderly Woman..
  • Indifference (Ed & Ben Harper): Stripped down to an acoustic, this song still is as powerful as it could be.
  • Not For You: All you really need to know is what an E major chord looks like.
  • Whipping: Updated tab coming soon! E - G - A - G. Thanks, Ed.
  • Better Man: Repitition is key with the chord shape Ed uses here (updated tab is coming soon).
  • Long Road: Probably one of the best examples of a first position chord based song in their catalogue. It's also very easy to start with.
  • Who You Are: Excellent example of running up/down a scale (E major in this case).
  • Off He Goes: Easy first position (for the most part) song to play on one guitar.
  • Lukin: Gotta hand it to Ed keeping things simple.. 3 power chords.
  • Thin Air: Stone turns out this open/first position chord tune. He's pretty liberal with the keys in here too.
  • Parting Ways: Another simple Ed tune.

Open/First Position Chords (note, capo songs can also be considered open chord songs):
Note: Getting the chords changes and patterns down in these songs before moving on will help you accomplish more difficult Pearl Jam songs. There are a great deal of later songs that can sound as good as you want them through if you practice enhancing your own abilities. Some later songs also include the use of effects. It's best not to be discouraged by them if you don't have the effects to use but you can still work on them and develop your own sound and style.

Power Chords:
Power chords are often seen as "A5" and "G5" (just examples). A power chord is basically the root note of the chord and the fifth note in the key (dominant note). Typically, you'll see a chord with a root note, a dominant, and the other root note 1 octave up.

Strum This!:
These songs will help you develop your strumming techniques (don't be afraid to loosen up and use up/down strumming patterns). A lot of novice guitarists stiffen up and use only down stroke styles of strumming. Practice these to help this. This is not comprehensive (there are a great deal of songs left out).

Scale Work:
There are many different finger exercises guitarists often run through in order to build up their finger abilities. Examples of these are coming soon. These songs will help show you different patterns in scales on your guitar and help you familiarize yourself with Mike's styles of playing.

  • Once (verse): A Phrygian (A - A#/Bb - C - D - E - F - G - A). This is also equivalent to F major so the solo can be played in D minor using a pentatonic (five tone) pattern (which Mike usually plays around).
  • Garden: Solo in E minor pentatonic (E - F# - G - A - B - C - D - E... relative to the G major).
  • Yellow Ledbetter: E major (E - F# - G# - A - B - C# - D# - E); also C# minor (use a pentatonic scale to make it easier).
  • 1/2 Full: G major (same scale as Garden). Note how Mike moves up an octave in the solo (relevance: learn positions/patterns of scales/solos).
Capo Work: Solo Phase 1: The Basics
The solos listed below are here to help you practice various techniques in soloing. These include bends, slides (up and down), hammer-ons, pull-offs, vibrato, and trills. An explanation of these can be found in the FAQ. It is best to master these techniques individually before moving on to the next level.
  • Rearview Mirror (end solo): basic note picking and basic bending techniques employed by Mike.
  • Indifference: Note the simple run down of the scale (E minor) with the basic slides and hammer-ons/pull-offs (see the FAQ for an explanation of these).
  • Wishlist: Solo 1: (Stone) basic slides along the scale; Solo 2: (Mike) simply goes up and down the scale on the B-string using slides and hammer-ons; Solo 3: (Ed) Use of e-bow and hammer-ons and no-brainer slides.
  • Insignificance: A Dorian (G major would be G Ionian, song starts on A so it's A Dorian.. if I'm wrong on this, please send in a correction) A - B - C - D - E - F# - G - A. The F chord at the end of the pre-chorus (?) does not fit this scale, nor does the Bb in the verse. I think it's just Ed doin' what sounds good and sometimes, that's how you have to do it :D.
  • Rival: notes pending
  • Love Boat Captain: Chords under solo are A - C - G (which could be in a variety of keys) so Mike opts (or is shown...) to play the natural notes in the G major scale, avoiding the F# in the scale to keep the song flowing.
  • Undone: Solo in D major w/ a variety of slides.
Solo Phase 2: Running Through the Scale
Similar to the scale work section above, this section will help you familiarize yourself with the run downs (and ups) of scales within the context of a Pearl Jam song. Some of these solos also employ the use of the techniques you learned in Phase 1.
  • Garden: Mike's been criticized for having "limited range in technique".. whether that's true or not we'll never know but this solo is both a) typical (good sense) Mike and b) good runs to practice to help you learn scales.
  • Yellow Ledbetter: Basic playing, combination of techniques including slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs.
  • Daughter: hammer-ons, bends, slides, pull-offs.. nice practice material here in G major.
  • Dissident: This is an excellent example of bending to reach another note and then following through with other techniques and runs in the scale.
Solo Phase 3: Putting 1 & 2 Together
This section is put together to help you bring together all the techniques you've learned up to this point. Mastering these solos will help you move on to more improved, precise soloing and also help you understand the scales and keys involved in these songs as well as understand the relationship between what Mike is playing and what Stone and/or Ed may be playing.
  • Alive: G major/E minor pentatonic scale. Mike's technique in this song offers perfect examples of what you can use practice everything up to this point.
  • Yellow Ledbetter: Seamless technique practicing; moving from slides to bends to pulls/hammers etc. Still staying in same C# minor (equivalent to E major) pattern for solo.
  • All or None: Very "Stairway"-esque 2nd solo. If you're practicing this, Mike uses similar patterns as he does in most other songs. This is in G# minor. Practice run downs like in the 2nd solo and work on building the speed.
Solo Phase 4: Cuttin' Loose
This stage is for advanced players. Not only does it require a great understanding and ability of everything mentioned in the first three phases, but it also asks of you to understand your effects you may be using so that you may learn to use the effects in a manner that enhances the emotion/feeling you're conveying rather than just using the effects because they're there.
  • Black (Live on Two Legs): Holy cow. This is Mike at his best.. he's feeling the flow of the song and he's using his skills and techniques to fullest (? who knows how far he can go) potential. If you can play this, shit you don't need to be reading this page.
  • Yellow Ledbetter (improved techniques, touch of improvs)
  • Nothing As It Seems: Mike makes some wicked use of the B minor (generally pentatonic) scale both in the studio and live. Plus he works his effects to his playing.
  • 1/2 Full: See notes above. I put this in Phase 4 because Mike lets it out live.
Alternate Tunings
Note: This list is for studio, album material only. There are still more stuff they do live or have done. All tunings are read "low to high."
(c) 2003 - www.giventowail.com

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