SECRETS by Van Halen
From the 1982 album _Diver Down_
Transcribed by DanAmrich@aol.com
As with most early VH, tune your guitar down a half-step to Eb across the board (high
to low: Eb, Ab, Bb, Gb, Db, Eb) in order to play in tune with the record.
Dan
DanAmrich@aol.com
Version 1: The Eddie Van Halen "Right" Way
The opening chord (as best as I can tell--the bass doubles on the low E string, and
your ear's mileage may vary)
NOTE: This intro chord is plucked in 6/4 time.
E -------------|-------------|-------------|--------------|B -5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5--|G -------------|-------------|-------------|--------------| play this pattern twiceD -7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7--| (total of eight measures)A -------------|-------------|-------------|--------------| drums join final measureE -5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5--|
Opening and main verse riff
"She ain't waiting 'til she gets older..."
v--Use pinky to hit 9th fret while still holding barre chord
E ----------5----9---9---------------------3------2--------|B -8-7--5-5---5----5----6-5--3-3---------3--------3--------|G -7-7--7-6-------------5-5--5-4------------------2--------|D -7-7--7-7-------------5-5--5-5------------------0--------|A -5-5--5-5-------------3-3--3-3---0-2-3-----2-0-----------|E ---------------------------------------------------------|
v--Bend slightly (1/2 step) here
E ----------5----9---9-------------3--------3----------------|B -8-7--5-5---5----5----6-5--3-3---3-3-5b-3---3--------------|G -7-7--7-6-------------5-5--5-4-----------------------------|D -7-7--7-7-------------5-5--5-5-----------------------------|A -5-5--5-5-------------3-3--3-3-----------------------------|E -----------------------------------------------------------|
"Aw, aw, aw, got that rhythm..." (0:40)
v--Slide the chord up two frets
E --------3-------3-------3--------7-/-9-----------------------------|B ----------3-------3-------3------8-/-10----------------------------|G ---------------------------------7-/-9-----------------------------|D -------------------------------------------------------------------|A -0-2-3-------2-------1-------0-------------------------------------|E -------------------------------------------------------------------|
E --------3-------3-------3----------------7-/-9---------------------|B ----------3-------3-------3------6-/-8---8-/-10--------------------|G ---------------------------------5-/-7---7-/-9---------------------|D -------------------------------------------------------------------|A -0-2-3-------2-------1-------0-------------------------------------|E -------------------------------------------------------------------|
"She's just lookin' good..." (0:58)
E ---7-/-9----9--\-7--------------|B ---8-/-10---10-\-8--------------|G ---7-/-9----9--\-7--------------|D --------------------------------|A --------------------------------|E --------------------------------|
"You know how sometimes, you've got to run..." (1:40)
Eddie does this bit with a stocatto strumming that is better heard than explained
no slide! --vE ---------------------------------------------------------------------|B -------6-/-8---8-\-6---6-/-8-/-11----6-/-8---8-\-6---6-/-8--6--------|G -------5-/-7---7-\-5---5-/-7-/-10----5-/-7---7-\-5---5-/-7--5--------|D -------3-/-5---5-\-3---3-/-5-/-8-----3-/-5---5-\-3---3-/-5--3--------|A ---------------------------------------------------------------------|E ---------------------------------------------------------------------|
"You're running blind..." (1:48)
I am almost certainly wrong/incomplete here; it doesn't sound full enough
E -------------------------12--------------------------------------|B --15-\-13--15-\--------------15-\-13--15-\-17--17----17----17----|G --14-\-12--14-\-14-----------14-\-12--14-\-17--------------------|D ----------------14--14-12-------------------------17----17-------|A -----------------------------------------------------------------|E -----------------------------------------------------------------|
E -----------------------------------------------------------------|B --15-\-13--15-\-10---13--12--------------------------------------|G --14-\-12--14-\-9------------------------------------------------|D ---------------------14--12--------------------------------------|A -----------------------------------------------------------------|E -----------------------------------------------------------------|
E -----------------------5-/-7-/-10-/-12-/-14----------------------|B ----6--6-/-8--8--------6-/-8-/-11-/-13-/-15----------------------|G ----5--5-/-7--7--------5-/-7-/-10-/-12-/-14----------------------|D -----------------------------------------------------------------|A -----------------------------------------------------------------|E -----------------------------------------------------------------|
(the rhythm under the solo is a variation on the segment above)
Ending (3:11) v-- natural harmonicsE -----------3----3-------3--------5---------------------------------|B ---------3--------3-------3------3-------------------------<7>-----|G ---------------------------------2------------------<5>------------|D ---------------------------------0------------<5>------------------|A --0-2-3-------2------1---------------------------------------------|E -------------------------------------------------------------------|
Version 2: The Dan Amrich "Obviously Wrong But More Comfy" Way
Main verse riff:
E -3-2--0-0-0-----0-------1-0--3-3-----------3------2---------|B -3-3--3-2---2-----2-----1-1--3-3---------3--------3---------|G -2-2--2-2-----2---------0-0--5-4------------------2---------|D -0-0--0-0---------------0-0--0-0------------------0---------|A -----------------------------------0-2-3-----2-0------------|E ------------------------------------------------------------|
This is what I've always used and it's a hell of a lot easier to play, so long as you
don't mind it being totally wrong from what's on the record. :)
