U2
Acrobat
Transcribed by Richard Zangoli
Checked out and corrected by The Specialist
e-mail me at: thespecialist@u2star.com
The tempo is ♩.= 198 12/8
Right at the beginning Edge plays some harmonics-
E---------------------
B----------------------
G------------------12--
D-------------12--------
A-----------------------
E------12---------------
Then ad lib a bit perhaps with some open/mute stings and/or 5th fret
harmonics. Then Edge plays some sort of E minor chord. That is,-
RIFF 1
E-----0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--
B---s/8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--
G---s/9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9-- etc..
D---s/9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--
A--------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------
And then the intro chords kick in-
INTRO CHORDS-
E---s/8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8s/--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3s/8--8--8--8-
B---s/10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10s/-5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5s/10-10-10-10-
G---s/9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9s/--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4s/9--9--9--9- etc.
D---s/7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7s/--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2s/7--7--7--7-
A------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These chords (Am,Em) are also played during the first part of the first
verse but with variations in timing. When Bono starts singing "when I first
met you darling.." Edge plays something like this-
RIFF 2
E----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--9--7s/5--4--5h7--9--7--5--4--4h5--7--9--7--5--4--4h5--4--2--2--0-----------
D------------------------------------------------------------------------0--2------
A----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--------------0-----------------------------
B--------------------------------------------
G--2--2s/5--5------5s/7--7--7s/9--9--9---
D--------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------
E--------------------------------------------
This will give you some idea of what is played over the chorus but play
around with it.-
E------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------13--13--13---------13---------13----------13----------13---------13-------13
G---12----------------12---------14---------12----------12----------14--------14-----
D------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------
B---13--15--------13-------13--
G-------------12-------14------- x 3 but on the last time it is played
finish on
D------------------------------ the high note on the 15th fret and slide
A------------------------------- it up the fretboard.
E-------------------------------
Then play RIFF 1 again and then the Am and Em INTRO CHORDS. Play them during
the first part of the second verse as in the first but right at the end Edge
slides from the Am chord to a Bm. That is-
E--8--8--8--8--8--8s/10--10--10--10--10---
B--10-10-10-10-10-10s/12-12--12--12--12--
G--9--9--9--9--9--9-s/11-11--11--11--11--
D--7--7--7--7--7--7-s/ 9--9---9---9---9---
A-----------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------
Then play RIFF 2 again, and then the chorus progression. For the bit just
before the solo, play an open Am chord and then ad lib playing it arpeggio.
For example-
E--0----------------------------------------------------0--------
B--1------------------1p0--3--1-----------1-------------------1--
G--2-------------------------------2-----------2-----------------
D--2-------------------------------2------------------------------
A--0---------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------
Now for the solo-
E----s/17----------17-----------17------17---17---------------17-----------17---
B-----------17-----------17-------------17---17-------17------------17----------
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E----17-------------17--17--17--17--17--17--17-----15--15--15--15--15--15----14-
B-----------17-----------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-14-14--14--14--12--12--12--12--12----10--10--10--10--10--10--8--8--8--8--8--8-
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7----3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3-------5--5--5--5--5--5--5
B------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E---10--8--10--10--10--10--10----12--12--12--12--12--12--12--12------5--5--5--5-
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--5--5--5--5----8--8----10--10--10--10--10--10--10----12--12--12--12--12--12-12
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5---8--8---10--10--10--10--10--10--10---12--12--12-12
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--12--12-----5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5----10--8--10--10--10--10--10--10--7-7--7--7
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--7--7--7----8--8--8--8--8--8--8----5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5----1--1--1--1--1-
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--0--0--0--0--0-----
B--------------------- and then Edge plays something that sounds like-
G----------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B---s/10--10--10-----------10--------------10---------------10-----------------
G--------------------12--------------12-------------12------------------12------
E----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-----------10----------------10-----10--10s/13--13--------------10---------10------
G----12--------------12------------------------------------12---------12------------
E--------------------
B--------10------10--- etc..
G--12--------12-----
The next bit is quite hard to hear because there is so much going on so ad
lib using the structure from RIFF 2. However, this is just an example of
what can be played-
E-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-----7--7s/9--7s/5--5--5h7p5--2--2--2h4--5--4--2--4--7--5--7--9--9--9--9-----
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you play around with the above notes you should be able to get something
that sounds OK. Edge then plays this a few times-
E--------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------
G----------11--12--14----------------11--12--
D---------------------------------------------
A----0----------------------0-----------------
E---------------------------------------------
and then perhaps finish off with playing an A power chord-
E--------------------------------------------
B--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10s/--
G---9--9---9----9---9---9---9---9---9---9s/--
D---7--7---7----7---7---7---7---7---7---7s/--
A---0--0---0----0---0---0---0---0---0---0s/--
E--------------------------------------------
HAVE FUN!
The Specialist