Helicopter
by Bloc Party (off the album "Silent Alarm", 2005)
Standard tuning.
Update 31/05/2007: The solo/break I'd written out wrong slightly for Russell. Correct now :).
This has been done pretty well by most attempts, but I've seen some faults.
Here's my attempt, it sounds near perfect to me. Kele is the rhythm guitarist,
playing in the right channel, and Russell is the lead guitarist, playing in
the left channel. Russell gets all the complex bits because Kele's singing ^_^.
Note on the intro, they do play it with both guitarists.
However, as someone requested on another tab, there's the one-guitar intro tabbed.
Enjoy!
_____________________________________________________________________________
INTRO [0:00]
_____________________________________________________________________________
This is played by both Kele and Russell.
8 TIMES - On the 8th time, Russell slides the last note down.
Kele
e|------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------|
D|------9-9--7-7--4-4-------4-4--11-11--9-9-|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|-7-7-----------------5-5------------------| -\
Russell
e|------------------------------------------| -/
B|------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------------|
D|------7-7---------------------------------|
A|----------10-10-9-9--7-7--5-5--7--7---9-5-|
E|-7-7--------------------------------------|
On another version, someone posted they'd like the intro played on one guitar.
So here it is... good luck playing it in time though.
Kele/Russell Supermorph
e|-----------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------|
D|------9--9---7--7-------------4-4--11-11--9-9--|
A|------12-12--10-10--9-9--7-7--5-5--x--x---9-x--|
E|-7-7---------------------5-5-------12-12--x-10-|
_____________________________________________________________________________
VERSE[0:23]
_____________________________________________________________________________
Two ways to play Kele's part. Either the first or the second.
From videos I've seen, he seems to play the first way, but I prefer the second
way personally. Your choice.
Kele
e|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
B|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-9--9--9--9--|-9--9--9--9--|-12-12-12-12-|-14-14-14-14-|
A|-9--9--9--9--|-9--9--9--9--|-12-12-12-12-|-14-14-14-14-|
E|-7--7--7--7--|-7--7--7--7--|-10-10-10-10-|-12-12-12-12-|
OR
e|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
B|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
G|-4--4--4--4--|-4--4--4--4--|-7--7--7--7--|-9--9--9--9--|
D|-4--4--4--4--|-4--4--4--4--|-7--7--7--7--|-9--9--9--9--|
A|-2--2--2--2--|-2--2--2--2--|-5--5--5--5--|-7--7--7--7--|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
That's played twice without Russell, then twice with Russell:
Russell[0:35]
e|-------------------------------|
B|-------7-------10--7----7-7-7--|
G|-7-9-7-----7----------9---9-7--|
D|---------9---9-----------------|
A|-------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
e|----------------------7-10-7---|
B|---------------8-8-7---------7-|
G|-7-7-7-7---7-------------------|
D|---------9---9-----------------|
A|-------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------|
B|-------7-------10--7----7-7-7--|
G|-7-9-7-----7----------9---9-7--|
D|---------9---9-----------------|
A|-------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------|
B|---------------8-8-7--7--7-----|
G|-7-7-7-7---7----------7--9-----|
D|---------9---9-----------------|
A|-------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
_____________________________________________________________________________
PRECHORUS[0:46]
_____________________________________________________________________________
!ALL PLAYED TWICE!
Probably best to play this all on the lower bit for Kele, otherwise you end
up playing an open A...
[0:46]
Kele
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-9-----9---------|
A|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-9-----9---------|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-7-----7---------| -\
Russell
e|-------5-------5-|-------7-------7-|-------5-------5-|-----------------| -/
B|-------5-------5-|-------7-------7-|-------5-------5-|-----------------|
G|-------6-------6-|-------8-------8-|-------6-------6-|-----------------|
D|-------7-------7-|-------9-------9-|-------7-------7-|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
[0:51]
Kele
e|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|
A|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-| -\
Russell
e|-5-------5-------|-7-------7-------| -/
B|-5-------5-------|-7-------8-------|
G|-6-------6-------|-8-------9-------|
D|-7-------7-------|-9-------9-------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|
Kele
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
A|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
E|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-| -\
Russell
e|-7-----------7-----------|-5-----------------------| -/
B|-8-----------8-----------|-6-----------------------|
G|-9-----------9-----------|-7------------7-7-9------|
D|-9-----------9-----------|-7-----------------------|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|
_____________________________________________________________________________
CHORUS[1:07]
_____________________________________________________________________________
Russell's bends on the chorus are quick bends with no release. Mute them as
the bend is reached.
Kele
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
D|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--|
A|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------| -\
Russell
e|-------------------------|-------------------------| -/
B|-------7-----------7-----|-------7-----------7-----|
G|-------9b11--------9b11--|-------9b11--------6b7---|
D|-------------------------|-------------------------|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|
Kele
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|-------------------------|
D|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--|-------------------------|
A|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------| -\
Russell
e|-------------------------|-------------------------| -/
B|-------7-----------7-----|-------7-----------7-----|
G|-------9b11--------9b11--|-------9b11--------6b7---|
D|-------------------------|-------------------------|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|
_____________________________________________________________________________
Kele
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
D|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--|
A|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------| -\
Russell
e|-------------------------|-------------------------| -/
B|-------7-----------7-----|-------7-----------7-----|
G|-------9b11--------9b11--|-------9b11--------6b7---|
D|-------------------------|-------------------------|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|
Kele
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|-------------14-14-14-12-|
D|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--|-------------------------|
A|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------| -\
Russell
e|-------------------------|-------------------------| -/
B|-------7-----------7-----|-------7-----------7-----|
G|-------9b11--------9b11--|-------9b11--------6b7---|
D|-------------------------|-------------------------|
A|-------------------------|-------------------------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|
_____________________________________________________________________________
[1:19]
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/b/bloc_party/helicopter_tab_ver_8.html ]
Kele
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
D|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--|
A|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------| -\
Russell
e|-------------------------|-------------------------| -/
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--|-7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--|
A|-9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--|-7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--|
E|-7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--|-5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--|
Kele
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|-12\11-------7/9---------|
D|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--|-x-\x--------x/x---------|
A|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-10\9--------5/7---------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------| -\
Russell
e|-------------------------|-------------------------| -/
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--|-4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--|
A|-5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--|-4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--|
E|-3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--|-2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--|
_____________________________________________________________________________
Kele
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|
D|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--|
A|-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------| -\
Russell
e|-------------------------|-------------------------| -/
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--|-7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--|
A|-9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--|-7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--|
E|-7--7--7--7--7--7--7--7--|-5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--|
Kele
e|-------------------------|-------------------------|
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|-12\11-------14/9--------|
D|-x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--|-x-\x--------x-/x--------|
A|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-|-10\9--------12/7--------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------| -\
Russell
e|-------------------------|-------------------------| -/
B|-------------------------|-------------------------|
G|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--|-4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--|
A|-5--5--5--5--5--5--5--5--|-4--4--4--4--4--4--4--4--|
E|-3--3--3--3--3--3--3--3--|-2--2--2--2--2--2--2--2--|
Dubbed - Could be instead of Russell's if needed, starting on the second bar
of this section
e|-5---------------|
B|---8-7--5--5h7---|
G|---------------7-|
D|-----------------|
A|-----------------|
E|-----------------|
_____________________________________________________________________________
BRIDGE[1:30]
_____________________________________________________________________________
Kele and Russell, or Kele/Russell Supermorph, play the INTRO part again 4
times this time.
_____________________________________________________________________________
VERSE[1:40]
_____________________________________________________________________________
Kele plays the same as in the first verse.
Russell plays something slightly different to the first verse:
Russell[1:51]
e|----------|
B|-<7>-(7)\-|
G|----------|
D|----------|
A|----------|
E|----------|
e|-------------------------------|
B|-------7-------10--7----7-7-7--|
G|-7-9-7-----7----------9---9-7--|
D|---------9---9-----------------|
A|-------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------|
B|---------------8-7--7----10----|
G|-7-7-7-7---7---7-7--9b11-12b14-|
D|---------9---9-----------------|
A|-------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------|
B|-------7-------10--7----7-7-7--|
G|-7-9-7-----7----------9---9-7--|
D|---------9---9-----------------|
A|-------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------|
B|---------------8-7-------------|
G|-7-7-7-7---7---7-7--7----9-----|
D|---------9---9------9----11----|
A|-------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|
_____________________________________________________________________________
PRECHORUS[2:04]
_____________________________________________________________________________
Repeat first prechorus.
_____________________________________________________________________________
CHORUS[2:24]
_____________________________________________________________________________
Repeat first chorus.
_____________________________________________________________________________
SOLO/BREAK[2:47]
_____________________________________________________________________________
#<10># = Tremelo picked natural harmonic ;)
Kele plays this twice on his own:
Kele
e|-------------|-------------|
B|-#12#--------|-------#<10>#|
G|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|
A|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|
Then (4 times):
Kele
e|-------------|-------------|
B|-#12#--------|-------#<10>#|
G|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|
A|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------| -\
Russell
e|-------------|-------------| -/
B|-12-15----12-|----15----15-|
G|-------------|-14----12----|
D|-------------|-------------|
A|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|
Then Kele ascends up the E string while Russell continues:
Kele
e|-7//////////-|-///////////-|-///////////-|-/////////19-|
B|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
Russell
e|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
B|-12-15----12-|----15----15-|-12-15----12-|----15----15-|
G|-------------|-14----12----|-------------|-14----12----|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
_____________________________________________________________________________
CHORUS/OUTRO[3:10]
_____________________________________________________________________________
Basically, in the last chorus Kele plays the first 8 bars as a fading out
tremelo picked note. Then the last 8 bars are played as full (low) powerchords
with the bass.
Kele
e|-#19#--------|-#19#--------|-#19#--------|-#19#--------|
B|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
e|-#19#-fade---|-------------|-------------|-------------|
B|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-| x2
A|-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
E|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|
Russell
e|----15-14-|
B|-15-------|
G|----------|
D|----------|
A|----------|
E|----------|
Russell's part continues from start to the end over Kele.
Then there's a drum fill, and you're done!!
_____________________________________________________________________________
LYRICS
_____________________________________________________________________________
Verse:
North to south
Empty
Running on
Bravado
As if to say, as if to say
As if to say, he doesn't like chocolate
He's born a liar, he'll die a liar
Some things will never be different
Prechorus:
Stop being so American
There's a time and there's a place
So James Dean
So blue jeans
Gonna save the world
He's gonna
Chorus:
Are you hoping for a miracle?
Are you hoping for a miracle?
Are you hoping for a miracle?
Are you hoping for a miracle?
Verse:
Three out of five, three out of five
(It's not enough)
Six out of ten
Better luck next time
Just like his Dad, just like his Dad
(Same mistakes)
Some things will never be different
Hungry and dumb, hungry and dumb
(So wait in line)
Queuing up for some more junk food
It's not my fault, it's not my fault
(Just this once)
They're getting so much younger
Prechorus:
Why can't you be more European
Bastard child of guilt and shame
Bury your face? in the sand
I'm thinking six, six, six
I'm thinking six
Chorus:
Are you hoping for a miracle?
Are you hoping for a miracle?
Are you hoping for a miracle?
Are you hoping for a miracle?
Chorus:
Are you hoping for a miracle?
(It's not enough, It's not enough)
Are you hoping for a miracle?
(It's not enough, It's not enough)
Are you hoping for a miracle?
(It's not enough, It's not enough)
Are you hoping for a miracle?
(It's not enough, It's not enough, It's not enough)
_____________________________________________________________________________
Key:
/ - Slide up
\ - Slide down
b - Bend
r - Return
x - Mute
PM - Palm mute
~ - Let ring/vibrato
h - Hammer-on
p - Pull-off
<> - Harmonic
#n# - Tremelo pick
-\ - Parts played together
-/
