Nine Inch Nails
"Mr. Self-Destruct"
The Downward Spiral
Tabbed by The Great Apocalyzard
(JRocket859@msn.com)
As opposed to this song's other tabs, (of which are great, by the way) I will
attempt to tab out EVERY guitar/bass/synth-related note played. Without the
inclusion of synth and bass, this song is virtually nothing. Now, onward.
(About the tuning: This song is tuned Drop-D, both the bass and the guitar.
I believe it is the only song on 'The Downward Spiral' tuned this way. Correct
me if I am wrong.)
* The VERSE Area *
GUITAR - Main Verse Riff
e|---------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------|
D|-7-/-8-/-10----------------------------|
A|-5-/-6-/--8----------------------------|
D|-0-------------------------------------|
Contrary to what the other tabs tell you, the first chord is only struck ONCE.
Immediately after strumming it, you slide up to the next two chords, muting
the top string with your forefinger on the way. Don't worry, muting the string
isn't hard. Most of the time, you do the slide and mute the top string without
even realizing it.
BASSLINE
G|------------|
D|------------|
A|------------|
D|-0~---------|
Yeah, that's it for the bass in the verse. Every measure, the bass rings out
with the open top string. You can sort of emulate this by doing it on the guitar,
but SLIGHTLY palm-muting it. That means your palm is barely touching the strings.
It should suffice.
SYNTHLINE
e|---------------------|
B|---------------------|
G|---------------------|
D|---------------------|
A|---------------------|
D|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0...--|
The synthline begins right before the Guitar riff plays. It's just the open top
string, but palm-muted and picked tremolo (REALLY fast).
* The CHORUS Area *
GUITAR - Chorus Riff
e|--------------------------|
B|--------------------------|
G|--------------------------|
D|-10~-11~-11-/-13-/-14-----|
A|--8~--9~--9-/-11-/-12-----|
D|--------------------------|
Pretty self explanatory (*snicker* Yeah. Right.). Strum the the first chord, let
it ring, then strum the second chord, and let that ring as well. Strum the second
chord again, but don't let it ring this time. This time, slide up to the following
chords. I hope you understood that. Because I didn't, and I suck at explanation.
The bass is almost the same as the verse. It rings AFTER the chorus riff is played.
It also plays along with the guitar, making the exact same notes it does.
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/n/nine_inch_nails/mr_self_destruct_tab_ver_2.html ]
During the fourth time you play the chorus riff, the synth makes this strange noise.
e|-10p8--10-/-8~-|
B|---------------|
G|---------------|
D|---------------|
A|---------------|
D|---------------|
It sounds like it's using a WHOLE lot of chorus (an effect to make it sound like
more than one instrument is playing) with the Rate knob turned up (If you don't
know what this means, ignore it).
After playing the chorus riff four times, a variation of the verse riff starts up.
Pay attention, because things get REALLY tricky from here.
e|---------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------|
D|-x-7-x-7-x-7-x-7-x-7-x-7-7-/-8-/-10----|
A|-x-5-x-5-x-5-x-5-x-5-x-5-5-/-6-/--8----|
D|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-------------|
Put your fingers into position for the chord and downstrum it, without pressing
down on the strings. Then, on the upstrum, press down on the strings, repeating
the motions for the amount specified. It's tricky to do if your a beginner. After
that's through, do the main riff slide. Do all of this twice.
* Return to the VERSE Area *
The verse is exactly the same, except with the addition of a few repeating guitar
licks.
FIRST REPEATING LICK
e|-----------|
B|-----------|
G|-----------|
D|-7-/-5-----|
A|-----------|
D|-----------|
Play that over and over until it stops when it does in the song.
SECOND REPEATING LICK
e|----------|
B|----------|
G|----------|
D|-5-/-6----|
A|----------|
D|----------|
Play that for the next measure, then repeat the first lick for the following measure.
The song goes through another chorus, with no differences to the last one, and
then suddenly goes into the bridge of the song. The bass does most of the work
here.
* The BRIDGE Area *
BASSLINE
G|--------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-1-1-1-1-2-2-2-2-3-3-3-3-5-5-5-5-1-1-1-1-2-2-2-2-3-3-3--------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------3-0----|
The bass plays that repeatedly, really quiet. The guitar makes improvised,
untabbable noise in the background. Just make your fingers go crazy on the
fretboard and pick erradically to emulate that.
SYNTHLINE
e|------------------------|
B|------------------------|
G|------------------------|
D|----18~--------18~------|
A|-17------15-17----------|
D|------------------------|
The synth plays this towards the middle.
The song plays the verse one last time, same as before (Second verse).
The chorus follows, and it repeats with static rising in the background. It
is suddenly cut short and is replaced with the sounds of two guitars making
improvised, untabbable noise and sped up to a higher-pitched, faster rate.
The song ends. And so does my tab.
