Since posting my cover of Elliott Smith’s Tomorrow Tomorrow on YouTube a few months ago, I’ve received several requests for help from enthusiastic guitarists looking to learn the song themselves. Rather than address everybody in a brief reply, I thought I would make a thorough post explaining how I learned to play the more difficult parts of the song. If this post doesn’t cut it, let me know! I’ll be happy to field any further questions that you may have (post them as comments to this blog entry so that I see them when I go to make edits).
Please note that this is a work in progress!
Last Update: April 30, 2007
The Video
For referential purposes, here is the YouTube video to which this post refers.
YouTube Direct Link
Tab
It’s done! Thanks to Fat Brian Wilson for supplying the PowerTab off of which I based my arrangement/performance. You can download the tab here!
Tuning: Studio vs Live
I play this in standard tuning down one full step. D-G-C-F-A-D. I’ll explain what Elliott did in detail later, but for now, that’s all you need to know.
Intro (0:00-0:21)
The intro is done with tremolo-picking using your thumb, middle and index (pointer) fingers. I suggest using this process to learn it.
- Break the rhythm into triplets. 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3. This triplet pattern is the foundation of the tremolo picking that Elliott employs.
- Instead of thinking “1-2-3, 1-2-3,” think “t-m-i, t-m-i” (meaning “thumb-middle-index, thumb-middle-index”). This is the right-hand order in which you will be plucking the strings. This is important! Doing t-m-i, t-m-i will make your life a lot easier than doing, say, t-i-m, t-i-m. The reason for this has to do with the respective lengths of your fingers and the motion that you will employ as described in the next step. Get this pattern down before picking up the guitar. Tap on a table with your right hand if it helps. Thumb-middle-index, thumb-middle-index.
- For each triplet, think of your right hand as making a single sweep. The motion is identical to that as though you are closing your hand and grabbing onto something. Begin each sweep with the thumb (alternating between the G and B strings as indicated in the tab). The pull from your thumb will draw your middle and index fingers up against the high E string. Start slow, preferably with a metronome, and work your way up to tempo. Pay close attention to evenly timing your notes, and only play as fast as you can in proper rhythm. Don’t worry about speed, we’ll work on that in the next step.
- Build your speed slowly. If you have a metronome it’s a great way to monitor and force yourself to build speed at a manageable rate. If not, you need to be careful not to speed up or slow down drastically. This often happens when you are simply playing as fast as you can, so be aware of it! Keep your hand as relaxed as possible, and pay attention to make sure that you’re not flexing your forearm or your bicep. Flexing muscles will make you tense, making it more difficult to play fast. Also, keep your wrist and the rest of your hand up off of the strings while you play. As a reference point, Elliott plays the intro at about 78 beats per minute on XO.
- Learn the left-hand in pieces, not all at once! The impressive part of the intro is no doubt in the right hand, so don’t get hung up elsewhere while learning it. Learn the first measure, then the second. Work on that for 10 minutes, an hour, a day, however long it takes you to get it down, not necessarily at full tempo, but at consistent rhythm. Then learn the third and fourth and so on. The left hand will come easily as you progress with the right hand.
Verse Pt 1 (0:21-0:42)
“Everybody knows which way you go…”
The first part of the verse is played in conventional two-part classical style. The thumb is used to pick the bass notes on the low E, A, D and G strings. The index and middle fingers are used to pick the syncopated notes on the B and high E strings, respectively.
I’m not sure that there is a “correct” fingering to the ending riff of this part of the verse. In the video, I play the end riff with absolute right-hand alternation of my thumb and index finger.
Verse Pt 2 (0:42-1:02)
“I heard the hammer at the lock…”
Continuing the right hand technique, I use absolute alternation, switching between my thumb and index finger here. The timing works out such that the thumb hits all notes on the A and G strings while the index finger gets all the notes on the B string.
The ending riff in this part of the verse is identical to the one that ends the first part of the verse.
Verse Pt 3 (1:02-1:26)
“The noise is coming out, and if it’s not out now…”
The right-hand work here is no more difficult than in the previous parts, but it is slightly less predictable and intuitive. It’s probably easiest to just look at the video to see how I pick it, but the “pattern” is as follows:
- T-M-T-I-T-M-T-M-T-I-T-thumb strum-T-thumb strum
- T-M-T-I-T-M-T-M-T-M-T-thumb strum-T-thumb strum
- Chord strumming (all done as open chords in first position): C | G | A | E
- Repeat 1-3
- Chord strumming (all done as open chords in first position): C | B7
Bridge (1:26-1:52)
The bridge begins by alternating an open low E string with various octaves as indicated in the tab. I play this part by fingerpicking the thumb on the low E string in a downward motion and playing the syncopated octave licks in an upward-motion strum.
As far as the rest of the bridge goes, I think the easiest way for you to learn it is to watch me play it, follow along with the tab, and then give it a whirl yourself. I don’t have any particular advice, but I’d be happy to answer any specific questions that you have.
Outro (1:52-2:43)
“I’ve got static in my head, the reflected sound of everything…”
The outro is nearly identical to Verse, Pt 2. The only difference is that the last time through Elliott moves through the C chord slightly differently (as indicated in the tab), and rather than fall to the E chord as normal, he lands on the same B7 chord that he used to bring us into the bridge. Again, if you have any specific questions, ask ‘em!
Acknowledgments
Thanks to Fat Brian Wilson for posting the original powertab off of which I based the tab for my performance, to my mother for teaching me the art of classical tremolo picking, and to Elliott for among many things, raising the bar for my own playing. I’d also like to thank those of you who asked me to post this lesson and those who nagged me about it to the point of completion 
–Robby
tags: elliott smith, guitar lessons, how-to
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:57 am
Hey, I can’t wait for the tab. I hope you get it finished real soon!
Many Thanks
David
February 5th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
i cant wait until this guides finished:)
February 13th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
i was amazed at your Youtube performance. Elliott SMith is incredible, and very few people can play his stuff well. what city do you reside in? do you live anywhere near texas? i’d love ot hear it live…
February 14th, 2007 at 9:36 am
Hey, any chance the tab for the bridge and chorus will be up soon? it looks great so far.
February 25th, 2007 at 3:22 pm
I’m way excited for this. I almost e-mailed you until I checked your site. Thanks a lot for your work and sharing.
February 26th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
there is a “powertab” of this song that is extraordinarily similar to the version you played (just google it.) you’ll need to download powertab software.
February 26th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Hey everyone,
Thanks for all the replies. I’m still working on the tab, and I hope to have at least significant portions of it up by this weekend. R, I’m aware of the “powertab” and I have the software, but the terms of the PowerTab site forbid me from just copying it over here. That’s why I’m getting in touch with the author of the tab ;).
Check back in a week or so, folks!
–Robby
March 15th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
I’m having difficulty with the bridge… and I think the powertab is different than what you play. I can’t quite get it to sound smooth — (especially the part after the first slide, where you are playing single notes on the B, G, D strings). Any suggestions?
Thanks
March 21st, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Thanks for this, keep it coming!
March 29th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
I’m really looking forward to this, I thoroughly enjoyed your video. I just (sort of) mastered “memory lane”, and that was one of three elliott songs I never thought I’d be able to play well, along with “southern belle” (I’m nowhere near being able to play that) and “tomorrow tomorrow”. Watching you video made me want to give it a serious shot. I’ve been picking your triplets till my right hand was blue, and I seem to have the tempo down, so I can’t wait to see some left hand stuff. Thanks a lot for your effort.
April 1st, 2007 at 10:19 pm
if the tab you used (partial) is available online, and is different from the ones at sweetaddy could you please post it!
Thanks
April 4th, 2007 at 10:37 am
He said that it was mostly based off the guitar pro tab that is floating around. I wish he would just post it though because I hate guitar pro.
April 5th, 2007 at 5:49 am
Nice job Robby, you are a great man!
HI ANDY!
April 6th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Ive studied your youtube and the other youtube cover of tmrw tmrw and finally figured it all out.
Thanks for the help!
IM: BuddyDisguise if anyone wants help with tab
April 28th, 2007 at 4:31 am
hey well done on the accuracy of your transcription - but your playing style completely misses the point of the song, with no rhythmic emphasis on the blues slurs, you play it to straight without any swing and in the end it sounds flaccid. The singing could also use a bit more enthusiasm at point. Are you no valium?
April 28th, 2007 at 11:00 am
Thanks for posting it; I had been screwing up the interlude.
Quick question about how you play that part: on the tab, it says that you alternate with the open E and pairs of notes. How on earth do you strum this well? Do you play them simultaneously?
Thanks
April 28th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
R, can you specify what time in the video you’re referring to? I’m happy to answer your question and elaborate on how I play that particular section, but I’m not sure exactly which part you’re referring to.
May 16th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
hate to rain on the old parade here but elliott smith played this song in a varient of drop c . try tuning to c,g,c,g,c,e… and try picking through these chords for the opening bars and you’ll know it sounds right…….
3 1 - 0
0 0 3 4
3 2 1 0
- - 3 0
- - - 0
- - - -
May 16th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
sorry, i’ll try that again…
3—–1—-X—-0
0—–0—-3—-4
3—–2—-1—-0
X—–X—-3—-0
X—–X—-X—-0
X—–X—-X—-X
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Great work. I understand what R is saying, you are strumming during the bridge (interlude) on the upstroke but muting the unwanted strings, right? Your tab also misses the lick midway through the bridge at about 1.13 (to go), do you play it as in the powertab version. Im enjoying trying to learn this, pushing my limits. Cheers
P.S. Moomintroll your wrong, watch the youtube video of elliott playing it in this tuning
May 24th, 2007 at 2:48 am
hey robby very well done .my problem is i cant seem to play the intro pretty loud its kinda quite than yours..is it my fingers that need to exercise a lil more or your mic to record this video really good that captured the sound really well..?
June 21st, 2007 at 2:46 am
Hello! Good Site! Thanks you! cjkzeuklega
June 27th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Thanks for this Robby. I’m one of the people who asked for a tab on YouTube but ony just found this page, it’s great.
July 15th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
niceeeeeeeeee
thanks!
July 20th, 2007 at 2:32 am
[…] Click here for the guitar lesson, or here for the guitar tab. […]
July 22nd, 2007 at 2:49 am
Just to clear up any confusion the tuning.
Elliot sometimes played different songs in different tunings. as Robby states in the intro he possibly used a different tuning for the studio version.
I am enjoying learning this…
August 26th, 2007 at 2:00 am
Well, thank you for making my fingers feel retarded.
September 1st, 2007 at 9:24 am
Ellitt used nashville tuning on the record.
October 17th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Holy crap, man. That’s impressive. Nice job! I’ve tried to play that song (only strumming), and failed miserably! Kudos.
December 20th, 2007 at 3:15 am
I would like to see a continuation of the topic
March 24th, 2008 at 12:22 am
when i saw the youtube video of elliott smith playing it, i thought nobody would have an accurate transcription… let alone play it correctly, but your rendition is almost spot on, to my ear… hope i can pull this one off one day…
April 25th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Wow, thanks so much. How did you figure this stuff out?