Come As You Are

by Nirvana

🌟 Must-Learn Songs
Difficulty ★★☆☆☆
Tuning Standard
Capo None

One of Nirvana's most recognizable songs from Nevermind (1992). The hypnotic clean-tone riff uses a simple chromatic walk on the low strings, making it a perfect introduction to single-note riffing. The song contrasts clean verses with a heavier distorted chorus.

[Intro] - Clean tone, play 4x
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|--0-0-1-2---2-2-4-4---4-4-2-2---2-2-1-0---0-0-0-0--|

[Verse 1] - Clean tone, same riff as intro
    "Come as you are, as you were..."
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|--0-0-1-2---2-2-4-4---4-4-2-2---2-2-1-0---0-0-0-0--|

    "As a friend, as a friend..."
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|--0-0-1-2---2-2-4-4---4-4-2-2---2-2-1-0---0-0-0-0--|

    "Take your time, hurry up..."
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|--0-0-1-2---2-2-4-4---4-4-2-2---2-2-1-0---0-0-0-0--|

    "The choice is yours, don\'t be late..."
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|--0-0-1-2---2-2-4-4---4-4-2-2---2-2-1-0---0-0-0-0--|

[Chorus 1] - Distortion on, power chords
    F#5                              A5
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
A|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
E|--2-2-2-2---2-2-2-2---5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-------------|

    "Memoria... memoria..."
    F#5                              A5
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
A|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
E|--2-2-2-2---2-2-2-2---5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-------------|

[Verse 2] - Clean tone
    "Come as you are, as you were..."
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|--0-0-1-2---2-2-4-4---4-4-2-2---2-2-1-0---0-0-0-0--|

    "As I want you to be..."
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|--0-0-1-2---2-2-4-4---4-4-2-2---2-2-1-0---0-0-0-0--|

    "Take your time, hurry up..."
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|--0-0-1-2---2-2-4-4---4-4-2-2---2-2-1-0---0-0-0-0--|

    "The choice is yours, don\'t be late..."
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|--0-0-1-2---2-2-4-4---4-4-2-2---2-2-1-0---0-0-0-0--|

[Chorus 2] - Distortion
    F#5                              A5
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
A|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
E|--2-2-2-2---2-2-2-2---5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-------------|

    "Memoria... memoria..."
    F#5                              A5
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
A|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
E|--2-2-2-2---2-2-2-2---5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-------------|

[Bridge] - Heavy distortion, let chords ring
    B5                               D5
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
D|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
A|--2-2-2-2---2-2-2-2---5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------|

    "And I swear that I don\'t have a gun..."
    B5                               D5
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
D|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
A|--2-2-2-2---2-2-2-2---5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------|

[Solo - Simplified] - Use chorus effect
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|------2--------4--------5--------4--2----------------|
A|--0h2----0h2------0h2------0h2--------4--2--0-------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|------2--------4--------5--------7--5--4--2----------|
A|--0h2----0h2------0h2------0h2--------------------0--|
E|-----------------------------------------------------|

[Verse 3] - Clean tone, same riff
    "Come as you are, as you were..."
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|--0-0-1-2---2-2-4-4---4-4-2-2---2-2-1-0---0-0-0-0--|

    "As I want you to be..."
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|--0-0-1-2---2-2-4-4---4-4-2-2---2-2-1-0---0-0-0-0--|

[Chorus 3] - Distortion, big and loud
    F#5                              A5
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
A|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
E|--2-2-2-2---2-2-2-2---5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-------------|

    "Memoria... memoria... memoria..."
    F#5                              A5
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
A|--4-4-4-4---4-4-4-4---7-7-7-7---7-7-7-7-------------|
E|--2-2-2-2---2-2-2-2---5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-------------|

[Outro] - Clean tone, riff slows and fades
e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|--0-0-1-2---2-2-4-4---4-4-2-2---2-2-1-0---0-0-0-0--|

e|-----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|--0-0-1-2---2-2-4-4---4-4-2-2---2-2-1-0~~~~~~~~~~~~|

    (repeat riff, gradually fade out)
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