Arboretum Chords
by Unwound
Arboretum by Unwound is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of F. It uses the chords E, F and C. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.
Verse
Q E E Q E E Q. Q E E E
G|---------------|-------------|
D|---------------|-------2-2-2-|
A|---------------|-0--0--0-0-0-| X8
F|-0--0-0-0--0-0-|-------------|
Pre-Chorus
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
G|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1---|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2---| X2
F|---------------0-|---------------0-|
Chorus
H Q. Q Q Q Q E Q. Q E Q Q H
G|----------------------|---------------|
D|------------3--3------|-2----2-----3b-|
A|------------------0-3-|----3----------| X2
F|0--0--0--0------------|---------0-----|
verse 2
Q E E Q E E Q. Q E E E
G|---------------|-------------|
D|---------------|-------2-2-2-|
A|---------------|-0--0--0-0-0-| X4
F|-0--0-0-0--0-0-|-------------|
Pre-Chrous 2
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
G|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-1-1-1-1-1-1-1---|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2---| X2
F|---------------0-|---------------0-|
Chorus 2
H Q. Q Q Q Q E Q. Q E Q Q H
G|----------------------|---------------|
D|------------3--3------|-2----2-----3b-|
A|------------------0-3-|----3----------| X2
F|0--0--0--0------------|---------0-----|
Break
G|---------------|
D|---------------|
A|-8-------------|
F|---------------|
Hold this F for something like 28 bars. He either uses a freeze pedal or uses his own vibrations from his amp
to hold the note for that long. While I think all he's really doing is moving his bass EQ knob up and down,
you can use this section to improv, slide around, make noise/feedback or anything like that. On the record
he plays 8th fret A string, but live I believe he plays the low F.
Bridge thing
G|----------|------------|-----5NH----------------|-----5NH--------------|
D|----------|------------|-5NH-----5NH------------|-5NH-----5NH----------|
A|-8--------|-7NH--------|-----------------5NH----|-----------------5NH--| X4
F|----------|------------|------------------------|----------------------|
No rythm notation here because it would have gotten really convoluted. The bass is super clear though so there
shouldn't be any issues just feeling the time rather than counting it
Bridge Pt 2 PLAY X4
Q E E E E E Q E E E E E E E
G|-----------------------|----------------------|
D|-----------------------|----------------------|
A|-----------3--------3--|----------3-----3-----|
F|-5---5--5-----5--5-----|-5--5--5-----5-----5--|
Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
G|-----------------------|-------------------------|
D|-----------------------|-------------------------|
A|-7---------7-----------|-7-----------7--7--7-----|
F|-----5--5-----5--5--5--|----5--5--5-----5--5--0--|
Q E E E E E Q E E E E E E E
G|-----------------------|----------------------|
D|-----------------------|----------------------|
A|-----------5--------5--|----------5-----5-----|
F|-3---3--3-----3--3-----|-3--3--3-----3-----3--|
Q E E E E E Q E E E E E E E
G|-----------------------|----------------------|
D|-----------------------|----------------------|
A|-----------5--------5--|----------5-----5-----| Here you can play the 4th (C)
F|-3---3--3-----3--3-----|-3--3--3-----3-----3--| instead of the fifth if you prefer.
This section is also quite open to improvisation. I definitely recommend improvising the strumming pattern and
just using the tab for this part as a note guide since he doesn't really play it the same way twice.
Chorus 3
H Q. Q Q Q Q E Q. Q E Q Q H
G|----------------------|---------------|
D|------------3--3------|-2----2-----3b-|
A|------------------0-3-|----3----------| X2
F|0--0--0--0------------|---------0-----|
End
G|----------|
D|----------|
A|----------|
F|-0--------|
************************************
| b Bend
| NH Natural Harmonics
************************************
Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole
H - half
Q - quarter
E - 8th
. - note dotted