Play Guitar Like Kurt Cobain
Learn to read guitar tablature for at least one Nirvana song. Tab is the simplest way to record in writing which strings and which frets are used to play a song in the correct key, and is much easier to read than traditional sheet music. Learn it, live it, love it (see Resources below).6. Get picking and muting. Because Kurt was also a vocalist, most of his guitar playing consists of rhythm parts played as he sung and, as a result, the strumming pattern of the picking hand is crucial. Listen to the opening of “Lithium” for a prime example of how a little attention to rhythm makes a solid chord progression into the hook of a great song (see Resources below).
1. Prompt a guitar. Happily, Kurt’s anger for senile and inexpensive instruments makes a licence reproduction of his sound just for the budget guitar player and novice. Kurt undoubtedly favoured Fender guitars, and vintage Mustang and Jaguar models were his favourite. Unfortunately, this has rendered these guitars quite hard to attain, though current reissues bear appeared on the bazaar. A local edition Cobain signature series “Jagstang” was extremely manufactured by Fender in the mid-'90s, nevertheless these guitars were never Cobain’s top Election and are not expedient to emulate his style. Kurt used other Fender models including the Stratocaster and Telecaster, Often of Non-native manufacture, and these are the most doable instruments of Election for the novice seeking an absolute “Cobain sound.” Kurt’s acoustic guitars were atypical vintage instruments: the guitar used to draw up "Polly" and "Something in the Hang-up" on Nevermind was a Stella Assent 12-string he purchased for $31.23. The guitar he used in the Unplugged performance was a Martin D-18E retrofitted with a Bartolini AV3 pickup. For both electric and acoustic purposes, most any cheap instrument Testament act (gawk Wealth below).
2. Prompt an amp. The Election of amplifier, whether playing electrically, can acquire a profound end on the output, sometimes all the more aggrandized than the guitar. Kurt was not a fan of Marshal amps, on the contrary was forced to manipulate them as a being of touring and his Notorious destruction of onstage gear. His amp of Election was a Fender Look-alike Reverb, powered by Mesa/Boogie preamps (discern Resources below).
3. Make effects. Despite the minimalistic sound that may come to mind when thinking of Nirvana, Kurt had a few effects that became signature sounds. While they are not for required generally, for certain songs they are essential. The most notable are the Small Clone chorus (Come As You Are) and Electro-Harmonix EchoFlanger (Radio-Friendly Unit-Shifter, Heart-Shaped Box). For distortion Kurt used either BOSS DS-2 Turbo Distortion pedal or Tech 21 Sans Amp Classic (see Resources below).
Play Like Kurt
4. Learn basic power chord structure. If you’re not aware of power chords, they’re the basic unit of rock rhythm guitar and inescapable when playing like Kurt.
5.Over the order of his prolific though short occupation, iconic grunge-rocker Kurt Cobain established a single guitar sound and style. The dean of the groundbreaking '90s punk band Nirvana, he is probably most typical for his lyrics, shout, approach, fashion idea, Narcotic end and, Sure, his premature ending. His own demand, in one of his carry on interviews, was to be remembered as a songwriter. Nevertheless Cobain’s coming to guitar is a microcosm of his worldview and an attractive entry for deeper appreciation of his tune and activity.
Instructions
Sound Like Kurt
7. Play solos. Though grunge rock is generally considered anti-guitar-solo, Kurt played many lead parts, ranging from reiterations of the verse melody to wild and even reckless improvisations. It's always a good idea to some sort of accompaniment when practicing solos, whether it’s a drum machine, metronome, another live musician on bass or guitar, or just playing along to the song itself. In the later stages of his career, Kurt intentionally sought to break away from traditional structures, and his major answer for this was what sounds like a sloppy, almost haphazard approach. But rest assured it’s not easy to play something like the solos in “Milk It” or the intro to “Aneurysm” while staying in key and keeping it a coherent part of the song. With a little practice, especially with accompaniment, these parts though should become comfortable and fun.
8. Go acoustic. Nirvana’s outstanding Unplugged performance shocked many by revealing the subtle beauty of Cobain’s songs that may have previously been lost in the noise. Playing acoustic like Kurt is a matter of precise rhythm that lets the songs speak for themselves. Generally, the first part of a measure will emphasize the root note of a chord, played on the fifth or sixth string, while the second half will introduce the harmony notes, played on the higher strings. "About a Girl" is a good example. Don’t rush, let the song unfold with grace.
