Van Halen - Big River Tab

Clean Intro

eb 2h3p2p0 3p2p0 2h3p2p0
Bb 3 3p0
Gb 0
Db 2 0 0 4
Ab 3 3 2
Eb

Main Riff (w/ Distortion)

eb
Bb 7h8 8 8 x 7 x x
Gb 7 7 7 x 7 x x 5 4
Db 7h9 9 9 x 7 x x 5 7 5 5p4p0
Ab 0
Eb
7h8 8 8 x 7 x x
7 7 7 x 7 x x 5 4
7h9 9 9 x 7 x x 5 7PH
3p0 3h5 3p0 0
7h8 8 8 x 7 x x
7 7 7 x 7 x x 5 4
7h9 9 9 x 7 x x 5 7 5 5p4p0
0
7h8 8 8 x 7 x x
7 7 7 x 7 x x 5 4 0
7h9 9 9 x 7 x x 5 7 5
0 3qb 3qb 0

Verse Riff

5 5 5 7 7 7 8 8 8 7
5 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 5 5 7 7 7 8 8 8 7
5 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
0 0 0 4 5 5/7 5 4

Repeat Main Riff

"Oh Big River, Oh Yeah"

Play Verse Riff Again with slight changes

5 5 5 7 7 7 8 8 8 7
5 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
0 0 0 5h7 5h7p5 4 0
*************
5 5 5 7 7 7 8 8 8 7 10 10 8 8 7 * w/ slight
5 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 trem bar bends
0 0 0

Repeat Main Riff (0:55)

Verse 2:

5 5 5 7 7 7 8 8 8 7
5 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 5 5 3 3 3 7 7 7 5
4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5
4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5
2 2 5 3 2 3
8PH~~~ < use trem bar
4~~~ vibrato for
2~~~ horse sound

Repeat Main Riff

Play Verse Riff 2 Again, but ending changes again:

5 5 5 7 7 7 8 8 8 7
5 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 5 5 3 3 3 7 7 7 5
4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5
4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5
2 2 5 3 2
3
2 2\ dive bar, lower note gradually

(1:48) Bridge to Solo

4PH\ /
7\6/7
7~ 7 7\ 7
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5\4/5
* * * *
7~ 7 7\ 7 7 7p5 7 5
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Solo

9b12r 9p7 9 7h9p7 9~ 7h9p7 14b16
9 9 7h9p7\5 9~~~
15 17
14p12 14b16r 12 14b16r 12 14b16r 12 14 16
14 14 14 14
17 15 14h15p14 15 14 19 p15 19p15 19p15 19p15
17 /x 17 17 17 17
/16
15 12
16~ 16p14\12 14b16 b16 b16 14 14p12
all TP notes
17 17 19 22 22b24 22 22b24 22 22b24 b24~~~
17 19 20 17 19 20
/12\
T7p3p0 T7p0h3 T7 T7p3p0 T7p0h3 T7 T8p3p0 T8p0h3 T8 T8p3p0 T8
T12p3p0 T12p0h3 T12 T12p3p0 T12p0h3 T12 T10p3p0 T10p0h3 T10 T10p3p0 T10
T7p3p0 T7p0h3 T7 T7p3p0 T7p0h3
7PH b r 5
slight harm
10 10 10 10~~ 5 5 4
7 7 6~
0 0 0 8 8 3 3 3
slight harm
10 10 10 10~~ 5 9 9 5 4 2
7 x x x x x
0 0 0 8 8 3 3 3 7 7 3 2 0 0
10 14p12p10
15 15p12p10
7 14 12p10\9 10 9
7 14 12
5

Back to Main Riff (rhythm plays this through end of song)

Lead Guitar End Part (2:58-3:16 on Main Riff repeat, play 2x)

7b8 7~~~ 7h8 7 7b8 7~~~ 10~
9 9 7 6 9 7h9p7 6
7 7
Continue Lead (3:17)
15 17 15 17b19 15 17~
15b17 15~~ 15b17r 13
14
17 20p17 17 12
20b22 b22 r20 17h20p17 18h17\15 15\13p12
19 17 14
x\5
15\12/15\12 17 17\
14h17p14~~
0\( 5) /
8 10b12r
10 10h13p10~ 7h10p7 7h10p7 10p7
9 9 9 9b11r 7 9 7
9 9~
play Lead Guitar End Part again and fade out KEY ************************************ | / slide up | \ slide down |\_/ dive tremelo bar and release, note the number of frets to lower note in () | h hammer-on | p pull-off | ~ vibrato | PH pinch harmonic | x Mute note | b Bend | pb Pre-bend | r Bend release | __ Hold note or bend before changing pitch ************************************

Affiliate Program | Terms and Privacy | API | How to Read Guitar Tab | Contact/Support

Follow us: Twitter | Facebook