Firth of Fifth


Written by Banks/Collins/Gabriel/Hackett/Rutherford
From the Genesis album: Selling England By The Pound, 1973

This is a complete transcription of Steve Hackett's classic solo

volume pedal used at various times throughout (just listen to the CD)
(neck pickup)
e|-14-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----12~~~--------------------------------17p15-17p15-17p15-17/s\7~~-|
G|----------11h12p11--9-----------12-11~~~----------------------------|
D|----------------------12~~~~-12-------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------|

e|------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-12p10-12p10-12p10-12/s\3~~~-17p15-17p15-17p15-17/s\7/s\12/s\3~~~-|
G|------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|

              {~trill~}
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------12-|
B|-5-7h8----------------------------------------13--------------15----|
G|-------4~~~--7p4-----7/s\9--11-12-14/s\16~~~-----16--14-16~~--------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------|

         sustain note........                        (slow release)
e|-12-12h14------------------b15--14b15r14-------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------12-13--7b8-------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|

e|---------------------------------------12-11~~~--------------|
B|-12--12-13----13----13----13--------12-----------12p10-12~~~-|
G|-----------14----12----11--------12--------------------------|
D|------------------------------14-----------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------|

e|-----------------------------------------------------12-14-14b15-|
B|--------------------------------------------12-13-15-------------|
G|-----------------------------------11-12-14----------------------|
D|-12-14-14b16r14~~~--10-12-14-13-14-------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|



                      (slow release)
e|-14b15r14-------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------12-13--7b8---------------12--12-13----13----13----13-|
G|----------------------------------------------14----12----11----|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------|

e|----------12-11~~~--------------------------------------------|
B|-------12----------12p10-12~~~--------------------------------|
G|----12--------------------------------------------------------|
D|-14----------------------------12-14-14b16r14~~~--10-12-14-13-|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------|

e|--------------------------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------12p10-10~~~-----------------------------|
G|----12-11~~~-14----------------------7----------------9-11h12-|
D|-13-------------10~~~--------------9---9-7------7--9----------|
A|-------------------------------------------7-10---------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------|

e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------15b17r15~~~-------------------------|
G|-14-14/s\16~~~-------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------7b9r7~~~-9--7-7~~~-7-13-|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|

                                       (bridge pickup)
e|-----------------------11-12-14-14b15--14b15r14-------------|
B|--------------12-13-15---------------------------12-13--7b8-|
G|-----11-12-14-----------------------------------------------|
D|-14---------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|

e|---------------------------------------12-11~~~-------------|
B|-12--12-13----13----13----13--------12----------12p10-12~~~-|
G|-----------14----12----11--------12-------------------------|
D|------------------------------14----------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|

e|----------------------------------------------|
B|----------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------|
D|-12-14-14b16r14~~~-10-12-14-13~~~--13-14------|
A|----------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------|

_______________________________________________________________________
symbols:

p: pull off
h: hammer on
b: bend
r: release
/s\: slide
~~~: add vibrato
_______________________________________________________________________

How to get Steve's sound:


If you want to go with the EXACT guitar, use a Gibson Les Paul. 
effect-wise, use a Big Muff fuzz pedal and a volume pedal, with the
chain being guitar ---> volume ---> Big Muff ----> amp.  Be sure to set
the "sustain" or gain control on the Muff at a high level, but don't
make it too trebly.  get a good swampy reverb sound (my amp is a
Fender Twin Reverb, and using my amp's reverb, I'll set it at around 6)
and you're all set.

 


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