Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson were the creative sparks behind Heart, a hard rock group that found success in the mid-’70s, only to reach greater heights after engineering a major comeback a decade later.
Let’s not forget that it was hard at the time to find major female guitar players that could hold their own with the men of that generation. Someone found the competition, and did they ever!
Chorus
The chorus contains two different guitar parts. Here’s what they sound like together:
Guitar 1
This song is absolutely insanely weird to play. Begin the first measure by playing the “low E” string open once. Now, you will need to slide. The best way to slide in this measure would be toward the next area of chords you will be playing. In this case, it will be away from you. Place your 1st finger on the seventh fret on the “A” string. Place your 3rd and 4th fingers on the ninth frets on the “D” string and the “G” string. Place your 2nd finger on the eighth fret on the “B” string. Play that once, and then slide toward the second fret. Use your 2nd finger to play the second frets on the “A” string and the “D” string. Leave the “low E” string open. Next, use your 1st finger to play the first fret on the “low E” string. Place your 4th finger on the third fret on the “A” string and the “D” string. Now, all you are doing next is going from the first to the second fret, and then to the third fret. All you need to do is keep your fingers in the arrangement they are in,
and move accordingly.
The second measure is just one barre chord. Barre your 1st finger on the third fret of ALL strings. Place your 3rd and 4th fingers on the fifth frets on the “A” string and the “D” string. Place your 2nd finger on the fourth fret on the “G” string. Play that twice, and don’t forget to mute the strings that are shown at the beginning of the measure.
The third measure is easy. Place your 1st finger on the third fret on the “A” string, and your 4th finger on the fifth fret on the “D” string, the “G” string, and the “B” string. To end the measure, use your 3rd finger to play the third fret on the “A” string. Use your 2nd finger to play the second fret on the same string, and then use your 1st finger to play the first fret on the same string. Let the “A” string be played open once to end the measure.
To play the fourth measure, place your 1st finger on the fourth fret on the “A” string after you have played it open once. Place your 2nd finger on the fifth fret on the “D” string. Play in the order shown, and then use your 1st finger to play the second fret on the “low E” string once. Use your 1st finger to play the first fret, and then bend once one-half of a step to sound like the example.
Guitar 2
The third and fourth measures here are the same as they are in the first guitar part.
Begin the first measure by barring your 1st finger on the seventh frets on all strings being played. Allow the “low E” string to remain open. Place your 3rd and 4th fingers on the ninth frets on the “D” string and the “G” string, and place your 2nd finger on the eighth fret on the “B” string. Play that once, and then use your 4th finger to barre the “G” string, the “B” string, and the “high E” string on the twelfth fret. Place your 1st finger on the tenth fret on the “D” string. Play that once to end the measure.
Play the second measure by allowing the last note of the first measure to ring, and then LEAVE your fingers where they are. Notice on the tablature that all you are doing is a few slides toward the nut on the guitar. Do this a couple of times, and proceed to the third measure.
Riff Resources
Complete Transcription To “Heartless” (PDF)
Complete Transcription To “Heartless” (Power Tab)