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“My Friends” by The Red Hot Chilli Peppers

    Difficulty: Easy – Intermediate

    Composer – RHCP w/ Dave Navarro

    Where to find this song – One Hot Minute track # 4

    Release Date – September 1995

    The Band:

    Anthony Keidas – vocals

    Flea – bass

    John Frusciante ( not with the band on this album ) / Dave Navarro – guitar

    Chad Smith – drums

    The Bio:

    Few rock groups of the ’80s broke down as many musical barriers and were as
    original as the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Creating an intoxicating new musical
    style by combining funk and punk rock together (with an explosive stage show,
    also), the Chili Peppers spawned a long line of imitators in their wake,
    but still managed to be the leaders of the pack by the dawn of the 21st century.

    Guitar 1

    Begin the first measure by placing your 2nd finger on the second fret on the “G” string.
    Place your 3rd finger on the third fret on the “B” string. Play the
    open notes according to the tablature, and then use your 3rd finger for the
    third fret on the “D” string. Play that note, and then play the “G” string
    open once. You will need to hammer-on to the third fret. A hammer-on is when
    you go from a lower note to a higher note, only striking the first note(s).
    Use your 2nd finger for the second fret on the “G” string. Now, keep
    your fingers where they are, and use your 4th finger to play the third fret
    on the “B” string. End the measure by playing the third fret with
    the same finger that is in place right now – your 3rd finger.

    For the second measure, you will need to use your 2nd finger for the second
    fret on the “A” string. Notice that usually you will try to match
    up your finger number with the number on the fret, if at all possible. For
    example – 1st finger = first fret, 2nd finger = second fret. This sometimes
    helps in remembering which finger to use where, though sometimes it isn’t possible.
    Now, after you have placed your 2nd finger on the second fret on the “A” string,
    place your 3rd finger on the third fret on the “B” string. Play the
    open notes in between, and then use your 3rd finger to play the third fret
    on the “A” string. That part feels a little tricky, but doing it
    this way helps you through the measure. Play the “D” string open
    once, and then hammer-on again onto the second fret with your 2nd finger. To
    end the measure, you will need to alternate between your 2nd and 3rd fingers
    to play this correctly, with all the open notes in between. Try to alternate
    with your 2nd finger on the “D” string and your 3rd finger on the “G” string.

    The third measure is in hindsight much like the first measure, so just try
    to play accordingly, and if you have trouble, work again with the first measure
    and find the small differences. There is no need to explain the little parts
    here that change so subtley.

    For the fourth measure, use your 2nd finger for the third fret on the “low
    E” string. Use your 1st finger for the second fret on the “A” string,
    and use your 3rd finger for the third fret on the “B” string. Play
    that about twice, with a few open notes in between. Next, end the measure by
    basically doing the same as you did at the end of the first measure, along
    with the hammer-on, but end the measure by playing the third fret a few times
    on the “B” string, instead of the third fret on the “D” string.


    Guitar 2

    For the first and second measures on this part, the playing and arrangement
    is the same, so just make adjustments to the number of notes being played for
    the frets and open strings.

    For the third measure, the only real noticeable difference between it and
    the first measure of the same part, is that you will need to end the measure
    by playing the second fret on the “G” string. Looking at the tablature
    will help you with that. Just remember to keep all of your fingers as close
    to the same arrangement as you learned before if possible.

    For the fourth measure, play the beginning of it just as you did in the beginning
    of the second measure. Next, though, instead of performing the hammer-on, you
    will need to play the third frets on the “low E” string and the “A” string,
    and slide it to the fifth frets on the same strings. Use your 1st finger for
    this. End the measure by playing the third frets on the same strings again,
    and then allow the “D” string and the “G” string to remain
    open.


    Here’s what both guitars sound like together:



    Riff Resources

    Complete Transcription To “My Friends” (PDF)

    Complete Transcription To “My Friends” (Power
    Tab)