Transcribing Notes From John Neil (Head Transcriber)
Do I Wanna Know? – Arctic Monkeys – Song Breakdown
Melody
A song about a ‘complicated’ relationship, with the range of C3 to A4. There are lots of grace notes and notes that slide down, as well as plenty of syncopated passages.
Download the Melody Music Here
Keyboard
There isn’t much keyboard in this recording, other than what sounds like a piano octave on the beats at the bridge until the end. For the rest, I doubled the guitars and gave it the distorted droning octave guitar part – reminiscent of the Robert Fripp ebow sounds in David Bowie’s “Heroes,” which occurs in the pre-choruses & choruses. In a live performance I found, the keyboardist plays this with an organ, which would work as well.
Download the Keyboard Sheet Music Here
Lead Guitar
This part doubles the rhythm guitar main riff in most of the song, but with a 6-string. For the pre-chorses & choruses I have it add a 2nd signal with the overdriven sound through a tremolo as well (which sounds like another guitar track in the recording). I also have it play the repeated guitar line in the bridge to the end.
Download the Lead Guitar Tab Here
Rhythm Guitar
This is the basic electric 12-string guitar part of the song, and drives the whole thing. I based the fretting etc. off of a live video on YouTube. You’ll want a nice overdrive tone for this one. It also splits into a separate signal with tremolo when the lead guitar starts the lines from the bridge to the end.
Download the Lead Guitar Tab Here
Strum Guitar
There isn’t a strum guitar part in this song, so a part was made up for that. There are lots of different 16th note strum patterns to keep it lively & keep you on your toes (or hands as it were).
Download the Strum Tab Here
Bass
Nice bass guitar part that follows the guitar riff pretty closely. Looks like it’s played with a pick, according to one live video I found. And it has a nice bassy fuzz tone to it, with fuzz, but retaining lots of low end. The fretting for this part was also taken from a live video.
Download the Bass Tab Here
Drums
A pretty basic drum part. There is an electronic sound for lots of it, which I re-assigned as rim, which could be any drum rim. There is also a tambourine which could be substituted with hi-hat if needed. And also, there is a more distant hi-hat part which I marked with the “( )” around the note-heads indicating “ghost” hi-hats (tapped lightly).
Download the Drum Music Here
Download the Lead Sheet Here
