Transcribing Notes From John Neil (Head Transcriber)
Youngblood – Five Seconds of Summer – Song Breakdown
Melody
This song describing an on and off again relationship has the vocal range of D3-D5. The verses have a more refined vocal while the choruses belt out more. I also included the “ooh, ooh, ooh” backing vocals in the choruses.
Download the Melody Music Here
Keyboard
The main keyboard parts that are prominent are a low synth note in the pre-choruses, a “bright synth, slow attack” starting at bar 85, and an “eerie sawtooth synth” holding a note at the outro (there are multiple tracks, but this is how I did it). The low note in the pre-choruses has a dark tone until the measure before the chorus, where the cutoff frequency opens up slowly to full on the downbeat of the chorus, for a nice transition. There could also be low dark tone synth on the choruses with synth, which I did anyway to double the bass. Other parts of the song double guitar parts.
Download the Keyboard Sheet Music Here
Lead Guitar
The lead guitar covers the higher triplet part(s) in the verses, and the lower triplet parts in the choruses & bridge. In Verse 2, more guitar parts come in which I combined together with the triplet part. I wrote the part in drop D tuning to cover the lower notes.
Download the Lead Guitar Tab Here
Rhythm Guitar
The rhythm guitar does the sustain-y part, and then on the choruses doubles the bass with a nice palm mute part. I wrote the part in drop D tuning to cover the lower notes.
Download the Rhythm Guitar Tab Here
Strum/Ukulele
There is no strum guitar nor ukulele in this song, so a part was made up at capo 3 for both.
Download the Strum Tab Here
Download the Ukulele Tab Here
Bass
The bass guitar is tuned down a half step to cover the lower notes. The verses are a more sustain-y sliding part while the choruses are the punchy 8th note part. These may be originally synth or samples.
Download the Bass Tab Here
This is the same part as bass guitar, but in standard tuning, and the lower notes are moved up to compensate.
Download the Bass alt Tab Here
Drums
A very quarter note bass drum heavy part. It sounds like this is done with samples. I did rim flams for the snaps, and rim/cross-stick flams for the chorus beats. Then rim/tambourine (or hi-hat) for verse 2. And there are ‘real’ drums that come in the 2nd chorus, which are loud hits … think Phil Collins on “In the Air Tonight.” Then a more normal beat in the lasts chorus with these loud drums.
Download the Drum Music Here
Download the Lead Sheet Here
