Erin McKeown Guitar Tab
Song Title:Aspera
From Album:We Will Become Like Birds
Transcribed By: kiranlynn@cox.net

        This is based on the clip following the New Orleans video on the website, which is
different than the studio recording.  And even then it’s still an approximation,
but you can build off of the basic pattern/chords as needed.
        Also, go back to the video and watch McKeown’s fingers on the G and D chords: with
G, she hammers on the E string’s 3rd fret to add a bit of flavor; and when playing
the D chord I think she uses her thumb to play the 2nd fret on the low E string as
well.


    G:  320033
    D:  200232
 Dsus:  200233
  Em7:  079787
Cmaj7:  032000
  C/G:  332010
 Cbar:  8(10)(10)988
   C*:  0(10)(10)890   (sorry, don’t know the real name)


e |-----3------------------------------------------------3-----------|
b |---3----------5----5-------3-------1--—--1------------3-----------|
g |-0------------0---------0----------0-----0---------0--------------|
d |----------------------0------------2—-2—-2p0-----0----------------|
a |------------------------------------------------------------------|
E |------------------------------------------------------------------|


e |------------------------------------------------3-----------------|
b |-3/5----5---------3------1--1—-1p0--------------3-----------------|
g |-0----0---0-----0--------0--0--0----------------0------------0----|
d |--------------0----------2--2--2----2p0----00-0----------0p2---2p0|
a |------------------------------------------------------------------|
E |------------------------------------------------------------------|


D  Dsus  D  Dsus  G
(use your ring and pinkie fingers when playing the 3rd fret notes on the b and e
strings, if that makes sense. It just makes the transition easier.)
                                


G
i'm in shambles 
G
blown to bits by our troubles 
G
these brambles 
G
our stumblings our struggles 

D           Dsus        D     Dsus          G        
aspera! per aspera! per ardua!     ad astra!

G
it's a forced march 
G
and i'm parched in denial 
G
it's a struggle 
G
of faith and of fire 

D           Dsus        D     Dsus          G        
aspera! per aspera! per ardua!     ad astra!

Em7                G                           C/G
walking we are caught, by tiny hooks that hold our hope 
G                                         Cbar
our skin may be scratched, but nothing holds us back 
C*                                          G                           
walking we are caught, by tiny hooks that hold our hope 
Cmaj7                                         C/G
our skin may be scratched, but nothing holds us back 
G                     Em7        
i will be brave, i will be brave 
C*
my body may change 
G                                 G
but my spirit will stay, i will be brave 

D                     D        Dsus          G
aspera! per aspera! per ardua!     ad astra!

G!
(stomp foot)
 
G
i'm in shambles 
G
blown to bits by our troubles 
G
these brambles 
G
our stumblings our struggles 

D                                     G
aspera! per aspera! per ardua! ad astra! 
D                                     G
thorns! over thorns! through this trouble, we are born!