Can ChatGPT Really Be Used to Write Sick Guitar Tabs?
ChatGPT — the internet’s favourite maniacal AI — can do some things well, other things not so well, and for the rest… well, uncanny valley is a polite way of putting it.
Recently, I tried asking ChatGPT to write me Don Rickles jokes, and it basically trolled me.
So, because I’m a sucker for punishments, and apparently bad jokes, I decided to see what it would come up with when asked to write some “sick”guitar tabs.
Let’s see how it fared!
First Attempt: Give me a folk song
I started with something simple:
Can you write out the tablature for a folk song?
It seemed like a basic premise, and since I’ve been playing my acoustic lately, I had a mild hope it would churn out something interesting or at least coherent.
In reply, it told me it was happy to oblige and provided me with what it referred to as the, erm, “tab” for Woodie Guthrie’s “This Land is You Land.”
Verse:
e| — — –0 — — –0 — — –0 — — –0 — — –|
B| — –3 — — –3 — — –3 — — –3 — — — –|
G| — -0 — — –0 — — –0 — — –0 — — — — |
D| — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — |
A|–2 — — –2 — — –0 — — –0 — — — — –|
E| — — — — — — — — — –3 — — –3 — –|
Chorus:
e| — — –0 — — –0 — — –0 — — –0 — — –|
B| — –1 — — –1 — — –3 — — –3 — — — –|
G| — -0 — — –0 — — –0 — — –0 — — — — |
D| — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — |
A|–2 — — –2 — — –0 — — –0 — — — — –|
E| — — — — — — — — — –3 — — –3 — –|
With even just a passing familiarity with the song, I knew this wasn’t it. It was something else — either some sort of arpeggio with a couple of weird variations of standard chords or else the spacing was completely off (but judging by the number of dashes, it looks more like a crazy arpeggio).
I mean, we got what I think is a G/B, the a sort of G, something like looked like Am7 at first but is a version of Em7 and back to our weird sorta G.
More confusing was the explanation it tacked on at the end:
The song is divided into two sections: a verse and a chorus. Each section is represented by a separate block of tablature. The chord progression for both the verse and chorus is: G — D — Em — C — G.
This would have been helpful only the chords listed here were neither the chords in the tab it gave me, nor in the actual song.
I can only assume that ChatGPT decided to pull some random words out of its ass that sounded like a coherent explanation for how to play a song. Only it wasn’t the song it claimed, nor even the chords.
First try was definitely weird, but not too good.
Attempt Two: A New Folk Song
Since ChatGPT is good at making stuff up, I asked it to write a never before heard folk song.
Here’s what I got:
Verse:
e| — — -3 — — –3 — — –3 — — –3 — — -|
B| — -0 — — –0 — — –0 — — –0 — — — -|
G| — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -|
D| — –2 — — –2 — — –2 — — –2 — — — -|
A|–3 — — –3 — — –0 — — –0 — — — — -|
E| — — — — — — — — –3 — — –3 — — -|
Chorus:
e| — — -0 — — –0 — — –0 — — –0 — — -|
B| — -1 — — –1 — — –3 — — –3 — — — -|
G| — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -|
D| — –2 — — –2 — — –2 — — –2 — — — -|
A|–3 — — –3 — — –0 — — –0 — — — — -|
E| — — — — — — — — –3 — — –3 — — -|
Again, it spat out some weird chords — chords, that at first glance, look kinda normal but when you get closer there’s always a finger on an unusual string or an unexpected fret.
Picking at the notes was oddly discordant because you expect the first two chords to be C and then G only they are not.
Arguably better though, since it did indeed make up something new. Though, it hardly gets points for creativity because it’s pretty similar to the “Woodie Guthrie” it imagined.
However, it did give me another psychotic reading of these chords:
In this tablature, the chord progression for the verse is G — D — (rest) — Em — G — D — C — G, and the chord progression for the chorus is C — G — D — G. You can strum each chord once for every beat in the song (in this case, there are four beats per measure), or you can create your own strumming pattern to give the song more rhythm and character.
Okay sure. That makes sense with the tab I guess. Somehow.
Attempt Three: Onto Metal
Moving in another direction, I asked ChatGPT to write me a sick solo for a metal song.
Here’s what I got:
But if you can follow it, it’s basically a sort of running scales starting with the low E and working its way to the top and then back down again. Three times in a row.
Though it claims to be a metal song, even playing this fast with some chunk to it has it come out sounding like a dude practicing scales or some weird, boring nursery song.
It then added this little humdinger:
Of course, this is just one example of a metal guitar solo, and you can modify and adjust the notes and techniques to fit your own unique metal song. Happy shredding!
My oh my if that isn’t a teaser — spoken like a person who has a whole bundle of other metal solos up their sleeve they are just waiting to share.
Fourth Attempt: Give Me Power Metal
Honestly, I wasn’t too enthused about getting another solo out of it (I suspect I know what it will look like), so I asked it to give me some power metal chord progressions:
Sure! Here’s a sick chord progression for power metal in the key of E minor:
| Em | G | D | A | | C | D | Em | D |
This progression starts off with a classic power metal chord progression: Em — G — D — A. This progression is commonly used in power metal, and provides a strong foundation for the song.
The second half of the progression switches things up a bit, starting with a C chord and moving into a D chord before returning to Em. The use of the C chord adds some variety to the progression, while the return to Em provides a sense of resolution.
You can play around with the rhythm and strumming patterns to make this chord progression even more epic. Add in some fast arpeggios, palm-muted chugs, or soaring leads to really bring this progression to life. I hope this helps you create an awesome power metal song!
Honestly, it’s a decent chord progression, but not particularly sick. And spelled out like that, even with the call to add some “soaring leads” doesn’t really make this scream power metal.
Where are my power chords?!
Attempt Five: Give Me Power Chords
I demanded power chords for a power metal song about dragons. It obliged with this:
Verse:
E5 A5 C5 D5
e| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
B| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
G| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
D| — –2 — –7 — –10 — -12 — — — — —
A| — –2 — –7 — –10 — -12 — — — — —
E| — –0 — –5 — — 8 — -10 — — — — —
Pre-Chorus:
C5 A5 D5
e| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
B| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
G| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
D| — –5 — –7 — –12 — — — — — — —
A| — –5 — –7 — –12 — — — — — — —
E| — –3 — –5 — –10 — — — — — — —
Chorus:
E5 D5 C5 A5
e| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
B| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
G| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
D| — –2 — –12 — -10 — -7 — — — — — -
A| — –2 — –12 — -10 — -7 — — — — — -
E| — –0 — –10 — -8 — –5 — — — — — -
Bridge:
C5 D5 A5 E5
e| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
B| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
G| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
D| — –5 — — 7 — — 2 — — 0 — — — — –
A| — –5 — — 7 — — 2 — — 0 — — — — –
E| — –3 — — 5 — — 0 — — x — — — — –
Outro:
E5 A5 C5 D5
e| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
B| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
G| — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
D| — –2 — –7 — –10 — -12 — — — — —
A| — –2 — –7 — –10 — -12 — — — — —
E| — –0 — –5 — — 8 — -10 — — — — —
Well, it gave me power chords, but this is hardly a groundbreaking tab.
Some basic rising and descending progressions, but no rhythm, no flair, no chonky use of that bass string.
Can’t I get at least one winning roll tonight?
Final Attempt: Write Me a Complete Song
This time I was pissed. It was go big or go home.
I asked it to write me a power metal song about Vikings and dragons and include the chords.
The results?
Intro:
Em C G D
Verse 1:
Em C
From the north they came,
G D
A fierce and mighty horde,
Em C
With swords and axes raised,
G D
To fight and conquer all.
Pre-Chorus:
C D
But little did they know,
Em G
That danger lay ahead,
C D
For in the land they sought to claim,
Em G
An ancient dragon bred.
Chorus:
Em C
Fire in its breath,
G D
Scales as hard as steel,
Em C
The Viking’s courage tested,
G D
As they battled with such zeal.
Verse 2:
Em C
The dragon struck with force,
G D
Its fury unrelenting,
Em C
But the Vikings stood their ground,
G D
Their determination unending.
Pre-Chorus:
C D
With every blow they struck,
Em G
The dragon howled in pain,
C D
Their swords and axes ringing true,
Em G
Their victory not in vain.
Chorus:
Em C
Fire in its breath,
G D
Scales as hard as steel,
Em C
The Viking’s courage tested,
G D
As they battled with such zeal.
Bridge:
G D
They fought and fought,
C G
Until the dragon fell,
G D
The Vikings cheered,
C G
Their victory they did tell.
Solo:
Em C G D x2
Chorus:
Em C
Fire in its breath,
G D
Scales as hard as steel,
Em C
The Viking’s courage tested,
G D
As they battled with such zeal.
Outro:
Em C G D
Honestly, as hilarious as the lyrics are (and honestly cute, look at how they rhyme!) it’s not all that much dumber than something, say, Sabaton might churn out on a given day (provided they were into writing songs like Rhapsody might).
Not sure if it’s gonna win any awards, but it is a song about Vikings and dragons and maybe if someone got creative they could make it into a power metal song. For the the time being, it could probably pass as a ballad, or maybe a B-side from a Leonard Nimoy album.
Originally posted on my blog at: http://www.anachaj.ca/wordslinger/updates/can-chatgpt-really-be-used-to-write-sick-guitar-tabs. Be sure to follow for more stories about AI.
