If you’re a guitarist who loves Nirvana—or you’re just getting into grunge and alternative rock—this tab book is a fantastic place to start.
Covering the band’s biggest songs from their greatest hits era, it gives you a solid foundation in power chords, riffs, and songwriting that defined a whole generation of guitar-driven music.
This was one of the very first tab books (on Amazon) I ever bought, and it still holds up.
Overview / First Impressions
This Nirvana tab book is built around the band’s greatest hits collection, released roughly two decades ago. You’ll find all the major tracks you’d expect from a greatest hits package, including later songs like “You Know You’re Right,” which many fans (myself included) consider one of the best songs they ever released.
From a guitarist’s perspective, this book is:
- Beginner-friendly if you know basic chords and power chords
- Great for intermediate players looking to nail the details of classic Nirvana riffs and solos
- Useful for song-based practice, especially if you’re building a rock/grunge repertoire
It does a solid job of notating the songs accurately, and there aren’t any glaring mistakes or odd omissions that would make you question the transcriptions.
Song List
- You Know You’re Right
- About a Girl
- Been a Son
- Sliver
- Smells Like Teen Spirit
- Come as You Are
- Lithium
- In Bloom
- Heart-Shaped Box
- Pennyroyal Tea
- Rape Me
- Dumb
- All Apologies
Features & Functions
Here’s what you can expect from the book in practical terms:
- Covers the major hits from the Nirvana greatest hits album
- Complete song transcriptions, not just riffs or partial arrangements
- Accurate notation of:
- Riffs
- Chord progressions
- Solos and fills
- Rhythmic feel and structure
The focus is on playability and clarity, not overcomplicating things. Nirvana’s music is deceptively simple, and the book reflects that: it gives you what you need to play the songs properly without drowning you in unnecessary theory.
How It Sounds / Use Cases for Guitarists
Working through this book is a great way to:
- Tighten up your rhythm playing with grungy, palm-muted power chords
- Learn song structure: intros, verses, choruses, bridges, and dynamics
- Develop a rock tone: you’ll quickly hear what kind of gain, attack, and muting brings these parts to life
- Practice playing along with recordings, since these are full-song transcriptions
Nirvana’s catalog is perfect if you:
- Are just moving beyond basic open chords and want to play real songs
- Want to get comfortable with drop tunings and power chords (depending on the track)
- Are interested in songwriting and want to see how simple ideas become iconic songs
“You Know You’re Right” is a standout here. When it came out, it felt like this unexpected gift: a new Nirvana song that was legitimately one of their strongest. Having a proper tab for it in the same collection as the classics is a huge plus.
Limitations / Things to Know
A few realistic expectations:
- This is a songbook, not a method book. It won’t teach you technique from scratch—you’ll want at least basic familiarity with chords, power chords, and reading tab.
- It focuses on the greatest hits, not deep cuts. If you’re hunting for more obscure album tracks or B-sides, you may need additional books or resources.
- While the transcriptions are solid, like any tab book, they’re an interpretation of what’s on the record. Tiny nuances may differ from live versions or isolated tracks.
That said, there are no major complaints here. For what it aims to be—a greatest hits tab collection—it does its job very well.
Final Thoughts
As a guitarist, this Nirvana tab book is absolutely worth owning if:
- You’re a fan of the band
- You want a reliable way to learn their biggest songs
- You enjoy learning by playing full tracks rather than isolated exercises
It looks great, reads cleanly, and covers the songs that made Nirvana legendary. For many players, it can be a gateway into both grunge and rock guitar in general.
I definitely recommend picking it up if you’re building a collection of essential rock tab books.
Resources & Further Study
If you want to go beyond just learning songs and really understand the fretboard—especially while you’re working through material like this—I recommend focusing on triads across the neck. They’re incredibly useful for:
- Memorizing the fretboard
- Seeing chord shapes in multiple positions
- Understanding where root notes sit in every inversion
You can find a dedicated triads resource here:
Triads & Fretboard Mapping:
TravelingGuitarist.com – Fretboard Cheat Sheet / Triads Document
This triad work pairs nicely with learning Nirvana songs: you get the best of both worlds—practical, real-world riffs and a deeper understanding of how the neck is laid out.