To play “Come As You Are” on guitar, you’ll mainly need: your guitar tuned down a whole step, the iconic open-string riff on the low strings, and four key chords (F#sus4, A, B5, D5) for the heavier sections.

Quick Scoop

  • Song is in E minor concert pitch, but because the guitar is tuned down a whole step, you actually play it as if you’re in F# minor.
  • The main hook is a repeating riff using mostly open strings on the 6th (low) and 5th strings.
  • Once you have the riff, add the simple power/sus chords for the bridge and chorus (F#sus4, A, B5, D5).

Step 1: Tuning (Very Important)

Kurt Cobain recorded the song in D standard : every string is tuned down one whole step.

  • Standard tuning: E A D G B E
  • D standard for this song: D G C F A D (low to high)

You can learn the shapes in normal tuning, but to play along with the original track you’ll need to tune down to D standard.

Step 2: The Main Riff (Low Strings)

The famous intro/verse riff is built on the low 6th and 5th strings, mostly using open notes and a couple of fretted notes.

Conceptually:

  • Alternate between:
    • Open 6th string (tuned to D in D standard)
    • Open 5th string (tuned to G in D standard)
  • Add fretted notes at:
    • 2nd fret of the 6th string
    • 1st fret of the 6th string later in the phrase

Rhythm tip:

  • Count eighth notes : “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &” and use mostly downstrokes for that steady grunge pulse.

Step 3: The Chords You Need

Once you move past the riff, you’ll use four main chords for bridges and chorus sections.

  • F#sus4
    • Built from notes F#, B, C#; gives a suspended, tense sound that fits the dark mood.
  • A
    • Played simply as an open A-style chord or with one finger across the 2nd fret on the middle strings.
  • B5
    • Power chord on the 2nd fret position: root on the 5th string, adding the 4th string and optionally the 3rd.
  • D5
    • Power chord shape around the 5th fret, using three notes on neighboring strings.

These are strummed using a driving eighth-note rock feel (down-up or mostly downstrokes), still locked into that “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &” groove.

Step 4: Tone and Feel

To sound closer to the record:

  • Use a clean tone with chorus effect on the main riff.
  • Kick in distortion/overdrive (a DS-1 style sound) for the louder bridge/chorus sections and solo.
  • Keep your picking hand relaxed; the song lives on a steady, hypnotic pulse rather than flashy speed.

Step 5: Where to Practice With Full Lessons

If you want full breakdowns with visual tab and play-along:

  • Full-video lesson with all parts (riff, chords, solo).
  • Beginner-friendly riff focus and chord overview.
  • In-depth written breakdown of chords and groove in F# minor.

TL;DR: Tune down to D standard, learn the open-string low-E/low-A style riff with eighth-note feel, then add F#sus4, A, B5, and D5 for the choruses and bridge, using clean+chorus for the riff and distortion for the heavy parts.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.