Message In A Bottle Transcribed by Michael J. Fromberger, Harold Noriega (Acoustic and solo version), Donald W. Pope II and Keith Sprochi. Transcribed by Michael Fromberger The chord outline for Message looks like this: Verse: C#add9 Aadd9 Badd9 F#add9 (sliding up to m3) :| "Chorus" 1 (I'll send an S.O.S....) A D E :| "Chorus" 2 (I hope that some one gets my...) F#m D :| "Chorus" 3 (Message in a bottle...) C#m A (repeat) resolve to F#m then back to verse. From watching the old Police live tapes, you can see that Andy plays the add9 chords something like this: 1---------------------------------------------------------------------1 2---------------------------------------------------------------------2 3----------8-----------4----------6-----------------------------------3 4------6-----------2----------4--------------6-7----------------------4 5--4-----------0----------2--------------4----------------------------5 6------------------------------------2--------------------------------6 I recommend doing the troups of three with fingers 1, 3, 4. This way, you can slide up from 6-7 on the final chord with your pinky and your index will be in position over fret 4 to begin the cycle again. I recommend barres for the chorus chords, to reproduce the original feeling. Try the 5th position A and D, 7th position E, 2nd position F#m, and 4th position C#m. Enjoy! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Transcribed by Harold Noriega This is the acoustic and solo version of Message In A Bottle played by Sting C#m A Bm F (see chord section for how this Just a castaway main line is to be played) C#m A Bm Fm An island lost at sea C#m A Bm Fm Another lonely day C#m A Bm Fm No one here but me C#m A Bm Fm More loneliness C#m A Bm Fm Than any man could bear C#m A Bm Fm C#m A Bm Fm Rescue me, before I fall into despair A(bar) Dm Em A(bar) I’ll send an S.O.S. to the world A(bar) Dm Em A(bar) I’ll send an S.O.S. to the world Fm7 Dm I hope that someone gets my Fm7 Dm I hope that someone gets my Fm7 Dm I hope that someone gets my C#m7* A Message in a bottle C#m7* A Message in a bottle C#m7* A Message in a bottle C#m7* A Fm Fm add 4* Message in a bottle Ending: C#m A Bm Fm I’m sending out an S.O.S. C#m A Bm Fm I’m sending out an S.O.S. Repeat to fade Chords: C#m: 046444 A: 002220 Bm: 024242 Fm: 244222 A(bar): 577655 Dm: 057755 Em: 079900 Fm7: 09(11)9(10)9 C#m7*: 046454 (pull off 5 on the second string to 4 and repeat twice) Fm7 add 4: 244222 (pull off 4 on the fourth string and add 4 on first string to look like this: 242224 Main section played exactly as follows: Play only these notes from the chords: C#m: 046454 A: 002220 Bm: 024242 Fm: 244 continue up the fourth string from 4/4 to 4/6 to 4/7 back to C#m7 If you play this solo on an acoustic or Spanish guitar, use the above chord pattern. If you use an electric guitar as did Sting in The Secret Policeman’s Ball, replace the A and Bm chords with the following barred versions and play the notes as marked: A: 557655 Bm: 779877 Although this is originally a Police song, ever since The Secret Policeman’s Ball and the Bring On The Night tour where Sting ended each set with Message, this acoustic version has become a classic Sting signature song. Enjoy! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Transcribed by Donald W. Pope II This is the main riff: E-|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| B-|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| G-|-------8--------4--------4-------------------------------------------------| D-|----6--------2--------4-----------6-7--------------------------------------| A-|-4--------0--------2-----------4-------------------------------------------| E-|----------------------------2----------------------------------------------| Play these lightly muted power chords next: E-|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| B-|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| G-|-----------------7-7-7-9-9-9-9-9-----------------7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-----------| D-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-9-9-9-9-9-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-----------| A-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-5-5-5-7-7-7-7-7-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-----------| E-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-----------------2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2---------------------------| Lightly strum these bar chords: E-|-4---------------5---------------2-----------------------------------------| B-|-5---------------5---------------2-----------------------------------------| G-|-6---------------6---------------2-----------------------------------------| D-|-6---------------7---------------4-----------------------------------------| A-|-4-------------------------------4-----------------------------------------| E-|---------------------------------2-----------------------------------------| These are the basic parts to the song, just piece them together... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Transcribed by Keith Sprochi This is really reaching but I will try it anyway. I think the chords are c#m, A, B, f#m for the verse and then possibly c#m, A g#m or something like that for the chorus. When I played it with a band, my hand would ache after a short time because of the barre chords so I now play it like this (although I haven't played it for months, so I don't know if this is right): Verse (main riff) --------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- ------------------------------------2-- -------14--------7-------9-------4----- ----14--------7-------9-------4-------- -12--------5-------7-------2----------- I don't remember how the chorus goes; I think I just strummed c#m, A, g#m and f#m (but hearing it in my head, that last chord sounds like it should be a seventh ???) One thing to keep in mind is that chorus sounds great on this but with a little distortion, the constant sliding around sounds pretty crappy if you don't muffle the strings. That is one problem I had anyway. I hope that helps.