Qotsa Do It Again Tab Bass

Bass TAB (or Bass Tablature) is a simple mode of reading music for bass that uses numbers and symbols instead of notes on a staff.

In this guide, I'll explicate how to read Bass TAB and so you can starting time learning songs from TAB from websites such every bit Ultimate Guitar (check out the best TAB websites here). Nearly sites that offering Guitar TAB likewise include Bass TAB.

Different Types of Bass TAB

In that location are a few dissimilar types of Bass TAB you may find online. While the types of Bass TAB may look slightly different from each other, they all follow the same basic ideas.

Once you learn to read ane type of Bass TAB, yous can read them all.

Text-based Bass TAB

This is the oldest blazon of Bass TAB that was first shared online. Some sites still cling on to text-based TAB instead of using a modern version, so it's useful to know how to read it.

Text-based Bass TAB is written in a simple text file as shown below.

This blazon of TAB tin can tell yous where to play each note and any techniques used, but it usually doesn't include any rhythm notation.

Sometimes you lot volition see TAB with numbers underneath (eg: ane + 2 + 3 + iv +) to help explicate the rhythm. But if you desire TAB with decent rhythm notation, cheque out the other TAB formats.

Writing Your Ain Text-Based Bass TAB

If you lot want to write Bass TAB in this format, you need to use a specific type of font.

The font Courier New is the about popular font for writing this type of TAB. Notepad in Windows has quite a few other fonts that work well with TAB.

If y'all come across TAB similar the beneath example, it means the incorrect font was used.

Just changing the font will ready the format issues and line the notes upwardly properly.

Interactive Bass TAB

Websites like Songsterr use an interactive type of TAB that not merely packs in far more information such as proper rhythm notation, but you lot can play forth with the TAB.

As you lot can see, the above TAB looks similar to the text-based Bass TAB from earlier, but is easier to read and uses different symbols.

Virtually interactive TAB volition include all instruments for a song, then yous can play along to the TAB while listening to the drums, guitar, and whatsoever other instruments in the groundwork.

You can even write your ain TAB in this format using software such as Guitar Pro (explained afterward).

Tablature and Standard Notation

If y'all buy a TAB book, you will likely see this format. The bones idea hither is that you go both the TAB version as well as the Standard Notation version at the aforementioned fourth dimension.

As y'all tin can see beneath, at that place are ii staffs connected together:

The top half is the song written in Standard Notation and the bottom half is written in Tablature.

This is the all-time of both worlds as it gives you two different means of reading the same music.

Information technology's important to continue in mind that you don't demand to know how to read Standard Notation to utilise this format. Simply ignore the top staff and read the TAB as normal.

Writing Your Own Bass TAB

There are a few different ways you can create your own TAB.

The easiest way is with Guitar Pro viii (link to my full review).

Guitar Pro viii gives you everything yous need to edit and create your own TAB likewise as download and playback/edit TAB for other songs. A nice reward of this software is the range of tools you lot tin can employ such as:

• Playback speed adjustment
• Transpose instruments
• Write parts for whatsoever musical instrument
• Metronome and speed trainer tools
• Import audio file to play along with

If y'all want to write your own music, a plan such as Guitar Pro can exist incredibly useful.

Bass TAB Layout Explained

The first matter you demand to understand with Bass TAB is the basic layout.

Bass TAB has four horizontal lines to represent the four strings on bass. Bass TAB written for 5-string bass will use five horizontal lines.

The number of lines always matches the number of strings. This means if you see a part with six lines, it may exist meant for guitar.

As yous can see in the diagram below, the four lines match up to the four bass strings from lowest pitch to highest pitch:

Looking at Bass TAB is like looking downward at your bass in your hands. The bottom line in Bass TAB matches the lowest pitch string (eg: Due east for 4-string bass and B for 5-string bass in Standard Tuning) on your bass.

Hither'south what TAB looks like for a five-string bass:

Text-based and formal TAB sometimes displays the cord tunings for each line equally shown below:

This is handy when a song uses an alternate tuning. If you don't see the cord names next to each line, expect elsewhere to make sure the tuning is in Standard.

The primary bespeak is that the lowest line in TAB matches the lowest pitch string on your bass.

What Practice Numbers Mean on Bass TAB

Each line on Bass TAB represents a string on your bass. Whenever you see a number on a line in Bass TAB, that number is telling you lot to play a specific note on that string.

The numbers on Bass TAB correspond the fret numbers on a string. 5 would mean the fifth fret on your bass. 12 would mean the twelfth fret. 0 would mean the open cord (nada fret).

Take a look at the below diagram for examples of different TAB numbers and how each number matches a note on the bass fingerboard:

As an example, the 'five' on the highest line in the in a higher place TAB means to play the 5th fret on the G cord (the highest pitch string matches the highest line in TAB).

Take a minute to study the above diagram to brand sure you can easily figure out how the numbers on each line match the correct fret positions on the bass.

Numbers Stacked on Top of Each Other

When numbers on Bass TAB are stacked on tiptop of each other, it is telling you to play those numbers at the same time.

This is very common on Guitar TAB as guitarists oft play chords, merely you may meet it on occasion in some bass parts.

In the in a higher place case, the 0-seven function is telling you lot to play the open up E string and the seventh fret on the A string both at the aforementioned fourth dimension.

The second case is telling yous to play the seventh fret on the D cord and the 9th fret on the G string at the same fourth dimension.

Depending on the style of music yous play, y'all may never come across notes stacked in TAB, but the main indicate to recall is that when the numbers are stacked on top of each other, it means to play those notes at the same time.

Numbers Written Left to Correct

When numbers are written side by side (on the same string or unlike strings), the Bass TAB is telling yous to play the notes one after the other from left to right.

We read Bass TAB just like you're reading this sentence – from left to right one word at a time.

In the below Bass TAB, you start past playing the 1st fret note, then play the second fret note, and then the 3rd fret annotation, and finally the 4th fret note considering they are all written i after the other.

Read everything in TAB from left to right and only pluck a cord if yous see a number on that string.

What Do Symbols Mean on Bass TAB

The cardinal to reading Bass TAB is to remember that lines represent string and numbers correspond frets.

When you look up Bass TAB for a song, you might notice some symbols used.

Symbols on Bass TAB represent different techniques such as slides, bends, hammer-ons, or slapping. When you run across a symbol in TAB, information technology is telling you to perform a specific type of technique.

There are 2 sets of symbols to learn for Bass TAB. Text-based Bass TAB uses one fix of symbols and formal TAB uses a unlike set of symbols.

Let's go through all of the main symbols you will likely run into in Bass TAB and what each i means.

What does h hateful in Bass TAB

'h' in Bass TAB is short for 'hammer-on'. This is when y'all play a note and hammer-on to a higher note.

In text-based TAB this is shown as 'h' in betwixt two notes. In formal Bass TAB, this is shown every bit a curved line over the two notes equally shown below and an H in a higher place the staff:

Both of the above TABs are showing the verbal aforementioned thing to play.

2h4 ways play the 2nd fret, then hammer-on to the 4th fret. 4h5h7 ways to do two hammer-ons in a row (you just pick the first note).

What does p hateful in Bass TAB

'p' in Bass TAB is short for 'pull-off'. This is when yous play a note and pull-off to a lower notation.

The same curved line is used in formal Bass TAB as is used for hammer-ons, so you just need to wait at whether the number is higher or lower to know which technique to use.

Hammer-ons and pull-offs can be combined (known every bit legato) all under the same curved line equally shown below:

This can sometimes look confusing (especially the text version), so take information technology one note at a time to effigy out what technique yous need to apply.

This can also be combined with slides as shown later.

What does / or \ mean in Bass TAB

A slash ( / or \ ) in Bass TAB is the symbol for a slide.

The type of slash used tells you whether you need to slide up to a note '/' or slide down to a notation '\'.

To know which slash symbol is which, think of the slash symbol equally a slide y'all walk up to from the left.

If the slash slopes downwardly similar \, you slide down on your bass. If the slash slopes upwards like /, y'all slide up on bass.

The same symbols are used in text-based and formal TAB and then information technology's easy to identify slides. Some old text-based TAB may show sinstead of a slash equally shown in the to a higher place instance (eg: 7s9 is the same every bit 7/9).

In formal TAB, you may likewise discover a curved line over the top of the slide, this is a reminder that you just pick the first note of the slide. If there isn't a curved line, information technology means to pick both notes.

The above example also shows how hammer-ons and pull-offs can be combined with slides. The curved line tells you to pluck the very first note, but none of the notes that follow nether the bend. This is called legato and can utilise a variety of techniques.

What does b hateful in Bass TAB

'b' in Bass TAB is the symbol for a bend. In formal TAB, a curved line with an arrow or number is used.

In text-based TAB, sometimes a number is given afterward the 'b' to tell us what pitch to curve up to. Then 7b9 means to bend the 7th fret notation up until information technology sounds similar the 9th fret pitch.

Some older text-based Bass TAB found online use the symbol ^ to represent a bend (eg: 7^nine is the same as 7b9)

In formal TAB, a number or text (eg: i/2, full) is given at the meridian of the curved arrow to tell united states what type of bend to play.

'1/2' means a one-half-step bend, 'full' means a whole-stride bend, '1 1/2' means a one-and-a-half step curve and so on.

'r' in Bass TAB means to release a curve. Sometimes this is shown if a bend needs to be held for a long time, and so you know when to lower information technology again.

'pb'in Bass TAB means to pre-bend a note before you pick it. You push the string upward to the correct pitch, then choice the note before releasing information technology or belongings information technology.

What does 10 mean in Bass TAB

'10' in Bass TAB is the symbol for a muted hit. This tin can be across multiple strings or on a unmarried string.

A muted hit is when y'all pluck the string while dampening it with your fretting hand. This produces a percussive sound rather than a note ringing out.

What practice parentheses () mean in Bass TAB

When a note is in parentheses () in Bass TAB, it tin can mean ii things. Information technology either means to play a ghost note or that the note is continuing to ring out.

In the below instance, the notes in parentheses are ghost notes. This means you lot play the notes in the parentheses far softer than the balance of the notes.

In the beneath example, the annotation in parentheses isn't a ghost annotation. Instead, the parentheses tell y'all that the note has continued to ring out into the next bar and you don't pick information technology again.

Unremarkably when a note rings out to the next bar, parentheses are used to show that the notation is notwithstanding ringing out.

Some TAB will also include brackets for held notes inside a bar while others won't. In the above instance, you can come across that the 5th fret note is held for 3 beats (past reading the Standard Annotation), just nothing is written in the TAB part to let you know it continues to ring out.

Some TAB may show a bracketed note here. In these cases, you need to figure out for yourself whether the note is meant to be a held note or a ghost note.

What does ~ mean in Bass TAB

'~' in Bass TAB is the symbol for vibrato. In text-based Bass TAB, this is ordinarily displayed on the line adjacent to the note and formal TAB shows a wavy line above the staff.

Some erstwhile text-based Bass TAB uses fivenext to the note to bear witness vibrato because the ~~~ can be hard to see.

In the in a higher place text-based TAB, y'all tin come across how the ~ and v symbols both represent the aforementioned thing.

What does <> mean in Bass TAB

'<>' in Bass TAB is the symbol for harmonics. When you run across a note in between the two symbols such equally <12> it means to play a harmonic on that fret.

Some TAB will show Due north.H. in a higher place or below the staff to indicate the note is a natural harmonic. Yous may besides see A.H. for artificial harmonics.

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The above example shows two artificial harmonics on the fifth fret and two natural harmonics on the 12th fret (played at the same time).

Some TAB may also include a small fret number in brackets to indicate the pitch of the bogus harmonic. This takes the guesswork out of what pitch y'all should utilize for the harmonic.

In the higher up example, y'all can run across the two bogus harmonics on the 5th fret are played with the plucking mitt on the twelfth fret. Some TAB may only write <5> and yous need to figure out what the harmonic pitch should be.

The <> symbol may besides be used to indicate volume swells, then listen to the song to know which is more likely.

What does t mean in Bass TAB

't' in TAB is the symbol for borer. This is sometimes displayed above the staff with a capital T, while other times it is displayed next to the note (usually on text-based TAB).

In the above example, y'all tap the 17th fret with a finger from your plucking hand, pull-off to the 10th fret, then hammer-on to the 14th fret before repeating the pattern.

The curved line over all of the notes in formal TAB reminds the states that all of this is played without picking or plucking the string (legato).

Repeating borer patterns can apace become messy and confusing to read when using text-based TAB as you tin meet in the to a higher place example.

While 't' is sometimes used like this to indicate borer, it's far more than likely you volition come across the symbols 'i m r p' used instead (covered adjacent).

An uppercaseTis regularly used in slapping riffs to indicate a slapped note using the thumb (covered later).

What does i one thousand r p mean in Bass TAB

The lowercase messages 'i m r p' in TAB are the symbols used for tapping with your plucking mitt. Each letter represents a different finger to use to tap a note on the fretboard.

Here are fingers to use for each alphabetic character:

• i: alphabetize finger
• grand: center finger
• r: ring finger
• p: pinky

In the above case, y'all can encounter that the 17th and 19th frets are tapped using fingers from your plucking paw. The notes on the D string utilise your plucking hand's index finger (i) and the notes on the G string use your plucking hand'southward eye finger (one thousand).

This is the more common way of indicating tapping in TAB because it gives y'all clear data on which fingers you should utilise for each note.

What does PM mean in Bass TAB

'PM' in Bass TAB is the symbol for palm muting. Palm muting is where you use the side of your palm on your plucking hand to lightly mute the strings while playing.

A dashed line is used if the palm muting is held for a long time. Any notes below the dashed line are to be played with palm muting.

The dashed line in text-based TAB can chop-chop make the TAB confusing (making it await similar a 5 string TAB instead of 4 strings), so some songs that heavily use palm muting may not testify this symbol at all.

What does S mean in Bass TAB

'S' in Bass TAB is the symbol for slapping. Some people notate slapping usingS(Southward for slap) while others use an uppercase T (T for thumb).

In the to a higher place example, you slap the E string notes using your thumb.

What does P mean in Bass TAB

'P' in Bass TAB is the symbol for popping.

Sometimes TAB may utilize an uppercase P for pull-offs, merely it's usually very clear which technique is meant to be used.

Recall that a pull-off is when you movement from a higher fret notation to a lower fret note on the same string. One look at the beneath example and it volition be clear that the P is not for pull-offs here.

In the higher up instance, the notes on the D string are played with a popping technique. The P symbol does non represent pull-offs here because at that place is no note to become to on the same string.

Bass TAB Symbols Legend

Here is a quick guide to the almost mutual symbols you will come across in text-based Bass TAB:

• h = hammer-on
• p = pull-off
• b = bend
• S or T = slap
• P = popular
• / = slide up
• \ = slide down
• PM – – – – = palm muting (above or beneath TAB)
• ~~~ or v = vibrato
• ten = muted hit
• <> = natural or artificial harmonics
• t = borer
• i m r p = plucking hand fingers
• () = grace note or let the annotation band out

There are many more symbols that tin can announced in Bass TAB, merely the above covers all of the essentials yous are likely to see.

Bass TAB Template

If you want to quickly write some ideas downwardly and you don't accept Guitar Pro 8, you can utilize the below Bass TAB template.

Four-cord Bass TAB:

Chiliad|---------------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------------| E|---------------------------------------------------------------|

Five-cord Bass TAB:

One thousand|---------------------------------------------------------------| D|---------------------------------------------------------------| A|---------------------------------------------------------------| East|---------------------------------------------------------------| B|---------------------------------------------------------------|

But highlight all lines and then copy and paste the in a higher place text into Notepad, Word, or any other text editor. You lot can then use it to TAB out anything yous want or impress it off to be able to chop-chop write down your ideas.

When you paste the text, make sure you use a monospace font such as Courier New. If you lot employ the wrong font, you will struggle to brand the numbers, symbols, and dashes line up properly.

When editing the TAB, retrieve to add or remove the dashes to keep the lines the same length. This tin exist washed by pressing the Insert key on your keyboard with some discussion processors. It will blazon over the peak of the dashes instead of adding numbers or symbols in betwixt the dashes.

Find Bass TABs Online

Now that you know how to read Bass TAB, you can start learning to play songs by finding free TAB online. Learning how to play bass past reading TAB is an easy skill to learn, so go along this folio open while yous look through some TABs to get used to all the symbols.

Read this guide on the Best TAB Websites to check out some formal and text-based TABs.

Learn these 14 must-know easy bass riffs to practice reading Bass TAB with some fun and easy riffs.

Practise these six daily bass exercises to piece of work on some of import bass skills.

Bass TAB is one of a few ways of reading music. Detect out almost the other ways of reading music here and bank check out this guide if you want to learn how to read standard notation.

Related Guides and Lessons:

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Source: https://guitargearfinder.com/guides/how-to-read-bass-tab/

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