Green Day Bass Tab Archive

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This area of the learning section is for bass players to learn how to recognize a tab on this site.			<how to read tabs:>
			Bass tab is written on four-line staves. In text interfaces these are usually written using dashed characters. Each space corresponds to one string on the bass: the lowest space corresponds to the E string, the next lowest to the A string, the next to the D string, and the highest to the G string. A number on a given space represents a note played at the given fret on the corresponding string; thus, to indicate playing a G at the third fret on the E string, one would write: G------------------------------------ D------------------------------------ A------------------------------------ E----3------------------------------- Notes are played from the left of the staff to the right; thus, an ascending G major scale might be written: G------------------------------------ D-------------------2--4--5---------- A----------2--3--5------------------- E----3--5---------------------------- Or, using open strings, it might be written like this: G-------------------------0---------- D----------------0--2--4------------- A-------0--2--3---------------------- E----3------------------------------- Chords can be written by writing two numbers in the same vertical bar. Thus one might write a simple A major chord as: G-----9------------------------------ D-----11----------------------------- A-----0------------------------------ E------------------------------------ which means to play an open note on the A string, to play a C# at the 11th fret on the D string, and an E at the 9th fret on the G string. Various fingering techniques can be noted in TAB as well. This is done by writing a single character after the note being fingered. The most common of these are: h - hammer-on from previous note p - pull off from previous note \ - slide up to note b - bend note S - slap the note with the right-hand thumb (left hand if left-handed) P - pop the note with the right hand (ditto) t - tap the note with the right hand (ditto) () - harmonic Thus a funky bass line might be written like this: G----------5P-7h-5p------------------ D-------------------------3b--------- A---0S\5-----------3S-5S----5S-(5)--- E------------------------------------ A muted note (one that is not fingered cleanly and makes a percussive sound rather than a clear tone) is written by placing an x on a line instead of a number: G------------5--7------------------- D----------------------------------- A---5--x--x--------5--x--5---------- E----------------------------------- Similarly, a rest is indicated by writing an r on a line (any line will do): G------------5--7-------------------- D------------------------------------ A---5--r--r--------5--r--5----------- E------------------------------------ When it is not obvious which left-hand (right-hand to lefties) finger should be used to to fret a particular note, this may be indicated by writing a number under the note, with 1=index finger, 2=middle finger, 3=ring finger, 4=pinkie finger, and rarely, 5-thumb: G---------5--7--5-------------------- D------------------------------------ A---0--5----------------------------- E------------------------------------ 1 1 3 1 It is becoming popular to indicate time in TAB by writing over each note a letter indicating the time value of the note: s=sixteenth note, e=eighth note, q=quarter note, h=half note, w=whole note. It is possible to add dots to this system as is done with normal notes. In addition, vertical bars are usually used to indicate measure breaks. TAB noted this way might look like this: w q s s e q h q. e e e s s e h G-----\|----5--7--5-------\|-------------5--7--7-\|---- D-----\|------------------\|-3--3--5--7----------\|---- A---0-\|-5-----------8--5-\|---------------------\|-5-- E-----\|------------------\|---------------------\|----