Here we go guys, in this blog, we will be looking for a quick guide for easy bass tabs. Whether you are a new or experienced bass guitarist, bass tablature is a much easier way to read than bass sheet music. This method uses numbers and symbols instead of musical notes on a staff. If you want to add more songs to your personal repertoire, easy bass tabs are the way to go.
The Basics of Bass Tabs
This simple music notation is straightforward and is made of up four components. When you look at a bass tab, it is like looking down at the bass in your hands.
The Strings
Popular bass tabs typically represent the 4-string bass. Four basses “strings” line the page in rows and are drawn with the lowest-pitched string at the bottom. From the bottom up, standard bass tuning is E, A, D, and G.
If you play a five-string or six-string bass, the tab will display more “strings,” but the context stays the same with the lowest pitch at the bottom. Sometimes bass tabs can represent alternate bass tunings, such as D, A, D, and G, and are written from the lowest to the highest pitch as well.
The Frets
Notes are represented by fret numbers in bass tabs. The fret number is written on the string that it is played on. Bass guitars typically have between 20 to 24 frets. If numbers are stacked on top of each other on separate strings, this means you have to play both frets at the same time.
Sometimes you might see an “H” on top of the staff or an “h” in between two fret numbers on a string. This indicates that when you play a note, you must “hammer on” to the higher note indicated.
The Bars
Vertical bar lines symbolize the separate bar measures of a tab. Bars let you know when the count starts over between each musical phrase.
The Rhythm
Rhythm may not be reflected in all bass tabs, but if it is, an eighth-note count is displayed underneath the bass tablature.
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The Different Types of Bass Tabs
You may come across several types of bass tabs online.
Text-Based
This is the oldest version of bass tabs. While modern versions are usually seen online, you may come across this type of the tab. Text-based tabs look like a simple text file written in Courier New font.
Interactive
This type of bass tab looks like a hybrid of text-based tabs and sheet music. At a quick glance, it looks like standard sheet music, but the lines represent the four bass strings and the notations are still the fret numbers. Rhythm notation can be seen and you can even play along with this tab.
Tab and Standard
Often when you purchase a bass tab book, the format is a mix of bass tab and standard sheet music notation. The two staffs are connected with the standard notation situated at the top and the bass tab situated at the bottom. Seeing the standard notation simultaneously can give you a better sense of a song’s rhythm as you are playing; however, you can use the bass tab to guide you on your finger placement.
