How to Read Bass Tabs

There you are, a beginning bassist in your clean clothes and your new shoes. You’re skipping down the lanes of earnest-bassist.web looking for some easy songs to play. You’ve typed “online bass tabs for beginners” and hit “Search”.

Suddenly, you look around – you don’t know where you are. You don’t understand any of the strange symbols and markings you see around you. You must have taken a wrong turn. Oh, no! You’ve heard about this: the rumors, the whispered warnings, the cautionary tales.

You’re in TAB Town. The seedy underbelly of the bass world. A shadowy figure named LilTimmy420 whispers to you from a terrible back-alley website: “Hey, wanna learn Seven Nation Army?? I got the tab right here…”

The blaring lights of random advertisements assault your eyes and ears.

In the distance you can hear someone playing “Another One Bites The Dust” but it is obviously, terribly wrong…

You run, screaming back to the safety of your browser’s home screen. You are shaken, rattled, possibly even rolled.

“How…”, you gasp, the words flying into the search engine’s waiting field, “How am I supposed to read that tab stuff? What’s safe? What’s wrong? How does it work? Is TAB Town a place I can ever go again??”

And that brings you here.

This is your street-smart guide to the world of bass tabs, particularly that bizarre and ever-evolving world of online bass tabs.

In this article I’ll explain what bass tab is, show you how to read it, break down the specifics of the notation, prepare you for the potentially hazardous world of bad tabs and explain why tab – though filled with potential dangers and challenges – is a beautiful and wonderful tool for learning bass.

So follow me, stay close, don’t make eye contact with LilTimmy420 over there with the very suspicious looking “Californication” tab, and we’ll dive right in.

#1What Is Tab?

Turns out, tons of instruments have tablature. There are lute tabs from the 1500s! Can you imagine lute players in the 1500’s having to figure out what the tabs were to their favorite songs?

For electric bass, tablature means a system of notation that is specific to our instrument.

There are two ways you’ll run into it if you’re looking for bass tabs on the internet.

• There are pro style (my term) bass tabs created on music-publishing apps that looks like this:

• And then there are (dun dun dun!) text style tabs (by folks without publishing apps) that look like this:

Text style tab, despite the ominous musical sting I just used, is a beautiful example of why tab is so damn cool. While internet tabs may look a bit scary and rough, they are a great example of DIY spirit – of players using the knowledge and tools that they have to write down the music they love.  

The first tabs I ever saw were from my friend, Nat, in 6th grade. When he found out I was plunking around on my dad’s old acoustic guitar, he brought me his hand-written Metallica tabs on some sheets of binder paper. It was incredible. One day I was scuffling with G and E chords, the next I was playing Enter Sandman. All hail the power of tabs!

User-supplied internet tabs have that same feeling. The feeling of a friend handing you a ripped out notebook page of tabs to songs you love. There’s a world of possibilities there.

And, sadly, one of those possibilities is that the tab you’re looking at is wildly, terribly, horribly inaccurate.

Of course, you won’t know if it’s accurate or not until you can read it.

So, lemme show you how to do that.

#2How To Read Tab In 3 Parts

There is a ton of information crammed into a bass tab. Any bass line in the world – tapped, slapped, or solid root note plunkin’ – can be represented with this versatile and player-friendly system. In order to unpack it all, I’m going to break it up into 3 different categories.

First up, what to play and where to play it on your bass.

1. WHAT and WHERE (the lines and the numbers)

The Lines

Here is an example tab written out in text style and pro style.

Each horizontal line corresponds to a string on your bass. Most tabs you will see are written for 4 string bass, so they will have 4 horizontal lines.

You can see in the image how each line represents a string, with the bottom line on the page corresponding to your thickest (lowest) string – the E.

The other lines correspond to the other strings, moving from low (thicker strings at the bottom) to high (thinner strings at the top).  Some tabs will indicate this somewhere on the tab for reference.

If a song is for a 5 or 6 string bass, you’ll know because there will be 5 or 6 horizontal lines on the tab. You might even get the notes written at the beginning of each tab line. I pulled some examples from popular tab sites so you can see what this looks like in the wild:

Sometimes bands will be tuned differently than standard EADG tuning. If this is the case, the tab should let you know in various ways.  

Again – here are some examples from popular tab sites, both pro and text style.

Once you know what tuning to have your strings, and how many strings you need on your bass to play the song, you can start to read alllll those numbers.

The Numbers

When you see a number written on one of the horizontal lines, it represents a fret number to be played on the indicated string.
For example, here’s this tab:

We read tab from left to right.

So the first note to play will be the 3rd fret of the E string. 

The next note in the bass line will be the number immediately following the 3. In this case, the 4th fret of the E string. Then the 5th fret of the E string, then the 6th fret of the E string.

Next, you’ll move over to the D string and play the 6th fret of the D string, then the 8th fret of the D string.

And so on, and so forth, until you are lost in the haze of glorious funk.

Sometimes you’ll see two or more numbers right on top of one another.

It’s a bass chord. You have to play these stacked notes at the exact same time. (I love bass chords so much, I wrote a giant article all about them. You can see it here if ya want.)

That’s it! That’s how the lines and numbers work.

Isn’t that an incredibly elegant and simple and wonderful notation system? Imagine 6th grade me holding the key to Metallica riffs in my paper-clutching hand after playing my dad’s guitar for only a week!

I love the wide open doors of tab.

However, as you may have noticed with the examples above…  while you may know what fret to play and on what string to play it, it can be very tricky to know when to play the notes.

How do you play things with the right rhythms?

It’s time for:

2. WHEN (the rhythm)

If tab has a drawback for me, this is it. Middle school me had a notebook filled with tabs for super sick bass riffs I came up with.

But modern day me has no idea how to play these riffs because I didn’t write down any rhythms or anything that would help me figure out when to play the notes I’d tabbed out.

This is a massive problem with plenty of tabs, text, pro, internet or otherwise.

There are 3 basic ways that tab will give you the rhythm for a song, and we’ll deal with each of them, starting with the absolute most important one:

So! In true tab DIY spirit, the world of text style tab found out a way to indicate rhythms… ish.

Behold!

There is only one way that I know of to accurately write down music rhythms so that someone could walk in off the street and accurately play a bass line they’ve never heard before.

It’s….

Now you know what notes to play, where on your bass to play them and – hopefully – through either decent rhythm notation or your keen ears – when to play the notes.

But what the hell are all these marks and lines and letters all over the tab notation? What do you do about those?

3. HOW (articulation and technique)

Good notation will also tell you how the original piece was played. This means you have to account for all kinds of techniques, articulations and different ways to play any given notes.

To do this, there are a big ‘ol bunch of standard tab notations to indicate specific ways to play parts.

I’ll tell you what they are, show you what they look like in context, explain what they do and give you a lil’ audio example so you can hear it.

Hammer-On

Notation for Hammer-On: h, H or

• To play hammer-ons correctly, you pluck the first note of the first hammer-on (the 5th fret of the A string) and then using only your fretting hand, hammer a finger onto the 7th fret of the A string without plucking again.  
• The next hammer on wants you to pluck the 5th fret of the D string, and then hammer on, without plucking again, to the 7th fret of the A string.

Pull-Off

Notation for Pull-Off: PO, P, p or

• To play pull-offs correctly, you need to set up your fingering.  For this tab, set up with your index finger on the 7th fret of the G string and either your ring finger or your pinky on the 9th fret. For this example, pluck one time on the 9th fret of the G string. Your fretting hand will then release the 9th fret, and, if you give it just the gentlest of tugs, you’ll have enough vibration on the string to be able to hear that 7th fret without re-plucking the string. That’s a pull-off. You pull-off one note and get another note to sound with only one attack.
• The second pull-off is a combination of a pull-off followed by a hammer-on. There is only one pluck on the D string here – on the 9th fret. Everything else is up to the plucking hand. First, a pull-off to the 7th fret followed by a hammer-on back to the 9th fret. All with one pluck.
• The final pull-off requires no fretting hand set up, because the 2nd note – the note you pull-off to – is the open string. Open string pull-offs are big fun.

Slide

Notation for Slide Up and Down: S, s, /, or \

• There are two types of slides indicated here. The first one is a slide with separate notes.  
• To play the first slide pluck the 3rd fret of the E string. Then, at the end of the first beat, as you go to play the 10th fret, slide your hand up the neck so that you (quickly and cleanly) hear the sound of sliding up all the notes.  
• You then pluck the 10th fret when you get there.
• The second slide is a slide with connected notes. You can see this only in the pro style tab (due to the curved line above the rhythm notation connecting the 10, 9, and 10 on the A string). You’d only know this was a connected slide with the text tab through listening.
• To play this connected slide, pluck the 10th fret of the A string. Then, slide down to the 9th fret and then back up to the 10th fret without re-attacking the string.

Mutes

Notation for Mute/Dead Note: x, X

• Mutes or dead notes are played by releasing all fretting pressure on the fingerboard while keeping your fingers (it’s gotta be plural fingers – more than one finger – or you’ll hear harmonics) lightly draped over the strings.  This should create a pitch-less, but delightfully rhythmic sound from your bass.

Ghost Notes

Notation for Ghost Note: ()

• Ghost notes are the slightly more audible cousins to the mutes / dead notes above. To play a ghost note, you play the note in parenthesis much much more quietly, or much less audibly than the surrounding notes. Sometimes this is done through how hard you pluck, but most often it is done with some sort of partial mute of the string or note. Unlike a mute, which has no pitch in it whatsoever, a ghost note is often a half-muted, half-played note.

Palm Mutes

Notation for Palm Mute: P.M.——

• Palm muting is primarily a pick-playing technique.
• If you have a pick, rest the Pinky-side edge of your hand across your strings right above the bridge saddles. (You can move this around – the further your hand is toward your neck, the more completely muted the strings will be.)
• Keep the pinky edge of your hand pressed against the strings while you pick the bass line as indicated. Your hand will create a mute on the strings which is called a palm mute. (Even though, as you may have noticed, you’re not actually using your palm.)
• To palm mute with fingers is tricky. One way is to use the fingernail of your index finger as a pick and use the same technique described above.
  • For a softer finger-style palm mute, you can use your thumb and index finger (sometimes even middle finger) to pluck the strings (in guitar fingerstyle position) while you keep the pinky side edge of your hand pressed against the strings.

Bendies

Notation for Bend, release, and pre-bend:  b, br, pb

Bends are not exactly the every-day concerns of us bassists. Our strings are as thick as snakes, the tension is wildly high, and bending these things is not easy, comfortable or common.

Unless you’re Cliff Burton.

Because bends do exist, and because they sound cool and are fun, here’s how to play them and how to interpret the tabs.

• The 12th fret is the midpoint of your bass’s string length, so it is the place where the string is most able to bend.  
• To play the first bend, begin by playing the 12th fret of the A string. The arrow with the ½ above it means to pull the string (toward the D string) until it sounds a half step higher (one fret higher).  
• The text style tab shows that with the 12 b (bend) 13 (up to the sound of the 13th fret).  
• The next bend is a full step bend, and then a release. So play the 12th fret, pull the string (toward the D string) until it sounds a full step higher (two frets higher) and then release it back to the 12th fret.  
• The text style tab indicates this with the b (for bend) the 14 (as the target sound to bend for) and then the r (for release).
• The final type of bend is the prebend. The pro style tab shows a vertical arrow and a ½. So before you pluck the E string on the 12th fret, you have to grab the string and pull it so that when you do pluck it, it will sound a ½ step higher in pitch (one fret higher). You then release the bend back to the original pitch.  
• The text style tab shows the same thing with pb (pre bend) indicating that you’ll prebend up to the sound of the 13th fret, and then release (r) to the 12th fret.

Vibrato

Notation for Vibrato: ~

• To play with vibrato, pluck the note as indicated normally. While the note is ringing, your fretting hand will gently and very quickly rock back and forth. This will add a faint and gentle fluctuation to the sound of the sustained note. It will also help the note to sustain longer because the vibrato technique keeps injecting a bit of energy into the string as it rings.
• Vibrato technique is not for beginners, and you won’t find it useful in most bass lines.  

Slap and Pop

Notation for Slap + Pop:  T, P, (also sometimes the T is indicated with an S for “slap”)

• In slap and pop tab, T indicates a strike with the thumb of the plucking hand. Whack the string, and let it sound and vibrate whilst also getting a lovely clack from the force of the strike.  
• P indicates a pop. Use your index finger, curl it under the D string (in this example) and, while fretting the 5th fret, pluck at that D string so that the string will slap back against the bass giving you both the note indicated and also that satisfying ‘clack’.

Tapping

Notation for Tapping:  LH, RH, t

• This type of tapping notation is prejudiced in favor of right handed players. Left handed players can translate the LH for “fretting hand” and the RH for “plucking hand.”
• The LH shows you what part of the tab will be played with the left hand. In this case, it means you’ll be tapping onto each of these frets hard and clear enough to make the sound of the indicated note by using only your left hand, with no plucking in the right hand.
• In text style tab, the ‘t’ indicates that the note is tapped (as described above).
• For the RH, the player is to tap onto the given frets to get clear, strong notes on the frets indicated with their right hand.  
• The pull-off indicated will be played by pulling off the right hand finger that tapped the 16th fret, allowing the open string to ring.

Harmonics

Notation for Harmonics:  +, < >, N.H., Harm

• Harmonics are produced by placing the fretting hand finger directly over the indicated fret and only touching the string, applying no additional pressure.  
• Then pluck the string to create a high-pitched harmonic.  
• The notation for harmonic may or may not have the < > or the +.  The most common indicator will be the N.H. or Harm. text either above or below the notes to be played as harmonics.

Those are deep waters you just waded through.

If you’re just beginning, there’s a very good chance you’ve never encountered some or all of these techniques before. Don’t worry about it. Play what you can, and leave the rest. It will all become yours in due time.

Pretty incredible that there’s a system that bassists developed to be able to communicate their favorite music to each other, right? And then found a way, with the primitive tools of the early internet, to adapt and share it, right? Right.

So then, if tab is so righteous and awesome… why do some people hate on bass tabs?

#3The Scorn And Shame Of Tab vs Shut Up, Tab Rules

Well, just like the internet gave the world’s bassists a way to share their plucky, DIY tabs instantly across time and space with the entire internet-using-bass community… it also gave everyone a platform to take aggressive stands on anything and everything. Tab included.

So why are there still people out there hating on tab?

Because. The haters gonna hate, that’s why.

Also? Well, sure there are some reasons that tab is annoying, text style tab in particular. And tab, like anything, has its limitations. But it’s also amazing and has its advantages. So, in the spirit of peace, fellowship, and brutally crushing all those tab-hating posts out there…

Let’s explore the pros and cons of tab.

Cons Of Bass Tabs (particularly internet bass tabs)

When we are looking at the shortcomings and limitations of tab, it’s usually in comparison to standard music notation.

So we’ll start with where tab comes up short.

Tabs are exclusive to electric bass.

• A tuba player, a cello player, a trombone player, a piano player – all people who read the same bass-clef, standard music notation as us – can’t read bass tablature.  
• Likewise, if you only read tabs, you won’t be able to sit down and read the Bach cello suites, or some cool bass clef piano parts, or a rad bassoon line.

You need to know the piece of music and the bass line you’re learning in order to play it correctly. 

• Even with all the rhythm notation options, tabs are most often going to expect the player to already be familiar with the music they’re looking at.
• With standard notation there’s enough information to learn a piece without ever having heard it.

There are no dynamic markings in tab.

• Again, you’re expected to know the source material and use your ear to make your performance musical and accurate, rather than following specific markings in the tab itself.

Lack of rhythm notation.

• This is a huge disadvantage (as already mentioned) but it deserves its own line here. It’s so brutal to see the notes of a song and have such confusion about how to get the rhythm right.

Tabs are harder to translate quickly on the fly.

• Because all tabs are just numbers on lines, it can be very difficult to translate quickly from the tab. It lends itself to more of a one-at-a-time playing approach, or a hunt-and-peck style of reading.
• Standard notation, on the other hand, is much easier to read (at high levels) in recognizable chunks and patterns, which allows players to play them quickly and at playing tempo immediately.

Bad and inaccurate tabs kill the legitimacy of good tabs.

• There are so many terrible tabs out there because Lil’Timmy420 sorta kinda figured out (mostly) how to play his favorite song, and went and published his sorta, kinda, mostly inaccurate tab on the internet.

Although Lil’Timmy is out there giving tabs a bad name, there are plenty of great things about tab that should be justifiably recognized and celebrated.

Pros Of Bass Tabs

It is simple and intuitive!

• That wide gateway that allows for rotten tabs to be published also allows absolutely brand new beginners a way to start to learn their favorite songs.  Wide gateways bring people in, and that is a beautiful thing.  

It requires a well-developed ear.

• If you want to know if the tab is right, and you’re serious about accuracy, tab can be a great tool to train and hone your musical ear. If you don’t train up that ear, there are some very Lil’Timmy consequences waiting for you.

Shows you a fingering in addition to the notes.

• Standard notation shows notes and rhythms well, but because it is used for all instruments, the fingering you use to play the music is entirely up to the player.  The cool thing about tab is that in addition to the notes, you can be offered great fingering options.

Obviously, tab rules. It’s a way to communicate music to other bassists. It’s a way to learn your favorite songs. It has vast and wonderful powers. It is not the best or most versatile notation system, but it is the easiest and most intuitive for the beginning bassist.

And yet…  as I’ve mentioned time and time again, it is full of dangers as well.

So how do you protect yourself from Lil’Timmy and his terrible and awful bass tabs?

I’m going to give you some internet tab survival tips.

#4The Dangers of Internet Tabs And How To Avoid Them

Internet tabs (and even professionally published tabs) can be wrong. 

The notes can be wrong, the rhythms, the tuning, the fingerings – there’s a chance that every single part of it is wrong.

And there is Only. One. Way. To. Tell.  

If it doesn’t sound quite right, there’s a good chance it isn’t quite right.

If you know it’s wrong but your ears aren’t quite ready to correct the tab yet, there are some great tools to help.

• Listen critically!

Don’t take any tab as infallible – always play and listen to a tab with your full perceptions and bass awareness!

• Check those tab user ratings.

This is far from perfect, but it will help you weed out the real bad ones.

• Find a reputable play-through/tutorial on YouTube.

There are tons of these, and when you can see it and hear it at the same time, it can help with figuring out what needs to be fixed.

• Find an isolated bass track or a ‘stem’ for the part you’re looking for.

YouTube is becoming more and more populated with isolated bass tracks from your favorite songs. If you can’t tell what’s happening with the bass in the song you want to learn, it can really help to get rid of the band and get just the bass in your ears.

• Find a live video of the original bassist playing the song.

If you can get a damn camera person to stay on a bassist for more than 1 second… you might just see what, where and how a bassist plays your favorite bass line.  

So, I guess there’s really only a single danger, rather than dangers, plural.

Bad, inaccurate information.

If you have accurate and experienced ears, you can make the changes. If you notice it but can’t correct it on your own, the resources above should get you there.

If you don’t notice it and it doesn’t bother you and it sounds like the song, that’s a win. You don’t need to make the changes… until your ears catch up to the mistakes. Then, it’s time to figure out the right way to play the dang thing, and you’re back at this list.

If you’re aware of the danger and you have some ideas about how to prepare for and deal with the inevitability of inaccuracies, you’ll be just fine.

There you go.

Your orientation is over. You are now prepared and ready to survive even the most grim encounters of Tab Town.  

Bass tablature is incredible, and I love the stuff. It’s how I learned all my favorite songs when I was learning, and I see it as an incredibly helpful resource for student after student. 

Sure it’s limited in some ways and, yes, Lil’Timmy has posted some comically sh***y tabs in his day… but tab remains, will remain, and we are better off for it.

It’s amazing, it’s intuitive, it’s custom designed for us bassists and our instruments. There’s never a need to apologize for using and loving tabs. They rule. Enjoy them.