Bass Guitar Tab
By Ricky Sharples
Bass guitar tab has become a very popular method of writing bass music. With this tool you can learn to play bass music fast without getting bogged down in a lot of unnecessary theoretical stuff.


The bass player's role is just to keep time. It is very simple. A lot like bass players. Keeping time is done by playing a 'bassline' which is usually a rhythmic' sequence of notes. The bass player unites the rhythmic playing of the drummer with the chords and melodies played by the lead guitar. Does this take talent? Yes it does. The bass guitar player is the guy who turns off his brain and becomes one with the music. He then turns his brain back on and assumes the mantle of the designated driver for the rest of the band.

The bass guitar tab gives the guitarist written directions on what to play to give the bass line to a piece of music. Tablature is a written representation of the strings of the guitar using numbers to show the frets. If you want to learn the bass guitar quickly tab is the way to go. It is easy to pick up and to remember, and it enables you

to learn very quickly the riffs and phrases you need to give your group's music that something extra.

A bass guitar tab is a picture of the fretboard which can be drawn using Notepad on your computer or by hand. The frets are numbered on lines representing the guitar strings. If you have a four string bass, the upper string is the G string, next the D string, the A string, and the E string. The numbers below the lines are the frets where the notes are played. If there is zero below the line it means the open string is played. A chord is represented in bass guitar tabs by two numbers, one above the other. Most bass guitar tabs contain a legend which explains any unfamiliar terms.

The internet is by far the best source for bass guitar tabs. Just do a Google search and you will have more material than you will ever need. All you have to do is learn and practice. Learn and practice your favorite songs first. Bass guitar is not a musical instrument you can approach without passion. Bass guitar riffs can be learnt from tab books but should be played from the heart.
Ricky Sharples has many more tips for guitar players of all levels at his blog Learn How To Play A Guitar For Free, a continuously updated directory of free guitar lessons, videos, chord charts and lots of useful guitar stuff.