New at bass i need help

[DP4LIFE]

im new at bass and dont know how to read fret tabs please help

[Jerusalem]

Dummy's guide to tabs:

Code:

G|------4----2--| <--string nearest the floor
D|--2--------2--|
A|--------3-----|
E|----0---------| <-- string nearest your face

The numbers denote what frets you put your fingers on (the spaces between the metal bits on the neck). A 0 means you don't fret at all and just pluck the string. A 1 is the fret nearest the far end of your bass. Then you just count up. If there's two numbers above each other like at the end of my little tab up there, you fret them both at the same time and pluck both strings at the same time.

That enough?

[seaofsouls]

Stick at it and practice as much as you can, all the hard work will be worth it in the end. I play bass and it is an amazing feeling. Bass and drums are the power behind every great band, they push the rest of the band forewards and give the music power.Bass rules!

[jmays2006]

thats right BASS IS POWER!!!  ROBBIE MERRILL RULZ!!!!!!!!!

[Tucson Bass Player]

Great advice so far. Also check out www.activebass.com   Great lessons that you can slow down and learn the tab,etc real fast with.

www.tucsonbassplayer.blogspot.com

[mcdigit]

Hey there, thought I'd post here too, since I got the same problem. I just bought my guitar yesterday, I really need help So, I need an explanation for this:

     Riff 1:
    |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
    |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
    |-----------------|-----------------|---------3-3-3-1-|
    |-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3---------|
      1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


What do the numbers represent?

[mcdigit]

Hey there, thought I'd post here too, since I got the same problem. I just bought my guitar yesterday, I really need help So, I need an explanation for this:

     Riff 1:
    |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
    |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
    |-----------------|-----------------|---------3-3-3-1-|
    |-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3---------|
      1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


What do the numbers represent?

On which fret you have to put your finger on.

I need some detail though I understand the 3's, the third fret, but what about the 1&2&3&4&...?
  |-----------|-------------|
    |*---------*|-------------|
    |*-r-r-r-r-*|-------------|
    |-----------|-------0-1-2-|
       1 2 3 4    1 2 3 & 4 & 
Also, what do the r's mean?And the *'s?

TL;DR, I need explanation on everything, really

[Valentin Zukovsky]

thats right BASS IS POWER!!!  ROBBIE MERRILL RULZ!!!!!!!!!

Come one man, if you're into Nu-metal at least get into someone with some actual talent like Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit. Yes, I just said that a member of Limp Bizkit has some talent.

[bonjovirules]

The 1&2&3&s are the beat to which you're playing. Looks like you're playing a 4/4 and power bass to it which would be two notes per beat.


I might be wrong though.

[Tucson Bass Player]

One of the best things you could do is pick up a cheap used book on reading music. Alot of tab methods incorporate standard music notation. Like the "value" of a note. Most western music is in 4/4 time so if the notes only have 1 2 3 4 than you are just hitting a note on the beat so to speak. If you see that "&", that represents an 1/8 note and is counted 1 & 2 & etc.   There is little counting short cuts for each value. If you were playing 16 notes [4 notes per beat] the counting method most use is  1 e & a 2 e & a etc.  It is really simple math. Hope thats helps a little. 

[Valentin Zukovsky]

Tab is so primitive compared to Standard Notation, though I still suggest learning both.