Intervals Bass Tabs - Bass Lesson @ BigBassTabs.com

This tab illustrates intervals.
intervals are the distance between two notes.
intervals are important for several reasons:

1) they all have their own quality/function.
2) they are used to build chords and scales.
3) they are good for training your ears.
4) they are great for writting riffs/songs.
5) they cover all twelve tones in western music.

b = Flat
# = Sharp
8 = octave

We will use C as our root.
*Any note can be a root which means every note has all these intervals*

Layout:

(Interval)
(note)
(tab)
(timing)

Exercise 1 (C = Root/1)

 |1  b2   2  b3   3   4  #4   5   |#5  6  b7   7   8/1             |
 |C   Db  D   Eb  E   F   F#  G   |G#  A   Bb  B   C               |
G|————————————————————————————————|1———2———3———4———5———————————————|
D|————————————————2———3———4———5———|————————————————————————————————|
A|3———4———5———6———————————————————|————————————————————————————————|
E|————————————————————————————————|————————————————————————————————|
 |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |

Notice how all twelve notes are used. 
also notice that once you get to the octave,
it starts over.

here is each interval next to the root:

Exercise 2 (C = Root/1)

 |1 b2|1 2 |1 b3|1 3 |1 4 |1 b5|1 5 |1 b6|1 6 |1 b7|1 7 |1 8 |
 |C Db|C D |C Eb|C E |C F |C Gb|C G |C Ab|C A |C Bb|C B |C C |
G|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|——2—|——3—|——4—|——5—|
D|————|————|————|——2—|——3—|——4—|——5—|——6—|————|————|————|————|
A|3—4—|3—5—|3—6—|3———|3———|3———|3———|3———|3———|3———|3———|3———|
E|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|

Train your ear to recognize each of these intervals.
It's a great exercise for your ears.

A very important thing to know is that some intervals have other names.
they are:

b3 is also #2
#4 is also b5 
#5 is also b6
b7 is also #6 (#6 is not very common)

what decides the name is the context of the chord or scale.
example:

A diminished chord is: 1,b3,b5 not 1,#2,#4
The reason for this is that all basic three note chords are based around:
1, some kind of 3 and some kind of 5.
using altered 2s and 4s and 6s makes it more confussing to understand.

It's also important to keep in mind that when looking at a scale,
it's nice to have some kind of 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
it's wierd to look at a scale like this:
1,2,#2,4,5,6,#6 which is actually 1,2,b3,4,5,6,b7
notice how having one of each number makes the scale easier to read.
 
C is just the example for the past two exercises.
once you pick a note as a root,
all the intervals fall into place.
Let's use G as our root instead of C:

Exercise 3 (G = Root/1)

 |1  b2   2  b3   3   4  #4   5   |#5  6  b7   7   8/1             |
 |G   Ab  A   Bb  B   C   C#  D   |D#  E   F   F#  G               |
G|————————————————————————————————|————————————————————————————————|
D|————————————————————————————————|1———2———3———4———5———————————————|
A|————————————————2———3———4———5———|————————————————————————————————|
E|3———4———5———6———————————————————|————————————————————————————————|
 |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |

Notice how even though the notes have changed,
the intervals are the same.
Think of it as a grid.
once you pick a root,
you just layout all the intervals in order till you get to the octave.

here is each interval next to the root:

Exercise 4 (G = Root/1)

 |1 b2|1 2 |1 b3|1 3 |1 4 |1 b5|1 5 |1 b6|1 6 |1 b7|1 7 |1 8 |
 |G Ab|G A |G Bb|G B |G C |G Db|G D |G Eb|G E |G F |G F#|G G |
G|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|
D|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|————|——2—|——3—|——4—|——5—|
A|————|————|————|——2—|——3—|——4—|——5—|——6—|————|————|————|————|
E|3—4—|3—5—|3—6—|3———|3———|3———|3———|3———|3———|3———|3———|3———|

Also notice how the name of the interval is not dependent on the note name.

Example:

F# is not #7
F# is 7

The reason for that is because 7 is always a "half step" down from the Octave.
just because a note has a sharp or flat, doesn't mean the interval has a sharp or flat. 
a "half step" is one fret away.
Let's look at intervals from how many "half steps" up they are from the root.

b2    = 1  "half step"  up
2     = 2  "half steps" up
b3/#2 = 3  "half steps" up
3     = 4  "half steps" up
4     = 5  "half steps" up
#4/b5 = 6  "half steps" up
5     = 7  "half steps" up
#5/b6 = 8  "half steps" up
6     = 9  "half steps" up
b7/#6 = 10 "half steps" up
7     = 11 "half steps" up

I hope that this tab has been helpful.
please give me constructive criticism.
Thanks,

—Connor Larkin

How to Read Bass Tabs

Bass tablature (tabs) is an easy way to learn songs without needing to read traditional sheet music. Here’s a quick guide to understanding the symbols and techniques commonly found in tabs:

1. The Basics

Strings and Frets:
Each line in a tab represents a string on your bass:
- The top line is the highest-pitched string (G on a 4-string bass).
- The bottom line is the lowest-pitched string (E on a 4-string bass).
Numbers on the lines indicate which fret to press. For example:
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------------------|
A|---3---------------|
E|-------------------|
            
```
This means you play the 3rd fret on the A string.

2. Common Techniques

Hammer-On (h):
Play the first note by picking it, then press down on a higher fret with another finger without picking again.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------5h7---------|
            
```
Pull-Off (p):
Pluck a note and then "pull off" your finger to let a lower fret ring.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------7p5---------|
            
```
Slide (/ or \):
Move your finger up (/) or down (\) the fretboard while maintaining pressure.
```
G|-------------------|
D|-------5/7---------|
            
```

3. Advanced Techniques

Bend (b): Push the string up or down to raise the pitch. Example: G|-------7b9---------|
Vibrato (~): Shake the string slightly after playing a note to create a vibrating sound. Example: G|-------7~----------|
Muted Notes (x): Rest your finger lightly on the string without pressing a fret and pluck for a percussive "click" sound.

4. Rhythm and Timing

Tabs don’t always indicate timing, so listen to the song while reading the tab. Wider spaces between numbers mean longer pauses, while closer numbers indicate quicker notes.

5. Slap and Pop

Slap (s): Strike the string with the side of your thumb for a percussive sound.
Pop (p): Pull the string away from the fretboard and let it snap back.

Practice Makes Perfect

Tabs are a great tool to learn songs, but mastering the techniques takes practice. Listen carefully to the original track and play along to lock in the rhythm. Don’t rush — smooth, accurate playing is more important than speed. Happy jamming! 🎸

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Bass Lesson — Intervals bass tabs