1 Lick Becomes 10,000 Licks Bass Tabs - Bass Lessons @ BigBassTabs.com

“1 Lick Becomes 10,000 Licks”

This tab illustrates how to alter a lick to create new licks!

Here is a lick I stole from Scott Devine of Scott’s Bass Lessons,
This lick is played over (or under) an A minor chord:

G|——————————5———4—————————————————|
 D|——————5h7———7———5—————5—————————| 
A|————7—————————————7p5———7p5/3———|
 E|5h8———————————————————————————5—|
  |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |

Let’s take this line and move it back 1 sixteenth note:
 
G|————————|————————5———4———————————————————| 
D|————————|————5h7———7———5—————5———————————| 
A|————————|——7—————————————7p5———7p5/3—————|
 E|——————5h|8———————————————————————————5———|
  |4 e + a |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |

Now let’s take the original line and move it ahead 1 sixteenth note:

G|————————————5———4———————————————|————————|
 D|————————5h7———7———5—————5———————|————————|
 A|——————7—————————————7p5———7p5/3—|————————|
 E|——5h8———————————————————————————|5———————|
  |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |1 e + a | 

Now let’s take the original line and move it back 2 sixteenth notes:

G|————————|——————5———4—————————————————————| 
D|————————|——5h7———7———5—————5—————————————| 
A|————————|7—————————————7p5———7p5/3———————|
 E|————5h8—|——————————————————————————5—————|
  |4 e + a |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |

Now let’s take the original line and move it ahead 2 sixteenth notes:

G|——————————————5———4—————————————|————————|
 D|——————————5h7———7———5—————5—————|————————|
 A|————————7—————————————7p5———7p5/|3———————| 
E|————5h8—————————————————————————|——5—————| 
 |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |1 e + a |

Now let’s take the original line and move it back 3 sixteenth notes:

G|————————|————5———4———————————————————————|
 D|————————|5h7———7———5—————5———————————————|
 A|——————7—|————————————7p5———7p5/3—————————|
 E|——5h8———|————————————————————————5———————| 
 |4 e + a |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |

Etc…

Hopefully by now you’re starting to realize
that you can take the notes from this lick
and start it anywhere in the bar!
but the fun doesn’t stop there,
you can take the line and put space in between the notes!

Here’s a pattern of 4 sixteenth notes followed by 1 beat of rest:

G|——————————————————5———4—————————|————————————————————————————————|
 D|——————5—————————7———7———————————|5—————5—————————————————————————| 
A|————7———————————————————————————|——7p5———————————7p5/3———————————| 
E|5h8—————————————————————————————|——————————————————————5—————————|
  |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |

Let’s take that line and move it ahead 1 sixteenth note:

G|————————————————————5———4———————|————————————————————————————————|
 D|————————5—————————7———7—————————|——5—————5———————————————————————| 
A|——————7—————————————————————————|————7p5———————————7p5/3—————————| 
E|——5h8———————————————————————————|————————————————————————5———————|
 |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |

Etc…

Once Again,
you can take that idea
and put it anywhere in the bar!

Let’s take the note’s in this line and turn them into triplets:

G|——————————5———4—————————|————————————————————————| 
D|——————5h7———7———5—————5—|————————————————————————|
 A|————7—————————————7p5———|7p5/3———————————————————| 
E|5h8—————————————————————|——————5—————————————————| 
 |1 + a 2 + a 3 + a 4 + a |1 + a 2 + a 3 + a 4 + a |

Let’s take the note’s in this line and move it ahead 1 triplet:

G|————————————5———4———————|————————————————————————| 
D|————————5h7———7———5—————|5———————————————————————|
 A|——————7—————————————7p5—|——7p5/3—————————————————| 
E|——5h8———————————————————|————————5———————————————| 
 |1 + a 2 + a 3 + a 4 + a |1 + a 2 + a 3 + a 4 + a |

Etc…

You can turn any of these notes into any rhythm you want!
Here’s a pattern of 2 eighth notes and 4 sixteenth notes:

G|——————————————5—————4———————————|————————————————————————————————|
 D|——————————5h7———7———————5—————5—|————————————————————————————————|
 A|————————7—————————————————7p5———|7———5———3———————————————————————|
 E|5——h8———————————————————————————|——————————5—————————————————————|
  |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |

So in a nutshell,
you can take these notes
and make each note any kind of rhythm you want! 
(whole, half, quarter, eighth, triplet, sixteenth etc.)
and start the phrase anywhere in the bar!

Here’s the video I took this lick from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DadcETzf1Z4


Even though I took this Lick from another bass player
(Scott Devine is the man btw! check him out if you don’t know him)
I created ten of my own licks
just by simply moving things around
these are just ten possibilities of thousands!
try and find your own!

It’a also important to realize that this is a Minor lick
not just an A minor lick!

Here’s how you would play it over a B Minor Chord:

G|——————————7———6—————————————————|
 D|——————7h9———9———7—————7—————————|
 A|————9—————————————9p7———9p7/5———|
 E|7h10——————————————————————————7—|
 |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |

It’s also important to realize that you can alter the line 
to make it work over different types of chords!

Here’s how you would play it over an A7 chord:

G|——————————6———4—————————————————|
 D|——————5h7———7———5—————5—————————|
A|——4h7—————————————7p5———7p5—4———| 
E|5—————————————————————————————5—|
 |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a |

finding out how to make this work over different types of chords
and finding out how to start these ideas on any note
creates thousands and thousands of more possibilities!

please give me constructive criticism!
thanks!
—Just3boyz

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 Lessons — 1 Lick becomes 10,000 licks bass tabs