A Little Tune To Help You Get Into Looping Bass Tabs

This is for those of you who just got a loop pedal and want to get started.
The tab is basically just a loop i made the other day.
as i was making it, 
i realized that this would be great to use for a demo.

The most important thing to keep in mind while buiding a loop is...
making sure you are playing in time.
I like to play my first layer a couple times before i record it.
This gives me time to get into the groove.

When building a loop,
I feel it's important to have an idea of "instrumentation."
what i mean by that is: 
"is there a guitar part, bass line, drum beat and/or melody?"

also ask yourself:
"what kind of sound am i going for?"
"what order will certian parts be entering?"
"How long will each part last for before adding another layer?"

This is the layout for this example:

Layer 1 (Guitar Part) 4x
Layer 2 (Bass Line) 2x
Layer 3 (Drum Beat) 2x
Layer 4 (Melody) 4x
Solo
Layer 4 (Melody) 4x
Fade Out

TEMPO =  The Quater Note is about 140bpm 

Layer 1 (Guitar Part)

G||————7———————7———|————7———————7———|————10——————10——|————10——————10——||
D|o8—————8—8———————|8—————8—8———————|8—————8—8———————|8—————8—8———————o|
A|o————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————o|
E||————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————||
  |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

What is written above (including the repeat) is how much that is recorded.
However, i like to play it one time through (without repeat) before recording it.
This allows me to establish time. 
after recording it i let it play one time through (without repeat).
This will give you a nice even 4 times through, making it feel complete.
It also gives you a pocket of time to prepare for the next layer.

Layer 2 (Bass Line)

G|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|
D|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|
A|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|
E|6———————————————|————————————////|13——————————————|———————————————h|
 |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

G|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|
D|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|
A|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|
E|15——————————————|————————————————|11——————————————|————————————————|
 |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

(If this seems a little stale to you, add some fills.)

Layer 3 (Drum Beat)

G|————x———————x———|————x————————x——|————x———————x———|————x————————x——|
D|————x———————x———|————x————————x——|————x———————x———|————x————————x——|
A|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|
E|x—x———x—x———————|——x———x—x———————|x—x———x—x———————|——x———x—x———————|
 |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

G|————x———————x———|————x————————x——|————x———————x———|————x————————x——|
D|————x———————x———|————x————————x——|————x———————x———|————x————————x——|
A|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|
E|x—x———x—x———————|——x———x—x———————|x—x———x—x———————|——x———x—x———————|
 |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

The "x" represents a dead note.

The "x" on the E string acts as the "Bass Drum."
I like to play the E string hit with my thumb,
This gives it a warmer sound.
However, Sometimes i like to use my pointer and middle Finger.

The "x" on the D and G strings act as the "Snare Drum."
I Use both strings to make it more present in the loop.
I've noticed that it's not as effective if i only use one string.

(Feel free to experiment with different drum patterns) 

Layer 4 (Melody — Don't Loop)

G||1719————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————14——15——17——|
D|o—/——————————————|————————————————|————————————————|——15——15——15——15|
A|o————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|
E||————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|
  |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

G|1210————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————14——15——17——||
D|—/——————————————|————————————————|————————————————|——15——15——15——15o|
A|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————o|
E|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————||
 |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

Solo:

This song is in Bb Major.
Here's Bb Major in 2 Octaves:

 |Bb  C   D   Eb  F   G   A   Bb  C   D   Eb  F   G   A   Bb  |
G|————————————————————————————————————————————————12——14——15——|
D|————————————————————————————————10——12——13——15——————————————|
A|————————————————8———10——12——13——————————————————————————————|
E|6———8———10——11——————————————————————————————————————————————|

Any of These notes (Bb,C,D,Eb,F,G,A) will work.
*Keep in mind these notes exist in other places on the neck*

If you're curious as to how to get more chromatic with your ideas,
here's a scale that i like to use.
I don't know the name for it, but i really like how it sounds.

 |Bb  C   C#  D   F   F#  G   Bb
G|————————————————————————————15——|
D|————————————————15——16——17——————|
A|13——15——16——17——————————————————|
E|————————————————————————————————|

You Can think of this scale as a G Blues Scale, With an F#.
You Can also think of it as Bb major pentatonic with a b3/#2 and b6/#5.

Another trick is to take the melody, and alter it.
Here's an example:
 
G|1719——1719——————|14——15——1719————|1719——1719——————|14——15——1719————|
D|—/—————/——————15|——15——15—/——————|—/—————/——————15|——15——15——————15|
A|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|
E|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|
 |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

G|14——15——17——14——|15——17——14——15——|17——14——15——14——|1719————————————|
D|——15——15——15——15|——15——15——15——15|——15——15——15——15|—/——————————————|
A|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|
E|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|————————————————|
 |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

Notice how i'm taking the notes in the melody and then changing it rhythmically.
There's soooooo many ways to do this.

After soloing for a while, come back to the melody.
After playing the melody a couple times,
loop it and then let the loop fade out.

I know that the style of this loop is not for everybody.
It only took me a few minutes to throw this together.
The reason i like this loop is because it's simple,
it gives a sense of "instrumentation" and structure.
And It's pretty catchy.

I hope you guys got something out of this.
Looping is a big part of my playing and i really like seeing other bassists do it.
even if you're not going to make solo bass loops with your pedal,
it's a great way to practice songs you're working on.
It's also great for arranging/composing songs you'll use for bands you're in.

Please give me constrictive criticism.

—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 Lessons — A little tune to help you get into looping bass tabs