Beginner's Excorsise. Bass Tabs - Bass Lessons @ BigBassTabs.com


Hey, when i first started bass lessons my fngers were so weak!
This exorcies will help you use finger per fret, strengthen them, and is 
good for a warm up.

Remember to use finger per fret, so you use your little finger just as much, 
it's shown on first TAB. Index — I
              Middle — M
              Third — T
              Little — L
Basicaly, use Index for 1st fret, Middle finger for 2nd fret and so forth... 
remembe to do this even when playing tab backwards, and not to use index for 
4th fret!

Here, just start off repeating this over.
|—I M T L—I M T L——I M T L———I M T L——|

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

and play this backwards a few times too.

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


Then after you get used to this as a warm up, try this.

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

and play this backwards.

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

All od these exorcises are very good warm ups for playing a song, or when practincing, 
but remember to use finger per fret as it aslo strengthens your fingers. 
You will find it hard to use your little finger at first, but just keep practicing 
and you can always move the TAB down to 5—6—7—8 to make it easier ro start with.

I hop ethis helped!
Ben Law ;)

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 — Beginner's Excorsise. bass tabs