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Butthole Surfers — Jimi bass tabs



(submitted by jassie sm)


intro ?

main:

(8.00)
G |—————————————————|———91011————14—11|————————————————————|—————————————————|
D |—————————7———————|—————————————————|—/9———6—————————————|—————————————————|
A |—————————————789—|—————————————————|———————7————————————|—————————————————|
E |—/7——————————————|—————————————————|—————————7—3——/7——0—|——/?\————————————|

variation:

G |—————————————————|———91011————14—11|—11————9——————————|—————————————————|
D |————————7————————|—————————————————|—9—————9——————————|—————————————————|
A |—————————————789—|—————————————————|———————7——————————|—————————————————|
E |——7——————————————|—————————————————|——————————————————|—————————————————|

This is a start the rest is up to you lot's of sliding and variations going on.
Not everything is Bass I have wrote down but it sounds cool for me to play it like this,
all up to you what you do with it off course, I'm no butthole surfer, i wish.
And all this starts at 8 minutes in the song.
The beginning is not for me yet too tab.



Tablature player for this song:
Butthole Surfers - Jimi Bass Tab

About Butthole Surfers

Butthole Surfers is an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but the core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been together since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second drummer from 1983 to 1985, 1986 to 1989, and 2009. The band has also employed a variety of bass players, most notably Bill Jolly and Jeff Pinkus.

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! 🎸

Comments

“And all this starts at 8 minutes in the song for those who don't know the song.”

No. Just no.

Even if you only watch the song on YouTube, there is “stereoscopic” footage available showing Jeff playing from the moment Paul comes in. And one can clearly hear the bass is through a flange or a combo of distortion and flange. I do not know if Jeff is consciously trying to imitate Jimi Hendrix's guitar playing on his bass, but the progression just after Gibby is quoting some of Tom Berenger's career-best lines is the whole reason I desire to learn this song.

Fair warning: do not watch this video if you are under the effects of acid. You can also hear the division between the guitar and the bass a little more clearly here than on the CD album. Which is quite the accomplishment for a YouChoob video.
jassie sm [author]
4 years, 11 months ago
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oke thanks
I will listen to it

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