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Captain Beefheart — My Human Gets Me Blues bass tabs



This tab consists of a number of ridiculously complicated basslines. I cannot stress
this enough (with all of my tabs, but especially this one), DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PLAY
WITHOUT
HEARING THE RECORD FIRST!

(standard tuning)

FIG 1 (intro)

G———————————————————
D———————————————————
A——————13———13——————
E———3———13——————————

FIG. 2 (“I saw yuh baby dancing…”)

G————————————————————————————————————
D————————————————————————————————————
A————————————————————————————————————
E———0—20—0—20—0—0—20—0—0—20——————————

This is played until about a 1:05, when it switches to a screwed—up walking line.

FIG. 3 (“they way you were dancing…”

G——————————4—3—————————————————
D—————3—6——————6—4—3———————————
A———4——————————————————6—4—————
E——————————————————————————————

And about 1:23, it changes again, to this.

FIG. 4 (“well the way you been old lady…”)

G——————5————————————
D———————————————————
A———3————3—4—3——————
E———————————————————

And then the bass drops out, eventually coming back around 1:42.

FIG. 5 (“you were afraid you would be the devil’s red wife…”)

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

FIG. 6 (“dressed you the way he wants…”)

G———0—LET RING—0—LET RING—0—LET RING—0—LET RING—
D————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
A————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
E————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

G———0—LET RING—0—LET RING—0—LET RING—0—LET RING———
D——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
A——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
E——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

The next line is a breakdown that is played really fast, so please listen to the
record
for the timing and all.

FIG. 7

G————————————————————————
D————————————————————————
A—————4————4———2———2—————
E———2———2———2———2————————

Please appreciate the tab, it took a long time.

bigbasstabs.com —
Tablature player for this song:
Captain Beefheart - My Human Gets Me Blues Bass Tab

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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