Dave Matthews Band — Stay

originally tabbed by Rattman ([email protected])

improved by adam hill ([email protected])

this is the way i play this song. it may or may not be right but it sounds 
very close to the listener supported version. it's a fairly straightforward 
tune with little variation. i think it's purpose is to be a good jam to fire 
up crowds and such. i have a five string bass and that's what stefan plays 
(Modulus Quantum 5) for this song (at least on listener supported) so that's 
how i'll tab it. for the notes below low E, i'll include a alternate 
fingering in parenthesis for those who don't have a five string.

/ = slide up
 = slide down
(x) = alternate fingering with "x" being the fret #.

Intro:
No bass part, except for some quick slide—fills here and there.

Verse — play it very staccato and with a lot of bounce:
G——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D————————————————————5——————————————5——5—————6—————6———————————
A——————5——6——7——8——————5————————————————————————————————repeat—
E———6—————————————————————————3——3————————4—————4—————4————————
B——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Chorus, (very easy):
G——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
A———(6)—————————————(6)—(6)——(3)—(5)(6)(6)————(6)——————————————
E—————————(1)—(1)(0)———————————————————————(1)————(1)(1)(1)(3)—
B————4————/6———6——5——4———4———1———3——4——4——/6—4——/6——6——6——8——
jump back to verse

Bridge, play VERY bouncy:
G————————3—————3———————————————————————————————————————————————
D———————————2—————2——————————————————————————————————repeat————
A———1——————————————————0——1——2——3—————————6——7——8——————4x——————
E——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
B——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
back to chorus

o.k. that's it. as i said, very straightforward song. fun to jam to. if you 
play this and it sounds wrong, email me. i tabbed this from memory without 
my bass being present. have fun....

About Dave Matthews Band

Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is an American rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. Founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, violinist Boyd Tinsley, drummer Carter Beauford, and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. In August 2008, LeRoi Moore died due to complications from an ATV accident. Grammy Award-winner Jeff Coffin, of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, has since filled Moore's spot as the band's saxophonist. Rashawn Ross and Tim Reynolds have also become full time touring members of the band. With musicians who each have roots in differing genres, including jazz, classical, soul, rock, bluegrass, and hip-hop, the band has come together to create an eclectic sound which has earned them fans from a variety of quarters.

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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Dave Matthews Band — Stay (ver 2) bass tabs