What Would You Say

As played by Dave Matthews Band on 'Under the Table and Dreaming'

Transcribed at 10:06pn, October 14, 1997, by Cody Rahn.

(Elaboration is welcome)

=slide up
/=slide down
H=hammer
P=pulloff
X=Dead note. Double verticle x's mean rest for the whole measure.
(6)=In this case, the place where a slide was started from, if not
    from open.

This is my absolute favorite Dmb song to play. It just plain grooves.
The best part is that it's not difficult at all! Have fun finding
a guitarist that can play the main guitar riff though.. :)

The one thing to remember in this song is that a lot of the notes
that I have set close together are played more quickly and out—of—
time than I could represent in a text file. The bass is easy to hear
in the song, so just listen, and if you don't have the album, get it!

Ok. The guitar and harmonica do the intro together, and the bass comes
in like this.



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


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


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


     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|——————————————————————24———————————|
D|—————————————————x—————————————————|——————————————————————————23——————|
A|—————————————————x—————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
E|———————————————————————————————————|———3———————————————————————————————|


**********
Verse Riff 
**********


Var. 1

Played only during the intro up till the vocals start.


     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————| 
A|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
E|———5———————————5—5—————————5———4———|———3———————————3—3—————————3———4———|

Repeat this 4 times. 


Var. 2

Done during the verses.

     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
E|———5———————————3/5—————————————4———|———3———————————3———————3—3—————3———|


Done until the pre—chorus.


**********
Pre—Chorus
**********


     1   &   2   &   3   &       1   &   2   &   3   & 
G|———————————————————————————|———————————————————————————|
D|———————————————1———————————|———————————————3———————————|
A|———————————3———————3———————|———————————5———————5———————|
E|———1———1———————————————1———|———3———3———————————————3———|



     1   &   2   &   3   &       1   &   2   &   3   & 
G|———————————————————————————|———————————————————————————|
D|———————————————5———————————|———————————————3———————————|
A|———————————7———————7———————|———————————5———————5———————|
E|———5———5———————————————5———|———3———3———————————————3———|




     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
E|——1————————————0———————————————————|———1———————————3———————————————————|



     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————7———7—7———7—7———7———6———|———5———————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
E|———5———5———————————————————————————|—————————————————————————/21——————|

******
Chorus
******

     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————7———5—5———5—5———5———7———|———————————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————————————————|———————————3—3———4—4———4———5———6———|
E|———5———5———————————————————————————|———3———3———————————————————————————|



     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————7———5—5———5—5———5———7———|———————————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————————————————|———————————3—3———4—4———4———5———6———|
E|———5———5———————————————————————————|———3———3———————————————————————————|



     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————7———5—5———5—5———5———7———|———————————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————————————————|———————————3—3———4—4———4———5———6———|
E|———5———5———————————————————————————|———3———3———————————————————————————|


     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————7———5—5———5—5———5———5—5—|———5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5———5—5———5—7———|
A|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
E|———5———5———————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|



Those are the most important three riffs in the song. The coolest one, 
though, is the one during the sax solo/bridge. Here's how it leads in.


     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————| 
A|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
E|———5———————————5—5—————————5———4———|———3———————————3—3—————————3———4———|



     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
E|———5———————5———4———3———————————————|——————————————————————————/10—————|



     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————7—7—5———————————5———————|———————————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————5h7———7—————|———————————————————————————————————|
E|———5———5———————————————————————5———|———3——————————————————————/10—————|



    1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|——————————7———5—5———5—5———5————————|———————————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
E|——5———5———————————————————(4)/8———|——————————————————————————(4)/6———|
                                                               ^Slooow^

The guitar plays for 4 measures here, and the bass sliiides in on the 4th
one.


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

     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|—————————————————x—————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
A|—————————————————x—————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
E|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————(3)/7——————|

     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————————————————|—————————3———2—————————————————————|
E|———————————0———————5———————————————|———5———————————————————0———3——3——|

     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————————————————|—————————3———2—————————————————————|
E|———————————0———————5———————————————|———5———————————————0—————3——3————|

     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————————————————|—————————3———2—————————————————————|
E|———————————0———————5———————————————|———5———————————————0—————3——3————|

     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————————————————|—————————3———2—————5—5—5—5—7———7——|
E|———————————0———————5———————————————|———5———————————————————————————————|


These 8 measures are done twice, and the 8th measure on the last time is
like the rest. During the harmonica solo, the bass goes like this.


     1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &       1   &   2   &   3   &   4   &
G|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
A|———————————————————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
E|———5———————5———————5———————5———————|———3———————3—————3—3———————3———————|


This is just repeated until they get back into the normal thing again.


That's it! Hope this is enjoyed by all.


Cody—



*****************************************
"Could I have been Anyone Other than Me?"

Dave Mattews
*****************************************

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 — What Would You Say bass tabs