Band: Good Charlotte
Album: Good Charlotte
Song: Festival Song
Originally Tabbed By: Alex McClean ([email protected])
Corrected By: Jason Dexter ([email protected])

Thanks to Alex McClean for a close first tab.  I only added some details in
the rhythms and the ends of the verses and choruses.

Intro/Verse:  Guitar only, Bass comes in at about 6 seconds.

VERSE: Play 9x

G  |——————————————————————————————————————
D  |——————————————————————————————————————
A  |—5——5—5——5——5—5———————————————————————
E  |————————————————5—5—5——3——3—3—3———————

Last time before chorus:

G  |———————————————————————————————————————
D  |———————————————————————————————————————
A  |—5——5—5——5——5—5————————————————————————
E  |————————————————5—5—5—5—5——5—5—5—5—5—5—

CHORUS:

G  |————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D  |————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
A  |—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5————————————————————————————————————————————————————
E  |————————————————————5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—3—3—3—3—3—3—3—3—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—

G  |————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D  |————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
A  |—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5————————————————————————————————————————————————————
E  |—————————————————5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5——7—7—7—7—7—7—7—7——7—5——————————————

Then Verse 1 2x

Then Verse 2 (Just bass, only rhythm is different from Verse 1)
Play 4x
G  |—————————————————————————————
D  |—————————————————————————————
A  |—/5——————————————————————————
E  |————————5—5—5——3——3—3—3——————

Then when guitar comes back in,
Play 3x
G  |————————————————————————————————————
D  |————————————————————————————————————
A  |—5—5—5——5—5—5———————————————————————
E  |————————————————5—5—5——3——3—3—3—————

Then last time before chorus:

G  |—————————————————————————————————————————
D  |—————————————————————————————————————————
A  |—5—5—5——5—5—5————————————————————————————
E  |————————————————5—5—5—5—5—5——5—5—5—5—5—5—

BRIDGE: Play x3 (Your Future.....)

G  |———————————————————————————————————————
D  |———————————————————————————————————————
A  |———————————————————————————————————————
E  |—7—7—7—7—5—5—5—5—3—3—3—3—5—5—5—5———————

Then

G  |—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D  |—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
A  |—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
E  |—7—7—7—7—7—7—7—7—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—3—3—3—3—3—3—3—3—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—0—

Then Guitar Only Chorus

Then Chorus: Play 2x

Then play this ending:

G  |—————————————————————————
D  |—————————————————————————
A  |—————————————————————————
E  |—7—7—5———7—7—5———7—7—3—

About Good Charlotte

Good Charlotte is an American pop punk band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1995. They took their name from the children's book called "Good Charlotte: The Girls of Good Day Orphanage," written by Carol Beach York.

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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Good Charlotte — Festival Song bass tabs