We're An American Band — Grand Funk Railroad

  intro/chorus
G|———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
A|5555555555555555333333333333333311111111333333335—5—5—5—3—3—3—3|
E|———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|

  main rifF
G|———————————————————————————————————|
D|—————————————————————————————3—2———|
A|5—5——5—5—————3h53——030—0—5—————3—|
E|————————————3h5————————————————————|

  verse
G|———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D|————————————7p5——————————5p3——————————7p5——————————————————————————————————|
A|————————5—5——————7—5—3—3——————5—3—5—5——————7—5—————————5—5—5—5—————————————|
E|3—3—3—3————————————————————————————————————————3—3—3—3—————————1—1—1—3—3—3—|

 song outro
|—————————————————————————————————————————————|
|—————————————————————————————————————————————|
|5——5——5——5——5——5——5——5——5——5——5——5——5——5——3——|
|—————————————————————————————————————————————|

tabbed by Achilles ([email protected])

About Grand Funk Railroad

Grand Funk Railroad (also known as Grand Funk) is an American rock band that was highly popular during the 1970s. Grand Funk Railroad sold more than 25 million records, toured constantly, packed arenas worldwide, and received four RIAA gold albums during 1970the most for any American group that year. The current Grand Funk Railroad lineup uses the nickname "The American Band", a reference to its 1973 hit "We're an American Band". A popular take on the band during its heyday was that, although the critics hated them, audiences loved them.[citation needed] The band's name is a play on words of the Grand Trunk Railroad, a railroad line that ran through the band's home town of Flint, Michigan.

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! 🎸

Forum

Grand Funk Railroad — Were An American Band bass tabs