Sea Bed Bass Tabs - Iota @ BigBassTabs.com

Song:      Sea Bed
Artist:    iOTA
Album:     The Hip Bone Connection
Tabbed by: Tim Davey ([email protected])


Standard tuning. Ideally you should play it down an
octave, so play it as below through an octave pedal,
or tune down a 5 string.



Basically looking at two riffs. The main one through
the verses is as follows:

Fig 1:
G————————————————————————————————————————————————
D————————————————————————————————————————————————
A———3——3——3——2——2——3——3———————3————1——1——2——2————
E————————————————————————————————————————————————



Chorus is done as any of the following variations
on figure 2, mixed up a bit with variations on the
last bit. If you're better than me at improvising,
jus go nuts here...


Fig 2a: The "stock" chorus, if you want to be boring
G————————————————————————————————————————————————
D————————————————————————————————————————————————
A———1——————1———————4———————3—————————————————————
E———————————————————————————————————————————————

Fig 2b:
G———————————————————————————————————5————————————
D——————————3——————————————————————5———5——————————
A———1——————————————4———————3————————————3————————
E————————————————————————————————————————————————

Fig 2c:
G————————————————————————————————————————————————
D——————————3————————————————————————2h3p2———2————
A———1——————————————4———————3——————————————3——————
E————————————————————————————————————————————————


Taken from bigbasstabs.com —

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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Iota — Sea Bed bass tabs