Spank Thru Bass Tabs - Nirvana @ BigBassTabs.com

Dear OLGA:

Your current bass tab for "Spank Thru" by Nirvana in your archive is
wrong and incomplete.  Attached is the correct version.  Please replace
this with the old one, or add mine to it, etc.

         —jesse
SONG: Spank Thru
ARTIST: Nirvana
ALBUM: Sub Pop 200 (compilation)
AUTHOR: Kurt Cobain
PUBLISHER: (c) 1988 EMI Virgin Songs/The End of Music (BMI)
TUNING: E A D G


The bass tab for Spank Thru that is already on OLGA is completely wrong
and very incomplete, so here is the right way to play it.  The tab is
taken from the studio version released on Sub Pop 200 and verified by
the live version on From The Muddy Banks of the Wishkah and the demo 
version recorded with Dale Crover.  The rhythm may be a little off, but
you get the idea. 


Intro:
G|——————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|
D|——/7————————/7————————|——7———7—7—7———7—7—5———5—5——————————|
A|——————————————————————|——————————————————————————5———5—5——|
E|——————————————————————|———————————————————————————————————|


Interlude:
G|—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D|—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
A|——5———5—5—5—5—5—5————————————————————————————————————————————————————
E|——————————————————5———5—5—5—5—5—5—1———1—1—1—1—1—1—3———3—3—3—3—3—3—3——

  ——————7——5———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
  ———————————7—5—7——7—7——7—7—7—3——————5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5—5——|
  ——5——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
  —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|


Verse:
G|—————————————————————————————————|
D|———————————5——————————————5——————|
A|—————5———————5——————5———————5————|
E|——0————3———————3—0————3———————3——|


Chorus:
G|———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D|———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
A|——2———2—2—2—1—0——5———5—5—5—0—0—0—1—2———2—2—2—1—0——5—5—5————————
E|———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

  ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
  ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
  ——0—0—1—2———2—2—2—1—0——5———5—5—5—0—0—0—1—2———2—2—2—1—0————
  ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

  ———————————————————|————————————————————————————————————————————
  ———————————————————|————————————————————————————————————————————
  ———————————————————|————————————————————————————————————————————
  ——3—3—3—3—1—1—1—1——|——3—3—3—3—1—1—1—1—0————————————————0————————


     Transcribed by: Jesse Miller  
     This is my own work.  Rip me off and you will die.

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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Nirvana — Spank Thru bass tabs