The Meaning Of Life (Ver 2) Bass Tabs - Offspring @ BigBassTabs.com

Song: The Meaning Of Life
Artist: The Offspring
Album: Ixnay on the Hombre
Tabbed By: Jimmy B.

This is a great song. The bass doesn't follow the guitar exactly, so you have 
to listen quite hard. It took me a while to figure this tab out, but I'm pretty 
sure it's all correct.

b= bend the note
*= let the note ring

Intro

G:—————————————————————————————————————|
D:—————3———33333———55555b5—3—0000—3————|
A:—5555—5—3—————5—5—————————————————3——|
E:—————————————————————————————————————|

G:———————————————————————————————————————————————|
D:—————3———33333———55555b5———————————————————3———|
A:—5555—5—3—————5—5———————3—11111111—000000————3—|
E:———————————————————————————————————————————————|

G:—————————————————————————————————————|
D:—————3————————3————————3————————3————|
A:—5555—5—3—5555—5—3—5555—5—3—5555—5—3—|
E:—————————————————————————————————————|

Verse x2

G:—————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D:————————————2—33333333333————————————————————————————|
A:—5555555555———————————————333333333333—111111—0000—3—|
E:—————————————————————————————————————————————————————|

Chorus

G:——————————————————————————————————|
D:—————————————————————————33333————|
A:—5555555—1111111—3333333———————33—|
E:——————————————————————————————————|

G:——————————————————————————————————|
D:——————————————————————————————————|
A:—5555555—1111111—3333333—00000—33—|
E:——————————————————————————————————|

G:——————————————————————————————————|
D:—————————————————————————33333————|
A:—5555555—1111111—3333333———————33—|
E:——————————————————————————————————|

G:————————————————————————————————|
D:————————————————————————3——3——3—|
A:—11111111111111—3333333———3——3——|
E:————————————————————————————————|

Then play the first two lines of the intro before the next verse.


Verse again, then chorus, but instead of the last line of the chorus, play this:


G:————————————————————————————————————|
D:——————————————————————————3———3———3—|
A:—5555555—1111111—3333333————3———3———|
E:————————————————————————————————————|

Then the bridge

G:—————————————————————|
D:————————————————3333—|
A:—5555—1111—3333——————|
E:—————————————————————|

Play that 3 times, then the bridge ends with this:

G:——————————————|
D:——————3——3——3—|
A:—1*—————3——3——|
E:——————————————|

Then play the chorus and then the intro .

There. As I said, this song rocks, but as the bass doesn't follow the guitar 
during the intro and bridge you have to listen really hard. You shouldn't have 
any problems if you just stick to this tab. Email me at [email protected] 
with any comments, questions or abuse.

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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Offspring — The Meaning Of Life (ver 2) bass tabs