To Defy The Laws Of Tradition Bass Tabs - Primus @ BigBassTabs.com

To Defy The Laws Of Tradition
Frizzle Fry
Primus
Bassist : Les Claypool

This is another great tune, with a lot of rythm and momemtum.
I'm gonna break it down into the beginning, the main verse, and
the chorus. There of course are variations, but that's where
you work on your own personal flare so I won't bother tabbing them
out.

Now this first part is purely finger picking. Rest your thumb on
the A string and begin, using your index, middle, and ring finger
pluck the rest. Occasionally a bellowing open note is played on
the E string to keep the mood. The 6h7p6 parts MUST BE quick, we're
talking the three notes should sound as one. Listen to it several
times over for timeing and repeats, feel it out and you'll do fine.

G:———9———9———9———9————9———9———9——————9——|
D:——————————————————6———6———7———6h7p6———|
A:—7———7———7———7————————————————————————|
E:——————————————————————————————————————|

G:—————9———9———9———9————9———9———9——————9——|
D:————————————————————6———6———7———6h7p6———|
A:———7———7———7———7————————————————————————|
E:—0——————————————————————————————————————|

G:—————9———9———9———9————9———9———9——————9———9———9———9———9———9———9———9———9———9—|
D:————————————————————6———6———7———6h7p6———5———5———5———5———5——————————————————|
A:———7———7———7———7————————————————————————————————————————————5———5———6———7——|
E:—0—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|

G:—————9———9———9———9———9———9———9———9———9———|
D:———————————————————8———8———8———8———9—————|
A:———7———7———7———7—————————————————————————|
E:——0————————————————————————————————————0—|

Now you can feel the build coming for a while, this is the time to
shine. Les slams down three notes bringing the song into full play
here. Accept no cheap immitations. Go ahead and work out your stroke here,
need help? All us bassists are out there for you. Just because something
is easier doesn't make it right. So here's how its played:

G:—6—7—8—|
D:—6—7—8—|
A:—4—5—6—|
E:———————|

Now the next part is the majority of the song, there are several
parts (especially live) where you notice he brings in a bit of
personality. I'll leave them to you for the sake of fun. I noticed
other tabs leaving out the muted note and throwing in random ones
to compensate. This is how I seen him play it live, and I really
watch, when I watch. When he's playing this part it's only slaps
and strokes.

His slapping during this part also happens on the fretboard, for
a deeper thump. Slap your E string downwards of the 17th fret for
the best sound. But be sure to stroke back in the middle, towards
your pick—ups.

G:——————————————6—6—6———6————————————————6—6—6——6—7—6—|
D:——————————————6—6—6———6————————————————6—6—6——6—7—6—|
A:——————————————————————4—————————————————————————————|
E:—x—0——4h6—4h6—————————————x——0—4h6—4h6——————————————|

Now when the chorus part comes up the other tabs note three strings,
I assure you it's only two at a time. Your going to want to take your
fret hand and slam down hard on the E string for the intervals, while
tapping between the 12th and 17th fret according to the flow of the
song. Occasionally you need to tap twice as fast from the 17th fret
quickly up to the 12th. You'll know it when you hear it.

G:—————————————————————|
D:—————————————————————|
A:———T—A—P—P—I—N—G—————|
E:————7————6————5——————|

Now also, during the second chorus he changes the tapping string
from the A to the D. Something like this

G:—————————————————————|
D:———T—A—P—P—I—N—G—————|
A:—————————————————————|
E:————7————6————5——————|

Flow back into the main verse, play all the way threw the rest of
this beauty, and just lose yourself in it man. When the end comes
put some boom into it and throw down your hand like you mean it.

G:—6—7—8—|
D:—6—7—8—|
A:—4—5—6—|
E:———————|

Losing yourself in this one is really easy. Best of luck.

The Bodhi Bassist

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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Primus — To Defy The Laws Of Tradition bass tabs