Song: True Love Waits
Artist: Radiohead
Album: I Might Be Wrong—Live Recording
Tabbed By: Jason Lapointe ([email protected])
*** Just correcting my earlier previous tab, plays better now

I'm basing my tab on the live version from the Ep. I think Thom plays
it solo on an accoustic, but I'm sure there are bootlegs and different 
versions of this song everywhere. Great song and a favourite B—side of
Radiohead fans. Here goes, it's not too hard. I'll try to approximate
the rhythm, but best you actually listen to the song, just follow Thom's
strumming...

Verse
G|—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D|—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
A|—2h3——3——3—3——3—2h3——3——3—3——3—————————7——————————————7——————|
E|———————————————————————————————0—0——0————0——0—0—0——0————0——0—|

Verse Cont...
G|—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D|——————————————————————————————————————————————6—6——6——6—6——6—|
A|—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
E|—2h5——5——5—5——5—2h5——5——5—5——54—4——4——4—4——4————————————————|

Chorus
G|—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D|————————————————3—3——3——2—2——2———————————————————————————————|
A|—2h3——3——3—3——3————————————————2h3——3——3—3——3————————————————| 
E|——————————————————————————————————————————————1—1——1——0—0——0—|  

Chorus Cont...
G|—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D|——————————————————————————————————————————————5—5——5——5—5——5—|
A|—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
E|—2h5——5——5—5——5—2h5——5——5—5——53—3——3——3—3——3————————————————|
              
The above line is played a little differently near the end of the song
Chorus Variant
G|————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D|————————————————————————————————————————————————6——6——6—————————|
A|————————————————————————————————————————————————————————8——8——8—|
E|—2h5——5——5—5——5—2h5——5——5—5——53—3——3——3—3——3——4————————————————|

I'll leave the structure out in case you actually use a different
version of the song, but the core is there. It's really only two parts,
so I doubt you will have trouble piecing it together. Later...

About Radiohead

Radiohead are an English alternative rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano, beats), Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboard, other instruments), Ed O'Brien (guitar, backing vocals), Colin Greenwood (bass guitar, synthesizers) and Phil Selway (drums, percussion).

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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Radiohead — True Love Waits bass tabs