Bullet In the Head by RATM

 Tabbed by Paul Fivey [email protected]

 This is a correction of a pretty good tab by R.Allen Canterbury
 which only had a couple of little niggles.

 Firstly, no pick!
 Tim Commerford has never used a pick on a RATM record that I know 
 of (although I may be wrong) and certainly never uses one live
 no matter what certain transcriptions, especially Guitar World's
 "Ghost of Tom Joad (live)," may say.  If you're gonna make muted noises
 you need to make them with your fingers, not a pick.

 This riff is based around what Tom Morello refers to as a Hendrix chord:

 This is EADGBE: 076780 on a six string guitar or 0767 on bass.

 Its the chord that Purple Haze is based around and it crops up
 in RATM songs like Vietnow and Testify.

 Verse riff:

 G—————————————————7——
 D—————————————————6——
 A——7—7——7—7—7————————
 E——————————————0—————

 Occasionally, it varies as:

 G——————————————————6/7——
 D——————————————————5/6——
 A——7—7———7—7—7——————————
 E———————————————0———————

 or

 G——————————————————————7~9———
 D——————————————————7~9———————
 A——7—7———7—7—7———————————————
 E———————————————0————————————

 And in the live long form video he varies it at one point as:

 G———————————————————7——
 D———————————————————6——
 A——7—7—————————————————
 E————————————————0—————

 Chorus:

 G———————————————————————————————————
 D———————————————————————————————————
 A——————————0————————2———————0———————
 E——0———3————————————————3———————0———

 Outro:

 G———————————————————————————————————
 D———————————————————————————————————
 A——7—7—7—7—7—5——————————————————————
 E——————————————5—6—5—0—3—5—3—0—0—0——
                                         Play this many.many times

 then:

 G——————————————————
 D——————————————————
 A——7—7—————————————
 E——————0—0—0—0—————
  a few times and end with multiple E notes at the 7th fret on the 3rd string.

About Rage Against The Machine

Rage Against the Machine is an American rap metal band formed in 1991 in Los Angeles, California. They are notable for their innovative blend of alternative rock, punk rock, hip hop, heavy metal and funk as well as their leftist politics and lyrics. Rage Against the Machine drew inspiration from early heavy metal instrumentation, as well as rap acts such as Afrika Bambaataa, Public Enemy and Urban Dance Squad.

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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Rage Against The Machine — Bullet In The Head bass tabs