About Sammy Hagar

Samuel Roy "Sammy" Hagar (born October 13, 1947), known as "The Red Rocker", is an American rock singer, guitarist, composer and solo artist. Hagar was the second of three singers for Van Halen, as well as the original singer of the early 1970s rock band Montrose. On March 12, 2007, Hagar was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Van Halen. He has had the opportunity to work with some of hard rock's most famous guitarists including Eddie Van Halen, Ronnie Montrose, Neal Schon of Journey, and more recently, Joe Satriani. He currently resides in Mill Valley, California and also has a residence in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. His present musical project is as lead singer of a hard rock band called Chickenfoot. Sammy has 4 children from 2 different marriages. 2 boys from the first (Aaron and Andrew) and 2 girls from the second (Kama and Samantha).

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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bassrules

1 year, 8 months ago
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Man, someone check people's submissions. This is just awful. No disrespect, but not even close.

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