BEAUTY LIES IN THE EYE

bass tab by chris lawrence

This tab is for the Hold That Tiger live version, where you can
hear Thurston's bass clearer and without so many guitars cluttered
on top.

This is the intro/part of the verse...

G——————6—6————————6—6——————6—6————————6———6—
D——4———————4—4——4———————4——————4—4——4——————— etc
A———————————————————————————————————————————
E———————————————————————————————————————————

The other part of the verse goes:

G———————16—16—16——————————————————————————————16—16—16———————————————————————
D——14————————————16—14——14—14—14—14—14—14——14——————————16—14——14—14—14—14—14— etc
A————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
E————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

After the 2nd time that's played, go to:

G———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D——16—16———————16—16——————0—0—0—0—0—0—0——11b(11)(11)(11)(11)(11r)—11—11—
A———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
E———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

It sounds like he bends the C# note there, but he may just play the 12th
fret for the bracketed notes, as opposed to the bent 11th fret.

"lost in another's dream":

G———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D——9—9—9—9—9—9—9—9—9—9—7—7—6—6—4—4—4—4—4—4—4—4—4—4—4—4——
A———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
E———————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Try playing the F# on the 2nd fret of the E string as well.

After the snare roll, play basically the same as the above riff:

G——11——11—11—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D—————————————0——0—0—0—0—0——11b(11)(11)(11)(11)(11r)—11—11—9—9—9—9—9—9—9—9—9—
A————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
E————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

G————————————————————————————————————————————————————
D——9—9—9—7—7—6—6—4—4—4—4—————————————————4—4—4—4—4—4—
A————————————————————————————————————————————————————
E————————————————————————2—2—2—2—2—2—2—2—————————————

Then:
                                                     *
G——16—16—16—14——14—————————————————————————14———————————————————————————————
D——————————————————16———16—16—16——14^16—16—————16———14—11—11b—(11)(11)(11r)—
A—————————————————————————————————————————————————————slight————————————————
E—————————————————————————————————————————————————————bend——————————————————

G——————————————————————
D——911—11—11br————————
A——————————————————10—— play note, bend up slightly, return
E——————————————————————

I think the last note is wrong. (ie: Thurston hit the wrong note on this version)

On the album version, ends like (beginning at the * on the above tab):

G——————————————————————————————————————————
D——14——11—11br—11—11—————————————————11————
A————————————————————————11—11—11——————————
E——————————————————————————————————————————

But of course, the bassline on the album isn't identical to the live version, so..

————————————————————————————————————————————————
THE SONIC YOUTH GUITAR/BASS TABLATURE ARCHIVE:
http://www.islandnet.com/~mustang/tab/index.html
————————————————————————————————————————————————

About Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore (vocals and guitar), Kim Gordon (vocals, bass, guitar), Lee Ranaldo (vocals and guitar), Steve Shelley (drums), and Mark Ibold (bass).

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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Sonic Youth — Beauty Lies In The Eye bass tabs