Artist: Sonic Youth
Song: Hits of Sunshine (for Allen Ginsberg)
Tabbed by: The guy that writes good tabs, Jonathan Martinez 
([email protected])

Sonic Youth—what can I say? They are the masters of improvisation, as
exhibited on this song. You don't absolutely need effects, but it's a
nice touch. I am extremely confident in this tab. I can do everything
short of guarantee accuracy. If you disagree with this, please email
me and tell me what you think.

Standard Tuning (E—A—D—G)

Intro

G————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D————————5——5————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
A—————7————————7—————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
E————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
this is played at the last measure of the intro.

Verse

G——————————————————————————————|——|——————————————————————————————————|
D——————————————————————————————|——|——————————————————————————————————|
A—————7——5——7——5——7——5—————————|X2|—————7————————————————————————————|
E———————————————————————7——5———|——|——————————————————————————————————|

G————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D————5——4————————5——4————————5——4————————————————————————————————————|
A——————————5——7————————5———————————5—————————————————————————————————|
E—————————————————————————7——————————————————————————————————————————|

Repeat this a few times, then it goes into the Improv Jam. The last 
time you are supposed to play the above progression, you start to play
the improv jam instead.

Improv Jam

G————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
D————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
A—————7——7—————5——5——5———————————————————————————————————————————————|
E———————————7———————————7————————————————————————————————————————————|

About 16 measures into the improv jam you turn on the fuzz/phase shift.
This progression is played through the end of the song.

That's it! I only ask 2 things: 1. Have fun with this, and 2. don't 
jack my work. Feel free to post this on your tab website if you have
one, but only after you email me and ask permission and only 
under MY name.

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! 🎸

Forum

Sonic Youth — Hits Of Sunshine bass tabs