System Of A Down : Prison Song

~ = Let Ring
 
Part 1
G)——
D)——
A)— X 1
E)——
B)1
 
Part 2
G)—————————————————————————————————
D)—————————————————————————————————
A)————————————————————————————————— X 3 (On 3rd Time pause for 3 seconds                                                          
E)—————————————————————————————————         before you play the last 4 notes.
B)1—2—4—2—1—2—4—2—1—2—4—2—1—2—4444—  <————1s and 2s


Part 3
G)————————————————————————————————
D)————————————————————————————————
A)———————————————————————————————— X 2
E)————————————————————————————————
B)1212121—1212121—1212121—1214444—  <————1s and 2s




Part 4
G)——————————————————————————————————
D)——————————————————————————————————
A)—————————————————————————————————— X 1
E)——————————————————————————————————
B) 1—2—4—2—1—2—4—2—1—2—4—2—1—2—4444—  <————1s and 2s


Part 5
G)————————————————————————————————
D)————————————————————————————————
A)———————————————————————————————— X 1
E)————————————————————————————————
B)1212121—1212121—1212121—1214444—  <————1s and 2s


Part 6
G)————————————————————————
D)————————————————————————
A)———————————————————————— X 1
E)————————————————————————
B)1—2—1—2—4—2—1—2—1—2—4—2—

Part 7
G)————————
D)————————
A)———————— X 1
E)————————
B)1212121—  <————1s and 2s


Part 8
G)————————————————————————————————
D)————————————————————————————————
A)———————————————————————————————— X 2
E)————————————————————————————————
B)1212121—1212121—1212121—1214444—  <————1s and 2s


Part 9
G)————————————————————————
D)————————————————————————
A)———————————————————————— X 1
E)————————————————————————
B)1—2—1—2—4—2—1—2—1—2—4—2—



Part 10
G)————————
D)————————
A)———————— X 1
E)————————
B)1212121—  <————1s and 2s


Part 11
G)————————————————————————————————
D)————————————————————————————————
A)———————————————————————————————— X 2
E)————————————————————————————————
B)1212121—1212121—1212121—1214444—  <————1s and 2s


Part 12
G)—————————————————————————————————
D)—————————————————————————————————
A)————————————————————————————————— X 1                                                           
E)—————————————————————————————————         
B)1—2—4—2—1—2—4—2—1—2—4—2—1—2—4444—

Part 13
G)——————————————————————————————
D)——————————————————————————————
A)—————————————————————————————— X 1
E)——————————————————————————————
B)1212121—1212121—1212121—1214~—  <————1s and 2s

Part 14
G)—————————————————————
D)—————————————————————
A)————————————————————— X 2
E)—————————————————————
B)11111111—111111—4444—  <———— 1s

Part 15
G)————————————————————
D)————————————————————
A)————————————————————  X 4
E)————————————————————
B)11—111—111—111—4444—  <————1s

Part 16
G)————————————————————————
D)————————————————————————
A)———————————————————————— X 2
E)————————————————————————
B)1—2—1—2—4—2—1—2—1—2—4—2—

Part 17
G)————————
D)————————
A)———————— X 1
E)————————
B)1212121—  <————1s and 2s

Part 18
G)————————————————————————————————
D)————————————————————————————————
A)———————————————————————————————— X 2
E)————————————————————————————————
B)1212121—1212121—1212121—1214444—  <————1s and 2s

Part 19
G)—————————————————————————————————
D)—————————————————————————————————
A)————————————————————————————————— X 1                                                           
E)—————————————————————————————————         
B)1—2—4—2—1—2—4—2—1—2—4—2—1—2—4444—

Part 20
G)——————————————————————————————
D)——————————————————————————————
A)—————————————————————————————— X 1
E)——————————————————————————————
B)1212121—1212121—1212121—1214~—  <————1s and 2s

About System Of A Down

System of a Down (also known by the acronym SOAD, or SoaD, and often shortened as System) is an Armenian-American rock band from Glendale, California, formed in 1993. It consists of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar), Daron Malakian (vocals, guitar), Shavo Odadjian (bass, background vocals) and John Dolmayan (drums). All four members are of Armenian descent, and are widely known for their outspoken views expressed in many of their songs confronting the Armenian Genocide of 1915 by the Ottoman Empire and the ongoing War on Terror by the US government. System of a Down is the only band to have two original number one albums released in the same calendar year. The bands Guns 'N' Roses, The Beatles, and rappers DMX and Tupak Shakur have had two number one albums in a year, but they released unoriginal content (e.g., greatest hits albums or anniversary editions of older albums) one at least one of those albums.

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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System Of A Down — Prison Song (5 String) bass tabs