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Bass Lessons — Lesson #4 - Half Notes, Notes On The Third/fourth Strings & Open String Notes bass tabs




Lesson #4 — Half Notes, Notes On The Third / Fourth Strings & Open
String Notes
THE HALF NOTE: is a musical note worth two counts. Two half notes
fill up a complete bar in 4/4 time, and are played on the first
and third beats.

4/4 X X
Count: 1 2 3 4

EXAMPLE #6

In the following example there are two chords per bar.

D G A G
|——————0————|——2———0————|
|——0————————|———————————|>
|———————————|———————————|>
|———————————|———————————|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

EXAMPLE #7

Here is a timing variation of the above example using half notes
and quarter notes.

D G A G
|——————0—0——|——2———0—0——|
|——0————————|———————————|>
|———————————|———————————|>
|———————————|———————————|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

NOTES ON THE THIRD STRING

1st 2nd 3rd 4th (Fret Number)
|———|———|———|———|—— (1st String)
|———|———|———|———|—— (2nd String)
A|———|—B—|—C—|———|—— (3rd String)
|———|———|———|———|—— (4th String)

A B C
|———————————|—— (1st String)
|———————————|—— (2nd String)
|——0—2—3————|—— (3rd String)
|———————————|—— (4th String)


NOTES ON THE FOURTH STRING

1st 2nd 3rd 4th (Fret Number)
|———|———|———|———|—— (1st String)
|———|———|———|———|—— (2nd String)
|———|———|———|———|—— (3rd String)
E|—F—|———|—G—|———|—— (4th String)

E F G
|———————————|—— (1st String)
|———————————|—— (2nd String)
|———————————|—— (3rd String)
|——0—1—3————|—— (4th String)

TURNAROUND PROGRESSION #1: The Turnaround is another very
valuable progression to familiarize with, like Twelve Bar
Blues, it is the basis of many songs (i.e. Y.M.C.A. by The Village
People). The following turnaround is in the Key of C Major. The
key of a song is generally indicated by the opening chord.

EXAMPLE #8

C Am F G
|———————————|———————————|———————————|———————————|
|———————————|———————————|———————————|———————————|>
|——3—3—3—3——|——0—0—0—0——|———————————|———————————|>
|———————————|———————————|——1—1—1—1——|——3—3—3—3——|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Whereas example 8 uses root notes with quarter note timing,
example 9 uses extra notes (other than root notes) and combines
half and quarter notes.

EXAMPLE #8

C Am F G
|———————————|———————————|———————————|———————————|
|———————————|———————————|———————————|———————————|>
|——3———3—2——|——0———0————|————————0——|————————2——|>
|———————————|————————3——|——1———1————|——3———3————|
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

OPEN STRING NOTES
All the notes so far examined, have been in the open position.
The open position consists of open string notes and those notes
on the first three frets.

E F G A B C D E F G A
|————————————————————0—2——|
|——————————————0—2—3——————|
|————————0—2—3————————————|
|——0—1—3——————————————————|

OPEN POSITION NOTES

1st 2nd 3rd 4th (Fret Number)
G|———|—A—|———|———|—— (1st String)
D|———|—E—|—F—|———|—— (2nd String)
A|———|—B—|—C—|———|—— (3rd String)
E|—F—|———|—G—|———|—— (4th String)

As you play through the following notes you will observe that
notes B&C, E&F are only one fret seperate (this distance makes
them Semitones), whereas the other notes are ywo frets apart
(making them Tones) Distances between notes can be portrayed
in a musical alphabet, as such;

A B_C D_E F G
^ ^
Semitones

It is mandatory that you remember this pattern of notes for future
lessons.

Guitar Chords:
C — X32010
Am — X02210
F — 133211
G — 320003

Any Questions/Comments/Concerns; Please E—Mail at mikehoel—[email protected]


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Tablature player for this song:
Bass Lessons - Lesson #4  - Half Notes, Notes On The Third/fourth Strings & Open String Notes Bass Tab

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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