THE DESPERATION'S GONE by NOFX. Album : So Long and Thanks for All the shoes
(1997)
This is what I call punk! Finger help to intro: i=index finger m=middle f.
r=ring f. p=pinkie
Tabbed By Glen
:
# intro # X4.9                    | m   p   m p   m p   m r   m i >
G—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————>
D——————10————10————10—————9—————7———————5—————5—————5—————3—————2—>
A———0———————0—————0—————0—————0—————3———————3—————3—————3—————3———>
E—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————>
>intro                            |
>———————————————————————————————————————1—————1—————1—————2—————4———|
>———————5—————5—————5—————3—————2———————————————————————————————————|
>———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
>———3———————3—————3—————3—————3—————0———————0—————0—————0—————0—————|
:   m   p   m p   m p   m r   m i
:
# verse #   *=play 20X  #=play 10X   &=play 5X                      >
G————————————————————*———————————————*———————————————#———#——————————>
D————*———————*——————5————————*——————3————————*——————3———5———&—&——#——>
A———0———————3———————————————5———————————————3———————————————3—2—0———>
E———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————>
>verse
>————*———————*———————#——|
>———3———————3———————3———|
>———————————————————————|
>———————————————————————|
:
# chorus #    *=play 15—20X                         
G———5*—————5———*——————5—5*—————5———*——|
D—————————7—753—————57—7——————7—753———|
A—————————————————————————————————————|
E—————————————————————————————————————|
:
Then play verse.
:
# chorus2 #   *=play 15—20X    #=play 10—16X                               >
G———5*—————5———*——————5—5*—————5———*——————5—5#————————5————#———————————————>
D—————————7—753—————57—7——————7—753—————57—7————————77—7573———————3———3—35—>
A——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————303—3———>
E——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————>
>chorus2
>———5#————————5————#————————————————|
>———————————77—7573—————————————————|
>———————————————————————————————3———|
>———————————————————————————————————|

About Nofx

NOFX is an American punk rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1983 in Los Angeles. The band was formed by vocalist and bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined them shortly afterward. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up. The band rose to popularity in 1994 with their album Punk in Drublic which was certified gold.

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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Nofx — The Desperations Gone bass tabs