AMERICAN MUSIC (Bassline)
As recorded by The Blasters
(From the 1980 Album AMERICAN MUSIC)
Words and Music by Dave Alvin
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (E A D G) - 'John Bazz - Bass'
Intro
Q=188
4/4
Gtr I
W Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|----------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------||
|----------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------||
|----------|----2-----2--|----2-----2--|----2-----2--|----2-----2--||
|----------|-0-----0-----|-0-----0-----|-0-----0-----|-0-----0-----||
1st - 3rd Verses
q Q H q Q H q Q H W
||-------------|------------|------------|------|
||o------------|------------|------------|------|
||o------------|------------|------------|------|
||--0----------|-0----------|-0----------|------|
Chorus
W Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|----------||-------------|-------------|--------------|
|----------||-------2--4--|-------2--4--|--------------|
|----------||-0--4--------|-0--4--------|-------2--4---|
|----------||-------------|-------------|-0--4---------|
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-------------|-------------|-------------|--------------|
|-------------|-------2--4--|----1--4--6--|--------------|
|-------2--4--|-0--4--------|-2-----------|----2-----2---|
|-0--4--------|-------------|-------------|-0-----0------|
Guitar Solo
1.,2. 3.
Q Q Q Q 3x Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|--------------||-------------||-------------|--------------|
|-------------o||-------------||-------------|--------------|
|----2-----2--o||----2-----2--||-------2--4--|-5--4---------|
|-0-----0------||-0-----0-----||-0--4--------|-------2--4---|
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-------------|-------------|-------------|--------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------2--4--|-5--4---------|
|-------2--4--|-5--4--------|-0--4--------|-------2--4---|
|-0--4--------|-------2--4--|-------------|--------------|
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-------------|-------------|-------------|--------------|
|-------------|-------------|----1--4--6--|-7--6---------|
|-------2--4--|-5--4--------|-2-----------|-------4--6---|
|-0--4--------|-------2--4--|-------------|--------------|
Bridge
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-------------|-------------||-------------|--------------|
|-------------|-------------||-------2--4--|--------------|
|-------2--4--|-5--4--------||-0--4--------|-------2--4---|
|-0--4--------|-------2--4--||-------------|-0--4---------|
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-------------|-------------|-------------|--------------|
|-------2--4--|-------------|-------2--4--|--------------|
|-0--4--------|-------2--4--|-0--4--------|-------2--4---|
|-------------|-0--4--------|-------------|-0--4---------|
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-------------|-------------|-------------|--------------|
|----1--4--6--|-7--6--------|-------2--4--|--------------|
|-2-----------|-------4--6--|-0--4--------|-------2--4---|
|-------------|-------------|-------------|-0--4---------|
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------2--4--|-------------|-------2--4--|
|-0--4--------|-------2--4--|-0--4--------|
|-------------|-0--4--------|-------------|
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-------------|-------------|-------------||
|----1--4--6--|-------------|-------------||
|-2-----------|----2-----2--|----2-----2--||
|-------------|-0-----0-----|-0-----0-----||
4th Verse
q Q H q Q H q Q H W
|------------|------------|------------|------|
|------------|------------|------------|------|
|------------|------------|------------|------|
|-0----------|-0----------|-0----------|------|
Chorus
W Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|----------||-------------|-------------|--------------|
|----------||-------2--4--|-------2--4--|--------------|
|----------||-0--4--------|-0--4--------|-------2--4---|
|----------||-------------|-------------|-0--4---------|
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-------------|-------------|-------------|--------------|
|-------------|-------2--4--|----1--4--6--|--------------|
|-------2--4--|-0--4--------|-2-----------|----2-----2---|
|-0--4--------|-------------|-------------|-0-----0------|
Outro-Guitar Solo
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-------------||-------------|-------------|
|-------------||-------------|-------------|
|----2-----2--||-------2--4--|-5--4--------|
|-0-----0-----||-0--4--------|-------2--4--|
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-------------|-------------|-------------|--------------|
|-------------|-------------|-------2--4--|-5--4---------|
|-------2--4--|-5--4--------|-0--4--------|-------2--4---|
|-0--4--------|-------2--4--|-------------|--------------|
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q
|-------------|-------------|-------------|--------------|
|-------------|-------------|----1--4--6--|-7--6---------|
|-------2--4--|-5--4--------|-2-----------|-------4--6---|
|-0--4--------|-------2--4--|-------------|--------------|
Q Q Q Q E Q E Q. +E +W
|-------------|-----------------|--------*|
|-------------|-----------------|--------*|
|-------2--4--|-----------------|--------*|
|-0--4--------|-0-0--0-0----(0)-|-(0)----*|
Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for. Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests. Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for. Low
melody durations appear below the staff
Tablature Legend
----------------
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
b - bend
pb - pre-bend
r - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
/\ - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
s - legato slide
S - shift slide
- natural harmonic
[n] - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
~ - vibrato
tr - trill
T - tap
TP - trem. picking
PM - palm muting
\n/ - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
\n - tremolo bar down
n/ - tremolo bar up
/n\ - tremolo bar inverted dip
= - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
<> - volume swell (louder/softer)
x - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o - on rhythm slash represents single note slash
Misc Legend
-----------
| - bar
|| - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*| - double bar (ending)
: - bar (freetime)
$ - Segno
& - Coda
Tempo markers - = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths
| Bass Tabs |
|
| Title |
American Music |
| Artist |
The Blasters |
| Tablature Type |
ASCII Tab |
| YouTube ID |
kbYF5GXD9yQ |
Interactive Bass Tab Guide
Interactive bass tabs provide a better experience than ASCII tabs. With playback, loop, print features and a responsive display that follows the screen of your device.
Use these buttons to control the digital tab player.
| Symbol | Function |
|---|
| Move cursor to the first bar |
| Play interactive tabs |
| Pause playback |
| Loop |
| Print the tab |
| Zoom |
| Page | Switch between page and horizontal view mode |
How to Read Bass Tab: A Beginner's Guide
1. Understanding the Basics
a. Strings:
Bass tab consists of horizontal lines representing the strings of the bass guitar.
The lowest-pitched string (usually the E string) is at the bottom, and the highest-pitched string
(usually the G string) is at the top.
b. Numbers:
Numbers on the lines indicate which fret to play on a specific string.
For example, if you see "3" on the E string, it means you should press down the third fret on the lowest string.
2. Reading Bass Tab Example
In this tab:
- Play the note on the 1st fret of the E string.
- Play the open E string.
- Play the 3rd fret on the A string.
- Play the 1st fret on the A string.
G|-----------------|
D|-----------------|
A|---------3-------|
E|---1-1---1---3---|
3. Playing Techniques
a. Hammer-ons and Pull-offs:
Hammer-ons are represented by an "h" (e.g., 5h7 means play the 5th fret and hammer onto the 7th fret).
Pull-offs are represented by a "p" (e.g., 7p5 means play the 7th fret and pull off to the 5th fret).
b. Slides:
Slides are often indicated by an "/" or "\\" between two numbers (e.g., 5/7 means slide from the 5th fret to the 7th fret).
