Artist: Jim Croce
Song: Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)
Tuning: Standard (EADG)
Tabbed from cover by The Four Big Strings: https://youtu.be/TVRDSH4BgHw
Lyrics are approximately aligned with tab
[Intro]
No bass
[Verse 1]
G|---------4----------------5----4--------------5--4-------------------------|
D|-5----------------------------------7----5----------7--5----------5--7-----|
A|------------------------------------------------------------5--7-----------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Operator Oh could you help me place this call?
G|----7h9----9------------------5h7----7------------7---5---4----------|
D|--------------------------------------------------------------7---5--|
A|-----------------5-------------------------7-------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
You see the number on the matchbook is old and faded
G|-------------------------4-------4--5---4-------------5--4--------------------|
D|-----------------------5--------------------7---5-----------7--5---------5--7-|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------5--7-------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
She's living in L.A. with my best old ex-friend Ray
G|-------------------------------------------------7h9---7---5---4----------|
D|-------------------5--4--------------------------------------------7---5--|
A|--------------------------------5------------7----------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A guy she said she knew well and sometimes hated
[Chorus 1]
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---5--5-------5------5--5------5---------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------5-----------------3-------5-----5---5--|
E|-----------------------------------------7-----------7-----------------------|
Isn't that the way they say it goes? But let's forget all that
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|------5------5----------------------------------------0---2---0--------|
A|-5---------------5--------------------------------3---------------2----|
E|--------------------7---7---0---5-------0--5--0------------------------|
And give me the number if you can find it So I can call just to tell 'em
G|--------------------------------------7-------------------|
D|-----------------7-----------------7-----7--7-------------|
A|-3----5---------------------0--5-----------------3---3----|
E|----------------------0--5--------------------------------|
I'm fine and to show I've overcome the blow
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--3-----3-----3-----2-2-----2-----2-----2-----0-0-----0-----0-----0----2-3-|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
I've learned to take it well I only wish my words could just convince myself
G|-------5-------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--5---------------------------------------------------------15\5-----|
A|------------3-------5----5--5-----2--3-------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
That it just wasn't real But that's not the way it feels
[Post Chorus 1]
G|--------------------------------------------------5--4---------------------|
D|--5----5--5----7--8--9----9-----9----7----7--7----------7--3--5----5-------|
A|-----------------------------9----------------------------------------5----|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
[Verse 2]
G|-0--2--4---4-----4--------5----4--------------5--4-------------------------|
D|--------------4---------------------7----5----------7--5----------5--7-----|
A|------------------------------------------------------------5--7-----------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Operator Oh. Could you help me place this call?
G|------------------------------------------7h9---7h9---7---5---4----------|
D|-------7------7------4---------------7----------------------------7---5--|
A|------------------------5------5-----------------------------------------|
E|-----------5-------------------------------------------------------------|
'Cause I can't read the number that you just gave me
G|--------0--2--4----4------4---------5---4-------------5--4--------------------|
D|-5--------------------4---------------------7---5-----------7--5---------5--7-|
A|----5--------------------------------------------------------------5--7-------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
There's something in my eyes You know it happens every time
G|--------------------------------------------7h9--7h9---7---5---4----------|
D|--7----------------4-----------------------------------------------7---5--|
A|-----7-------------------5----5----7--------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
I think about the love that I thought would save me
[Chorus 2]
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---5--5-------5------5--5------5---------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------5-----------------3-------5-----5---5--|
E|-----------------------------------------7-----------7-----------------------|
Isn't that the way they say it goes? But let's forget all that
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|------5------5----------------------------------------0---2---0--------|
A|-5---------------5--------------------------------3---------------2----|
E|--------------------7---7---0---5-------0--5--0------------------------|
And give me the number if you can find it So I can call just to tell 'em
G|----------------------------------------7-------------------|
D|---------------7---7-----------------7-----7--7-------------|
A|-3----5---------------7----7--5--------------------3---3----|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|
I'm fine and to show I've overcome the blow
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--3-----3-----3-----2-2-----2-----2-----2-----0-0-----0-----0-----0----2-3-|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
I've learned to take it well I only wish my words could just convince myself
G|-----5---------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--5-----5---------------------------------------------------15\5-----|
A|------------3-------5----5--5-----2--3-------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
That it just wasn't real But that's not the way it feels
[Post Chorus 2]
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-5----5--5---------------------15\5------5----5--5--------------------15\5-|
A|--------------0--2--3---3--3--------------------------0--2--3---3--3-------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
No, no, no, no That's not the way it feels
[Verse 3]
G|------------0--2--4---4--4-----5---4---------------5--4----------------------|
D|-5---5--5------------------4-----------7---5-------------7--5----------5--7--|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------5--7--------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Operator Oh, let's forget about this call
G|-----------------------------------7h9-----7h9--------7---5---4----------|
D|----7---------4---------------------------------------------------7---5--|
A|-------7-----------5---5-----7-------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
There's no one there I really wanted to talk to
G|---------0--2--4----4-----4------5---4-------------5--4--------------------|
D|--5--------------------4-----------------7---5-----------7--5---------5--7-|
A|-----5----------------------------------------------------------5--7-------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Thank you for your time Oh, you've been so much more than kind
G|--------------------------------------7h9---7h9---7---5---4----------|
D|-7-----------4----4-------------------------------------------7---5--|
A|----7--7--------------5--5-----7-------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
You can keep the dime
[Chorus 3]
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---5--5-------5------5--5------5---------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------5-----------------3-------5-----5---5--|
E|-----------------------------------------7-----------7-----------------------|
Isn't that the way they say it goes? But let's forget all that
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|------5------5----------------------------------------0---2---0--------|
A|-5---------------5--------------------------------3---------------2----|
E|--------------------7---7---0---5-------0--5--0------------------------|
And give me the number if you can find it So I can call just to tell 'em
G|----------------------------------------7-------------------|
D|---------------7---7-----------------7-----7--7-------------|
A|-3----5---------------7----7--5--------------------3---3----|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|
I'm fine and to show I've overcome the blow
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|--3-----3-----3-----2-2-----2-----2-----2-----0-0-----0-----0-----0----2-3-|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
I've learned to take it well I only wish my words could just convince myself
G|-------5-------------------------------------------------------------|
D|--5---------------------------------------------------------15\5-----|
A|------------3-------5----5--5-----2--3-------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
That it just wasn't real But that's not the way it feels
[Outro]
G|----------------------------------------------------5---4------------------|
D|--5----5--5------------------2---------------2--------------7---7---4---5--|
A|------------------0--2----2------2---0----2--------------------------------|
E|---------------3-----------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------5---4----------------------|
D|--5--5-----7--8--9----9--9----9--7----7--7-------------7---7---4---5------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
************************************
| h Hammer-on
| / Slide up
| \ Slide down
************************************
| Bass Tabs |
|
| Title |
Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels) |
| Artist |
Jim Croce |
| Tablature Type |
ASCII Tab |
| YouTube ID |
-qgnGH6Rg-E |
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).
