PICTURES OF MATCHSTICK MEN (Bassline)
As recorded by Status Quo
(From the 1968 Album PICTURESQUE MATCHSTICKABLE MESSAGES FROM THE STATUS QUO)
Words and Music by Francis Rossi
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (E A D G) - 'Alan Lancaster - Bass'
Intro
Q=90
4/4
Gtr I
Wx4
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
|--------|
Q E E Q E E Q E E S S E E E Q Q Q E E Q Q Q E E
|---------------|--------0---0-0---|--------------|---------------||
|-0--0-2-3--3---|------2---3-----3-|-0--0--0--0---|-0--0--0--0----||
|-------------0-|-3--3-------------|------------0-|------------0--||
|---------------|------------------|--------------|---------------||
Verse
Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E S S E E E
|---------------|--------0--0---|---------------|--------0---0-0----|
|-0--0-2-3--3---|------2------3-|-0--0-2-3--3---|------2---3-----3--|
|-------------0-|-3--3----------|-------------0-|-3--3--------------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|-------------------|
Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E S S E E E
|---------------|--------0--0---|---------------|--------0---0-0----|
|-0--0-2-3--3---|------2------3-|-0--0-2-3--3---|------2---3-----3--|
|-------------0-|-3--3----------|-------------0-|-3--3--------------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|-------------------|
Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E S S E E E
|---------------|--------0--0---|---------------|--------0---0-0----|
|-0--0-2-3--3---|------2------3-|-0--0-2-3--3---|------2---3-----3--|
|-------------0-|-3--3----------|-------------0-|-3--3--------------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|-------------------|
Chorus
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q E E
|-------------|-------------||-------------|--------------|
|-0--0--0--0--|-0--0--0--0--||-------------|-0--0--0--0---|
|-------------|-------------||-------0--0--|------------2-|
|-------------|-------------||-3--3--------|--------------|
Q Q Q Q Q Q Q E E Q Q Q Q Q E E Q E E
|-------------|--------------|-------------|---------------|
|-------------|-0--0--0--0---|-------------|-0--0-2-3--3---|
|-------0--0--|------------2-|-------0--0--|-------------0-|
|-3--3--------|--------------|-3--3--------|---------------|
Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E S S E E E Q Q H
|--------0--0---|---------------|--------0---0-0---|------------|
|------2------3-|-0--0-2-3--3---|------2---3-----3-|-0--0-------|
|-3--3----------|-------------0-|-3--3-------------|------------|
|---------------|---------------|------------------|------------|
Interlude
Q Q H W W W
|------------||----------|----------|------|
|-0--0-------||----------|----------|------|
|------------||----------|----------|------|
|------------||----------|----------|------|
W Q E E Q E E Q E E S S E E E Q Q Q E E
|----------|---------------|--------0---0-0---|---------------|
|----------|-0--0-2-3--3---|------2---3-----3-|-0--0--0--0----|
|----------|-------------0-|-3--3-------------|------------3--|
|----------|---------------|------------------|---------------|
Bridge
Q Q Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q Q E E E E
|--------------||-----------------|-----------------|---------------|
|-0--0--0--0---||-----------------|-----------------|---------------|
|------------3-||-1-1-----1-1---1-|-------3---------|-3--3--3---1-1-|
|--------------||-------1---------|-1-1-----1-1---1-|---------3-----|
Q Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q Q H
|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------|
|---------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------|
|-3--3--3---3-3-|-1-1-----1-1---1-|-------3---------|-0--0-------|
|---------3-----|-------1---------|-1-1-----1-1---1-|------------|
Chorus
Q Q H Q Q Q Q Q Q Q E E Q Q Q Q
|------------||-------------|--------------|-------------|
|-0--0-------||-------------|-0--0--0--0---|-------------|
|------------||-------0--0--|------------0-|-------0--0--|
|------------||-3--3--------|--------------|-3--3--------|
Q Q Q E E Q Q Q Q Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E
|--------------|-------------|---------------|--------0--0---|
|-0--0--0--0---|-------------|-0--0-2-3--3---|------2------3-|
|------------0-|-------0--0--|-------------0-|-3--3----------|
|--------------|-3--3--------|---------------|---------------|
Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E
|---------------|--------0--0---|---------------|--------0--0---||
|-0--0-2-3--3---|------2------3-|-0--0-2-3--3---|------2------3-||
|-------------0-|-3--3----------|-------------0-|-3--3----------||
|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------||
Interlude
Q Q H W W W
|------------|----------|----------|------||
|-0----------|----------|----------|------||
|------------|----------|----------|------||
|------------|----------|----------|------||
Outro
Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q E E S S E E E
|---------------|--------0--0---|---------------|--------0---0-0----*|
|-0--0-2-3--3---|------2------3-|-0--0-2-3--3---|------2---3-----3--*|
|-------------0-|-3--3----------|-------------0-|-3--3--------------*|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|-------------------*|
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 |
Pictures Of Matchstick Men |
| Artist |
Status Quo |
| Tablature Type |
ASCII Tab |
| YouTube ID |
R2evCE_UYFc |
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).
