BROWN SUGAR (Bassline)
As recorded by The Rolling Stones
(From the 1971 Album STICKY FINGERS)
Words and Music by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (E A D G) - 'Bill Wyman - Bass'
Intro
Q=130
4/4
Gtr I
W W E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|----------|----------|-----------------|------------------|
|----------|----------|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|------------------|
|----------|----------|-----------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3--|
|----------|----------|-----------------|------------------|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-----------------|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-----------------|
|-----------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-----------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q E E Q E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|----------------|----------------|-----2---2-3-4-5-|
|-6-6-6-6-6-6---3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3--|--------------3-|-3-3---3---------|
|-----------------|----------------|-4-4-4--6-6-6---|-----------------|
E E E E E E E S S E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E
|-----------3-------|-----------------|----------------|---------------5--||
|---------5---5-----|-----------------|----------------|-----4-4-3-4-5----||
|-6-6-6-6-------3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---|----------------|-3-3--------------||
|-------------------|---------------4-|-4-4-4-6-6-6-6--|------------------||
1st Verse
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E Q E E E E
|-----------------|---------------0-|----------------|-----0------0---|
|-----------------|-------------1---|-3--3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-1----3-1---0-|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-----|----------------|----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|----------------|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|----------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-4-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-3-||
|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|-----------------||
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3--|-----------------|-----------------||
|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|-----------------||
Chorus
Q Q a E E E E +E Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|------------------|-----------------|------------------|
|---------------5-|-(5)-5--5---------|-----------------|---------2-3-4-5--|
|-----------5-7---|----------7-5---3-|-3-3-3---3-3-3---|-3-3-3-5----------|
|-3--3--5s7-------|--------------7---|-------3-------3-|------------------|
Q Q a E E E E Q Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|---------------|----------------|------------------||
|---------------5-|-5--5----------|----------------|------------------||
|-----------5-7---|-------6-5-3-0-|-3---3--3-3-0-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-6--||
|-3--3--5h7-------|---------------|---3------------|------------------||
Interlude
Q Q Q Q Q Q E E E E +E E E E E E E E +Q E E E E E E
|-------------|---------------|---------3-3-3-----|------------3-4-5-||
|-------------|----2--3-4-5-6-|-(6)-6-6-----------|--------3-4-------||
|-6--6--6-----|-3-------------|-----------------3-|-(3)--5-----------||
|-------------|---------------|-------------------|------------------||
2nd Verse
Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q E E E E
|----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----0------0---|
|----------------|---------------4-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-1----3-1---0-|
|-3--3-3-3-0-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---|-----------------|----------------|
|----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q
|-----------------|-----------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-4-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5--||
|-----------------|---------------3-|-----------------|----------------||
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---|-----------------|----------------||
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------||
Chorus
Q Q a E E E E E E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|------------------|
|-------------2-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-0-5--|-----------------|-------0-2-3-4-5--|
|-----------5-----|----------------|-3-3-3---3-3-3---|-3-3-3------------|
|-3--3--5h7-------|----------------|-------3-------3-|------------------|
E E E E a E E E E E E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E +E E E E E E E E
|-------------------|----------------|-----------------|--------------------||
|-5-5-5-5-------2-5-|-5-5-5-5-----5--|-----------------|--------------------||
|-------------5-----|---------7-5----|-3-3-3---3-3-3---|-(3)-3-3-3-3-3-3-6--||
|---------5h7-------|----------------|-------3-------3-|--------------------||
Sax Solo
Q Q E E E E Q Q E E E E Q Q E E E E E E E E E E E E
|---------------|---------------|---------------|------------------|
|---------------|-------3-4-5---|---------------|------------------|
|-6--6--6-6-6-3-|-3--7----------|-------------3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3S=|
|---------------|-------------4-|-4--4--6-6-6---|------------------|
Q Q E Q. E E Q E E E E Q Q E E Q Q Q E E E E
|--------------|----------------|--------------|---------------|
|---------5----|---5-5----3-4-5-|--------------|---------3-4-5-|
|-6--6--6------|--------7-------|-------1-1-1--|-3--5--7-------|
|--------------|----------------|-4--4---------|---------------|
E E Q E E Q E E E E E E E E E E Q E E Q Q Q E E E E
|---------------|-----------------|---------------|---------------|
|----------5----|-----------------|---------------|-------3-4-5---|
|-6-6-6--6---6--|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|---------------|-3--7--------6-|
|---------------|-----------------|-4-4-4--6-6-6--|---------------|
E E E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E Q Q Q Q
|----------------|----------------|-----------------|-------------||
|----------------|----------------|-----------------|-------3--4--||
|-6-6-6-6-6-6-6--|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3--|-----------------|-3--7--------||
|----------------|----------------|-4-4-4-4-6-6-6-6-|-------------||
Chorus
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5---|-----------------|-----------------|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|---------------0-|-----------------|-------------2-3-|
|-----------------|-----------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-0-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-5-----|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E a E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------||
|-5---------------5-|-5-5-5-5-----5---|-----------------|---------2-3-4-5--||
|-------------3-5---|---------7-5---2-|-3-3-3---3-3-3---|-3-3-3-5----------||
|---3-3-3-5h7-------|-----------------|-------3-------3-|------------------||
3rd Verse
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q E E E E
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----0------0---|
|-----------------|-----------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-3-1----3-1---0-|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-0-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-5-|-----------------|----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E E E Q Q Q
|-----------------|----------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-5-3-5--5--5--||
|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|--------------||
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-0-3-|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3--|-----------------|--------------||
|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|--------------||
Chorus
1.,2.,3.
Q Q a E E E E Q E E E Q. E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E 4x
||------------------|---------------|-----------------|------------------||
||o-------------2-5-|-5--5-5--------|-----------------|---------2-3-4-5-o||
||o-----------5-----|--------7-5----|-3-3-3---3-3-3---|-3-3-3-3---------o||
||--3--3--5h7-------|---------------|-------3-------3-|------------------||
4.
E E E E E E E E E E E E a E E E E E Q E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-------------------|----------------|------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------5-|---5--5---------|------------------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-------------5-7---|--------7-5-----|-3-3-----3-3------|
|-----------------|-3-3-3-3-5s7-------|------------7-3-|-----5-3-----5-3--|
E E E E E E E E E E E E a E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------|------------------|
|-----------------|-----------------5-|-5-5-5-5---------|------------------|
|-3-3-----3-3-----|-------------5-7---|---------7-5-----|-3-3-----3-3-3----|
|-----5-3-----5-3-|-3-3-3-3-5s7-------|-------------7-3-|-----5-3-------3--|
E E E E E E E E E E E E a E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------|------------------|
|-----------3-4-5-|-----------------5-|-5-5-5-5---------|------------------|
|-3-3-----3-------|-------------5-7---|---------7-5-----|-3-3-3---3-3-3-3--|
|-----5-3---------|-3-3-3-3-5s7-------|-------------7-3-|-------3----------|
E E E E E E E E E E E E a E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------||--------------------|-----------------|------------------|
|-----2-2-3-3-5-5-||o-----------------5-|-5-5-5-5---------|------------------|
|-3-3-------------||o-------------5-7---|---------7-5-----|-3-3-3---3-3-3-3--|
|-----------------||--3-3-3-3-5s7-------|-------------7-3-|-------3----------|
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|------------------||-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------------2-3-o||-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-----------------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-----o||-----------------|-----------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3---|
|------------------||-----------------|-----------------|---------------3-|
Outro
1., 2.
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-----------------||------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------------2-3-||o-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-----------------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-----||o-----------------|-----------------|-3-3-3---3-3-3---|
|-----------------||------------------|-----------------|-------3-------3-|
3.
E E E E E E E E 3x E E E E E E E E E E E E +H
|------------------||-----------------|----------------*|
|-----------2-3-4-o||-----2-2-3-5-----|----------------*|
|-3-3-3-3-3-------o||-3-3-------------|-3-3---3-(3)----*|
|------------------||-------------3-3-|-----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 |
Brown Sugar |
Artist |
The Rolling Stones |
Tablature Type |
ASCII Tab |
YouTube ID |
Bar7SzNLnY0 |
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).