Album: Lodger (1979)
Great song with epic vocals, the bassline was quite hard to figure out but it is pretty easy to play.
Tabbed by Leo Chiurco
[Intro]
G|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------7---|
A|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Verse 1] "In the event ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------------------9---7---|-------------------------7---9---|
A|-5-----------5-------------------|-5-----------5-------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------9---|-----------------------------4---|
A|-7-----------7-------------------|-7-----------7-------7.--7.------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-5-----------5-------------------|-5-------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------5---|---------5-------------------8---|
E|---------------------------------|-------------6-----------6-------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------------------9---|
A|-5-----------5-------------------|-5-----------5-------------------|
E|-----------------------------5---|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------------------4---|
A|-7-----------7-------------------|-7-----------7-----------7-------|
E|-----------------------------7---|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-5-----------5-------------------|-5---5---------------------------|
A|-----------------------------5---|---------5-------------------8---|
E|---------------------------------|-------------6-----------6-------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------7---|---------------------------------|
A|-5-----------5-------------------|-5-----------5-------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------2---3---4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Chorus 1] "We're learning to live with somebody's depression ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-------------4-------7-------6---|-5.----------5.------------------|
E|-5-------------------------------|---------------------2---3---4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-------------4-------7-------0---|-5.----------5.------5.----------|
E|-5-------------------------------|-------------------------0---2---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------5---|---------------------5---7-------|
E|-3-----------3-------------------|-3-----------3-------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------------------7-------|-------------------------7-------|
A|-----------------------------7---|-----------------------------7---|
E|-5-----------5-------------------|-5-----------5-------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------------------7-------|-----------------------------7---|
A|-----------------------------7---|-------------------------7-------|
E|-5-----------5-------------------|-5-----------5-------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------------------7-------|---------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------7---|-------------------------7.--7---|
E|-5-----------5-------------------|-5-----------5-------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------7---|-----------------------------7---|
E|-5-----------5-------------------|-5-----------5-------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------7---|---------------------------------|
E|-5-----------5-------------------|-5-----------5-------5---7-6-5---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Bowie epic vocals & Verse 2] "Will we? ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------------------7h9-|
A|-5-----------5-------------------|-5-----------5-------------------|
E|-----------------------------5---|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------------------4---|
A|-7-----------7-------------------|-7-----------7-------7.--7.------|
E|-----------------------------7---|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-5---------------------------4---|-5-----------8---------------8---|
A|-------------5-----------7-------|-----5-------------------8-------|
E|---------------------------------|---------6-----------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------7---|-7---------------------------5/7-|
A|-5-----------5-------------------|-5-----------5-------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------9---|---------------------------------|
A|-7-----------7-------------------|-7-----------7-------7.--4.------|
E|---------------------------------|-----------------------------5---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------5---|-------------------------3---4---|
E|-3-----------3-------------------|-3-------5---6-------6-----------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------7---|---------------------------------|
A|-5-----------5-------------------|-5-----------5-------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------2---3---4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Chorus 2] "We're learning to live with somebody's depression ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-------------4-------7-------6---|-5.----------5.------------------|
E|-5-------------------------------|---------------------2---3---4---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-------------4-------5-------7---|-5.----------5.------------------|
E|-5.--5---------------------------|---------------------0---1---2---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------5---|---------------------------------|
A|-------------2-------5-----------|-------------5------/7-------5---|
E|-3---3---3-----------------------|-3---3---3-----------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------------------7.------|---------------------------------|
A|------------/7---------------7---|-------------7-----------7-------|
E|-5---5---------------------------|-5---------------------------0---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------------------7-------|---------------------------------|
A|-------------7---------------7---|-------------------------7-------|
E|-5-------------------------------|-5-----------5-------5-------0---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------------------7-------|---------------------------------|
A|-------------7---------------7---|---------------------------------|
E|-5-------------------------------|-5-----------5-----------0---2---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------7-----------|---------------------------------|
A|-------------7---------------7---|-----------------------------7---|
E|-5---5---5-----------------------|-5---5-------5-------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------7-----------|-----------------------------7---|
A|-------------7---------------7---|-------------------------5-------|
E|-5---5---------------------------|-5---5-------5-------7-----------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Bowie epic vocals again & Outro] "How can I? ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-------------------------6---7h9-|
A|-5-----------5-------------------|-5-----------5-------7-----------|
E|-----------------------------5---|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------------------4---|
A|-7-----------7-------------------|-7-----------7-------7.--7.------|
E|-----------------------------7---|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-5---------------------------4---|-5-----------8-------------------|
A|-------------5-----------7-------|-----7-----------------------8---|
E|---------------------------------|---------6---------------6-------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------------------7---|
A|-5-----------5-------------------|-5-----------5-------4---5-------|
E|-----------------------------5---|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-------------------------9-------|
A|-7-----------7-------------------|-7-----------7-------------------|
E|-----------------------------7---|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------| (Fade)
E|-3-----------3-------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
************************************
| . Staccato
| / Slide up
| h Hammer-on
************************************
Bass Tabs |
|
Title |
Fantastic Voyage |
Artist |
David Bowie |
Tablature Type |
ASCII Tab |
YouTube ID |
FSCB_0SXFR4 |
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).