System of a Down - Holy Mountains
Track 8 of Hypnotize (2005).
Tuning: 5-string E standard (BEADG)
Time signature: mostly 4/4, some 6/8
Guitar intro [00:00]
(No bass.)
[Intro] [00:24]
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|4~--------------|----------------|
E|------------5---|4~--------------|------------5-4-|2~--------------|
B|2~--------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|------------5---|4~--------------|----------------|----------------|
B|5~--------------|----------------|4~----------5-4-|2~--------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|4~--------------|----------------|
E|------------5---|4~--------------|------------5-4-|2~--------------|
B|2~--------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|------------5---|4~--------------|----------------|----------------|
B|5~--------------|----------------|4~------5---4---|2~--------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|------------5-4-|2~--------------|----------------|
[Verse 1] [00:55]
G|-----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|*----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|-----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|*----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|-2~--------------|----------------|4~--------------|----------------|
Can you
Can you
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------*|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|--------4~-------| x2
E|----------------|----------------|4~------5~------|7~--------------*|
B|5~--------------|7~--------------|----------------|-----------------|
feel their haunting presence
feel their haunting presence
[Pre-Chorus 1] [01:21]
G|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
D|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
A|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
E|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
B|3---3-------|3---3-------|3---3-------|3---3---2---|5---3---2---2---|
Liar! Killer! Demon! Back to the River Aras
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|--------6-------|
D|----------------|----------------|6-------7-------|9---------------|
A|--------6-------|7-------9-------|----------------|----------------|
E|9---------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
Someone's blank stare deemed it warfare
G|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
D|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
A|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
E|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
B|3---3-------|3---3-------|3---3-------|3---3---2---|5---3---2---2---|
Liar! Killer! Demon! Back to the River Aras
[Chorus 1] [01:40]
G|-----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|
D|*----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------*|
A|-----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------| x3
E|*5~------5~----5-|5---4---2---4---|----------------|----------------*|
B|-----------------|----------------|2~------2~----2-|2---2---2---2----|
Freedom
Freedom
We're free
G|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|5~------5~----5-|5---4---2---4---|
B|----------------|----------------|
We're free
[Fill] [02:03]
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|4~------4-------|----------------|
E|------------5---|4~------4~------|------------5-4-|2~------2---2-2-|
B|2~------2-------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|------------5---|4~------4~------|----------------|
B|5~------5-------|----------------|4~------5---4---|
[Verse 2] [02:15]
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|2~--------------|----------------|4~--------------|----------------|
Can you
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|--------4~------|
E|----------------|----------------|4~------5~------|7~--------------|
B|5~--------------|7~--------------|----------------|----------------|
hear the holy mountains
[Pre-chorus 2] [02:27]
G|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
D|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
A|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
E|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
B|3---3-------|3---3-------|3---3-------|3---3---2---|5---3---2---2---|
Liar! Killer! Demon! Back to the River Aras
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|--------6-------|
D|----------------|----------------|6-------7-------|9---------------|
A|--------6-------|7-------9-------|----------------|----------------|
E|9---------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
B|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
Someone's mouth said paint them all red
G|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
D|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
A|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
E|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
B|3---3-------|3---3-------|3---3-------|3---3---2---|5---3---2---2---|
Liar! Killer! Demon! Back to the River Aras
[Chorus 2] [02:42]
G|-----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|
D|*----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------*|
A|-----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------| x3
E|*5~------5~----5-|5---4---2---4---|----------------|----------------*|
B|-----------------|----------------|2~------2~----2-|2---2---2---2----|
Freedom
Freedom
We're free
G|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|5~------5~----5-|5---4---2---4---|
B|----------------|----------------|
We're free
[Bridge 1] [03:08]
G|----------------| |------------------| |------------------|
D|----------------| |*----------------*| |*----------------*|
A|----------------| |------------------| x7 |-----2-4-----2-4--| x4
E|----------------| |*----------------*| |*4-5-----4-5-----*|
B|2~--------------| |------------------| |------------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|4~--------------|----------------|
E|------------5---|4~--------------|------------5-4-|2~--------------|
B|2~--------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|------------5---|4~--------------|----------------|----------------|
B|5~--------------|----------------|4~----------5-4-|2~--------------|
G|-----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|*----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|-----------------|----------------|4~--------------|----------------|
E|*------------5---|4~--------------|------------5-4-|2~--------------|
B|-2~--------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
They've all returned Resting on the mountain side
They have returned Resting on the mountain side
G|----------------|----------------|-----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------*|
A|----------------|----------------|-----------------| x2
E|------------5---|4~--------------|----------------*|
B|5~--------------|----------------|4~------5---4----|
We have learned That you have no
We have learned That you have no
[Pre-chorus] 3 [04:00]
G|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
D|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
A|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
E|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
B|3---3-------|3-3-3-------|3-3-3-3-----|3---3---2---|5---3---2---2---|
Honor! Murderer! Sodomizer! Back to the River Aras
[Bridge 2] [04:06]
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|4~--------------|----------------|
E|------------5---|4~--------------|------------5-4-|2~--------------|
B|2~--------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
They have returned Resting on the mountain side
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|------------5---|4~--------------|----------------|
B|5~--------------|----------------|4~------5---4---|
We have learned That you have no
[Pre-chorus 4] [04:17]
G|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
D|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
A|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
E|------------|------------|------------|------------|----------------|
B|3---3-------|3-3-3-------|3-3-3-3-----|3---3---2---|5---3---2---2---|
Honor! Murderer! Sodomizer! Back to the River Aras
[Chorus 3] [04:23]
G|-----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------|
D|*----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------*|
A|-----------------|----------------|----------------|-----------------| x3
E|*5~------5~----5-|5---4---2---4---|----------------|----------------*|
B|-----------------|----------------|2~------2~----2-|2---2---2---2----|
Freedom
Freedom
We're free
G|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|5~------5~----5-|5---4---2---4---|
B|----------------|----------------|
Free
[Outro] [04:57]
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|4~--------------|----------------|
E|------------5---|4~--------------|------------5-4-|2~--------------|
B|2~--------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|------------5---|4~--------------|----------------|----------------|
B|5~--------------|----------------|4~------5---4---|2~--------------|
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|4~--------------|----------------|
E|------------5---|4~--------------|------------5-4-|2~--------------|
B|2~--------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
(tempo slows)
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E|------------5---|4~--------------|----------------|----------------|
B|5~--------------|----------------|4~------5---4---|2~--------------|
************************************
Legend:
~ Let ring
|------|
|*----*|
|------| Repeat section
|*----*|
|------|
************************************
Song structure:
00:00 Guitar intro no bass
00:24 Intro
00:55 Verse 1
01:21 Pre-chorus 1
01:40 Chorus 1
02:03 Fill
02:15 Verse 2 half of Verse 1
02:27 Pre-chorus 2 same as Pre-chorus 1
02:42 Chorus 2 same as Chorus 1
03:08 Bridge 1
04:00 Pre-chorus 3 end of Pre-chorus 1
04:06 Bridge 2 end of Bridge 1
04:17 Pre-chorus 4 same as Pre-chorus 3
04:23 Chorus 3 same as Chorus 1
04:57 Outro
References:
* https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/system_of_a_down/holy_mountains_bass_821228 (bass; by Cb4rabid)
* https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/system_of_a_down/holy_mountain_tabs_275055 (guitar; by Maitinin)
* https://genius.com/System-of-a-down-holy-mountains-lyrics
Bass Tabs |
|
Title |
Holy Mountains |
Artist |
System of a Down |
Tablature Type |
ASCII Tab |
YouTube ID |
33BC07zfuFA |
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).