>From John Speas at kaspeas@worldnet.att.net
Bass for "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" by Billy Joel
This piece is in 12/8 time in the style of swung 8th-notes.
Play 4x
G|-----------------------------|
D|.---------------------------.|
A|.-3---3--3---3--3---3--3---3.|
E|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|------------------------------|
|.----------------------------|------------------------------|
|.-3---3--3---3--3---3--3---3-|------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0--|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------.|
|--1---1--1---1--1---1--1---1-|----------------------------.|
|-----------------------------|--1---1--1---1--1---1--1---1-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|
|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|--5---5--5---5---------------|
|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|----------------3---3--3---3-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--3---3--3---3---------------|--1---1--1---1---------------|
|----------------0---0--0---0-|----------------1---1--1---1-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--0---0--0---0---------------|--3---3--3-3-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-|
|----------------3---3--3---3-|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|--3-3-3--3-3-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-|
|-----------------------------|
-Repeat the whole phrase with the exception of the intro-
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--3---3--3---3--3---3--3---3-|--1---1--1---1--1---1--1---1-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|
|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--3---3--3---3--3---3--3---3-|--1---1--1---1--1---1--1---1-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|--4---4--4---4--4---4--4---4-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------|
|--1---1--1---1--1---1--1---1-|--3---3--3---3--3---3--3---3-|--5------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------|
|-----------------------------|------------------------------|
|.----------------------------|------------------------------|
|.-3---3--3---3--3---3--3---3-|------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0--|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------.|
|--1---1--1---1--1---1--1---1-|----------------------------.|
|-----------------------------|--1---1--1---1--1---1--1---1-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|
|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|--5---5--5---5---------------|
|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|----------------3---3--3---3-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--3---3--3---3---------------|--1---1--1---1---------------|
|----------------0---0--0---0-|----------------1---1--1---1-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--0---0--0---0---------------|--3---3--3-3-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-|
|----------------3---3--3---3-|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|--3-3-3--3-3-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--3---3--3---3--3---3--3---3-|--1---1--1---1--1---1--1---1-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|
|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--3---3--3---3--3---3--3---3-|--1---1--1---1--1---1--1---1-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|--4---4--4---4--4---4--4---4-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--1---1--1---1--1---1--1---1-|--3---3--3---3--3---3--3---3-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-------------|---------------|
|--5----------|--(5)----------|
|-------------|---------------|
|-------------|---------------|
|-----------------------------|------------------------------|
|.----------------------------|------------------------------|
|.-3---3--3---3--3---3--3---3-|------------------------------|
|-----------------------------|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0--|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|----------------------------.|
|--1---1--1---1--1---1--1---1-|----------------------------.|
|-----------------------------|--1---1--1---1--1---1--1---1-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|
|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|--5---5--5---5---------------|
|--0---0--0---0--0---0--0---0-|----------------3---3--3---3-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--3---3--3---3---------------|--1---1--1---1---------------|
|----------------0---0--0---0-|----------------1---1--1---1-|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--0---0--0---0---------------|--3---3--3-3-3--3-3-3--3-3-3-|
|----------------3---3--3---3-|-----------------------------|
|----------------|--------------|--------------|------------|
|----------------|--------------|--------------|------------|
|--3-------------|--1-----------|--------------|--------3---|
|---------0------|--------1-----|--3-----------|------------|
Bass Tabs |
|
Title |
It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me |
Artist |
Billy Joel |
Tablature Type |
ASCII Tab |
YouTube ID |
5eAQa4MOGkE |
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).