[Verse 1] "It's a God-awfull small affair ..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-3~--------------2~--------------|-1~--------------0~----------4-4-|
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
|-3-|
G|---------------------------------|-----------------5~--------------|
D|-5~--------------3~--------------|---------------5-------------5---|
A|---------------------------------|-3~----------3-------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-3~--------------2~--------------|-1~--------------0~----------4-4-|
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
|-3-|
G|---------------------------------|-----------------5~--------------|
D|-5~--------------3~--------------|---------------5-------------5---|
A|---------------------------------|-3~----------3-------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Pre-chorus 1] "But the film is a sadding bore ..."
G|---------------------------------|-------------------------------5-|
D|-----------------2~--------------|-3~--------------4~--------------|
A|-6~------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|-6~----------6-5-----------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------7~--------------|-8~------8~------9~--------------|
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Chorus 1] "Sailors fighting in the dance hall ..." |-3-|
G|-----------------------------8-5-|-------------------------7-------|
D|-8~------------------------------|-5~------------5-4~----7-----7-4-|
A|---------------5-6~--------------|---------------------5-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
|-3-|
G|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-3~----------------------3---1-310-|---------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------4|-3~----------3-5-6~--------------|
E|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
|-3-|
G|-----------------------------8-5-|-------------------------7-------|
D|-8~------------------------------|-5~------------5-4~----7-----7-4-|
A|---------------5-6~--------------|---------------------5-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
|-3-|
G|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-3~----------------------3---1-310-|---------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------4|-3~----------3-5-6~--------------|
E|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-5~------------5-4~------------4-|-3~------------3-2~------------2-|
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Post-chorus]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-3~--------------4~--------------|-5~------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------|-----------------5~--------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|-----------------|
D|-7~--------------8~--------------|-8~--------------|
A|---------------------------------|-----------------|
E|---------------------------------|-----------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + +
[Verse 2] "It's on America's tortured brow..."
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-3~--------------2~--------------|-1~--------------0~----------4-4-|
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
|-3-|
G|---------------------------------|-----------------5~--------------|
D|-5~--------------3~--------------|---------------5-------------5---|
A|---------------------------------|-3~----------3-------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-3~--------------2~----------2---|-1~--------------0~----------4---|
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
|-3-|
G|---------------------------------|-----------------5~--------------|
D|-5~--------------3~--------------|---------------5-------------5---|
A|---------------------------------|-3~----------3-------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Pre-chorus 2] "But the film is a sadding bore ..."
G|---------------------------------|-------------------------------5-|
D|-----------------2~--------------|-3~--------------4~--------------|
A|-6~------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|-6~----------6-5-----------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------7~------7-------|-8~------8~------9~--------------|
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Chorus 2] "Sailors fighting in the dance hall ..." |-3-|
G|-----------------------------8-5-|-------------------------7-------|
D|-8~------------------------------|-5~------------5-4~----7-----7-4-|
A|---------------5-6~--------------|---------------------5-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
|-3-|
G|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-3~--------------3-------3---1-310-|---------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------4|-3~----------3-5-6~--------------|
E|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
|-3-|
G|-----------------------------8-5-|-------------------------7-------|
D|-8~------------------------------|-5~------------5-4~----7-----7-4-|
A|---------------5-6~--------------|---------------------5-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
|-3-|
G|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-3~--------------3-------3---1-310-|---------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------4|-3~----------3-5-6~----------6---|
E|-----------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-5~------------5-4~------------4-|-3~------------3-2~------------2-|
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Outro]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-3~--------------4~--------------|-5~--------------3~--------------|
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-3~--------------3~--------------|-1~--------------1~--------------|
A|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-1~------------------------------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
Bass Tabs |
|
Title |
Life On Mars? |
Artist |
David Bowie |
Tablature Type |
ASCII Tab |
YouTube ID |
AZKcl4-tcuo |
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).