STARMAN (Bassline)
As recorded by David Bowie
(From the 1972 Album THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS)
Words and Music by David Bowie
Transcribed by Slowhand
Gtr I (E A D G) - 'Trevor Bolder - Bass'
Intro
Q=96
4/4
Gtr I
Wx8
|--------||
|--------||
|--------||
|--------||
1st & 2nd Verses
Gtr I
E S S E S S E E E E E E E E +S S E +S S E E S S E S S E E E E
||----------------------|-------7-(7)---7-(7)------|---------------------|
||o-5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5---|-5-5-5-------8-------8--5-|-3-3-3-3---2-3-3-3---|
||o---------5---------5-|--------------------------|---------3---------3-|
||----------------------|--------------------------|---------------------|
E E E S S E E E E E S S E E E E E E
|-------------------|-----------5-5-----|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-2-3-5-|-------------------|
|-------------------|-3-3-3-3-------3-3-|
|-------------------|---------3---------|
E Q E +S S E E E Q E S S S S E Q
|--------------------|----------1-1-1-3---|
|------------------2-|-3--3-3-3-----------|
|-3-3--3-(3)-3-3-3---|--------------------|
|--------------------|--------------------|
E S S +E S S E E E E E E E E +S S E +S S E E S S E S S E E E E
|-----------------------|-------7-(7)---7-(7)-----|----------------------|
|-5-5-5-(5)---5-5-5-5---|-5-5-5-------8-------8-5-|-3-3-3-3---2-3-3-3----|
|-----------5---------5-|-------------------------|---------3---------3--|
|-----------------------|-------------------------|----------------------|
E E E S S E E E E E S S E E E E E E E Q E +S S E E E W
|-------------------|-----------5-5-----|--------------------|-2----|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-2-3-5-|-------------------|------------------2-|------|
|-------------------|-3-3-3-3-------3-3-|-3-3--3-(3)-3-3-3---|------|
|-------------------|---------3---------|--------------------|------|
Chorus
$
W Q. E E E E E Q E E +S S E E E Q E E Q E E
|-0--------||----------------|------7-(7)---7-----|---------------|
|----------||-3----3-3-2-3-5-|----7-------7---7-5-|-7--7-7-5--5-5-|
|----------||----------------|-5------------------|---------------|
|----------||----------------|--------------------|---------------|
Q E E +E E E E Q. E E E E E Q E E +S S E E E Q E E Q E E
|------------------|----------------|------7-(7)---7-----|---------------|
|------------------|-3----3-3-2-3-5-|----7-------7---7-5-|-7--7-7-5--5-5-|
|-3--3-3-(3)-2-3-5-|----------------|-5------------------|---------------|
|------------------|----------------|--------------------|---------------|
D.S. al Coda
Q E E +E E E E Q E E E E E E Q E E Q E E Q E E Q. E
|------------------|------------3-0-|---------------|----------------||
|------------------|----------3-----|-3--3-3-4--0-4-|-5--5-5---------||
|-3--3-3-(3)-2-3-0-|-1--1-1-1-------|---------------|--------3-------||
|------------------|----------------|---------------|----------------||
Guitar Solo
To Coda
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 +E Q E
|-------------------|-----------------|------------------|-------------------|
|-----------------2-|-3-3---3---2-3-2-|-------------5-2--|-3-3-3-3-(3)-------|
|-1-1---1-(1)---1---|-----------------|-3-3---3-(3)------|----------------0--|
|-------------1-----|-----------------|------------------|-------------3-----|
E E E E E E E E E E E E +E E E E E E E E +E E Q
|-----------------|-------------------|-------------------||
|-----------------|-3-3-2-3-(3)-2-3-5-|---------------2--o||
|-1-1-x-1-1-1-0---|-------------------|-3-3---3-(3)-3----o||
|---------------3-|-------------------|-------------------||
Outro
&
E E E E +E E E E E E E E +E E E E
||--------------------|-------------------|
||o-------------------|-3-3---3-(3)-2-3-2-|
||o-1-1---1-(1)-0-1-0-|-------------------|
||--------------------|-------------------|
E E E E +E E Q E E E E +E Q E a 7x
|-------------5----|---------------------||
|------------------|-3-3---3-(3)-5--7s2-o||
|-3-3---3-(3)---7--|--------------------o||
|------------------|---------------------||
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
Goodbye love
Didn't know what time it was the lights were low oh how
I leaned back on my radio oh oh
Some cat was layin down some rock n roll lotta soul, he said
Then the loud sound did seem to fade a ade
Came back like a slow voice on a wave of phase ha hase
That werent no D. J. That was hazy cosmic jive
There's a starman waiting in the sky
Hed like to come and meet us
But he thinks he'd blow our minds
There's a starman waiting in the sky
Hes told us not to blow it
Cause he knows it's all worthwhile
He told me:
Let the children lose it
Let the children use it
Let all the children boogie
I had to phone someone so I picked on you ho ho
Hey, that's far out so you heard him too! O o
Switch on the tv we may pick him up on channel two
Look out your window I can see his light a ight
If we can sparkle he may land tonight a ight
Don't tell your poppa or hell get us locked up in fright
There's a starman waiting in the sky
Hed like to come and meet us
But he thinks he'd blow our minds
There's a starman waiting in the sky
Hes told us not to blow it
Cause he knows it's all worthwhile
He told me:
Let the children lose it
Let the children use it
Let all the children boogie
Starman waiting in the sky
Hed like to come and meet us
But he thinks he'd blow our minds
There's a starman waiting in the sky
Hes told us not to blow it
Cause he knows it's all worthwhile
He told me:
Let the children lose it
Let the children use it
Let all the children boogie
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Bass Tabs |
|
Title |
Starman |
Artist |
David Bowie |
Tablature Type |
ASCII Tab |
YouTube ID |
aBKEt3MhNMM |
Interactive Bass Tab Guide
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Use these buttons to control the digital tab player.
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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).