The man who sold the world - David Bowie
Bowie´s been a part of me almost all my life. His death encouraged me to write down these bass tabs
which I'll upload from time to time.
Tabbed by Leo Chiurco
[Intro]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------2---|-3---------------------------2---|
A|---------------------------------|-------------3-------3-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
D|-3-----------------------3---2---|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------3-------3-----------|-5---------------------------------------12------|
E|---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 5 + + + 6 + + +
[Verse]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-----------------7---7-----------|
A|-----------------------------4---|-----4---7-------------------7---|
E|-5---5-------5-------5-----------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------7---------------7-------|
D|-----------------------------7---|-----7---------------7-------7---|
A|-5-----------8-------8-----------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-7---------------------------5---|-7-----------7-----------5-------|
A|-------------7-------7-----------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-8---------------------------7---|-8-----------------------8---7---|
E|-------------8---8---8-----------|-------------8---8---8-----------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|----------------10-------8-------|
A|-----------------7-----------7---|10----------10-------------------|
E|-8-----------8-------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-7-------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-------------0---0-----------0---|-0-------4-------5-----------5---|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|-------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------5-----------5-----------5-------|
E|-5-----------5-------------------5---------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 5 + + + 6 + + +
[Chorus]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------7---8---10--|---------------------7---8--10---|
A|---------7---8---10--------------|---------7---8--10---------------|
E|-8--10---------------------------|-8---10--------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------7---9--10---|
D|---------------------7---8---10--|---------7---8--10---------------|
A|---------7---8--10---------------|-8--10---------------------------|
E|-8--10---------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------7---9--10---|
D|---------------------------------|---------7---8--10---------------|
A|-----------------8---------------|-8--10---------------------------|
E|-9-----------9-----------9-------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------2---3---5---|---------------------------------|
D|---------2---3---5---------------|---------------------0---2---3---|
A|-3---5---------------------------|---------0---1---3---------------|
E|---------------------------------|-1---3---------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------3---------------|---------------------------------|
A|-4-----------4-----------4-------|-0-------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Intro]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------2---|-3---------------------------2---|
A|---------------------------------|-------------3-------3-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
D|-3-----------------------3---2---|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------3-------3-----------|-5---------------------------------------12------|
E|---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 5 + + + 6 + + +
[Verse]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-------------------------7-------|
A|-----------------4---4-------4---|-7---7-------7-------7-------7---|
E|-5---5-------5-------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|-----------------7---7-----------|-------------7-----------7-------|
D|-------------7-----7-----7---7---|-----------------7---------------|
A|-5-------------------------------|-5-------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-7---7-------7-------------------|-7-----------7---7-------5-------|
A|-----------------7---7-------7---|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------------------7---10--|-------------7-----------7-------|
A|-8-----------8-------8-----------|---------------------8-------8---|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-------------------------8-------|
A|------------10--10-----------7---|---------7------10---------------|
E|-8-------------------------------|-----8---------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-7---------------------------7---|-7-------------------------------|
A|-------------7---7---------------|---------4-------5-----------5---|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|-------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------5-----------5-----------5-------|
E|-5-----------5-------------------5---------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 5 + + + 6 + + +
[Chorus]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------7---8---10--|---------------------7---8--10---|
A|---------7---8---10--------------|---------7---8--10---------------|
E|-8--10---------------------------|-8---10--------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------7---9--10---|
D|---------------------7---8---10--|---------7---8--10---------------|
A|---------7---8--10---------------|-8--10---------------------------|
E|-8--10---------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------7---9--10---|
D|---------------------------------|---------7---8--10---------------|
A|-----------------8---------------|-8--10---------------------------|
E|-9-----------9-----------9-------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------2---3---5---|---------------------------------|
D|---------2---3---5---------------|---------------------0---2---3---|
A|-3---5---------------------------|---------0---1---3---------------|
E|---------------------------------|-1---3---------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------3---------------|---------------------------------|
A|-4-----------4-----------4-------|-0-------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Intro]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------2---|-3---------------------------2---|
A|---------------------------------|-------------3-------3-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-3-----------------------3---2---|---------------------------------|
A|-------------3-------3-----------|-5-----------5-------------------|
E|---------------------------------|-----------------5---5-------5---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|
A|-5-----------5-----------5-------|
E|-----------------5---5-----------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Chorus]
G|---------------------2---3---5---|---------------------------------|
D|---------2---3---5---------------|---------------------0---2---3---|
A|-3---5---------------------------|---------0---1---3---------------|
E|---------------------------------|-1---3---------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------3---------------|----------------------0--2---3---|
A|-4-----------4-----------4-------|---------0---1---3---------------|
E|---------------------------------|-1---3---------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------2---3---5---|---------------------------------|
D|---------2---3---5---------------|---------------------0---2---3---|
A|-3---5---------------------------|---------0---1---3---------------|
E|---------------------------------|-1---3---------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------3---------------|---------------------------------|
A|-4-----------4-----------4-------|-0-------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
[Outro]
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------2---|-3---------------------------2---|
A|---------------------------------|-------------3-------3-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-3-----------------------3-------|---------------------------------|
A|-------------3-------3-----------|-5-------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|-------------5-------5-------5---|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|-------------------------9---6---|
D|---------------------------------|-7-----------7-------7-----------|
A|-5-----------5-------------------|---------------------------------|
E|-----------------5---5-------5---|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|-------------------------9---6---|---------------------------------|
D|-7---7-------7-------7-----------|-------------------------7-------|
A|---------------------------------|-5---5-------5-------5-------8---|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|-5-----------------------5-------|
D|-------------------------7-------|-----7-----------------------7---|
A|-5---5-------5-------5-------8---|-------------8-------8-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------7---|-------------------------7-------|
A|-8---8-------8-------8-----------|-5---5-------5-------5-------8---|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|
D|-------------------------7-------|
A|-5---5-------5-------5-----------|
E|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-------------------------7---4---|-------------------------7---4---|
E|-5---5-------5-------5-----------|-5---5-------5-------5-----------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|-----------------7---7-----------|
D|-------------------------7-------|-------------7-----7---------7---|
A|-5---5-------5-------5-------8---|-5---5---------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|--------------------------5------|-------------------------5-------|
D|-----------------------------7---|-----------------------------7---|
A|-8---8-------8-------8-----------|-8---8-------8-------8-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------------------7-------|-------------------------7-------|
A|-5---5-------5-------5-------8---|-5---5-------5-------5-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-------------------------7---4---|-------------------------7---4---|
E|-5---5-------5-------5-----------|-5---5-------5-------5-----------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------------------7-------|-------------------------7-------|
A|-5---5-------5-------5-------8---|-5---5-------5-------5-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|--------------------------5------|-------------------------5-------|
D|-----------------------------7---|-----------------------------7---|
A|-8---8-------8-------8-----------|-8---8-------8-------8-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------------------7-------|-------------------------7-------|
A|-5---5-------5-------5-------8---|-5---5-------5-------5-------8---|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
A|-------------------------7---4---|-------------------------7---4---|
E|-5---5-------5-------5-----------|-5---5-------5-------5-----------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------------------7-------|-------------------------7-------|
A|-5---5-------5-------5-------8---|-5---5-------5-------5-------8---|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|--------------------------5------|-------------------------5-------|
D|-----------------------------7---|-----------------------------7---|
A|-8---8-------8-------8-----------|-8---8-------8-------8-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-------------------------7-------|-------------------------7-------|
A|-5---5-------5-------5-------8---|-5---5-------5-------5-------8---|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + + 1 + + + 2 + + + 3 + + + 4 + + +
Bass Tabs | |
Title | The Man Who Sold The World |
Artist | David Bowie |
Tablature Type | ASCII Tab |
YouTube ID | u3MX-rUtS6M |
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).