How to convert bass tab to guitar tab?
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 at
2:24 am
This song I’m learning has a bass part but I’m playing on a guitar. Can someone please tell me how to convert the bass tab into a guitar tab?
Tagged with: bass part • bass tab • guitar tab
Filed under: Guitar TABs - Tablature
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!







On a lot of songs the bass plays the root of the guitar chord on the first beat, so in your case take the first note of each measure of bass tab and play a guitar chord with that note as the root. For a E bass note find an E chord on the guitar. Thats the basic method and will always sound acceptable, but maybe not exactly right.
If you play bass well enough, look at each measure and figure out if the notes form a major or minor or 7th chord shape. Then you can play a the more accurate corresponding guitar chord. Or play the root chord and then hammer on to the 7th mid measure. The embelishment is up to you.
The 4 strings of a bass are the same 4 lower strings of a guitar, except they’re 1 octave lower, sonically. So, basically (lol) play the exact same tab on the guitar as if you were reading the bass tab, except keep in mind that you won’t be playing anything on the upper 2 guitar strings, i.e. B & E.