BLACKBIRD (Bassline)
As recorded by Jaco Pastorius
(From the 1968 Album WORD OF MOUTH)
Words and Music by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Gtr I (E A D G) - 'Standard'
Moderately Fast Q=126
2/4
Gtr I
S S E S S E S S S S E E +E E S S S S
|-6-----7-----|-9--------18-18-|-(18)---18--------|
|---7-----9---|---11-----14-14-|-(14)------14-----|
|-----0-----0-|------0-0--0--0-|--(0)-0-------0-0-|
|-------------|----------------|------------------|
S S S S S S S S S S E S S S S S S S S S S E
|-18--------18--------|-11------14--------|-13--------16---14-|
|----14--------14-----|----12------13-----|----14-----15---16-|
|-------0-0-------0-0-|-------0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-|
|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
+E E S S S S S S S S S S S S E. S E E
|-(14)---14--------|-14--------14--------|-13--14---11-|
|-(16)------16-----|----15--------15-----|-14--14---12-|
|--(0)-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|--0---0----0-|
|------------------|---------------------|-------------|
+E Q E E E Q S S S S S S S S
|-(11)----11-|-(11)---11--|-11--------11--------||
|-(12)----12-|-(12)---12--|----12--------12-----||
|--(0)-0-----|---0--0-----|-------0-0-------0-0-||
|------------|------------|---------------------||
S S E S S E S S S S E E +E E S S S S
|-6-----7-----|-9--------18-18-|-(18)---18--------|
|---7-----9---|---11-----14-14-|-(14)------14-----|
|-----0-----0-|------0-0--0--0-|--(0)-0-------0-0-|
|-------------|----------------|------------------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|-18--------18--------|-11------14-14--------|-13--------16---14-|
|----14--------14-----|----12---------13-----|----14-----15---16-|
|-------0-0-------0-0-|-------0----------0-0-|-------0-0--0----0-|
|---------------------|----------------------|-------------------|
+E E S S S S S S S S S S S S E. S E E
|-(14)---14--------|-14--------14--------|-13--14---11-|
|-(16)------16-----|----15--------15-----|-14--14---12-|
|--(0)-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|--0---0----0-|
|------------------|---------------------|-------------|
+E Q E Q Q S S E E E
|-(11)----/11-|-10-----|-----------|
|-(12)--------|-12-----|-----------|
|--(0)-0------|--0--0--|-0-0-0-0-0-|
|-------------|--------|-----------|
E E Q Q E E a E Q E
|-14-----9--|-8------|-------14-----|
|-11s12-11--|-9------|-11h12-----14-|
|--0-----0--|-0--0-0-|------------0-|
|-----------|--------|--------------|
+E S S S S E Q E E Q Q
|----------------|--------|-------|
|-(14)-----------|-7------|-------|
|--(0)-0-0-0-0-0-|-0--0-0-|-0-----|
|----------------|--------|-------|
W W Q S S S S
|------|------|------------|
|------|------|--------7---|
|------|------|----0-0---0-|
|------|------|------------|
S S S S S S S S W H
|-----------------|------|------|
|-----------------|------|-7----|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|------|-0----|
|-----------------|------|------|
+H +H +H
|--------|--------|--------||
|-(7)----|-(7)----|-(7)----||
|-(0)----|-(0)----|-(0)----||
|--------|--------|--------||
S S E S S E S S S S E E +E E S S S S
|-6-----7-----|-9--------18-18-|-(18)---18--------|
|---7-----9---|---11-----14-14-|-(14)------14-----|
|-----0-----0-|------0-0--0--0-|--(0)-0-------0-0-|
|-------------|----------------|------------------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|-18--------18--------|-11--------14--------|-13--------16---14-|
|----14--------14-----|----12--------13-----|----14-----15---16-|
|-------0-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-|
|---------------------|---------------------|-------------------|
+E E S S S S S S S S S S S S E. S E E
|-(14)---14--------|-14--------14--------|-13--14---11-|
|-(16)------16-----|----15--------15-----|-14--14---12-|
|--(0)-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|--0---0----0-|
|------------------|---------------------|-------------|
+H +H S S S S S S S S
|-(11)----|-(11)----|-11-9--------------||
|-(12)----|-(12)----|------11-9-7-------||
|--(0)----|--(0)----|-------------9-7-5-||
|---------|---------|-------------------||
S S E S S S S S S S S E E +E E S S S S
|-------7-------|-9--------18-18-|-(18)---18--------|
|---7-----9-----|---11-----14-14-|-(14)------14-----|
|-4---0-----0-0-|------0-0--0--0-|--(0)-0-------0-0-|
|---------------|----------------|------------------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|-18--------18--------|-11--------14--------|-13--------16---14-|
|----14--------14-----|----12--------13-----|----14-----15---16-|
|-------0-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-|
|---------------------|---------------------|-------------------|
+E E S S S S S S S S S S S S E. S E E
|-(14)---14--------|-14--------14--------|-13--14---11-|
|-(16)------16-----|----15--------15-----|-14--14---12-|
|--(0)-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|--0---0----0-|
|------------------|---------------------|-------------|
+E Q E Q Q S S S S S S S S
|-(11)----/11-|-10-----|-----------------|
|-(12)--------|-12-----|-----------------|
|--(0)-0------|--0--0--|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
|-------------|--------|-----------------|
Q Q Q S S S S a E Q E
|-14---9--|-8----------|-------14-----|
|-12--11--|-9----------|-11s12-----14-|
|---------|----0-0-0-0-|------------0-|
|---------|------------|--------------|
+H +H H
|---------|---------|------|
|-(14)----|-(14)----|------|
|--(0)----|--(0)----|-0----|
|---------|---------|------|
E E E E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|--------14-||-19--------19--------|-14--------14--------|
|-----14----||----17--------16-----|----14--------12-----|
|-0-0-------||-------0-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|
|-----------||---------------------|---------------------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-9--------9--------|-11--------11--------|-19--------19--------|
|---10-------10-----|----12--------12-----|----17--------16-----|
|------0-0------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|
|-------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-14--------14--------|-9--------9--------|-8-------8-------|
|----14--------12-----|---10-------10-----|---9-------9-----|
|-------0-0-------0-0-|------0-0------0-0-|-----0-0-----0-0-|
|---------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-19--------19----19---|-14--------14--------|-9--------9--------|
|----17--------16------|----14--------12-----|---10-------10-----|
|-------0-0----------0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|------0-0------0-0-|
|----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-11--------11--------|-19--------19--------|-14-------14---14----|
|----12--------12-----|----17--------16-----|-14-------12------14-|
|-------0-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|----0-0-0----0-------|
|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
S S S S S S S S H W
|-9--------9--------|-8----|------||
|---10-------10-----|-9----|------||
|------0-0------0-0-|------|------||
|-------------------|------|------||
S S E S S E S S S S E E +E E S S S S
|-6-----7-----|-9--------18-18-|-(18)---18--------|
|---7-----9---|---11-----14-14-|-(14)------14-----|
|-----0-----0-|------0-0--0--0-|--(0)-0-------0-0-|
|-------------|----------------|------------------|
S S S S S S S S S S E S S S S S S S S S S E
|-18--------18--------|-11------14--------|-13--------16---14-|
|----14--------14-----|----12------13-----|----14-----15---16-|
|-------0-0-------0-0-|-------0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-|
|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
+E E S S S S S S S S S S S S E. S E E
|-(14)---14--------|-14--------14--------|-13--14---11-|
|-(16)------16-----|----15--------15-----|-14--14---12-|
|--(0)-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|--0---0----0-|
|------------------|---------------------|-------------|
+E Q a E H +E E E E
|-(11)----10s=11--|-10----|-(10)-------|
|-(12)----12-(12)-|-12----|-(12)-------|
|--(0)-0----------|-------|------0-0-0-|
|-----------------|-------|------------|
~~
S S S S S S S S S S E E E a E Q E
|-14--------9--------|-8---------|-------14-----|
|----14-------11-----|---9-------|-11s12-----14-|
|-------0-0------0-0-|-----0-0-0-|------------0-|
|--------------------|-----------|--------------|
+H +H +H
|---------|---------|---------|
|-(14)----|-(14)----|-(14)----|
|--(0)----|--(0)----|--(0)----|
|---------|---------|---------|
+H Wx8 S S E S S E
|---------|--------||-6-----7-----|
|-(14)----|--------||---7-----9---|
|--(0)----|--------||-----0-----0-|
|---------|--------||-------------|
S S E S S E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-9------18----18-|-12--------11--------|-9-------7-------|
|---11------14----|----12--------11-----|---9-------7-----|
|------0----------|-------0-0-------0-0-|-----0-0-----0-0-|
|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|
Q Q Q Q S S S S S S S S
|-!11--!14--|-!13--!16--|-14--------14--------|
|-!12--!13--|-!14--!15--|----16--------16-----|
|-!12--!14--|-!14--!16--|-------0-0-------0-0-|
|-----------|-----------|---------------------|
H E. S E E +Q +S S S S
|-!14----|-12--14------|---------------------|
|-!15----|-14--14---14-|-(14)--(14)-14-17-19-|
|-!-0----|--0-------15-|-(15)--(15)----------|
|--------|-------------|---------------------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|-14-------14-17----14-17-|-19-17-14-------14-------||------------7-----|
|----17-19-------19-------|----------19-17----19-17-||-14-----------9---|
|-------------------------|-------------------------||----17-15-0-----0-|
|-------------------------|-------------------------||------------------|
S S S S E E +E E S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-9--------18-18-|-(18)---18--------|-18--------18--------|
|---11-----14-14-|-(14)------14-----|----14--------14-----|
|------0-0--0--0-|--(0)-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|
|----------------|------------------|---------------------|
S S E S S S S S S S S S S E +E E S S S S
|-11------14--------|-13--------16---14-|-(14)---14--------|
|----12------13-----|----14-----15---16-|-(16)------16-----|
|-------0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-|--(0)-0-------0-0-|
|-------------------|-------------------|------------------|
E E S S S S E. S E E +Q +S S E
|-14---14--------|-/13--14---11-|-(11)--(11)-11-/11-|
|-15------15-----|-/14-------12-|-(12)--(12)--------|
|----0-------0-0-|---0---0----0-|--(0)---(0)--------|
|----------------|--------------|-------------------|
S S S S S S S S Q. E S S E S S S S
|-10---------------|--------|-14------9--------|
|-12---------------|--------|----11-----11-----|
|----0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0----0-|-------0------0-0-|
|------------------|--------|------------------|
S S S S S S E a E Q E +H
|-8-------8-----|-------14-----|---------|
|---9---9---9---|-11s12-----14-|-(14)----|
|-----0-------0-|------------0-|--(0)----|
|---------------|--------------|---------|
+H +H +H
|---------|---------|---------||
|-(14)----|-(14)----|-(14)----||
|--(0)----|--(0)----|--(0)----||
|---------|---------|---------||
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
||--19--------19--------|-14--------14--------|-9--------9--------|
||o----17--------16-----|----14--------12-----|---10-------10-----|
||o-------0-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|------0-0------0-0-|
||----------------------|---------------------|-------------------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-11--------11--------|-19--------19--------|-14--------14--------|
|----12--------12-----|----17--------16-----|----14--------12-----|
|-------0-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|
|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
1. 2.
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S Q
|-9--------9--------|-8-------8--------||-8----------|
|---10-------10-----|---9-------9-----o||---9--------|
|------0-0------0-0-|-----0-0-----0-0-o||-----0-0----|
|-------------------|------------------||------------|
W S S E S S E S S S S E E
|------||-6-----7-----|-9--------18-18-|
|------||---7-----9---|---11-----14-14-|
|------||-----0-----0-|------0-0--0--0-|
|------||-------------|----------------|
+E E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-(18)---18--------|-18--------18--------|-11--------14--------|
|-(14)------14-----|----14--------14-----|----12--------13-----|
|--(0)-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|
|------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
S S S S S S E +E E S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-13--------16---14-|-(14)---14--------|-14--------14--------|
|----14-----15---16-|-(16)------16-----|----15--------15-----|
|-------0-0-------0-|--(0)-0-------0-0-|-------0-0-------0-0-|
|-------------------|------------------|---------------------|
~~~
Q E E +Q. E E Q.
|-12----11-|-(11)---/11-|-10-14----|
|-14----12-|-(12)-------|----------|
|--0-----0-|--(0)-------|----------|
|----------|------------|----------|
Q. E S S E S S S S S S S S S S S S
|--------|-14------9--------|-8-------8-------|
|--------|----11-----11-----|---9-------9-----|
|-0----0-|-------0------0-0-|-----0-0-----0-0-|
|--------|------------------|-----------------|
E E E E +H +H
|-----14---9-|-(9)----|-(9)----*|
|-/12------7-|-(7)----|-(7)----*|
|----------0-|-(0)----|-(0)----*|
|------------|--------|--------*|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
