MEAN STREET (Bassline)
As recorded by Van Halen
(From the 1981 Album FAIR WARNING)
Words and Music by Edward Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth
Gtr I (Eb Ab Db Gb) - 'Tuned Down 1/2 Step'
Intro
Moderate Rock Q=132
4/4 3/4
Gtr I
W 5x W
||------------||------|
||o----------o||------|
||o----------o||------|
||------------||------|
4/4
W W
||---------|-------||
||o--------|------o||
||o--------|------o||
||---------|-------||
5/4
W W
|----------|------|
|----------|------|
|----------|------|
|----------|------|
4/4
W W W
|----------|----------|------||
|----------|----------|------||
|----------|----------|------||
|----------|----------|------||
Slower Q=100
W W W W
|----------|----------|----------|------|
|----------|----------|----------|------|
|----------|----------|----------|------|
|----------|----------|----------|------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S Q S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-5-----------5--------------|-5-----------5--------------------|
|---7---7---5---7---7-----5--|---7---7---5---7-7-5-5-5-5--------|
|-----------------------7----|---------------------------7-7-7--|
|----------------------------|----------------------------------|
S S S S S S S S S S S S E. S S S E E. S +H
|-5-----------5----------------|-14p12---------------|
|---7---7---5---7---7-----5s12-|---------------------|
|-----------------------7------|---------------------|
|------------------------------|------------8-(8)----|
Verse
S S S S S S S S S S S S Q S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
||-----------------------------|---------------------------------|
||o----------------------------|---------------------------------|
||o-------------3--------------|-3-----------3-------------------|
||--5-5---5---3---5---5---0-3--|---5---5---3---5-5-3-3-3-3-0-0-0-|
S S S S S S S S S S S S Q S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-3-----------3--------------|-3-----------3--------------------|
|---5---5---3---5---5---0-3--|---5---5---3---5-5-3-3-3-3-0-0-0--|
S S S S S S S S S S S S Q S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-3-----------3--------------|-3-----------3--------------------|
|---5---5---3---5---5---0-3--|---5---5---3---5-5-3-3-3-3-0-0-0--|
S S S S S S S S S S S S Q S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------|----------------------------------||
|----------------------------|----------------------------------||
|-3-----------3--------------|-3-----------3--------------------||
|---5---5---3---5---5---0-3--|---5---5---3---5-5-3-3-3-3-0-0-0--||
Chorus
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S +S E S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-(5)-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
S S S S S E S +S S S S S S E S S S S S S S S S a E S S S S S
|-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------7-7-(7)-------------|-------------------5h7-5----------|
|-------------------------------|-------------------------7-6-5-3--|
|-5-5-5-5-5---------5-5-5-0-0-3-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5----------------|
1.
S S S S S S S S +S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S +S S S S S S S S
|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-(5)-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-(5)-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
E S S a S S S S E S S S S S S E S S S S S S q Q
|-------------------7---7---5s4-|-----------------------||
|-------------------------------|----------------------o||
|-----------7-9-7-5---5---5-----|-7-7-7-5--------------o||
|-5-5-5-7s9---------------------|---------7-4-3-0-------||
2.
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E S S a S S S S Q. E
|---------------------------------|------------------------||
|---------------------------------|------------------------||
|---------------------------------|-----------7-9-7-5------||
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-7s9--------------||
Bridge
W S E S Q E Q.
|----------|------------------|
|----------|------------------|
|----------|------------------|
|----------|-5-5--------10---|
S E S Q H S E S Q E Q.
|---------------|------------------|
|---------------|------------------|
|---------------|------------------|
|-5-5-----------|-5-5--------10---|
S E S Q H S E S Q E Q.
|---------------|------------------|
|---------------|------------------|
|---------------|------------------|
|-5-5-----------|-5-5--------10---|
S E S Q H S E S Q S E S E S S
|---------------|----------------------||
|---------------|----------------------||
|---------------|----------------------||
|-5-5-----------|-5-5--------2-2-3-3-4-||
Guitar Solo
E S S E S S S S S S S S E +E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------7---|---------------------------------|
|-------------------------3-|-(3)-----------------------------|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-----|-----5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-3-3-|
+E S S S S S S S S S S S S E +E S S S S S S S E S +S S E
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|---------------------7-(7)-5---|
|-----------------------------3-|-(3)---------------3---------7-|
|-(3)-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5---|-----5-5-5-5-5-5-5-------------|
+E S S S S S S S S S S S S E +E S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-(7)-------------------------3-|-(3)---------------------------|
|-----5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5---|-----5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-3-|
~
+E S S S S S S S S S S S S S. T S S S S S S S S S S S S Q
|----------------------------------|--------------------------------------||
|----------------------------------|--------------------------------------||
|-----------------------------7s12-|-12-9-10-11-12-9-10-11-12-10-11-12----||
|-(3)-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5------|-----------------------------------8--||
Verse
S S S S S S S S S S S S Q S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-------------3--------------|-3-----------3--------------------|
|-5-5---5---3---5---5---0-3--|---5---5---3---5-5-3-3-3-3-0-0-0--|
S S S S S S S S S S S S Q S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-3-----------3--------------|-3-----------3--------------------|
|---5---5---3---5---5---0-3--|---5---5---3---5-5-3-3-3-3-0-0-0--|
S S S S S S S S S S S S Q S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-3-----------3--------------|-3-----------3--------------------|
|---5---5---3---5---5---0-3--|---5---5---3---5-5-3-3-3-3-0-0-0--|
S S S S S S S S S S S S Q S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------|----------------------------------||
|----------------------------|----------------------------------||
|-3-----------3--------------|-3-----------3--------------------||
|---5---5---3---5---5---0-3--|---5---5---3---5-5-3-3-3-3-0-0-0--||
Chorus
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S +S E S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-(5)-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
S S S S S E S +S S S S S S E S S S S S S S S S a E S S S S S
|-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-----------7-7-(7)-------------|-------------------5h7-5----------|
|-------------------------------|-------------------------7-6-5-3--|
|-5-5-5-5-5---------5-5-5-0-0-3-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5----------------|
S S S S S S S S +S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S +S S S S S S S S
|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-(5)-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-(5)-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|
E S S S S S S E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S q Q
|-----------------7---7---5-4-|------------------------||
|-----------7-----------------|------------------------||
|-------5h7---7-5---5---5-----|-7-7-7-7-5--------------||
|-5-5-5-----------------------|-----------7-5-3-0------||
Interlude
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-3-----------3-------------------|-3-------------------------------|
|---5-5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-0-3-3-3-3-|---5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3-0-0-3-3-5-5-|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-------------------------------5-|---------------------------------|
|-3-----------3-------------------|-3-------------------------------|
|---5-5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-0-3-3-3---|---5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3-0-0-3-3-5-5-|
E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|-------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------------------------5---|--------------------------------|
|-3---------3-----------------0-|-3------------------------------|
|---5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-0-3-3-----|---5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3-0-0-3-3-5--|
S S S S S S S S S S S S E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|-------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|---------------------------5-5-|--------------------------------|
|-3-----------3-----------------|-3------------------------------|
|---5-5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-0-3-----|---5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3-0-0-3-3-5--|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|---------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-----------------------------5---|-------------------------------|
|-3-----------3-------------------|-3-----------------------------|
|---5-5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-0-3-3---3-|---5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3-0-0-3-3-5-|
S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|-------------------------------|--------------------------------||
|-----------------------------5-|--------------------------------||
|-3-----------3-----------------|-3------------------------------||
|---5-5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-0-3-3---|---5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3-0-0-3-3-5--||
Outro
E S S S S S S S S S S E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E
|-----------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-------------------------5---|-------------------------------|
|-3---------3-----------------|-3-----------------------------|
|---5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-0-3---3-|---5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3-0-0-3-3-5-|
E S S S S S S S S S S E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E 3x
||------------------------------|---------------------------------||
||o-------------------------5---|--------------------------------o||
||o-3---------3-----------------|-3------------------------------o||
||----5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-0-3---3-|---5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3-0-0-3-3-5---||
E S S S S S S S S S S E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E 6x
||------------------------------|---------------------------------||
||o-------------------------5---|--------------------------------o||
||o-3---------3-----------------|-3------------------------------o||
||----5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-0-3---3-|---5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3-0-0-3-3-5---||
E S S S S S S S S S S E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S E 4x
||------------------------------|---------------------------------||
||o-------------------------5---|--------------------------------o||
||o-3---------3-----------------|-3------------------------------o||
||----5-5-5-5---5-5-5-5-0-3---3-|---5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-3-0-0-3-3-5---||
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
