* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* -------------THE COMPLETE, FULL VERSION-----------------*
* ME & MY BASS GUITAR -- by Victor Wooten *
* Tablature by David D'aranjo, 2003 www.davedaranjo.com *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Victor Wooten's awesome slapping skills are put into full effect on this track from his 1996 debut album, "A Show of Hands". "Me & My Bass
Guitar" is a complex sounding song that is actually pretty accesible once broken down. As with many of Victor's jams, lots of ghost notes
(written "x" on the tab) fill up space and give it that funky, complex groove. Also, check out Victor's website to get familiar with his "hammer,
slap, pluck" technique. It is in full gear here.
Victor also has a secret to keeping his strings from vibrating too much: he puts a fuzzy hair tie on the neck, dampening the strings enough to
keep them under control. You can see this in any of his videos or pictures of him playing. Use a small hair tie to play this song -- it is essential
to reaching his distinctive sound.
This tab makes an attempt at all sections of the recorded version of the song, and tells you how to string them together at the end. Though
Victor may play it differently, the overall effect is achieved! Happy tabbing.
* * * * * * * * *
SLAMMIN' INTRO GROOVE
The song begins with a percussive INTRO GROOVE. This should be easy to figure out. Aside from the chords he "strums", the other notes are
just percussive experiments he does with his palms higher up on the neck.
Play along with the CD and be sure to "strum" those notes with all the fingers of your right hand. He ends the intro with a quick tap on the G-
string's 23rd fret before launching into the MAIN GROOVE. For that tap, use either you right hand thumb or index finger.
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G--------------------------x--x-----x-----x-----x--x--|
D--------------------------x--x-----x-----x-----x--x--|
A-------START==>-----------x--x-----x-----x-----x--x--|
E--------------------------x--x-----x-----x-----x--x--|
"ah" "uh"
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----x-----------x--------x--x-----x-----x-----x-----|
D-----x-----------x--------x--x-----x-----x-----x-----|
A-----9-----------x--------x--x-----x-----x-----10----|
E-----x-----------x--------x--x-----x-----x-----x-----|
S S
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----x-----------x--------x--x-----x-----x-----x-----|
D-----x-----------x--------x--x-----x-----x-----x-----|
A-----x-----------x--------x--x-----x-----x-----x-----|
E-----x-----------x--------x--x-----x-----x-----x-----|
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----x-----------x--------x--x-----------x-----x-----|
D-----x-----------x--------x--x-----------x-----x-----|
A-----9-----------x--------x--x-----------x-----10----|
E-----x-----------x--------x--x-----------x-----x-----|
S S
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----x-----------x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----|
D-----x-----------x------x----x-----x-----x-----x-----|
A-----x-----------x-------x---x-----x-----x-----x-----|
E-----x-----------x--------x--x-----x-----x-----x-----|
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----x-----------x--------x--x-----------x-----x-----|
D-----x-----------x--------x--x-----------x-----x-----|
A-----9-----------x--------x--x-----------x-----10----|
E-----x-----------x--------x--x-----------x-----x-----|
S S
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----x-----------x--------x--x-----x-----x-----x-----|
D-----x-----------x--------x--x-----x-----x-----x-----|
A-----x-----------x--------x--x-----x-----x-----11----|
E-----x-----------x--------x--x-----x-----x-----x-----|
S
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----x-----x-----x--------x--x-----x-----x-----x-----|
D-----x-----x-----x--------x--x-----x-----x-----x-----|
A-----x-----x-----x--------x--x-----x-----x-----12~~~~|
E-----x-----x-----x--------x--x-----x-----x-----x-----|
S~~~~~~
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------x-----x-----x-----------x-----x----t23----|
D-----------x-----x-----x-----------x-----x-----------|
A~~~~~~-----x-----x-----13~~~~~-----x-----x-----------| To MAIN GROOVE
E-----------x-----x-----x-----------x-----x-----------|
~~~~~~~ S~~~~~~ R
* * * * * * * * *
MAIN GROOVE / VERSE
Essentially, the main groove is based on triplets. The first method of playing this groove involves tapping the note with your left hand (marked
L; the "h" by the number stands for 'hammer-on'), slapping the second ghost note with your thumb (marked R), and then finishing off the
triplet with a mute pluck (marked P) on the G string. Mute the G string with the 'fat' of your playing fingers.
MAIN GROOVE, without tapping
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------x--------x--------------x-----------------||
D-------------h6--x----h7--x--------------------------||
A----------------------------h7--x--------x-h5--------||
E----h7--x----------------------------h5-------h6~~~--||
L R P L R P L R L R P L R L L
If this strikes you as a little difficult, here is an easier way to do it. There is no plucking involved. You just tap the note with your left hand
(marked L), and slap the remainder of the muted ghost notes with your right thumb (marked R):
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------------------------------------------------||
D-------------h6--x--x-h7--x--------------------------||
A----------------------------h7--x--x-----x-h5--------||
E----h7--x--x-------------------------h5-------h6~~~--||
L R R L R R L R L R R L R L L
Either way works. Practice them slowly at first and build speed. When you have the 'bass' of it, let's add the right hand chord tapping.
MAIN GROOVE, added tapping with right hand - index & middle
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G---(t19)------------x--------------x-----------------|
D---(t19)-----h6--x----h7--x--------------------------|
A----------------------------h7--x--------x-h5--------|
E----h7-------------------------------h5-------h6~~~--|
G---(t16)------------x--------------x-----------------||
D---(t16)-----h6--x----h7--x--------------------------||
A----------------------------h7--x--------x-h5--------||
E----h7-------------------------------h5-------h6~~~--||
Note that both measures of the groove are the same, except for the tapping with the right hand (written in parenthesis) which goes from 19 to
16. Listen carefully to the CD to get Victor's experimentations with the tapped chords. He sometimes will repeat the hit on beat 2 of the
measure, and also sometimes slides the chords up on the release. There's a method to his madness, but I'll leave that for you to find out. Now
on to the chorus. . .
* * * * * * * * *
BREAKDOWN/VAMP and CHORUS
This is a toughie. Practice this slowly and the speed will come.
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G---(t16)------------x--------------x--------x--------|
D---(t16)-----h6--x----h7--x--------------------------|
A----------------------------h7--x--------------------| <--- VAMP
E----h7-------------------------------h5--x----h4-----|
L R P L R L R P L R P L
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------4-h7-----4--------------2-----------------|
D-------------------------------------h4--x-----------|
A-------------------------------------------h4-----x--|
E----h3--x--------x----h3--x-h2--x-------------h2-----|
L R P L R P L R L R P L R L L R
"And if you ever looking for me . . . ."
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G--------------4--------------------4-----------------|
D-----------5-----------------------------4/5\4-------|
A-----------------x-h5-------------------------h5~~~--|
E----h3--x-------------h3--x-h2-----------------------|
L R P P R L L R L P R L L L
"Don't go too far . . . . "
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------4-h7-----4--------------2-----------------|
D-------------------------------------h4--x-----------|
A-------------------------------------------h4--------|
E----h3--x--------x----h3--x-h2--x-------------h2~~~~~|
L R P L R P L R L R P L R L L
"'Cuz if you really wanna find me . . . ."
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------------------------5/6~~~~~~~~~x-----------|
D-----------------7-----------6/7~~~~~~~~~x-----------|
A--------7/h8/h9----h9\h7\h5--0~~~~~~~~~~~x-----5-----|
E~~~~~x-----------------------------------x-----------|
R L L L R L L R STRUM~~~~~~~ P
"You know where I are. . . ." "With. .
(As a variation, Victor also takes the strummed 6/7 chord up to 7/8 on the 4th beat on the 2nd time round)
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------7--------------------------------------x--|
D-----------7--------------------7-h9-h9--7-h9~~~-----| To MODIFIED
A-----------------x-----6-h7--------------------------| MAIN GROOVE:
E-----7-----------------------------------------------|
R P R R L R L L R L P
. . . Me and My Bass Guitar!"
* * * * * * * * *
MODIFIED MAIN GROOVE
The main groove is slightly different after the chorus. It's a combination of the original MAIN GROOVE and the end of the CHORUS:
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------x--------x--------------x-----------------|
D-------------h6--x----h7--x--------------------------|
A----------------------------h7--x--------x-h5--------|
E----h7--x----------------------------h5-------h6~~~--|
L R P L R P L R L R P L R L L
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------6/h7--------------------------------------||
D-----------6/h7--x-------------h7-h9--9--7--9~~~-----||
A-------------------h6--6-h7--7--------------------9--|| REPEAT 4X
E----h7-----------------------------------------------||
R P R L R L R L L R L R P
* * * * * * * * *
"TOO FUNKY" VAMP
This is the intro to the OFFA DAT FUNK GROOVE. Of course, I can't be sure what Victor is actually doing when he plays this, however I believe
that he is utilizing his "picking thumb" technique in which he slaps with both sides of his thumb in an up-down motion - like the motion of a
guitar pick. Try and do this whenever there is a string of Rs together. He varies the riff, but it basically looks like this:
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------------------x-------------------------h4--||
D--------------7-----------------------------7--------||
A-----------------------------------------------------|| REPEAT 7X
E-----5--5--5-----x-----------x--x--5--5--7-----------||
R R R P R P R R R R R P L
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------------------x-----x-h20-------------------|
D--------------7--------x-----x----h19---h19----------| To "OFFADAT"
A-----------------------x-----x-------------h18-------| FUNK GROOVE:
E-----5--5--5-----------x-----x-------h5--------------|
R R R P R R R R L R R
* * * * * * * * *
"OFFADAT" FUNK GROOVE
This little groove in the middle of the song is 100% tapping, so I've nixed the "h" and "t" symbols in the composite -- it's also pretty
complicated and tricky to get down, but luckily just a one measure loop. Repeat it eight times before going into the reprise of the SLAMMIN'
INTRO GROOVE.
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G--------------7--19----------------------19-7--------||
D--------------7-----------------------------7--------||
A-----21-19-21----------21-19-21-19-21----------21----|| REPEAT 8X
E-----7-----------------5-----------5-----------------||
L L L L L L L L L L L
R R R R R
If that is just too hard to read, I've broken it down into what each of your hands should be doing:
"BASS" (left hand) tapping chords (h)
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G--------------7-----------------------------7--------||
D--------------7-----------------------------7--------||
A-----------------------------------------------------||
E-----7-----------------5-----------5-----------------||
"TREBLE" (right hand) tapping chords (t)
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------------19----------------------19----------||
D-----------------------------------------------------||
A-----21-19-21----------21-19-21-19-21----------21----||
E-----------------------------------------------------||
* * * * * * * * *
SUPERFAST RIFF
"Yo Vic, do that. . uh. . Do that. . .Yeah!". The SUPERFAST RIFF sounds amazing on the record, and when you break it down you understand why
it does. Essentially, Victor is adding one extra ghost note to the regular groove take it from a triplet feel to a 16th note double-time quad feel.
I believe he does it like this: The technique now shifts from "hammer, slap, pluck" to "hammer, slap, pluck, pluck". Try it out, and try to find
something that feels comfortable. My tablature time might not be quite right, but throughout this tab, try and concentrate on getting the feel
by yourself by listening to the CD.
1 + e + & + a + 2 + e + & + a + 3 + e + & + a + 4 + e + & + a +
G-------------x---------x-x--------x-x--------x-----------x---------x-|
D-----------x----h6---x------h7--x----------x-----------x---------x---|
A------------------------------------h7---x---------------------------|
E----h7---x--------------------------------------h5---x------h6-x-----|
L R P P L R P P L R P PL R P P L R P P L R P P
1 + e + & + a + 2 + e + & + a + 3 + e + & + a + 4 + e + & + a +
G-------------x---------x-x--------x-x----------------x---------------|
D-----------x----h6---x------h7--x--------------------x---------------|
A------------------------------------h7~~slide~down~~\x---------------|
E----h7---x-------------------------------------------x---------------|
L R P P L R P P L R P PR R
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------6/h7--------------------------------------||
D-----------6/h7--x-------------h7-h9--9--7--9~~~-----|| Back to
A-------------------h6--6-h7--7--------------------9--|| MODIFIED
E----h7-----------------------------------------------|| MAIN GROOVE
R P R L R L R L L R L R P
* * * * * * * * *
"JIGGABUTT" GROOVE and ENDING
There are many ways to play the "Jiggabutt" groove that Victor fades back in with, but here are two ways that work:
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------6/h7~~------------------------7-----------||
D-----------6/h7~~------------------------7-----------||
A-----------------------h7-h5-------------------------||
E-----7-----------x-----------x-h7-h5-----------5-----||
R P R L L L L P R
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------x--------x--------------------7-----------||
D-------------h6--x-----------------------7-----------||
A-----------------------h7-h5-------------------------|| REPEAT w/adlib
E----h7--x--------------------x-h7-h5-----------5-----|| until end
L R P L R P L L L L P R
Variations: Listen out for some of Victor's variations throughout the last part of the song. Sometimes he doesn't hit the 7/7 chord at all. Also,
he sometimes hits "off" notes (followed by a "What?" on the record) that are worth checking out.
And finally, the last two measures of the song:
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----------6\h7~~------------------------------------|
D-----------6\h7~~------------------------------------|
A-----------------------7-h5--------------------------|
E-----7-----------x-----------x--5--4-----5-----6-----|
R P R L L L L
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G-----7~~~~~~~~~~\x-----------------------------------||
D-----9~~~~~~~~~~\x-----------------------------------||
A-----x~~~~~~~~~~\x-----------------------------------||
E-----7~~~~~~~~~~\x-----------------------------------||
STRUM~~~~~~~"Ack! Don't mighty know."
* * * * * * * * *
PUTTIN' IT ALL TOGETHER
Now, follow the chart, put the pieces together, follow the instructions, and you're set to perform the CD version of the song! You may want to
add a touch of reverb, which is what it sounds like Victor's doing. It also helps the dynamic. And be creative! Add your own parts, and make
the way you perform it your very own!
Me & My Bass Guitar Chart:
SLAMMIN' INTRO GROOVE (as written)
MAIN GROOVE, without tapping (4X; end on the 3rd beat's note on the 4th measure)
MAIN GROOVE, with tapping (4X; vamp into the chorus)
CHORUS (as written)
MODIFIED MAIN GROOVE (4X; end on the 3rd beat's note on the 7th measure)
MAIN GROOVE, with tapping (4X; vamp into the chorus)
CHORUS (as written)
MODIFIED MAIN GROOVE (4X; end on the 3rd beat's note on the 7th measure)
TOO FUNKY VAMP (as written)
OFFADAT FUNK GROOVE (as written)
SLAMMIN' INTRO GROOVE (as written)
MAIN GROOVE, without tapping (2X)
SUPERFAST RIFF (1X)
MODIFIED MAIN GROOVE (till "fade out")
JIGGABUTT GROOVE and ENDING ("fade in", play until ending.)
* * * * * * * * *
END NOTES
Victor Lemonte Wooten is a fabulous musician -- a true bass virtuoso. Exploring his song "Me and My Bass Guitar" is intended to teach you
some of his trademark techniques in a way that is fun and challenging (and so you can show off to your friends!) Teaching myself this song
has opened up whole new worlds of technical ability that I apply to my playing and compositions. As Victor would put it, learning the song is a
means of giving you new tools to build up your own work. There's no point in parroting Victor's voice, so use his gifts to help you strengthen
your own voice. Lastly, know that my fingerings on the tab are for me - it's likely you'll find easier ways to play what I've written, so explore
that. I hope that this complete version is accurate and easy to understand -- feel free to email me at daranjo@hotmail.com if you have any
questions. I'm an 18 year old bassist in NYC looking for a gig! Gimme a gig man! Happy playing.
