Billie Jean (ver 5) bass tabs

This is a BASS tab for Michael Jackson's Billy Jean song:
Billy Jean
Bass tab
F# through the verse till D
g ————————————————————————
d ——4———2——4———2——————————
a ————4———————————4——2————
e ————————————————————————
on Dm it's
g —————————————————————————
d ————4——————4——2——4———————
a ——2———0—2————————————————
e —————————————————————————
Pre—verse:
People always tell me..
g —————————————————————————
d —————————————————————————
a ——5——————————————————————
e ———————————————————2—————
Be careful what you do
g —————————————————————————
d ——4——————————————————————
a —————————————————————————
e ——————————————————2——————
And don't go...
g —————————————————————————
d —————————————————————————
a ——5——————————————————————
e ———————————————————2—————
young girls hearts...
g —————————————————————————
d ——4——————————————————————
a —————————————————————————
e ——————————————————2——————
And mother...
g —————————————————————————
d —————————————————————————
a ——5——————————————————————
e ———————————————————2—————
be careful who yo love
g —————————————————————————
d ——4——————————————————————
a —————————————————————————
e ——————————————————2——————
and be careful what you do 'cause the
g —————————————————————————
d —————————————————————————
a ——5——————————————————5—5—
e —————————————————————————
lie becomes the truth
g —————————————————————————
d —————————————————————————
a ——3—3—3—3—3——————————————
e —————————————————————————
Then it repeats from the top.

Billie Jean (ver 5) Bass Tabs – A Complete Guide

Billie Jean is one of Michael Jackson’s most famous songs, and it features an iconic bassline that any bass player should know. If you are a beginner looking to learn the song or an experienced player looking to perfect your technique, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll go over the song structure, chords, and techniques you need to know to master the Billie Jean bass tabs.

Song Structure

Before we dive into the Billie Jean bass tabs, let’s break down the song structure. The song is in the key of F# minor and follows a standard 4/4 time signature. Here is the song structure:

1. Intro
2. Verse 1
3. Chorus 1
4. Verse 2
5. Chorus 2
6. Interlude
7. Verse 3
8. Chorus 3
9. Bridge
10. Chorus 4
11. Outro

Chords

Now that we know the song structure, let’s look at the chords used in Billie Jean. The song only uses two chords:

• F# minor
• B7

These chords are played in a repeating pattern throughout the song, with the exception of the bridge and interlude sections.

Techniques

Now let’s get into the techniques you need to know to play the Billie Jean bass tabs. The song features a distinctive bassline that is played using a combination of fingerstyle and slapping techniques. Here are some tips to help you master these techniques:

• Use your thumb to play the root notes of the chords.
• Use your index and middle fingers to play the higher notes of the chords.
• Use your hand to slap the strings to create a percussive sound.
• Practice transitioning smoothly between fingerstyle and slapping techniques.

If you’re new to fingerstyle or slapping, don’t worry. Start by practicing the basic techniques slowly and gradually increase your speed as you become more comfortable.

Billie Jean Bass Tabs

Now that we’ve covered the song structure, chords, and techniques, it’s time to dig into the Billie Jean bass tabs. Here is the tablature for the main riff:

Riff

G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-0-0-2-3-3s5-3---|-0-0-2-3-3s5-3---|-0-0-2-3-3s5-3---|-0-0-2-3-3s5-3---|
E|---------------3-|---------------3-|---------------3-|---------------3-|
	

The riff is played in a repeating pattern throughout the song. For the bridge and interlude sections, the bassline switches up slightly. Here is the tablature:

Bridge Bassline

G|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----4-3---------|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-3-|-0-0-----5-3-0---|
	

Interlude Bassline

G|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|
	

Conclusion

By now, you should have a good understanding of how to play Billie Jean (ver 5) on bass. Remember to start slowly and work your way up to full speed as you get more comfortable with the techniques. With practice and patience, you can master this iconic bassline and impress your friends and fellow musicians. Happy playing!