
Electric Funeral is a song by the English rock band Black Sabbath, formed in Birmingham in 1968. The song's bass tabs are available online for those who want to learn how to play it on the bass guitar. Tabs are a great tool for learning songs, but mastering the techniques takes practice. To learn how to play Electric Funeral on bass, it is recommended to listen carefully to the original track and play along to lock in the rhythm.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Bottom line | Lowest-pitched string (E on a 4-string bass) |
| Lines with numbers | Indicate which fret to press |
| First note | Pick it, then press down on a higher fret with another finger without picking again |
| Plucking a note | "Pull off" your finger to let a lower fret ring |
| Finger movement | Move up (/) or down () the fretboard while maintaining pressure |
| Bend (b) | Push the string up or down to raise the pitch |
| Vibrato (~) | Shake the string slightly after playing a note to create a vibrating sound |
| Muted Notes (x) | Rest your finger lightly on the string without pressing a fret and pluck for a percussive "click" sound |
| Slap (s) | Strike the string with the side of your thumb for a percussive sound |
| Pop (p) | Pull the string away from the fretboard and let it snap back |
| Tabs | Listen to the song while reading the tab; wider spaces indicate longer pauses, while closer numbers indicate quicker notes |
| Learning | Listen carefully to the original track and play along to lock in the rhythm; smooth, accurate playing is more important than speed |
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Electric Funeral bass tabs
Electric Funeral is a song by Black Sabbath. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to play the bass tabs for the song.
The bottom line is the lowest-pitched string (E on a 4-string bass). Numbers on the lines indicate which fret to press. For example:
G|-------------------|
D|-------------------|
A|---3---------------|
E|-------------------|
This means you play the 3rd fret on the A string. Play the first note by picking it, then press down on a higher fret with another finger without picking again.
Pluck a note and then "pull off" your finger to let a lower fret ring. Move your finger up (/) or down (\) the fretboard while maintaining pressure.
Bend (b): Push the string up or down to raise the pitch. Example: G|-------7b9---------| Vibrato (~): Shake the string slightly after playing a note to create a vibrating sound. Example: G|-------7~----------|
Muted Notes (x): Rest your finger lightly on the string without pressing a fret and pluck for a percussive "click" sound. Tabs don’t always indicate timing, so listen to the song while reading the tab. Wider spaces between numbers mean longer pauses, while closer numbers indicate quicker notes.
Slap (s): Strike the string with the side of your thumb for a percussive sound. Pop (p): Pull the string away from the fretboard and let it snap back.
G—————9——7————————————————|
|—————9——7—————————————————|
D——————————9————7\————————|
|——————————9————7—8\———————|
A—7—7—————————————————————|
|—7—7——————————————————————|
E———————————————————2—3—2—|x2|
————————————————————2—3—2—|x1
G—————9——7————————————————|
D——————————9————7\————————|
A—7—7—————————————————————|
E———————————————————2—3—2—|x1
And here is the tab for the verse:
G—————————————|
|———————————————————|
D———9~~8~~7—5|
|—————————9~~8~~7—5|
A—7———————————|
|—7—7—7—7———————————|
E————————————|x1|
——————————————————|x7
G||——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————||
D||.————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————.||
A||.—7—7—7—7—7—7—7—7—7—7
Finally, here is a tab for another version of the song:
G|———————————12—12—12—12—————————————12—12—12—12————|
D|——————————————————————————————————————————————————|
A|——————————————————————————————————————————————————|
E|—12—10—12——————————————10—12—10—12—————————————10|
G|—9———12———14———12——*pb14——16——9———12———14———*pb16———14———12—|
D|————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|x2
A|————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
E|————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————|
G|———————————12—12—12—12—————————————12—12—12—12————|
D|——————————————————————————————————————————————————|x2
A|——————————————————————————————————————————————————|
E|—12—10—12—
Remember to listen carefully to the original track and play along to lock in the rhythm. Don’t rush — smooth, accurate playing is more important than speed.
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Bottom line is the lowest-pitched string
The bottom line is the lowest-pitched string (E on a 4-string bass). Numbers on the lines indicate which fret to press. For example:
> G|-------------------|
> D|-------------------|
> A|---3---------------|
> E|-------------------|
This means you play the 3rd fret on the A string. Play the first note by picking it, then press down on a higher fret with another finger without picking again.
Pluck a note and then "pull off" your finger to let a lower fret ring. Move your finger up (/) or down (\) the fretboard while maintaining pressure.
> G|-------7b9---------|
Bend (b): Push the string up or down to raise the pitch. Vibrato (~): Shake the string slightly after playing a note to create a vibrating sound.
> G|-------7~----------|
Muted Notes (x): Rest your finger lightly on the string without pressing a fret and pluck for a percussive "click" sound.
> G|-------------------|
> D|-------------------|
> A|---3---------------|
> E|---x---------------|
Tabs are a great tool to learn songs, but mastering the techniques takes practice. Listen carefully to the original track and play along to lock in the rhythm. Don’t rush — smooth, accurate playing is more important than speed.
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Numbers on the lines indicate which fret to press
To play Electric Funeral on bass, you need to understand bass tablature (tabs). The bottom line is the lowest-pitched string (E on a 4-string bass). Numbers on the lines indicate which fret to press. For example:
G|-------7b9---------|
Here, the number 7 indicates that you play the 7th fret on the G string. The 'b' indicates a bend, which means you push the string up or down to raise or lower the pitch. So, in this case, you would push the string up or down after playing the 7th fret on the G string to create a pitch change to the 9th fret.
Another example is:
G|-------------------|
D|-------------------|
A|---3---------------|
E|-------------------|
This means you play the 3rd fret on the A string. The lines without numbers indicate that you play the open string without pressing any frets.
It's important to listen carefully to the original track and play along to lock in the rhythm. Don't rush—smooth, accurate playing is more important than speed. Tabs don't always indicate timing, so wider spaces between numbers mean longer pauses, while closer numbers indicate quicker notes.
Here's an example of the Electric Funeral bass tab:
G|—————————7—9— |——————————————|
D|———5—7—9————— |———5—7—8—7—5——|
A|—7——————————— |—7————————————|
E|—————————————|——————————————|x2
This tab shows the notes to play and the rhythm to follow, with the numbers indicating the frets to press and the lines without numbers representing the open strings.
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Mastering the techniques takes practice
Mastering the techniques to play "Electric Funeral" on bass takes dedication and consistent practice. Here are some tips to help you master the techniques and improve your performance:
Start slow and focus on accuracy: Begin by playing the song at a slower tempo. This will allow you to focus on playing each note accurately and precisely. Take time to perfect your finger placement and ensure that you are fretting the correct notes. Use a metronome to help you maintain a steady tempo and gradually increase the speed as you improve.
Break down the song into sections: Divide the song into smaller, manageable parts. Focus on mastering each section individually before putting them all together. This approach will make the learning process less overwhelming and help you internalize the structure and nuances of the song.
Practice your right-hand technique: "Electric Funeral" requires a combination of fingerstyle and picking techniques. Ensure that your picking hand is relaxed and that you are alternating your fingers smoothly and efficiently. Practice the galloping pattern in the verse to achieve a consistent and tight sound.
Develop your left-hand muting technique: Effective muting is crucial for achieving a clean and articulate sound in this song. Focus on lightly resting your left hand on the strings to mute unwanted noise and resonance. This technique will help you create crisp and defined notes, especially during the faster passages.
Strengthen your fretting hand: The song requires you to hold down notes and chords for extended periods, so work on building up the strength and endurance in your fretting hand. Practice holding chord shapes and maintaining a steady grip without excessive tension. This will help you play through the entire song with ease and reduce hand fatigue.
Use appropriate amplification: To capture the tone and feel of "Electric Funeral," consider using a bass amplifier with overdrive or distortion capabilities. Experiment with different settings to find a tone that suits the song's dark and heavy atmosphere. Remember that your amplifier's settings can greatly impact your playing dynamics and tone.
Regular practice and patience are key to mastering "Electric Funeral" on bass. Consistent repetition will help you internalize the song's structure, improve your muscle memory, and refine your technique. Remember to take breaks when needed and maintain a relaxed and comfortable playing posture to avoid strain or injury. With dedication and persistence, you'll soon be able to confidently perform this iconic Black Sabbath bass line.
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Listen carefully to the original track
Listen out for the different techniques used in the song and try to replicate them on your bass. For example, muted notes are created by resting your finger lightly on the string without pressing a fret and plucking for a percussive "click" sound. To play a slap (s), strike the string with the side of your thumb for a percussive sound. A pop (p) is when you pull the string away from the fretboard and let it snap back.
Bend (b) is a technique where you push the string up or down to raise or lower the pitch. For example, G|-------7b9---------|. To create a vibrating sound after playing a note, use vibrato (~). Shake the string slightly after playing a note, like this: G|-------7~----------|
Listen to how the song structure develops and pay attention to any repeats or variations. For example, the intro riff is repeated, and there is a pre-bridge section. Play along with the original track, focusing on smooth and accurate playing rather than speed.
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Frequently asked questions
Listen carefully to the original track and play along to lock in the rhythm. Don’t rush — smooth, accurate playing is more important than speed.
Bass tablatures (tabs) are an easy way to learn songs without needing to read traditional sheet music. Numbers on the lines indicate which fret to press. For example, when you see: G|-------------------| D|-------------------| A|---3---------------| E|-------------------|. This means you play the 3rd fret on the A string.
Tabs don't always indicate timing, so listen to the song while reading the tab. Wider spaces between numbers mean longer pauses, while closer numbers indicate quicker notes.











































