Description
Notes From John
BPM starts at 85, in 4/4. The three-page bass TAB rests through the Intro and first two Verses, entering in the Pre-Chorus at bar 29. “With pick” and “with fingers” are printed in that passage. Slides, hammer-ons, dead notes and passing figures shape the later line. The Break Down leaves space before a rising slide; the Outro builds into fast repeated notes.
For the player
Steve McDonald is credited with bass on Tenacious D’s debut album. The first task here is counting the long wait into bar 29. Rehearse the pick-to-fingers instruction so the change in attack is deliberate. Give the slides and passing figures a destination, then keep the final repeated notes even rather than making speed do the work of a dynamic build.
Accurate transcription
A bass guitar chart for Tenacious D’s “Tribute”, preserving the notation, rests, articulations and section cues in the supplied PDF.
Core Elements
- Three pages of four-line rhythmic TAB with section and chord cues.
- Long opening rests and explicit pick/finger instructions.
- Slides, hammer-ons, passing notes, dead notes and fast repeated-note passages.
How this chart differs
The bass enters well after the acoustic opening and has its own articulation changes. It joins the arrangement on its own terms rather than doubling the guitar chords from the first bar.
Skills
- Counting long rests into a secure entrance.
- Changing attack between pick and fingers.
- Keeping fast repeated notes even while shaping slides and passing notes.
For players learning the bass guitar role in Tenacious D’s “Tribute”. Practise the written changes with the recording. Membership gets the chart.
