Anyone know where I can find tabs on MJ's Billie Jean? I'd like to be able to play that but it's a little too out there for me to figure out with a total of 90 days bass experience. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Billie Jean tabs?
- Thread starter BarkSlayer
- Start date
While not really difficult this line actually takes some left hand strength in order to play it smooth at tempo over may repititions. IMHO
I had many months of experience before I could master it.
I wouldn't be discouraged if it gave me some trouble after only 3 months of playing bass.
I had many months of experience before I could master it.
I wouldn't be discouraged if it gave me some trouble after only 3 months of playing bass.
Okay...I'm lying. While I've owned a bass for roughly 90 days, between running two businesses, chasing three dogs and cutting 6 acres of grass every week, my actual hands-on bass playing experience is closer to 90 minutes.
In reality, I should probably be more ashamed of wanting to play that song than not being able to.
Don't be ashamed, I play this all the time. It's a fun song, but it's a real hand cramper!
Verse part 1
G-----------------------------------------------------------
D-----2-4-2---------------2-4-2----------------------------
A---4-------4-2-4-------4-------4-2-4----------------------
E-2-------------------2-------------------------------------
Verse part 2
G-4---2-4-----------4---2-4------------
D---4------4-2-4------4-----4-2--------
A--------------------------------4------
E---------------------------------------
Chorus
G------------------------:
D-0---0-0----2-4---4----: repeat
A------------------------: 3x
E---------------------2--:
G------------------------------
D--0---0-0--0-----------------
A--------------4----4-4-4-4-4-
E------------------------------
Verse part 1
G-----------------------------------------------------------
D-----2-4-2---------------2-4-2----------------------------
A---4-------4-2-4-------4-------4-2-4----------------------
E-2-------------------2-------------------------------------
Verse part 2
G-4---2-4-----------4---2-4------------
D---4------4-2-4------4-----4-2--------
A--------------------------------4------
E---------------------------------------
Chorus
G------------------------:
D-0---0-0----2-4---4----: repeat
A------------------------: 3x
E---------------------2--:
G------------------------------
D--0---0-0--0-----------------
A--------------4----4-4-4-4-4-
E------------------------------
Reviving a dead thread: I am also a novice player, and although I can easily play this line, my hand hurts SO bad after the first verse already that I think I need advice to correct whatever I'm doing wrong. I play with friends on weekends, 2 to 5 hours at a time, and I believe I have a good hand position, for even after playing for 2 hours non-stop I never have any pain whatsoever. It's only THIS song that's giving me a headache...well, an ARM ache.
If it's the first time I play the line I can make it (maybe) to bar 100 or so, around after the second chorus. I've never been able to play over 3 minutes in total. The pain is basically muscle pain, in the forearm, right above the bone (with the arm hanging relaxed it would be on the outside of the forearm, away from the body). If I stop playing and let the arm rest a few seconds I can start playing again with no problems, and I can go on playing anything else, which so far has led me to thing it's simply a matter of building strength in a muscle I don't use all that much for other lines. Is that correct ? Do I just need to insist and continue practicing the song until I can play it all, in spite of the pain at first ?
Thanks for your support !
If it's the first time I play the line I can make it (maybe) to bar 100 or so, around after the second chorus. I've never been able to play over 3 minutes in total. The pain is basically muscle pain, in the forearm, right above the bone (with the arm hanging relaxed it would be on the outside of the forearm, away from the body). If I stop playing and let the arm rest a few seconds I can start playing again with no problems, and I can go on playing anything else, which so far has led me to thing it's simply a matter of building strength in a muscle I don't use all that much for other lines. Is that correct ? Do I just need to insist and continue practicing the song until I can play it all, in spite of the pain at first ?
Thanks for your support !
That's so weird, I was just playing this line today. I think there is something to be said for special Billie Jean muscles in order to avoid Billie Jean Arm, which is like Tennis Elbow.
I've been playing for 22 years & this song can make my hand ache sometimes. There isn't a lot of rest time to be had here.
While, in general, I believe that economy of motion is key, for songs that have very repetitive ostinato lines, I use a very slight left thumb pivoting before your hand gets tired so that you are not using your left hand finger muscles in the exact same orientation every time. It's harder to explain than it is to do. Just a slight change will prevent the fatigue from setting in as quickly. Also, take advantage of the open string D during the chorus to give your left hand a rest. If you, like some, have an objection to using open strings due to change in tone, play it with your pinky on the 5th fret A string, but make sure you move your left hand up (i.e. don't use the one finger per fret method). Again, this advice is specifically for these types of repeitive bass lines.
Hope this helps,
Dennis
Hope this helps,
Dennis
Back in the day, the Top-40 band I was in...basically played "Billie Jean" twice through. That's about 7-8 minutes.
The deal was to keep people on the dance floor.
Another tune we "doubled" was Madonna's "Into The Groove"...that was an extreme endurance buster.
What helped me on "Billie jean"-
The 1st note (depicted above as a Low F# on the E-string)...I played this as a ghosted noted.
FWIW, Bass Player (IIRC) recently had this written out as two(2) notes...the Low F# + its octave on the D-string.
The section that goes to "B"...I played this up the neck...employing the same gauge strings as the section in F#.
I know what you mean about muscle fatigue from playing repetitive lines.
Early on in my playing career, the progressive rock band I was in, insisted on playing Billy Cobham's; Stratus. It's a Billy Jean type riff but faster and 7 mins long. I would last 1-1/2 mins, 2 mins tops and fall out of tempo or simply play the root note.
Still, to this day, it challenges me but I use it as a strengthening exercise.
Lee Sklar was the bass player on that track, which surprised me at the time because I had pegged him for a country rock guy having backed up James Taylor and Linda Rondstadt.
Stratus
Billy Cobham Spectrum Musicians
Edit: to make the song even tougher, we did the song in G. I think the original was Bb and I could have easily tuned down the E string a half of step to jam away on A, utilizing the open E string for rest.
Early on in my playing career, the progressive rock band I was in, insisted on playing Billy Cobham's; Stratus. It's a Billy Jean type riff but faster and 7 mins long. I would last 1-1/2 mins, 2 mins tops and fall out of tempo or simply play the root note.
Still, to this day, it challenges me but I use it as a strengthening exercise.
Lee Sklar was the bass player on that track, which surprised me at the time because I had pegged him for a country rock guy having backed up James Taylor and Linda Rondstadt.
Stratus
Billy Cobham Spectrum Musicians
Edit: to make the song even tougher, we did the song in G. I think the original was Bb and I could have easily tuned down the E string a half of step to jam away on A, utilizing the open E string for rest.
I have an old '70s Guitar Player mag w/ a Sklar article. He talks about being pegged as a "folkie" (his word) because most knew him from James Taylor, Rondstadt, Jackson Brown, etc.
Actually, Sklar was an original '70s-era Fusioneer. Sklar mentioned in this article how he played 33 1/3 rpm LPs and practiced them at 45 rpm...tunes like "I Saw Her Standing There". Then, when he went back to the original speed...he had an 'eternity' between notes.
More on Cobham's Spectrum-
Will Lee was Cobham's bassist at the time & was "supposed" to be the bassist on Spectrum.
Problem: Will Lee's multi-pickup'd Franken-Fender bass had terrible tone & he was not used on this seminal recording. This made him get his tone chops together.
I haven't done this one in years so I just picked up my bass to watch how I actually play it.
Everybody has there own way but for beginner I would suggest this. This is not a one finger per fret line. For the main bass pattern of the song it's index finger on the F#, pinky to the C#, index to E, pinky to high F# and then back down the line again, E = index, C# = pinky, B = index, and C# = pinky and then of course the same line rooting on B when the chord shifts.
So it's essentially a 3 fret box shaped line where you root using the index and then alternate with the pinky up and back down the line. As was suggested you can use the open D string to begin the chorus if you wish and just fret E and F# to give your hand a break.
I found the key to reducing hand or finger fatigue and cramping is to rotate the thumb position slightly from a lower position along the side of the neck to up along the side of the fret board as you stretch to the higher strings rolling your wrist as you play the line.
The key to this line and other repetitive or walking bass line is to strengthen your pinky and use it instead of the ring finger to reduce hand movement along the neck and to roll your wrist and your thumb position as you cross the fret board to reach higher notes.
You can also relax your grip. This is not a baseball bat your holding. Many beginners experience hand fatigue and cramping because they're gripping the neck too tightly. Keep your left hand relaxed a bit and caress then neck don't choke it.
Hope this helps someone out. I've been playing for 35+ years and I had my problems with cramping early on too. This is the advice I was given, how I use it and what I pass on when I teach. Remember, the best method is the one that works best for you.
Everybody has there own way but for beginner I would suggest this. This is not a one finger per fret line. For the main bass pattern of the song it's index finger on the F#, pinky to the C#, index to E, pinky to high F# and then back down the line again, E = index, C# = pinky, B = index, and C# = pinky and then of course the same line rooting on B when the chord shifts.
So it's essentially a 3 fret box shaped line where you root using the index and then alternate with the pinky up and back down the line. As was suggested you can use the open D string to begin the chorus if you wish and just fret E and F# to give your hand a break.
I found the key to reducing hand or finger fatigue and cramping is to rotate the thumb position slightly from a lower position along the side of the neck to up along the side of the fret board as you stretch to the higher strings rolling your wrist as you play the line.
The key to this line and other repetitive or walking bass line is to strengthen your pinky and use it instead of the ring finger to reduce hand movement along the neck and to roll your wrist and your thumb position as you cross the fret board to reach higher notes.
You can also relax your grip. This is not a baseball bat your holding. Many beginners experience hand fatigue and cramping because they're gripping the neck too tightly. Keep your left hand relaxed a bit and caress then neck don't choke it.
Hope this helps someone out. I've been playing for 35+ years and I had my problems with cramping early on too. This is the advice I was given, how I use it and what I pass on when I teach. Remember, the best method is the one that works best for you.
Great advice so far, thank you everyone. @ Soulman: I have actually always played it index-pinky, but rotating the wrist has helped quite a bit. By practicing this line regularly I've increased my "Billie Jean" endurance significantly. At this rate I should be able to finish the whole song in a week or two, without major discomfort. It does seem it was a bit of finding the right muscle-rest position and muscle-training. Thank you again !
I do it sort of like this but I play an octave for the first note. With a baseball grip, I wrap my thumb around the neck to grab the low F# and use my pinky for the high F#. Then ring finger for the C# (or roll my pinky forwards), and the rest as soulman suggests.
Just an fyi..the tab from Crusader's link has an F in between the E and F# on the D string in the pre-chorus. The rest is identical to Vanceman's.
G|---------------|---------|
D|---------2-3-4-|-4-------|
A|-5--5-5--------|---------| x3
E|---------------|---2--5--|
G|-------------|-----------------|
D|-------------|-----------------|
A|-5--5-5--5--|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
E|-----------4-|-----------------|
G|---------------|---------|
D|---------2-3-4-|-4-------|
A|-5--5-5--------|---------| x3
E|---------------|---2--5--|
G|-------------|-----------------|
D|-------------|-----------------|
A|-5--5-5--5--|-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-|
E|-----------4-|-----------------|
