How do I play this?

[Bassic_desires]

Hello everyone,

I'm seeking a bit of advice on how to play this tab from the song "Breakeven" by The Script. I've not previously come-across this situation with tab for bass guitar.

In the tab (image below), am I meant to play/pull the notes on the 13th and 14th frets together, or, are they play individually but fast, one after the other? If they need to be played together, I can do that . . . poorly, but I can do it and with practice it will improve. But then it changes to notes on the 13th and 16th frets and I have no idea how to get my fingers to reach those two notes if they needed to be played together. So, what techniques would I need to use?

Thankyou for your help.

Regards
Peter

 

[JonathanPDX]

You would play the simultaneous notes (13th and 14th fret) at the same time. There are a number of techniques and I'm unfamiliar with the song so I don't know which one they employ, but the most common way would be to pluck both strings at once with two fingers.

The 16th fret note would be played between these two-note instances (called doublestops). Single note, doublestop, single note, doublestop, etc.

 

[SteveCS]

They are played at the same time. You could use middle/index for the B/D#, barre with index for B/E then ring/index for C#/D#, keeping pinky on the high B. then use a right-hand fingering of thumb/index for the double-stops and middle for the high B:

 

[SteveCS]

...
I'm unfamiliar with the song
...

Likewise, so I just looked it up on YouTube. Man I loathe TAB. Given that TAB I would never play what I've just heard!! The mechanics of the fingerings still fit but the timing and feel just don't exist in the TAB.

 

[JonathanPDX]

Likewise, so I just looked it up on YouTube. Man I loathe TAB. Given that TAB I would never play what I've just heard!! The mechanics of the fingerings still fit but the timing and feel just don't exist in the TAB.

Normally I'd look it up and try to give specific advice but I had a mishap with a knife and now my fingers are very much on "no playing until fully healed" orders.

 

[Bassic_desires]

Normally I'd look it up and try to give specific advice but I had a mishap with a knife and now my fingers are very much on "no playing until fully healed" orders.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Thankyou for taking the time to read.

 

[Bassic_desires]

Hello @SteveCS @JonathanPDX

I am very grateful for your advice and guidance. Thankyou. You both explained it very well and @SteveCS your images really helped me to understand the required fingering.

I like the song and enjoy the way my band will play it. I did try playing the double notes this afternoon and it didn't take long before I hurt my left elbow. So, I'll be playing a 'revised' version of the song but try to add some of the correct note playing here-and-there.

Again, thank you to all who responded. Much appreciated

 

[HolmeBass]

OP sounds like possibly some tendinitis? I recommend a counter-force band, used to treat tennis elbow. It has been working well for me.

 

[chris_b]

Isn't that a guitar part?

 

[SteveCS]

...
it didn't take long before I hurt my left elbow.
...

That shouldn't happen. Assuming no underlying issues such as suggested by @HolmeBass above, such pain can typically be traced to an over-extension or contortion due to some other problem/issue/flaw in general posture. Perhaps holding your elbow too far out your body then having to pull your hand back in to access the upper regions of the neck?
But if there is any hint of something underlying being aggravated by playing the bass I would schedule in a visit to a GP ...

 

[Thumpin6string]

Just listened to the song since I had never heard of it before. I don't know how they came up with that tab. The bass line is a pretty simple pattern of 4 notes each plucked 4 times. There are a couple simple breaks, but that's it. Don't overthink it.

 

[CTW68]

I think you are overthinking the bassline.

 

[KellyC]

You would play the simultaneous notes (13th and 14th fret) at the same time. There are a number of techniques and I'm unfamiliar with the song so I don't know which one they employ, but the most common way would be to pluck both strings at once with two fingers.

The 16th fret note would be played between these two-note instances (called doublestops). Single note, doublestop, single note, doublestop, etc.

I would add that, for those of use with less experience plucking with 2 separate fingers in a way that doesn't over-emphasize one or the other string/note, an upstroke across both strings with a single finger gives a very nice, even voicing.

 

[bigthemat]

where'd you get that tab? It's wrong. Looks like someone tried writing the guitar part on a bass tab...

this one is a lot simpler and matches what the bass is actually doing in the song

Breakeven Bass Tabs - The Script @ BigBassTabs.com

 

[bigthemat]

Was it a tab for this arrangement?

 

[Bassic_desires]

@bigthemat You didn't save my life today, but you did save my sanity! That tab makes far more sense. Thankyou.

 

[Bassic_desires]

where'd you get that tab? It's wrong. Looks like someone tried writing the guitar part on a bass tab...

this one is a lot simpler and matches what the bass is actually doing in the song

Breakeven Bass Tabs - The Script @ BigBassTabs.com

From here at Ultimate Guitar. It is an "Official" version, which I presumed to be correct. I've never come-across an "Official" version that is seemingly so inaccurate.
Ultimate Guitar Pro - Play like a Pro

 

[Bassic_desires]

@CTW68 Thankyou. That makes far, far more sense that the "Official" tab I found on UG.

 

[Bassic_desires]

Just realised that I should have explained in my OP that I transposed the origin key by a ?semitone. Apologies for forgetting.

 

[MCF]

I think you are overthinking the bassline.

@Constantine is one of the best bass resources there is.