This is gonna sound weird.....

Here you go.

http://www.talkbass.com/cgi-bin/tab.cgi?../../tab/j/jackson_michael/billie_jean.btab

 

Very simple, but cool and effective bassline.

 

errrr that tab is not quite right, there are two basses on Billie Jean, theres the main riff (which the tab shows) but theres also a another bass (synth?) which is just the root note played under it . I'm not sure if the tabs in the right key but try it in E and use the open E string to double the synth part...kinda like this...

G--------------------|
D--------------------|
A---7---5-7-5--------|
E---0-7---0----7-5-7--|

I'm not used to tabs..I read REAL music so I assume the -0- means an open string...if it dosent it does now.

The trick with the 2nd open E is to hit it slightly before the beat...listen carefully to the recording, its like a pulse in the background (I think a high synth/strings plays the same beat at the intro as well)

hope this makes sense.

 

No problemo

(hope its right 'cos I dont have my bass to hand right now so I tabbed it from memory...it'll take a bit of practice to get used to playing the open E with the riff as your plucking two strings at the same time..but persevere its amazing how much it rounds out the sound 'specially live.)

 

Well if it's in F# - that needs to be the 9th and 7th frets and you can't use open E unless you're transposing the whole thing down a tone. You could always use the F# at the 7th fret on the B if you have a 5-string.

 

or you could "tap" it with the left hand phrasing the low F# and the right hand phrasing the riff.......or maybe not...

Another reason why I gotta get a 5 string.