When did you begin to memorize bass lines?

[GreyBeard]

Tab is older than standard notation, it was around.

Standard notation was invented in the 1st century by Guido Monaco. Before him music was taught by rote or by Neumes. It was his job to teach the 80 hrs of music for the Catholic mass to young boys. A process that took up to 10 yrs!. His new notations system changed that to around 6 months. He is also the inventor of SolFege (do re me) and the Guodinian hand. I doubt there was any bass guitar tabs around back then.

 

[ryco]

Started memorizing bass parts to songs from the first day I got a bass guitar '69 7th grade.
First songs learned were Beatles Hello, Goodbye and The Who Go to The Mirror day one.

To be fair was playing double bass in elem orchestra since 5th grade, so knew where the notes were on the fingerboard and could read bass clef. Also when I found out how crappy rock sheet music was 'professionally' transcribed = not even close.