Standard tuning, 6/8 time.
[Intro]
G|-------5-----|-------------|-------5-----|-------------|
D|-------------|-------3-2-0-|-------------|-------3-2-0-|
A|-3-----------|-3-----------|-3-----------|-3-----------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
[Verse 1]
(It's nine o'clock ...)
G|-------4-----|-2-----0-----|-------------|-------0-----|
D|-------------|-------------|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|
A|-3-----------|-------------|-------------|---------0-2-|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------0-----|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|-3-----3-----|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-1-----------|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------0-----|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-----------55|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|-3-----3-----|-3-----3-----|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-1-----------|-------------|-------------|
[Verse 2]
(He says son can you play ...)
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------0-2-4-|
D|-------------|-------------|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-------0-2-|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-------------|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|-3-----3-----|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-1-----3-----|-------------|
[Interlude]
(La la la..)
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|---2-----2---|---0---------|---2-----2---|---0---------|
A|-0-----------|---------3---|-0-----------|---------3---|
E|-------3-----|-2-----1-----|-------3-----|-2-----1-----|
G|-0-----------|-------------|
D|-------3-----|-2-----0-----|
A|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|
[Chorus 1]
(Sing us a song ...)
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------0-----|
D|-------------|-------------|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|---------0-2-|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-------------|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|-3-----3-----|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-1-----3-----|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------0-----|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-1-----------|
G|-------5-----|-------------|-------5-----|-------------|
D|-------------|-------3-2-0-|-------------|-------3-2-0-|
A|-3-----------|-3-----------|-3-----------|-3-----------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
[Verse 3]
(John at the bar ...)
G|-------4-----|-2-----0-----|-------------|-------0-2-4-|
D|-------------|-------------|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|
A|-3-----------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------0-----|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-----------55|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|-3-----3-----|-3-----3-----|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-1-----------|-------------|-------------|
[Verse 4]
(He says Bill ...)
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------0-2-4-|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-0-2-3-------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-1-----0-----|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|-3-----3-----|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-1-----3-----|-------------|
[Interlude]
(La la la ..)
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|---2-----2---|---0---------|---2-----2---|---0---------|
A|-0-----------|---------3-2-|-0-----------|-------------|
E|-------3-----|-2-----1-----|-------3-----|-2-----1-0-1-|
G|-0-----------|-------------|
D|-------3-----|-2-----0-----|
A|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------------|
[Verse 5]
(Now Paul is a ...)
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-----------2-|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-------3---|-------------|-----------2-|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-------------|-------3-----|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|-3-----3-----|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-1-----3-----|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-3-----------|-----------55|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|-3-----3-----|-3-----3-----|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-------3-----|-------------|-------------|
[Verse 6]
(And the waitress ...)
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------0-----|
D|-------------|-----------2-|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-------3---|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-------------|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-3-----------|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|-3-----3-----|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-------3-----|-------------|
[Piano solo]
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|---2-----2---|---0---------|---2-----2---|---0---3-----|
A|-0-----------|---------3-2-|-0-----------|---------3-2-|
E|-------3-----|-2-----1-----|-------3-----|-2-----------|
G|-------------|-------------|-0-----------|-------------|
D|---2-----2---|---0---------|-------3-----|-2-----0-----|
A|-0-----------|---------3---|-------------|-------------|
E|-------3-----|-2-----1-----|-------------|-------------|
[Chorus 2]
(Sing us a song ...)
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-0-----------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-1-----0-----|-------3-----|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-----------2-|-3-----------|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-------3---|-------------|-3-----3-----|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-------3-----|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-1-----3---3-|
G|-------5-----|-------------|-------5-----|-------------|
D|-------------|-------3-2-0-|-------------|-------3-2-0-|
A|-3-----------|-3-----------|-3-----------|-3-----------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
[Verse 7]
(It's a pretty good ...)
G|-------4-----|-2-----0-----|-------------|---------2-4-|
D|-------------|-------------|-3-----2-----|-0---345-----|
A|-3-----------|-----------3-|-------------|---35--------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
G|-------------|-2-----0-----|-------0-----|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-3-----------|-------------|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-------------|-------------|-3---333---33|-3---333---33|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
[Verse 8]
(And the piano ...)
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------0-----|
D|-------------|-----------2-|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-------3---|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-------------|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-----------2-|-3-----------|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-------3---|-------------|-3-----3-----|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-------3-----|-------------|
[Interlude]
(La la la ..)
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|---2-----2---|---0---------|---2-----2---|---0---------|
A|-0-----------|---------3-2-|-0-----------|-------------|
E|-------3-----|-2-----1-----|-------3-----|-2-----1-0-1-|
G|-------------|-------------|
D|-------3-----|-2-----0-----|
A|-------------|-------------|
E|-3-----------|-------------|
[Chorus 3]
(Sing us a song ...)
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------0-----|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-0-----------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-1-----0-----|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|-3-----3-----|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-1-----3-----|-------------|
G|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A|-3-----2-----|-0-----------|-------------|
E|-------------|-------3-----|-1-----3---3-|
G|-------5-----|-------------|-------5-----|-------------|-------------|
D|-------------|-------3-2-0-|-------------|-------3-2-0-|-------------|
A|-3-----------|-3-----------|-3-----------|-3-----------|-3-----------|
E|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
(rit.)
Bass Tabs | |
Title | Piano Man |
Artist | Billy Joel |
Tablature Type | ASCII Tab |
YouTube ID | gxEPV4kolz0 |
Interactive Bass Tab Guide
Interactive bass tabs provide a better experience than ASCII tabs. With playback, loop, print features and a responsive display that follows the screen of your device.
Use these buttons to control the digital tab player.
Symbol | Function |
| Move cursor to the first bar |
| Play interactive tabs |
| Pause playback |
| Loop |
| Print the tab |
| Zoom |
Page | Switch between page and horizontal view mode |
How to Read Bass Tab: A Beginner's Guide
1. Understanding the Basics
a. Strings:
Bass tab consists of horizontal lines representing the strings of the bass guitar. The lowest-pitched string (usually the E string) is at the bottom, and the highest-pitched string (usually the G string) is at the top.
b. Numbers:
Numbers on the lines indicate which fret to play on a specific string. For example, if you see "3" on the E string, it means you should press down the third fret on the lowest string.
2. Reading Bass Tab Example
In this tab:
- Play the note on the 1st fret of the E string.
- Play the open E string.
- Play the 3rd fret on the A string.
- Play the 1st fret on the A string.
G|-----------------|
D|-----------------|
A|---------3-------|
E|---1-1---1---3---|
3. Playing Techniques
a. Hammer-ons and Pull-offs:
Hammer-ons are represented by an "h" (e.g., 5h7 means play the 5th fret and hammer onto the 7th fret). Pull-offs are represented by a "p" (e.g., 7p5 means play the 7th fret and pull off to the 5th fret).
b. Slides:
Slides are often indicated by an "/" or "\\" between two numbers (e.g., 5/7 means slide from the 5th fret to the 7th fret).