#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
THE SOUND OF MUZAK (Bassline)
As recorded by Porcupine Tree
(From the 2002 Album IN ABSENTIA)
Transcribed by Johannes Zetterberg L. & Christian Andolf
Words and Music by Steven Wilson
Arranged by Porcupine Tree
Gtr I (E A D G) - 'Fretless'
Intro/Verse #1 Chorus #1
Q=100
7/4 4/4
Gtr I
Wx10 E. S +S S S S +E e E E
|-------------------||---------------------------|
|-------------------||o--------------3-(3)-2-----|
|-------------------||o-5--5-(5)-0-5---------3-0-|
|-------------------||---------------------------|
E. S +S S S S +E E S S S S
|--------------------------------|
|--------------3-(3)-2-----------|
|-5--5-(5)-0-5---------3-0-3-(0)-|
|--------------------------------|
E. S +S S S S +E e E E E. S +S S E +S e S S S S S
|---------------------------|-------------------------------||
|---------------5-(5)-------|------------------------------o||
|-(3)-3-(3)---3-------3---3-|-1--1-(1)---1-(1)-1---1---3-0-o||
|-----------3-----------3---|----------1---------1---1------||
Pre-Verse/Verse #2
7/4
Q Q Q W Wx9
|---------------------|--------|
|---------------------|--------|
|-(5)-----------------|--------|
|---------------------|--------|
Chorus #2
4/4
E. E S S E. e E E E. E S S E. E S S S S
|-------------------|-------------------------|
|----------3--2-----|----------3--2-----------|
|-5--5-0-5------3-0-|-5--5-0-5------3-0-3-(0)-|
|-------------------|-------------------------|
E. E S S E. e E E E. E S E. e S S S S S
|--------------------|------------------------|
|-----------5--------|------------------------|
|-(3)-3---3----3---3-|-1--1---1--1---1---3-0--|
|-------3--------3---|------1------1---1------|
E. E S S E. e E E E. E S S E. E S S S S
|-------------------|-------------------------|
|----------3--2-----|----------3--2-----------|
|-5--5-0-5------3-0-|-5--5-0-5------3-0-3-(0)-|
|-------------------|-------------------------|
E. E S S E. e E E E. E S S E. S S E E
|--------------------|----------------------|
|-----------5--------|----------3------5----|
|-(3)-3---3----3---3-|-1--1---1----1s3---3--|
|-------3--------3---|------1---------------|
E. E S S E. e E E E. E S S E. E S S S S
|-------------------|-------------------------|
|----------3--2-----|----------3--2-----------|
|-5--5-0-5------3-0-|-5--5-0-5------3-0-3-(0)-|
|-------------------|-------------------------|
E. E S S E. e E E E. E S S S S S S S S S E
|--------------------|---------------------------|
|-----------5--------|------------3-3-----5-5----|
|-(3)-3---3----3---3-|-1--1---1-1-----1s3-----3\-|
|-------3--------3---|------1--------------------|
E. E S S E. e E E E. E S S E. E S S S S
|-------------------|-------------------------|
|----------3--2-----|----------3--2-----------|
|-5--5-0-5------3-0-|-5--5-0-5------3-0-3-(0)-|
|-------------------|-------------------------|
E. E S S E. e E E E. E S E. e S S S S S
|--------------------|-----------------------|
|-----------5--------|-----------------------|
|-(3)-3---3----3---3-|-1--1---1--1---1---3-0-|
|-------3--------3---|------1------1---1-----|
Interlude
7/4
Q Q Q W W
|---------------------|------|
|---------------------|------|
|-(5)-----------------|------|
|---------------------|------|
Guitar Solo
H +E E W H. H +E E E E
|---------------------|------------------------|
|---------------------|------------------------|
|-5----(5)---3--------|---------1----(1)-0-1-3-|
|---------------------|-3----------------------|
H +E E H +E E E E H S E S H +E E E E
|---------------------------|---------------------------|
|---------------------5-----|-------------------------3-|
|-5----(5)---3----(3)---3-5-|------------1----(1)-0-1---|
|---------------------------|-3----3-3------------------|
H +E E H +E E E E H. H +E E E E
||----------------------------|-------------------------||
||o-0----(0)------------5-----|----------------------3-o||
||o----------0-3----(3)---3-5-|---------1----(1)-0-1---o||
||----------------------------|-3-----------------------||
H +E E H +E E E E H. H +E E E E
|---------------------------|------------------------|
|-0----(0)------------5-----|------------------------|
|----------0-3----(3)---3-5-|---------1----(1)-0-1-3-|
|---------------------------|-3----------------------|
H +E E H E E E E H. H +E E E E
|-------------------------|------------------------|
|-----------------5-------|----------------------3-|
|-5----(5)-0-3------3-----|---------1----(1)-0-1---|
|---------------------6-5-|-3----------------------|
Chorus Breakdown
4/4
>
W +W Wx6
|----------|------------|--------|
|-0--------|-(0)--------|--------|
|----------|------------|--------|
|----------|------------|--------|
Chorus #4/Outro
E. E S S E. e E E E. E S S E. E S S S S
|-------------------|-------------------------|
|----------3--2-----|----------3--2-----------|
|-5--5-0-5------3-0-|-5--5-0-5------3-0-3-(0)-|
|-------------------|-------------------------|
E. E S S E S E E E E. E S E. e S E E
|---------------------|--------------------|
|-----------5-5-------|--------------------|
|-(3)-3---3-----3---3-|-1--1---1--1---1-3--|
|-------3---------3---|------1------1------|
E. E S S E S e E E E. E S E E E S S S S
|----------------------|------------------------|
|----------3-(3)-2-----|----------3-2-----------|
|-5--5-0-5---------3-0-|-5--5-0-5-----3-0-3-(0)-|
|----------------------|------------------------|
E. E S S E S E E E E. E S E. e S S S S S
|-----------------------|-------------------------|
|-----------5-(5)-------|-------------------------|
|-(3)-3---3-------3---3-|-1--1---1--1---1---3-(0)-|
|-------3-----------3---|------1------1---1-------|
E. E S S E. e E E E. E S E E E S S S S
|-------------------|------------------------|
|----------3--2-----|----------3-2-----------|
|-5--5-0-5------3-0-|-5--5-0-5-----3-0-3-(0)-|
|-------------------|------------------------|
E. E S S E. E E E E. E S S E. S S E E
|--------------------|----------------------|
|-----------5--------|----------3------5----|
|-(3)-3---3----3---3-|-1--1---1----1s3---3--|
|-------3--------3---|------1---------------|
E. E S S E. e E E E. E S S E S E S S E
|-------------------|----------------------|
|----------3--2-----|----------3-3-2-------|
|-5--5-0-5------3-0-|-5--5-0-5-------3-0-5-|
|-------------------|----------------------|
E. E S S E. E E E E. E S S E. S S E E
|--------------------|----------------------|
|-----------5--------|----------3------5----|
|-(3)-3---3----3---3-|-1--1---1----1s3---0--|
|-------3--------3---|------1---------------|
E. E S S E. e E E E. E S E E E E E
|-------------------|------------------|
|----------3--2-----|-0--0-7---3-2-----|
|-5--5-0-5------3-0-|--------0-----3-0-|
|-------------------|------------------|
E. E S S E. E E E E. E S S E. E S S E
|--------------------|----------3----3-----|
|-------5---5--------|-------------3---3---|
|-(3)-3---3----3---3-|-1--1---1----------3-|
|----------------3---|------1--------------|
E. E S S E. e E E E. E S E E. E E S
|-------------------|-------------------|
|----------3--2-----|-0--0-7---3--2-----|
|-5--5-0-5------3-0-|--------0------3-0-|
|-------------------|-------------------|
E. E S Q E E E E. E S S E. S S E E
|------------------|---------------------|
|-------5----5-----|----------3------5---|
|-(3)-3---3----3---|-1--1---1----1s3---3-|
|----------------3-|------1--------------|
>
W +W W
|----------|------------|------*|
|----------|------------|------*|
|-5--------|-(5)--------|------*|
|----------|------------|------*|
Duration Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q - quarter; E - 8th; S - 16th; T - 32nd; X - 64th; a - acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)
Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line
Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents the
duration for. Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests. Multi-
bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest for. Low
melody durations appear below the staff
Tablature Legend
----------------
h - hammer-on
p - pull-off
b - bend
pb - pre-bend
r - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
/\ - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
s - legato slide
S - shift slide
- natural harmonic
[n] - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
~ - vibrato
tr - trill
T - tap
TP - trem. picking
PM - palm muting
\n/ - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
\n - tremolo bar down
n/ - tremolo bar up
/n\ - tremolo bar inverted dip
= - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
<> - volume swell (louder/softer)
x - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o - on rhythm slash represents single note slash
Misc Legend
-----------
| - bar
|| - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*| - double bar (ending)
: - bar (freetime)
$ - Segno
& - Coda
Tempo markers - = BPM(8/16=s8/s16), where s8 = swing 8ths, s16 = swing 16ths
Bass Tabs | |
Title | The Sound Of Muzak |
Artist | Porcupine Tree |
Tablature Type | ASCII Tab |
YouTube ID | ThXGrdgw9sk |
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).