Working Day and Night
Michael Jackson
Bass Michael Jackson
As played by Greg Phillinganes/Louis Johnson
Intro
3 Bar Rest
G|---------7-9-----|
D|-----------------|
A|-------------7\--|
E|-----------------|
B|-----------------|
H E S S Q
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----5-2-5-2-5---|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S Q. S S S E.E E
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------0-------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------1-2-3-|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H S S E E E
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------3-5-3-0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. S S S S E E E E E E E.S W
Verse 1
x3
G||------------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------||
D||o-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------o||
A||--------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|------------------||
E||o-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-o||
B||------------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------||
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H. E.S
G|-----------------|-------------7-9-|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------9-----|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------3--4----|
E E E E E E E.S H. S S S S E E E E E E E.S H E. E. E
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|---------4---5---|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H E E S E S
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------3--4--5-|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H E. E. E
Pre-Chorus 1
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-2---------------|
E|-5---5-3---------|-5---5-3---------|-5---5-3---------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E H E E E E H E E E E H E E H.
Chorus 1
G||------------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------||
D||o-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------o||
A||--------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|------------------||
E||o-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-o||
B||------------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------||
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H. E.S
Verse 2
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------2-0---0-2---|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-------------2-------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------0-|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H S S S S S E S
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------3-2-1-3-|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H S S E E E
G|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|---------5---5-2-0-2-|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-------5---5---------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------------|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|
B|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S Q E.S S S E E S S E E E E E E E.S H. E.S
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------0--1--2-|
A|-------------2-0-|-----2/5-5-2-----|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S Q. E S E S Q E E E E E E E.S H E. E. E
G|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|---2---------------|-------------0-2-|-----------------|-----------------|
A|---------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0---0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|
B|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
S S E E E E E E.S H. E S S E E E E E E E.S W
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------3--4--5-|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H E. E. E
Pre-Chorus 2
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-2---------------|
E|-5---5-3---------|-5---5-3---------|-5---5-3---------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E H E E E E H E E E E H E E H.
Chorus 2
G||------------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------||
D||o-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------o||
A||--------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|------------------||
E||o-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-o||
B||------------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------||
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H. E.S
Instrumental 1
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------3-3-4---|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H S E E.E
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------3--4----|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H E. E. E
Break 1 - Slap
G|-------9p7-------|-----9p7---------|-------9p7-------|-----9p7---------|
D|-----------------|-----------7-5---|-----------------|-----------7-5---|
A|-----------------|---------------7-|-----------------|---------------7-|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Q E.S E E Q Q E.S E S S E E Q E.S E E Q Q E.S E S S E E
G|-------9p7-------|-----9p7---------|-------9p7-------|-9p7-9p7-9p7----------|
D|-----------------|-----------7-5---|-----------------|----------------------|
A|-----------------|---------------7-|-----------------|---------------7/14\7-|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------------|
Q E.S E E Q Q E.S E S S E E Q E.S E E Q S E S E S E S E E E
Instrumental 2
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H. E.S
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S W
Verse 3
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------0--1----|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H E. E. E
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H. E.S
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------0--1--2-|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H E. E. E
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------3--4--5-|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H E. E. E
Pre-Chorus 3
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-2---------------|
E|-5---5-3---------|-5---5-3---------|-5---5-3---------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E H E E E E H E E E E H E E H.
Chorus 3
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------2-0-2-|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H. E S S
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------0--1--2-|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H E. E. E
Break 2 - Slap
G|-------9p7-------|-----9p7---------|-------9p7-------|-----9p7---------|
D|-----------------|-----------7-5---|-----------------|-----------7-5---|
A|-----------------|---------------7-|-----------------|---------------7-|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Q E.S E E Q Q E.S E S S E E Q E.S E E Q Q E.S E S S E E
G|-------9p7-------|-----9p7---------|-------9p7-------|-9p7-9p7-9p7----------|
D|-----------------|-----------7-5---|-----------------|----------------------|
A|-----------------|---------------7-|-----------------|---------------7/14\7-|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|----------------------|
Q E.S E E Q Q E.S E S S E E Q E.S E E Q S E S E S E S E E E
Instrumental 3
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------0-2-2-----|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------0-|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S H S E S E S E
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------0-|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. E.S E E E E E E E.S W
Outro
G|-----------------|--------------11-9-7-|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-------0-2-2-2-------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|---------------------|-------------2-0-|---------2-4--5--|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------------------|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|
B|-----------------|---------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S Q E.S S E S E S S E E E E E E.S H S S E. E.
G|-----------------|---------------7-|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------7-9---|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------2-0-|-----------------|-------------2-0-|-----------------|
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|---------3---2---|
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E E E E E E E.S H. S S E E E E E E E E.S H Q Q
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------||
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------||
A|-------------2-0-|---------2-3---4-|-------------2-0-|---------2-3---4-||
E|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------|-0-0-2-2-3-3-----|-----------------||
B|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------||
E E E E E E E.S H E S Q S E E E E E E E.S H E S Q S
Key to rhythm notations:
W - Whole Note/Semi-Brieve
H - Half Note/Minim
Q - Quarter Note/Crotchet Q. - Dotted Quarter Note
E - Eight Note/Quaver E. - Dotted Eight Note
S - Sixteenth Note/Semi-Quaver S. - Dotted Sixteenth Note
Bass Tabs | |
Title | Workin’ Day and Night |
Artist | Michael Jackson |
Tablature Type | ASCII Tab |
YouTube ID | MWnyCxva6bA |
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).