Michael Jackson – Behind The Mask (Bass Tab)
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Speed:
1.0x
Song: Behind The Mask
Artist: Michael Jackson
Album: Michael
Written: R. Sakamoto, M. Jackson, C. Mosdell
Produced: M. Jackson, M. McClain
Bass: A. Alvarez
Transcriber: naglfarslayer (Kelton Schleyer)
Transcriber's Foreword: This is a direct bassline transcription from the 'Michael' album version.
Some subtleties are missing (mostly ghost notes), including pops during the sax solo that are
obscured by other instruments (measures 74-80). To the best of my hearing, the audible pops are
typically Eb and F (G-string frets 8 and 10, respectively), but I can't determine the rhythms.
Happy to hear any improvements!
(See Notes and Legend below the tab for notation and symbol system).
Starting Key: fm | Tempo: 115.8 bpm | Tuning: Standard (4-string bass)
|[Intro] (0:41) (1) |[fm] |[Db] |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| A|------------------------10\----|-------------------------------|4-----------------------------4| E|--------------------1-/-----1--|1------------------------------|-------------------------------| |[Eb] |[cm] (5) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|-------------------------------|----------------------------1-3|-------------------------------| A|6------------------------------|3------------------------------|----------------------------6--| E|------------------------------1|--------------------------3----|1-------------------3---4------| | |(9) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|------------------5------------| D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| A|4-----------------------6h8----|6---------------------------1--|1h3-----------1/3---3--/10\----| E|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| |[Verse 1] (0:58) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| A|----------------------------3--|4------------------------------|4h6----------------------------| E|1------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| |(13) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|------------------------1---3--|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| A|1h3-----------------3-3--------|----------------------------3--|4---------------------------6-8| E|-------------------------------|1------------------------------|--------------------------6----| | |(17) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|------------------5------------|-------------------------------| D|-------------------------------|----------------------------x-x|-------------------------------| A|6------------------------------|1h3-----------1-3---3----------|----------------------------4h6| E|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|1-----------------------4------| | |(1:13) (21) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|------------3-4-5--------------| D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|----------3-------5------------| A|4---------------------------4--|4h6----------------------------|1/3-----------------3-/(4)-----| E|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| A|-------------------------------|3/4---------------------6h8----|6------------------------------| E|1------------------------------|----------------------6--------|-------------------------------| |(25) |[Pre-Chorus 1] (1:32) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|------------------------4-5-3--|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|------------------------------6|3------------------------------|-------------------------------| A|3---------------10/------------|----------------------------6--|4-----------------------6h8----| E|-------------------------------|------------------------4------|--------------------6----------| | |(29) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|-------------------------------|------------------------2---3--|-------------------------------| A|6-----------------------1---2--|3---------------------3--------|----------------------------6--| E|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|1-----------------------4------| | |(33) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|------------------5------------| D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| A|4-----------------------6h8----|6-----------------------6/-----|1/3-----------1/3---3-/--11\---| E|----------------------x--------|-------------------------------|------------------------------1| |[Chorus 1] (1:48) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|----6--------------------------|-------------------------------| D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|----6--------------------------| A|4-------4-----x-4---4-------1/3|4-------4---x---4---4---4/-----|-------------------------------| E|-------------------------------|--------------4-------------1-2|4------4--------4---4---4---1-3| |(37) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|----6--------------------------| D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|------------------------3-5-6--| A|----------------------------6--|4-------4-----x-4---4-------1/3|4-------4---x---4---4----------| E|4-------4-------4---4----6-----|-------------------------------|--------------4----------------| | |(41) |[Verse 2] (2:05) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|-------------------------------|----5--------------------------|-------------------------------| A|-------------------------------|------------------------8--\---|------------------------8-6----| E|4-------4-------4---4-------2-/|3-------3---2---2---/----------|1---------------------------8--| | |(45) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|--------------------------11---|-------------------------------|---------------/8\------6/8---6| A|------------------------11--x--|-----------------------/11-----|1h3----------------------------| E|9---------------------9-------x|9h11---------------------------|------------------------4/6---4|
|
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|3------------------------------|-------------------------------|--------------------------8----| A|------------------------------3|4-----------------------6-8----|6---------------------------8--| E|-------------------------------|----------------------6--------|----------------------4-6-----6| |(49) |[Pre-Chorus 2] (2:21) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|------------6-7-8--------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| A|----------8-------8------------|----------------------------3--|4-------------------x---6h8----| E|8-------------------8--/15-----|1-------------------3---4------|----------------------6--------| | |(53) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|-------------------------------|------------------------1---3--|-------------------------------| A|6---------------\-----------x--|1h3-------------------3---3---3|----------------------------3--| E|--------------------------x---x|-------------------------------|1-------------------3---4------| | |(57) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|-------------------------------|--------------------------8----|------------------10-----------| A|4-----------------------6h8----|6---------------------------8--|-------------------------------| E|----------------------x--------|----------------------4-6-----6|8-------------6-8---8--/15-----| |[Chorus 2] (2:38) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| A|4-------4-------4---4---x---4--|x---x---4---x---4---4----------|-------------------------------| E|-------------------------------|--------------x-------0-1---3--|4-------4-------x---4---x---4--| |(61) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|----------------------------4-5|6------------------------------| D|----6-----------------------6--|--------------------------6----|--6----------------------------| A|------------------------6------|4-------4-------4---4----------|----4---4-----x-4---4-----x----| E|4-------4-------4---4----------|--------------4----------------|----------------------------1-3| | |(65) |(2:55) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| A|-------------------------------|------------------------3-/-6--|4-------4-------4---x-------1-3| E|4-------4-------x---4-------1-3|4---4---3-------1---1----------|-------------------------------| | |(69) |1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a| G|----6--------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------| D|----------------------------3-5|-------------------------------|----6---------------------6----| A|4-------4-------4---4-----6----|-------------------------------|------------------------6---6-5| E|--------------4----------------|4-------4-------x---4---x---1-/|4-------6-----6-8-----8--------|
|
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|------------------------6/8----|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
A|4-------4-------4---4-------4--|----x---4-----x-4---4---4------|-------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------|--------------------------0-1-3|4-------4---x---4---4---4--/3--|
|(73) |[Sax Solo] (3:11)(MISSING POPS) (MISSING POPS)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|-------------------------------|--------------10---------------|-------------------------------|
D|----4--------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
A|--------------------3-/-10-----|------------------------------3|4------------------------------|
E|-2------2---1---1--------------|1------------------------------|-------------------------------|
p
| (MISSING POPS) |(77) (MISSING POPS) |(3:20)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|-------------*8----------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------|------------------------1-3----|----------------------------6/8|
A|6------------------------------|3------------------------------|----------------------------4/6|
E|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|1----------/11\-----3---4------|
| (MISSING POPS) (MISSING POPS) |(81)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|------------3-4-5---3----------|
D|6------------------------------|-------------------------------|----------5-------5---3-6---5--|
A|4------------------------------|------------------------1---2--|3--------------------------3--3|
E|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|[Pre-Chorus 3] (3:28)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
D|3------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
A|--3----------------------------|--------------[]---------------|--------------[]---------------|
E|----4-3-1~---------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|(85)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
A|--------------[]---------------|--------------[]---------------|--------------[]---------------|
E|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| |(89) |[Verse 4] (3:45)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|-------------------------------|------------------15-----------|-------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------|----------------14--14---------|-------------------------------|
A|--------------[]---------------|------------3-/-------/(0)-----|------------------------------3|
E|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|1------------------------------|
| |(93)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|--------------------------6----|-------------------------------|----------------------3--------|
D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
A|4-----------------------4---4--|4h6---------------------x---1--|3---------------10\-1---1-3---1|
E|----------------------4-------4|--------------------------4----|-------------------------------||
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|--------------------108--------|
D|----------------------------8--|6------------------------------|-------------------------------|
A|----------------------------6--|4-----------------------6h8----|6------------------------------|
E|1------------------------------|----------------------6--------|-------------------------------|
|(97) |[Pre-Chorus 4] (4:01)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|------------------5------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
A|1/3-----------1/3-----------1-3|----------------------------4h6|4-------------------x---6h8----|
E|--------------------------4----|1-------------------3---4------|----------------------6--------|
p
| |(101)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|--------------------10~--------|
D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
A|6------------------------------|------------------------6--8---|----------------------------3--|
E|----------------------4-6---7--|8----------------------8-------|1-------------------------1----|
| |(105)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|--------------------10~--------|--------------------------3----|------------3-4-5--------------|
D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|----------5-------5------------|
A|4---------------------------4--|6---------------------x-1---2--|3-------------------3-------3--|
E|--------------------------4---4|-------------------------------|----------------------3-6-3---4|
|[Outro] (4:17)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
D|----------------3--------------|-------------------------------|--------------------------8----|
A|--------------3---3---------3--|4-----------------------6h8----|6------------------------------|
E|1-------------------4-3-1------|----------------------6--------|----------------------4-6---7--|
|(109)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
D|------------8-9-10-------------|----------------3/5-3----------|-------------------------------|
A|----------10------10--------8--|------------3-----------3------|4-----------------------4------|
E|8-------------------8-----11--8|1---------------------------4--|----------------------4-------4|
| |(113)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|-------------------------------|------------15-----------------|-------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------|--------10/-14-----------------|----------------5---3----------|
A|4/6----------------------------|------------------------15\----|------------------------3------|
E|----------------------4-6---7--|8------------------------------|1---------------------------4--|
| |(117)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|----------------*10------------|
A|4-----------------------6h8----|6------------------------------|----------------------------6--|
E|----------------------6--------|----------------------4-6---7--|8-----------6---8---8-----8---8||
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
A|8------------------------------|4-----------------------6h8----|6--------------/13\-----1---2--|
E|--8-4---3---2-----------3---4--|----------------------6--------|-------------------------------|
|(121) |[Fade Out] (4:51)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|
G|----5-------5------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
D|--------------------6-------5p3|-------------------------------|-------------------------------|
A|3-----1h3----------------------|----------------------------3--|4-----------------------6h8----|
E|--------------1/4-----1/3------|1------------------------------|----------------------6--------|
p p p p
| |(125)
|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4 e + a||
G|-------------------------------|-------------------------------||
D|-------------------------------|------------------------------O||
A|6-----------------------1---2--|3-----------------------------O||
E|-------------------------------|-------------------------------||----------------------------------
LEGEND:
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h = hammer-on
p = pull-off
/\ = slide (up/down)
x = ghost note
~ = vibrato
p = pop
() = not voiced (approach, but do not voice)
[] = full-measure rest
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NOTES:
----------------------------------
[1] Measure numbers are reported at the beginning of every new set of four measures (1,5,9, etc.)
in parentheses above the staff at the measure start line. If the measure contains other information
(song part, timestamp, etc.), the number will be placed afterward.
[2] Slides arrive at the indicated fret exactly on the beat at which the fret number is typed.
For two-digit frets, the beat is directly above the first digit
(ex. "/10" arrives at fret 10 exactly at the beat above the '1').
[3] Due to the font spacing, the notation for notes of shorter duration (8ths or 16ths) may run together.
If fret numbers collide, assume the only logical distribution of the digits.
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EDITS:
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28 Sep 2022 - First version submitted