The Way It Is Bass Tabs by Tesla

Tesla
"The Way It is"
off of The Great Radio Controversy
Tabbed by Eric Somdahl (unless you have a legal issue... then it was somebody
else)
 

This is a very taseful bassline from an excellent song. A fretless would be
useful for all of the sliding, pulloffs and hammerons.  I left out some if the
fills but all of the important stuff is there.
 

Wait till after guitar intro, then...
 
G|-----|--------------------------|
D|-----|--------------------------|
A|-----|----------------10--------|
E|--5-/|-10----12-13----------10--|
 
 
Guitar intro...
G|-----------------------------------------------
D|-----------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------10-10-10-10-------
E|--10-10-10--12-13---13-13-13--------------10---
 
 
 
1st verse                 *see note 1
G|----|------------------|----------------------|-----------9----|
D|-7/-|-12----12---------|------10--------------|-------10----12-|
A|----|-----12--12-10----|-10h12---12p10----10--|-10h12----------|
E|----|---------------13-|---------------10-----|----------------|
 
                                      *see note 1
G|----14-16p14----|------------------|---------------------|-----------9\-|
D|/14----------16-|-12----12---------|------10-12p10-------|-------10-----|
A|----------------|-----12--12-10----|10h12-------------10-|-10h12--------|
E|----------------|---------------13-|---------------13----|--------------|
 
 
 
chorus                                              *see note 2
G|-----------------------------|----------------------------------------
D|-0---------------------------|----------------------------------------
A|------3------2---------------|---------3-3----5-----------7-----------
E|----3------3-----3-3----3--2-|-3-3-3--------------/7--10----10--7-----
 
 
 
                                                        up whole step
G|-----------------------------|----------------------------------------
D|-0---------------------------|-----------------------10^--10----------
A|------3------2---------------|---------3-3----5-----------------------
E|----3------3-----3-3----3--2-|-3-3-3----------------------------------
 
 
 
2nd verse                 
G|------------------|----------------------|-----------9----|
D|/12----12---------|------10--------------|-------10----12-|
A|-----12--12-10----|-10h12---12p10----10--|-10h12----------|
E|---------------13-|---------------10-----|----------------|
 
                                      
G|----14-16p14----|------------------|---------------------|-----------9\-|
D|/14----------16-|-12----12---------|------10-12p10-------|-------10-----|
A|----------------|-----12--12-10----|10h12-------------10-|-10h12--------|
E|----------------|---------------13-|---------------13----|--------------|
 

chorus again (getting too lazy, even for cut&paste!  :)
 
This is the "What it is... and what is was" part
 
2 times               *see note 3
G|------------------------2--4p2---|--------------------|
D|*-------------------0h2--------4-|-------------------*|
A|*------------0--0-0--------------|-5--5-5------------*|
E|--3--3--3-3----------------------|----------5-3---3---|
 

G|--------------------|
D|--------------------|
A|-------------0--0-0-|
E|--3--3--3-3---------|
 

chorus 2x
 
2nd guitar solo
use verse part
 
3rd verse
 
chorus same as before but with this the second time
 
G|------------------------|
D|------------------------|
A|-7-7---7-9--9-10--10-12-|
E|------------------------|
 
 
 
the last 2 phrases of the chorus before the breakdown are
 
G|-----------------------------|---------------------|
D|-0---------------------------|---------------------|
A|------3------2---------------|---------0-0----5----|
E|----3------3-----3-3----3--2-|-3-3-3---------------|
 

rest a bit...
 
then just basically go nuts over Gm7, Am7, and Dm7 pentatonic.  I'd have to
look at the guitar music to see if those are the actual chords but if you play
enough notes nobody will notice that you're outside the chord.
 
G|-------------------|
D|-------------------|
A|----------------5--|
E|--3--3---5--5------|
 
Note 1:  There's a lot of stuff you can do here.  The first lick I put in there
is just about what he's playing.  The second one is just something else that
will fit.  Minor pentatonic scales are your friend!
 
Note 2:  Basically the same as note 1.  Minor pentatonic scales are your
friend... the chord is Dm7
 
Note 3: Get your own pentatonic licks!  I'm not giving any more out! :) The
chord is Am7
 
 
 
 
Eric Somdahl
ICQ #67654004
eric@esscowebdesign.com
http://www.esscowebdesign.com

Click to get the code!