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Back Door Man cover art

Back Door Man

The Doors
Bass Tab
★4.6(4)

3 versions

Bass3

This is tablature — fret positions rather than chord names. Wide lines scroll sideways on their own, so the page never does.

Song

Back Door Man - The Doors

Tabbed By: born21239

e-mail: bass21239@gmail.com

There are two basslines on this song.

The most prominent (top half of the notation) is played by

session musician Larry Knechtel on an electric bass guitar with

a pick, and the other (bottom half of the notation) is played by

Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek on a Fender Rhodes Piano Bass. For

the best effect, play his line with your fingers. You can transpose

the strings however you like, as his bassline is not originally

written for the bass guitar. This is just the way I prefer to play

it and think sounds best.

Listen to the recording to pick up on the exact timbre of the notes.

This is the whole song from beginning to end.

Manzarek's part is at least 99% correct, and Knechtel's part is at

least 95% accurate. The recording is 4-track and the bass was not

recorded that well so some of the notes were not discernible, and

are more the product of educated guesses.

Just to prevent any confusion, note that the A on the bass guitar

at 3:24 does, in fact, come an eighth of a measure after the A5 chord

on the Piano Bass.

Tuning: EADG

0:01

(Larry Knechtel)

G|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------------|---------------5-|---------------5-|
E|---5-5-5-5-5-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|

|

| (Ray Manzarek)

G|---------------|---------------|-------------------------|
D|---------------|---------------|-------------------------|
A|---------------|---------------|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|
E|---------------|---------------|-------------------------|

0:09

(LK)

G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|---------------5-|---------------5-|---------------5-|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
A|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|

0:17

(LK)

G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|---------------5-|---------------5-|---------------5-|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------14-14-------14-12-|
A|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-|-12-12-------12-12-------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|

0:25

(LK)

G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|---------------5-|---------------5-|---------------5-|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-14-|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|

0:33

(LK)

G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|---------------5-|---------------5-|---------------5-|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|

0:41

(LK)

G|------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
D|------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
A|------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-8/-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10\5/--|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-12\-|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------------------------|-------------------------|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-------12-12-------12-12-|-------12-12-------12-12-|
E|-------------------------|-10-10-------10-10-------|-10-10-------10-10-------|

0:49

(LK)

G|-----------------|------------------|--------------------------|
D|-----------------|------------------|--------------------------|
A|---------------5-|------------------|--------------------------|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-8/-|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12\-|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------------------12----|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|-------14-14----------14-|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|-12-12-------12-12-------|

0:57

(LK)

G|--------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|--------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|--------------------------|---------------5-|---------------5-|
E|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-12\-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|----------10----------10-|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|
A|-------12----------12----|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|
E|-10-10-------10-10-------|-------------------------|-------------------------|

1:06

(LK)

G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|---------------5-|---------------5-|---------------5-|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-14-|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|

1:14

(LK)

G|------------------|-----------------------|----------------------------|
D|------------------|-----------------------|----------------------------|
A|------------------|-----------------------|----------------------------|
E|-5-5-5-5-4-4-3-5/-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10--|-7/10-10-10-10-10-10-10-12\-|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------------------------|-------------------------|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-------12-12-------12-12-|-------12-12-------12-12-|
E|-------------------------|-10-10-------10-10-------|-10-10-------10-10-------|

1:21

(LK)

G|-----------------|-----------------|------------------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|------------------------|
A|---------------5-|-----------------|------------------------|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-4-4-5/--|-12-12-12-12--12-12-11\-|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------------------12----|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|-------14-14----------14-|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|-12-12-------12-12-------|

1:29

(LK)

G|-----------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------------|---------------5-|-----------------|
E|-8-10-10-10--10-10-12\-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|----------10----------10-|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|
A|-------12----------12----|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|
E|-10-10-------10-10-------|-------------------------|-------------------------|

1:37

(LK)

G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-0-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-0-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-0-|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|

1:46

(LK)

G|------------------|---------------------------|--------------------------|
D|------------------|---------------------------|--------------------------|
A|------------------|---------------------------|--------------------------|
E|-5-5-5-5-7-7-8-8/-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10\7-5/-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-12\-|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-14-|-----------------------|-------------------------|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-----12-12-------12-12-|-------12-12-------12-12-|
E|-------------------------|-10--------10-10-------|-10-10-------10-10-------|

1:54

(LK)

G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------------|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-0-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5/--|-12-12-12-12--12-12-11-|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------------------12----|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|-------14-14----------14-|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|-12-12-------12-12-------|

2:02

(LK)

G|-----------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-----------------------|---------------5-|---------------5-|
E|-8-10-10-10--11-12-10\-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|----------10----------10-|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|
A|-------12----------12----|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|
E|-10-10-------10-10-------|-------------------------|-------------------------|

2:10

(LK)

G|-----------------|------------------|------------------|
D|-----------------|------------------|------------------|
A|---------------5-|------------------|------------------|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-8---|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-0/-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-0/-|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|

2:18

(LK)

G|------------------|------------------|------------------|
D|------------------|------------------|------------------|
A|------------------|------------------|------------------|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-0/-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-0/-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-0/-|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|

2:26

(LK)

G|------------------|-----------------|---------------------------|
D|------------------|-----------------|---------------------------|
A|------------------|-----------------|---------------------------|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-0/-|-5-5-5-5-5-7-8-9-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10\7-5/-|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-14-|-------14-14-------14-12-|-----------------------|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|-----12-12-------12-12-|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|-10--------10-10-------|

2:34

(LK)

G|--------------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
D|--------------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
A|--------------------------|-------------------|-----------------|
E|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-12\-|-/5-5-5-5-5-5--10\-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5/--|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------------------------|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|
A|-------12-12-------12-12-|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|
E|-10-10-------10-10-------|-------------------------|-------------------------|

2:42

(LK)

G|------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------|
D|------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------|
A|------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------|
E|-12-12-12-12--12-12-11\-|-8-10-10-10--10-10-12\-|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------------------12----|----------10----------10-|-------14-14-------14-12-|
A|-------14-14----------14-|-------12----------12----|-12-12-------12-12-------|
E|-12-12-------12-12-------|-10-10-------10-10-------|-------------------------|

2:50

(LK)

G|----------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
D|----------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
A|----------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
E|-5-5-5-5-5-5-5/12-14\-|-/5-5-5-5-5-5-8/15--|-12\-/5-5-5-5-5-/13\--|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-12-|-----14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12--------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|
E|-------------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------|

2:58

(LK)

G|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------------|
D|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------------|
A|-------------------|-----------------|--------------------------|
E|-/5-5-5-5-5-5-/14--|-5-5-5-5-7-7-8-9-|-10-10-10-10-10-10-10\-5/-|

|

| (RM)

G|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------|
D|-------14-14-------14-12-|-------14-14-------14-12-|-----------------------|
A|-12-12-------12-12-------|-12-12-------12-12-------|-----12-12-------12-12-|
E|-------------------------|-------------------------|-10--------10-10-------|

3:06

(LK)

G|------------------------|----------------------|------------------|
D|------------------------|----------------------|------------------|
A|------------------------|----------------------|------------------|
E|-10-10-10-10-10-10-12\--|-/5-5-5-5-5-5-/15-15\-|-/5-5-5-5-5-5-5/--|

|

| (RM)

G|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
D|-----------------------|-----14-14-------14-12-|-----14-14-------14-12-|
A|-----12-12-------12-12-|-12--------12-12-------|-12--------12-12-------|
E|-10--------10-10-------|-----------------------|-----------------------|

3:14

(LK)

G|--------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|
D|--------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|
A|--------------------------|---------------------|---------5-5-6-6-|
E|-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-11\-|-8-10-10-10--10-10\--|-5-5-8-8---------|

|

| (RM)

G|---------------------|---------------------|----14-12----------------|
D|-----12-12-----12----|-----10--------12----|----------14-12----------|
A|------------------14-|--------12--------10-|-12-------------15-12----|
E|-12--------12--------|-10--------10--------|----------------------12-|

3:22

(LK)

G|-------------|-----------------|---|
D|-------------|-----------------|---|
A|-5-----------|-----------------|---|
E|---8-5-5---5-|-(5)-55555555555-|-5-|

|

| (RM)

G|------------------|-------------|------|
D|--------------14--|-(14)--------|-(14)-|
A|----12-12-12--12--|-(12)--------|-(12)-|
E|-15---------------|-------------|------|

Comments

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