Changes Bass Tab by David Bowie

Changes bass tab by David Bowie

Bass Tab

CHANGES (Bassline)

As recorded by David Bowie
(From the 1971 Album HUNKY DORY)

Words and Music by David Bowie

Transcribed by Slowhand


Gtr I (E A D G) - 'Trevor Bolder - Bass'


 Intro
  Q=110
 4/4
  Gtr I
  W          W          W          W
|----------|----------|----------|------|
|----------|----------|----------|------|
|-3--------|-4--------|-5--------|-6----|
|----------|----------|----------|------|

🎸

Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -


                     Intro 2 & Interlude
  e e e e e e e e     e e E E e e E E   e e e e e e e e   e e E E e e E E
|-----------------||----------2-2-4-2-|-----------------|---------2-2-4-2-|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-||o-0-0-3-4---------|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-|-0-0-3-4---------|
|-----------------||o-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------||------------------|-----------------|-----------------|


                    1st & 2nd Verses
  e e e e e e e e    H    +E  E E E   H    +E  E E E   Q.   E +Q   E E
|-----------------||------------5---|----------------|------5-(5)------|
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-||----------5---5-|-2----(2)-2-3-5-|-3-----------3-4-|
|-----------------||-3----(3)-------|----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------||----------------|----------------|-----------------|


  Q.   E Q  E E   H    +E  E E E   H    +E  E E E   Q.   E +E  E E E
|---------------|------------5---|------------5---|------------------|
|-5----5-3--2-0-|----------5---5-|-2----(2)-2---5-|-3----3-(3)---3-4-|
|---------------|-3----(3)-------|----------------|------------3-----|
|---------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|


  Q.   E +E  E Q    Q  E E Q  E E   Q  E E Q  E E   Q.   E +E  E E E
|-----------------|----4-5------7-|------9------8-|------7-(7)-7-----|
|-5----5-(5)------|-----------7---|----9------8---|--------------7-6-|
|------------5-3--|-3------5------|-7------6------|-5----------------|
|-----------------|---------------|---------------|------------------|


  Q.   E +E  Q  E   Q  E E Q  E E   Q  E E Q  E E   H    +E  Q  E
|-----------------|------5------7-|------9------8-|---------------|
|-5----5-(5)------|----5------7---|----9------8---|---------------|
|------------5--4-|-3------5------|-7------6------|-5----(5)-5--5-|
|-----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|


                  Chorus
  Q.   E Q.   E    Q.   E Q.   E   Q.   E Q.   E   Q.   E Q.   E
|---------------||-5----5-4----4-|-2----2--------|---------------|
|-5----5-3----3-||---------------|--------5----5-|-3----3-2----2-|
|---------------||---------------|---------------|---------------|
|---------------||---------------|---------------|---------------|


                                          1.
 2/4      3/4                                       4/4
  Q.   E   Q  Q  Q    H.        Q  Q  Q    H.        +W
|--------|-2--0--3--|---------|----------|---------|---------||
|--------|----------|-3-------|-2--0-----|---------|--------o||
|-5----5-|----------|---------|-------0--|-3-------|-(3)----o||
|--------|----------|---------|----------|---------|---------||


                   Bridge
  2.
  Q.   E +Q   Q     Q.   E +E  Q  E   Q.   E +E  E E E
|----------------||-----------------|------------------|
|------0-(0)--2--||-3----3-(3)----0-|-3----3-(3)-------|
|-3--------------||------------3----|------------0-2-3-|
|----------------||-----------------|------------------|


  Q.   E +E  E S E S   Q.   E +E  E E E
|--------------5-5-5-|-5----5-(5)-5-------|
|------------5-------|--------------5-5---|
|-3----3-(3)---------|--------------------|
|--------------------|--------------------|


  Q.   E +E  E E E   Q.   E +E  E E E   Q.   E +E  Q  E   E E E E E E E E
|------5-(5)-5-----|------------------|-----------------|-----------------||
|-3------------4-5-|-3----3-(3)---3-4-|-5----5-(5)----3-|-5-5-5-5-3-3-3-3-||
|------------------|------------3-----|------------5----|-----------------||
|------------------|------------------|-----------------|-----------------||


 Chorus
                                                 2/4      4/4
  Q.   E Q.   E   Q.   E Q.   E   Q.   E Q.   E   Q.   E   Q.   E Q.   E
|-5----5-4----4-|-2----2--------|---------------|--------|----------------|
|---------------|--------5----5-|-3----3-2----2-|--------|-5----5-3----3--|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|-5----5-|----------------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|--------|----------------|


                                                 2/4
  Q.   E Q.   E   Q.   E Q.   E   Q.   E Q.   E   Q.   E
|-5----5-4----4-|-2----2--------|---------------|--------|
|---------------|--------5----5-|-3----3-2----2-|-0----0-|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|--------|
|---------------|---------------|---------------|--------|


 3/4
  Q  Q  Q    H.        Q  Q  Q    H.        Q  Q  Q    H.
|-2--0--3--|---------|----------|---------|-2--0--3--|-------|
|----------|-3-------|-2--0-----|---------|----------|-3-----|
|----------|---------|-------0--|-3-------|----------|-------|
|----------|---------|----------|---------|----------|-------|


            4/4
  Q  Q  Q    W          H    +E  Q.     H    +E  E Q
|----------|----------|---------------|----------------||
|-2--0-----|----------|----------7----|----------5-----||
|-------0--|-3--------|-5----(5)------|-7----(7)---7---||
|----------|----------|---------------|----------------||


 Outro
               H.=H
  H.      Q    H    +E  Q  e   H    E E Q    W          +W
|------------|---------------|-------------|----------|--------*|
|------------|----------7----|-------------|----------|--------*|
|-6-------8--|-5----(5)----5-|-4----4-6-4--|-3--------|-(3)----*|
|------------|---------------|-------------|----------|--------*|


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



Oh yeah
Mm
Still don't know what I was waiting for
And my time was running wild
A million dead-end streets and
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face me
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how the others must see the faker
I'm much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Don't want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can't trace time

I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
So the days float through my eyes
But stil the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Don't tell them to grow up and out of it
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Wheres your shame
Youve left us up to our necks in it
Time may change me
But you can't trace time

Strange fascination, fascinating me
Ah changes are taking the pace I'm going through

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Oh, look out you rock n rollers
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
(turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-changes
Pretty soon now you're gonna get a little older
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
I said that time may change me

Last updated: September 10, 2025

Your last visited songs

David Bowie bass tabs for Changes

What is this?

Learn how to play "Changes" by David Bowie with our easy-to-follow bass tabs guide. Build confidence, sharpen your technique, and enjoy playing guitar.

Who Is This Page For?

This bass tabs tutorial for "Changes" by David Bowie is crafted for all musicians players ready to learn and grow. Whether you're just starting or refining your skills, this guide meets you where you are.

Why This Page Is Perfect for You

No matter your skill level, this page is a valuable resource for improving your guitar bass tab playing.

What You Will Gain

By using our bass tabs, you’ll not only learn to play "Changes" by David Bowie with accuracy and style, but you'll also elevate your overall musicianship. Explore our full archive of bass tabs for more songs, skills, and inspiration.

Other versions of Changes by David Bowie

Changes (Ver. 2) Bass tabs

×