Livin' On A Prayer Bass tab video
Bon Jovi
Make your own Livin' On A Prayer tab video, freeNo editing. No card. 10 minutes free.- Instrument
- Bass
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Tuning
- E A D G
- Key
- Do maggiore
- Tempo
- 123 BPM
About this riff
Hugh McDonald's bassline is more than root-note support: it weaves chord tones together with chromatic passing notes and rhythmic pushes that drive the verse and lift the pre-chorus. It's worth learning for the way it teaches syncopation and melodic movement within a straightforward rock progression, so control of note length, muting, and staying locked with the kick around 123 BPM matters more than raw speed. A clean, punchy fingerstyle attack and good timing on the chromatic runs are the keys to making it groove.
Did you know?
The bassline you hear wasn't the original idea: the band's early 8-track demo used a groove that session vet Hugh McDonald likened to 'Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch' or 'Black Is Black.' When producer Bruce Fairbairn came in to tighten the songs, McDonald and the band agreed they needed something better, and after trying several variations with everyone pitching in, they landed on the part now on the record. McDonald played bass uncredited on Slippery When Wet and later albums while Alec John Such handled it live, only receiving official recognition and the live bass chair after Such left in 1995.
FAQ
Is this the real audio?
The audio is rendered from a high-quality SoundFont (FluidR3), so it plays for real. It is not the original master recording.
Can I make my own Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer tab video?
Yes. Upload your file to Tab2Vid and export a 9:16 or 16:9 video with real audio in about a minute. The free plan needs no credit card.