Basket Case | TAB (tune down 1/2 tone)
When I first sat down to transcribe this, I was planning to make it a beginner song — oh boy, was I wrong!
Let’s start by playing a super-simplified version of the first verse. Stick with this until it’s easy — first slowly, then at full tempo.
Depending on what backing tracks you use, you may or may not want to tune down.
Verse
Now that you’ve become familiar with starting an 8th note early, or using open strings to lead into the next chord, let’s try adding some accents — this is seriously difficult!
When the verse later returns, we get layers of guitars. Here’s a way to play it on one guitar, opening up the chords and rhythm:
Verse 3 is like verse 1, but with the full band playing. This is very clever, as it tightens up the arrangement.
Chorus 1
The first chorus is like the first verse — palm-muted, tight, and full of accents. The ending hints at the more open rhythm that arrives in verse 2.
The second chorus is, just like verse 2, more open:
Instrumental
The instrumental changes when it returns. The first time, we can play it like this (notice the E5 at the end of bar 2):
The second instrumental is slightly different — no E5 at the end:
Tightening up the last two bars before stopping is genius. It truly is the case that if you and your band work out all these details, you’ll sound ten times better.
Outro
The outro has such a great riff. I love how they saved it until the end — excellent arrangement skills.
This section is a perfect example of why a simple chord chart can only act as a reminder. We play it the same three times, then push the C#5 on the fourth repeat.
Once you can play all sections with the details in place, return to the chord chart and see if you can put the whole arrangement together.
Basket Case Backing Tracks + TAB | Related Pages
Basket Case | Chords + Lyrics
You can learn how to play Basket Case by Green Day using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| E5 | B5 | C# | G#5 |
Do you have the time, to listen to me whine…
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
- All The Small Things
- American Idiot
- I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
- Monkey Wrench
- Summer Of ’69
