Ben | TAB
Let’s look at the three sections of Ben using TAB.
You can play this arrangement on the acoustic guitar supporting a singer, or in a band. Perhaps if you’re in a band with a bass player, you could move the F and E (string 6) up an octave (string 4).
Here’s the intro which later comes back as an outro.
Notice how this pattern moves from the 3rd of the Bb to the 2nd. We could call this Bb – Bbsus2, or, we could call the entire chord a Bbadd9. As the bass hasn’t changed, I think it should be a Bbadd9/F.
Next, as the verse starts, the pattern is modified, like this:
As mentioned, if played with a band, perhaps it’s better to play the F and E bass notes on string 4 instead.
The chromatic movement of Eb7 – D7 – Db7 – C7 is a series of tritone substitutions where, instead of going up the cycle of 4th (Am7 – D7 – Gm7 – C7), we tritone substitute the Am and Gm for Eb7 and Db7.
Finally, check out the modification to the riff at the end!
Here’s the middle 8 or bridge section of Ben in TAB.
By now there is so much going on in the arrangement that if you play in a band with keyboards, backing vocals and horns, perhaps you need to make these chords smaller.
The first place to start is not playing so much on string 6. I would also change those difficult dominnat7 C/A shapes with just C shapes.
Here’s a complete TAB chart of how I would play Ben if I had to with a band tomorrow.
Ben TAB | Related Pages
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Learn to play Ben by Michael Jackson using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
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Michael Jackson tunes
The King of Pop became world-famous before he was even a teenager as he signed to Motown with his brothers as The Jackson 5.
After many hits, Michael Jackson embarked on a crazy solo career that would see him become as big as Elvis and The Beatles.
Michael Jackson on the web
About me | Dan Lundholm
This guitar lesson by Dan Lundholm features TAB and covers Ben. Discover more about him and how you can learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not practising scales, and studying theory in isolation.