Behind DRIVER'S HIGH: The Basslines That Keep L'Arc-en-Ciel Moving

DRIVER'S HIGH is one of those Japanese rock tracks where the bass has to do more than simply hit the right notes. The real challenge is keeping the line tight, energetic, and consistent while the arrangement keeps moving.

This L'Arc-en-Ciel DRIVER'S HIGH Bass TAB is an independent educational transcription created to help bass players study the song, understand its rhythmic movement, and build better playing habits. The goal here isn't just to memorize a TAB. It's to understand why the bass works inside the arrangement and how you can make your own playing feel cleaner and more confident.

The arrangement featured on this page is written for 4-string bass in standard tuning (E A D G). A performance reference and a VIEW PDF option are also provided below.

Quick Info

Artist: L'Arc-en-Ciel
Song: DRIVER'S HIGH
Instrument: 4-String Bass
Tuning: E A D G
Content: Independent Bass TAB & Educational Tutorial

VIEW THE DRIVER'S HIGH Bass TAB PDF

If you're ready to work through the bassline while practicing, you can use the PDF version alongside the tutorial on this page.

VIEW BASS TAB PDF →

The PDF is intended as a practice reference for the independent transcription presented on Akiya369.

Watch the Independent Bass Performance

The performance video is another way to study the arrangement. Instead of relying on TAB alone, try listening to the bass in relation to the drums and the rest of the band.

Why DRIVER'S HIGH Is a Great Bass Practice Song

Fast or energetic rock songs can expose small weaknesses pretty quickly.

A player might know every note but still sound rushed. Another player might have good timing but lose consistency when the arrangement becomes more intense. That's exactly why a song like DRIVER'S HIGH can be useful as a practice piece.

It gives you a chance to work on several skills at once:

Skill	What to Practice
Timing	Keep your notes locked with the rhythmic foundation.
Stamina	Stay relaxed during repeated playing instead of tightening your hands.
Articulation	Make each note speak clearly without unnecessary noise.
Transitions	Move between phrases without breaking the groove.
Consistency	Make repeated sections feel equally controlled from beginning to end.

The Real Challenge: Don't Let the Energy Push Your Tempo

Here's a common trap with energetic rock songs: the more excited you get, the faster you play.

It sounds obvious, but this happens to beginners and experienced players too. When the drums, guitars, and vocals create a lot of movement, your hands can start reacting to the energy instead of following the actual pulse.

That's when a bassline that should feel powerful starts sounding nervous.

The goal is different. You want the music to feel fast and energetic while your internal timing remains calm.

Think of it this way:

High energy does not mean uncontrolled movement.

Your hands can stay relaxed while your playing still hits hard.

1. Practice the Pulse Before Practicing the Notes

Before opening the TAB, listen to the song and identify the main pulse.

Don't immediately try to copy every note. Instead, tap your foot or lightly tap your hand along with the beat.

Once the pulse feels stable, start playing the bassline at a slower tempo.

This creates an important separation between knowing the notes and feeling where the notes belong.

If you can play the line slowly while staying perfectly connected to the beat, increasing the tempo becomes much easier.

2. The Bass Doesn't Need to Fight the Drums

In energetic rock, bass and drums can easily become one huge wall of sound. That's exciting when it works, but messy when the timing isn't controlled.

When practicing DRIVER'S HIGH, pay attention to the relationship between your bass attacks and the drum groove.

You don't need to make every note aggressive. What matters is that the notes have a clear rhythmic purpose.

Try this exercise:

Listen only to the drums for a moment.
Feel the main pulse.
Play the bassline quietly.
Gradually increase your attack.
Stop increasing the force when the notes are already clear.

This teaches you that clarity comes from control, not simply from playing harder.

3. Articulation Matters More Than Raw Speed

When a bassline moves quickly, it's tempting to focus entirely on speed.

But speed without articulation can make everything blur together.

Instead, pay attention to how each note starts and ends.

Ask yourself:

Is the note starting cleanly?
Am I accidentally ringing an open string?
Are unwanted strings vibrating?
Am I cutting notes too early?
Am I allowing notes to ring longer than they should?

These small details can completely change the feel of a bassline.

4. Don't Grip the Neck Too Hard

One of the easiest ways to lose stamina is to squeeze the fretting hand harder than necessary.

When the tempo increases, check your thumb and fingers.

If your hand feels like it's fighting the bass, you're probably using more tension than you need.

A better approach is to use just enough pressure to produce a clean note.

Relax between phrases whenever possible. Even tiny moments of relaxation can make a noticeable difference during longer practice sessions.

5. Use Smaller Sections Instead of Playing the Whole Song Repeatedly

Running the entire song from beginning to end over and over can feel productive, but it isn't always the fastest way to improve.

If one transition keeps causing problems, isolate it.

For example:

Practice Stage	Goal	Focus
Stage 1	Learn the notes	Fingering and position
Stage 2	Clean the phrase	Muting and articulation
Stage 3	Connect sections	Transitions
Stage 4	Increase tempo	Relaxation and consistency
Stage 5	Play with the track	Musical feel

This method gives your brain a chance to actually solve the difficult parts instead of repeatedly making the same mistake.

6. Slow Practice Is Not Optional

There's nothing wrong with slowing the song down.

Actually, slower practice can reveal things you don't notice at full speed.

Try starting around 60–70% of your target tempo. Once the movement feels comfortable, increase the tempo gradually.

If your technique suddenly becomes tense, that's useful information. It means you've reached a speed where your current technique needs more work.

Don't immediately push harder.

Back off slightly, clean up the movement, then build the tempo again.

7. Train Your Right Hand for Consistent Attack

For this kind of energetic rock bassline, the right hand has a major effect on the overall feel.

Try alternating your index and middle fingers consistently when appropriate. The exact technique can vary from player to player, but the important part is keeping your attack predictable.

A useful exercise is to play the same short phrase repeatedly while trying to make every note feel equally controlled.

Don't chase maximum volume.

Chase repeatable attack.

8. Watch Your String Crossings

String changes can become surprisingly noticeable when you're playing at a faster tempo.

A sloppy string crossing can introduce extra noise, missed notes, or uneven accents.

Practice the movement separately from the rhythm.

Play the fretting-hand pattern slowly while focusing on how economically your fingers move between strings.

The less unnecessary movement you create, the easier it becomes to maintain the line at tempo.

9. The Importance of Note Length

Many bass players concentrate on where a note starts but forget about where it ends.

That's a big deal.

A note that should be short but rings too long can make the groove muddy. A note that should sustain but gets cut off too early can make the bassline feel weak.

When practicing the TAB, don't just ask:

“Which fret do I play?”

Also ask:

“How long should this note live?”

That small change in mindset can make your playing sound much more musical.

10. Build Endurance Without Destroying Your Technique

Stamina doesn't mean forcing yourself to play until your hands hurt.

Good endurance comes from efficient movement.

Try this simple routine:

Time	Exercise	Purpose
3 min	Warm-up	Relax the hands
5 min	Slow bassline practice	Clean technique
5 min	Transition loops	Remove weak spots
5 min	Tempo building	Improve consistency
2 min	Full-section playthrough	Test the result

If your technique starts falling apart, don't treat that as a reason to push harder. Treat it as a signal to slow down and clean up the movement.

11. Try Playing Without Looking at the TAB

Once you have learned a section, close the TAB for a moment.

See if you can play the phrase from memory while listening to the track.

This is useful because TAB should eventually become a reference rather than something your eyes depend on every second.

A good progression is:

Read the TAB.
Play slowly.
Repeat the phrase.
Look away from the TAB.
Play from memory.
Return to the TAB only when you need to check something.

Over time, you're training your ears, hands, and musical memory to work together.

12. Listen to the Bass as Part of the Whole Arrangement

One of the biggest mistakes when learning a bassline is listening only for the bass.

Try listening to the song from three different perspectives:

Bass perspective: What notes and rhythms are being played?
Drum perspective: Where does the bass connect with the groove?
Full-band perspective: How does the bass support the guitars, vocals, and overall movement?

This third perspective is especially important.

A bassline doesn't exist in isolation. The same notes can feel completely different depending on what the rest of the band is doing.

13. Keep the Low End Clean

Energetic rock doesn't automatically require a huge amount of bass boost.

In fact, too much low end can make a fast bassline harder to understand.

Start with a balanced tone and make sure your notes remain clear.

Listen for unwanted rumble, excessive string noise, or inconsistent attack.

If the bass already sounds clear through the arrangement, there's no need to keep adding more low-end energy.

14. Recording Yourself Is a Secret Weapon

You don't need a professional studio to learn from your own playing.

Even a basic recording can reveal things that are difficult to notice while you're focused on playing.

After recording, listen for:

Tempo changes.
Uneven note attacks.
Notes that ring too long.
Unwanted string noise.
Sections where your playing becomes tense.
Transitions that don't feel connected.

Don't judge the whole performance at once.

Pick one problem, fix it, then record again.

Common Problems When Learning DRIVER'S HIGH

Problem	Possible Cause	Practice Fix
Playing faster than the track	Following excitement instead of the pulse	Practice with a metronome at a slower tempo.
Hands become tense	Using too much pressure	Reduce fretting pressure and relax between phrases.
Bass sounds muddy	Excessive sustain or unwanted string noise	Work on muting and note length.
Transitions feel awkward	Practicing only complete sections	Loop the transition by itself.
Stamina disappears quickly	Unnecessary hand tension	Slow down and focus on efficient movement.

A Simple DRIVER'S HIGH Practice Routine

If you don't have much time, you can still make a short session useful.

Try this:

Listen: Play the song once without touching the bass.
Map it: Identify the major sections and transitions.
Slow it down: Work through the difficult phrases below full speed.
Clean it up: Focus on muting and articulation.
Build tempo: Increase speed gradually.
Play with the track: Focus on the relationship between bass and drums.
Record: Capture one complete section.
Review: Choose one thing to improve during the next run.

This approach is way more useful than simply playing the entire song ten times and hoping it magically gets better.

What This Song Can Teach You About Bass Playing

There's a bigger lesson here beyond this particular L'Arc-en-Ciel song.

Good bass playing is often about control.

You don't have to play every note with maximum force. You don't have to make every transition flashy. You don't have to constantly add fills.

Sometimes the most impressive thing is simply staying locked in while everything around you is moving.

That skill transfers to almost every genre.

Build Your Own Bass Vocabulary

After learning DRIVER'S HIGH, don't stop at memorizing the song.

Look for ideas you can reuse in your own playing.

How does the bass create forward movement?
How are repeated phrases kept interesting?
Where does the player leave space?
How does the articulation affect the groove?
How do transitions connect different sections?
Which rhythmic ideas could you apply to your own basslines?

That's how learning songs becomes actual musicianship.

4-String Bass Setup for This TAB

This independent transcription is arranged for a standard 4-string bass tuning:

String	Pitch
4th String	E
3rd String	A
2nd String	D
1st String	G

If you normally play another tuning, take a moment to adjust your instrument before working through the TAB.

Before You Start: A Quick Checklist

✓ Bass is tuned to E A D G.
✓ You can feel the main pulse without playing.
✓ Difficult transitions have been isolated.
✓ Your fretting hand stays relaxed.
✓ Your right-hand attack remains consistent.
✓ Unwanted string noise is controlled.
✓ You can play slowly without losing the groove.
✓ You gradually increase tempo instead of rushing.
✓ You listen to the drums and the full arrangement.

More L'Arc-en-Ciel Bass TABs

If you're working through this song, check out the other L'Arc-en-Ciel Bass TAB lessons on Akiya369. Each song is treated as its own independent educational article, with its own practice ideas and musical focus.

VIEW L'ARC-EN-CIEL BASS TABS →

You can also explore the wider J-ROCK & Visual Kei Bass TAB collection for more independent bass transcriptions and tutorials.

About Akiya369 Bass TABs

Akiya369 is an independent music education project focused on helping bass players explore songs through practical TAB-based learning.

The bass performances and transcriptions published on this site are independently created for educational and study purposes. The aim is to provide bass players with another way to understand rhythm, phrasing, technique, and arrangement through real songs.

Whenever possible, use the TAB together with your ears. Music is more than a set of numbers on a fretboard, and learning to hear the relationship between instruments is an important part of becoming a better bassist.

Copyright & Educational Notice

DRIVER'S HIGH is a copyrighted musical work associated with its respective copyright holders, artists, writers, publishers, and other rights holders.

Akiya369 does not claim ownership of the original song, composition, recording, lyrics, artwork, or other copyrighted material belonging to their respective owners.

The bass TAB and bass performance presented on this page are independent transcription and recording work created for educational and study purposes. Any reference to “Bass TAB” or “transcription” on Akiya369 refers to the independently created bass transcription presented for learning purposes and does not imply official affiliation, endorsement, or authorization by L'Arc-en-Ciel or the copyright holders.

No song lyrics are reproduced on this page.

If you are a copyright owner or authorized representative and have a concern regarding material published on Akiya369, please use the site's Contact page to submit a notice so the matter can be reviewed.

Final Practice Tip

Don't measure your progress only by whether you can play the song from beginning to end.

Ask yourself whether you're playing it cleaner, more relaxed, and more consistently than you did yesterday.

That's the real win.

Once the notes become familiar, put the TAB aside for a moment, listen to the drums, lock into the pulse, and let the bassline move naturally with the band.

That's when DRIVER'S HIGH starts feeling less like an exercise and more like music.

Akiya369