ViViD BLUE: Understanding Its Basslines and Rhythmic Feel

4 String Bass Tutorial for Japanese Rock Fans

If you're into Japanese Visual Kei and melodic rock, ViViD's "BLUE" is a really interesting track to work on as a bassist. The song has plenty of energy, but the bass doesn't need to constantly jump into the spotlight. Instead, it helps keep the whole arrangement connected.

That's exactly what makes this song useful for practice. You can work on timing, groove, dynamics, note control, transitions, and low-end consistency without turning the practice session into a finger-speed contest.

This ViViD BLUE Bass TAB is an independent educational transcription created by Akiya369. The bass performance and transcription were made by me as a learning resource for musicians who want to study and practice the bass part.

The arrangement is written for 4-string bass and uses a lower tuning, making it a useful exercise for players who want to become more comfortable with tuning changes while keeping their playing clean and controlled.

ViViD – BLUE Bass TAB & PDF

Here's the basic setup for this arrangement. Use the information below as a quick reference before you start practicing.

Song	Bass	Tuning	TAB Type
BLUE	4-String Bass	D# G# C# F#	Independent Educational Transcription

VIEW BLUE BASS TAB PDF →

Listen to the Akiya369 Bass Performance

Before practicing from the TAB, I recommend listening to the performance once or twice. Don't immediately try to memorize every note. Instead, listen for the pulse, note length, accents, and relationship between the bass and drums.

Why BLUE Is Worth Studying on Bass

Some basslines are useful because they're technically difficult. Others are useful because they teach you how to make simple parts sound intentional.

BLUE fits nicely into the second category.

When you're playing inside a dense rock arrangement, every note has a job. The bass has to provide weight without becoming muddy, support the rhythm without simply copying everything the drummer does, and leave enough space for the guitars and vocals.

That makes this track a good practice opportunity for developing musical awareness rather than just mechanical technique.

1. Find the Pocket Before Chasing the Notes

One of the biggest mistakes when learning a new bassline is immediately focusing on the fret numbers.

Try something different.

Listen to the track and tap your foot along with the main pulse. Then listen specifically to the kick drum and bass relationship. Once you have a sense of where the groove sits, start working through the TAB.

When the rhythm feels natural, the notes become much easier to place.

Think groove first, notes second.

2. Root Notes Are Your Reference Points

When you're learning a bassline in an unfamiliar tuning, identifying the root notes can make the fretboard feel much less confusing.

Instead of treating every TAB number as an isolated piece of information, try to recognize the larger harmonic movement. Ask yourself:

Where does the bassline feel like it comes home?
Which notes feel like strong points of the progression?
Where does the bass move away from the main tonal center?
Which notes sound like connections between larger phrases?

This kind of thinking helps you memorize the musical shape of the part instead of memorizing a long sequence of numbers.

3. Low Tuning Doesn't Mean Heavy-Handed Playing

The lower tuning gives the bass a different range and feel, but don't assume you need to attack the strings aggressively just because the notes sit lower.

In fact, excessive force can make a low-tuned bass sound loose and uncontrolled.

Try using a consistent right-hand attack and let the tuning provide the weight. Your job is to keep the notes clean.

A controlled low note will usually sound much better than a louder but messy one.

4. Muting Becomes Even More Important

Here's a skill that's easy to overlook when practicing bass TAB: what you don't play.

Low frequencies can hang around for a long time. If unwanted strings continue ringing underneath your notes, the entire bass part can quickly become muddy.

Practice controlling unused strings with both hands. Your fretting hand can lightly touch strings that shouldn't ring, while your picking or plucking hand can help control the lower strings.

Good muting isn't just a technique for advanced players. It's one of the foundations of a clean bass sound.

5. Note Length Changes the Groove

Here's a simple experiment: play the same note repeatedly, but change how long you let it ring.

You'll immediately hear how much the feel changes.

A sustained note can create space and weight. A shorter note can make the rhythm feel tighter and more aggressive. Neither approach is automatically better—the important thing is matching the musical context.

When learning BLUE, pay attention to the release of each note, not just the moment when the note starts.

6. Don't Let Your Right Hand Run Ahead

Energetic rock music can make your plucking hand want to rush.

That's especially common when you're excited about finally getting a difficult section right.

Use a metronome and deliberately practice slightly slower than the recording. If you can make the bassline feel solid at a slower tempo, increasing the speed becomes much easier.

A good rule:

If you can't play it cleanly slow, you're probably not ready to play it fast.

7. Practice the Transitions, Not Just the Sections

A lot of players can play verse sections and chorus sections individually but struggle when they have to connect them.

That's because transitions often contain the moments where your hands have to change position, rhythm, or playing intensity.

For BLUE, spend extra time looping the final few beats of one section together with the first few beats of the next section.

You don't always need to practice an entire song from beginning to end.

Sometimes four or eight carefully repeated bars are more useful than playing the whole song five times.

8. Use a Three-Speed Practice Method

Here's a practice method you can use with almost any bass TAB.

Stage	Goal	What to Focus On
Slow	Understand the part	Notes, fingering, rhythm
Medium	Build consistency	Timing, transitions, muting
Full Speed	Play musically	Groove, dynamics, endurance

This method prevents the common cycle of playing too fast, making mistakes, stopping, and starting over again.

9. Train Your Ears While Reading TAB

Don't let the TAB become a substitute for listening.

A stronger approach is to combine both skills:

Listen to a short section.
Try to identify the rhythm.
Guess where the bass moves on the fretboard.
Check the TAB.
Play the section.
Listen again and compare your timing and note length.

Over time, you'll start recognizing common bass movements without needing to look at the TAB first.

That's a huge step toward becoming a bassist who can learn songs by ear.

10. Build Better Dynamics

Playing every note at exactly the same volume can make a bassline feel flat.

Instead, think about the arrangement as a whole. Some sections may benefit from a more relaxed attack, while stronger sections can use more energy.

You don't need dramatic volume changes. Even small differences in attack can make the bass feel much more alive.

Element	Practice Question
Attack	Am I hitting every note with the same force?
Sustain	Should this note ring or stop earlier?
Accents	Which notes naturally need more emphasis?
Space	Am I allowing the groove to breathe?

11. Tone Tips for a Clean Low-End Sound

You don't need a complicated pedalboard to practice this song effectively.

Start with a clean bass tone and make sure the fundamental notes remain easy to hear. If your sound is too boomy, reduce excessive low-end rather than simply turning the volume down.

A little midrange can also help the bass remain audible when guitars become dense.

Most importantly, fix the playing before trying to fix the tone. No EQ setting can completely rescue inconsistent timing or uncontrolled string noise.

12. Common Problems When Learning BLUE

Problem	Possible Cause	Try This
Bass sounds muddy	Unwanted strings ringing	Improve muting with both hands
You keep rushing	Right hand pushing the pulse	Practice slowly with a metronome
Transitions feel awkward	Sections practiced separately	Loop the last and first bars together
Low notes sound weak	Inconsistent attack or setup	Use a controlled attack and check setup
The part feels robotic	Every note played identically	Work on dynamics and note length

13. A Better Way to Memorize the Bassline

Instead of memorizing the entire song as one giant sequence, divide it into musical chunks.

For example, you can think in terms of:

Opening phrase
Main groove
Transition
Chorus-style section
Break or variation
Ending phrase

The exact labels don't matter. What matters is giving your brain smaller musical landmarks.

Once each section becomes familiar, connecting them together becomes much easier.

14. Record Yourself and Listen Back

This might be one of the most underrated practice tools available to bass players.

You don't need expensive recording equipment. A basic phone recording can already reveal things you don't notice while playing.

Listen back for:

Timing that drifts away from the beat
Uneven note volume
Unwanted string noise
Notes that ring longer than intended
Transitions that feel hesitant
Sections where your energy suddenly drops

Don't just ask, "Did I play the right notes?"

Ask, "Does it actually feel good?"

15. What This Song Can Add to Your Bass Vocabulary

Every song you learn should ideally give you something you can reuse later.

With BLUE, the useful takeaway isn't simply remembering one bassline. You're working on a group of skills that can transfer to other Japanese rock and Visual Kei arrangements:

Staying locked with the rhythm section
Controlling low frequencies
Using dynamics instead of constant aggression
Connecting sections smoothly
Recognizing harmonic reference points
Playing with a consistent attack
Using TAB together with your ears

Those skills are much more valuable than memorizing one song and immediately moving on.

Quick Practice Checklist

Check	Question
✓	Can I keep the pulse without rushing?
✓	Are my unused strings properly muted?
✓	Do my notes have consistent attack?
✓	Am I controlling note length?
✓	Can I connect the sections smoothly?
✓	Can I play along without losing the groove?

Who Is This Bass TAB For?

This arrangement can be useful for:

Beginner and intermediate bass players
Bassists interested in Japanese rock and Visual Kei
Players practicing lower tunings
Musicians working on groove and timing
Bassists who want to improve muting and note control
Players developing their ear alongside TAB reading

More ViViD Bass TABs

BLUE is part of the Akiya369 ViViD Bass TAB collection. If you want to explore other arrangements from the band, visit the main ViViD collection page.

Explore the ViViD Bass TAB Collection →

About This Bass TAB

This article contains an independent educational transcription created by Akiya369. The TAB and bass performance presented on this page were independently produced by me for educational and practice purposes.

Akiya369 does not claim ownership of ViViD's original composition, official recording, lyrics, or other copyrighted material belonging to their respective rights holders.

The purpose of this resource is to provide bass players with a practical way to study the bass part, work on their playing technique, and better understand how the instrument functions within the arrangement.

Copyright & Educational Note

ViViD – BLUE is a copyrighted musical work belonging to its respective songwriter(s), publisher(s), and rights holders. Akiya369 is an independent educational website and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ViViD or its rights holders.

The bass transcription and bass performance published here are independently created by Akiya369 for educational purposes. They do not represent a claim of ownership over the underlying composition, original recording, lyrics, or other protected material.

If you are a copyright owner or authorized representative and have a concern regarding material published on this website, please contact us through the Akiya369 Contact page.

Keep Practicing

Learning a bassline isn't only about getting every fret number right. The real progress happens when you start hearing why the notes work, where the groove sits, how long the notes should ring, and how your playing interacts with the rest of the band.

Take BLUE slowly, clean up the details, and then gradually bring up the energy. Once the part feels comfortable, try playing it without constantly looking at the TAB.

That's when a transcription starts becoming more than a reference sheet—it becomes part of your actual playing vocabulary.

Akiya369