Jam Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 My dad's expressed an interest in starting to play bass, and I'm really looking forward to trying to help him learn, but for some reason I can't think of any songs that are easy enough for a [i]complete [/i]beginner? Bearing in mind he has to cope with fingerstyle playing, fretting, reading tab etc. He likes Deep Purple, Hendrix, Led Zep, Rod Stewart, Motown, that sort of thing. Does anyone have any experience helping family members learn bass? I expect some frustration from both sides along the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Teach him 'Hey Joe' by Hendrix. One of the first tunes I learnt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny_frog Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 how about zz top gimme all your loving ? nice easy chord changes, good solid rhythm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tino Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 [quote name='Jam' post='1091780' date='Jan 16 2011, 08:34 PM']My dad's expressed an interest in starting to play bass, and I'm really looking forward to trying to help him learn, but for some reason I can't think of any songs that are easy enough for a [i]complete [/i]beginner? Bearing in mind he has to cope with fingerstyle playing, fretting, reading tab etc. He likes Deep Purple, Hendrix, Led Zep, Rod Stewart, Motown, that sort of thing. Does anyone have any experience helping family members learn bass? I expect some frustration from both sides along the way![/quote] Kings of Leon.....Use Somebody.....loads of how to on utube ...like the meerkat says.....simples Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jam Posted January 16, 2011 Author Share Posted January 16, 2011 [quote name='johnny_frog' post='1091790' date='Jan 16 2011, 08:39 PM']how about zz top gimme all your loving ? nice easy chord changes, good solid rhythm[/quote] Ah good call, he likes ZZ top! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Jam' post='1091780' date='Jan 16 2011, 08:34 PM']He likes [b]Deep Purple[/b], Hendrix, Led Zep, Rod Stewart, Motown, that sort of thing. Does anyone have any experience helping family members learn bass? I expect some frustration from both sides along the way![/quote] Surely [b]Smoke on the water[/b], leaps out at you here ? Edited January 16, 2011 by daz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave D Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 How about Alright Now? Only have to play half the song, and the leap to the end of the fretboard is good to practice accuracy?!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 When I started playing I was advised to play in squares and triangles and to see what I could find. This lead to some of those good old 3 chord tricks - e.g. B/A/D/B - "hello I love you" by the Doors which is also "Allday, All night" by the Kinks and "Submission"(I think) by the Sex Pistols. This made me feel like I had some repetoire before I started to learn scales.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jam Posted January 16, 2011 Author Share Posted January 16, 2011 [quote name='daz' post='1091831' date='Jan 16 2011, 09:05 PM']Surely [b]Smoke on the water[/b], leaps out at you here ? [/quote] The main riff might be ok but I seem to remember there are some arpeggios (?) that might throw a spanner in the works. And no, I don't think he'd enjoy playing Kings of Leon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jam Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 Just finished showing some stuff to my dad. Wild Thing went down ok. Smoke on the Water went down very well, didn't stray much from root notes but he really seemed to enjoy it. Ball of Confusion was awesome, but the fretting hand proved difficult. Any more songs with just root notes not played too fast and without too much movement round the fretboard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theosd Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 +1 for Hey Joe, first song I ever played live! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Jam' post='1094545' date='Jan 18 2011, 10:12 PM']Any more songs with just root notes not played too fast and without too much movement round the fretboard?[/quote] A fair swedge of Bon Scott-era AC/DC & most of the entire Status Quo back catalogue springs to mind. Plus Messrs Evans, Williams & Lancaster are/were absolutely rock-solid players, which can be a help to a new player - Highway To Hell & Roadhouse Blues don't move around too much but have a couple of twists. From the Led Zep canon, Whole Lotta Love is a satisfying thrash; & in the Purple camp, how about Lazy? It's only a 14-bar blues & roots will probably work just as well as walking. 'Place In Line' off 'Who Do We Think We Are' is another straight-ahead number, as is 'Why Didn't Rosemary' off the 1969 'Deep Purple' album (the one with the Heironymous Bosch cover). Small Faces? 'Watcha Gonna Do About' it has only three notes (E, D & A), & 'All Or Nothing' is pretty straightforward too. Pete. Edited January 19, 2011 by Bloodaxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 [quote name='theosd' post='1094556' date='Jan 18 2011, 10:22 PM']+1 for Hey Joe, first song I ever played live![/quote] And another +1 from me too - first song I 'learnt', well I got the roots and the 8th note riff down in about 10 minutes, with a lot of help from a friend, and I was completely hooked from that point on.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassNovice Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Wind cries Mary...pretty easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonybassplayer Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Nearly a page gone and no one mentioned Mustang Sally yet !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 You could try Since You Been Gone, for a Purple/Rainbow connection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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