jimcroisdale Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Hi all, I once read a thing written by the guitarist Paul Gilbert. It was a list of ten songs which he said if you learned them all note for note, would give you a great grounding in lots of areas of guitar playing. These days, I play bass nearly exclusively, and wondered if anyone would like to play at list-writing like PG did? I like all styles of bass, but the two that I can't really do are slap and jazz. One, because I don't have the technique, and the other because I'm just not that good a musician. You may choose to ignore those styles, or maybe even focus on them - up to you. Come on then, gimme ten! Cheers, Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 i'd certainly be interested in the suggestions, good thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Ooh, I'll brave a suggestion - Tom Sawyer by Rush. It's good grounding in learning when to leave notes hanging in the air and create space in a song, and when to play more complicated stuff. The main riff is pretty tricky to pull off cleanly, which focusses your technique somewhat. Oh yeah, it swaps between 4/4 and 7/4, so you learn to count too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveO Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 (edited) This looks promising. I don't have much to contribute just yet, but I'd say that learning "Sweet Child" was the song that marked the change from someone who played the bass to being a bass player for me. Opened up a whole new era of playing [i]with[/i] other instruments, not just playing underneath them. Edited May 12, 2012 by SteveO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guildbass Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Get It On.....From Electric Warrior. Simple as you like...root 'E's have an off beat groove, the A is on beat the g to a run up offers some improv fun but the deal is.... Get it right and the song GROOVES...T Rex is ALL about the bass groove Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 good times, Chic, still havent got the bugger... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 'A child is coming' - Jefferson Starship, from the album 'Blows against the Empire'. Jack Casady shows us what to do for a solo, using almost exclusively feedback. A great moment. Bass isn't [i]only [/i]about pounding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKenrick Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 http://youtu.be/KqtELR5GyfI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lobematt Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 [quote name='TKenrick' timestamp='1336910174' post='1652574'] [media]http://youtu.be/KqtELR5GyfI[/media] [/quote] YES! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foal30 Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 1. So What - Miles Davis 2. 5:15 - The Who 3. Get up (Sex Machine) - James Brown 4. Try a Little Tenderness - Otis Redding 5. Everything is Everything - Donny Hathaway 6. Even Better than the Reakl Thing - Marvin Gaye 7. For the Love of Money - The O'Jays 8. School Days - Stanley Clarke 9. Why I sing the Blues - B.B. King 10. Are You My Baby? - Wendy and Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 [quote name='foal30' timestamp='1336980116' post='1653341'] 1. So What - Miles Davis 2. 5:15 - The Who 3. Get up (Sex Machine) - James Brown 4. Try a Little Tenderness - Otis Redding 5. Everything is Everything - Donny Hathaway 6. Even Better than the Reakl Thing - Marvin Gaye 7. For the Love of Money - The O'Jays 8. School Days - Stanley Clarke 9. Why I sing the Blues - B.B. King 10. Are You My Baby? - Wendy and Lisa [/quote] Nice mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 The songs that kill me are those that are in a style that I'm not comfortable with. Obviously, that will vary for different players. For example I've been playing a few Primal Scream songs and I just don't get the "swagger" for want of a better word. So I would almost say... - properly nail something Motown - properly nail some of that Stax / soul stuff - properly nail something prog-ish from the 70s - .... funk - .... 80s - .... 90s Manchester you see where I'm going Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seashell Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 This has got me thinking about the main songs I have learned over the past year. My teacher suggested some of these, others I asked him if he could show me, one I worked out for myself. I'm not telling you which is which! 1. Daytripper - The Beatles 2. Gangster - the Specials 3. Enter Sandman - Metallica 4. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson 5. Paranoid - Black Sabbath 6. Money - Pink Floyd 7. Hotel California - The Eagles 8. Dazed and Confused - Led Zep 9. So What - Miles Davis 10. Everyday - Slade Quite a nice varied selection I think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 [quote name='seashell' timestamp='1337067431' post='1654707'] This has got me thinking about the main songs I have learned over the past year. My teacher suggested some of these, others I asked him if he could show me, one I worked out for myself. I'm not telling you which is which! 1. Daytripper - The Beatles 2. Gangster - the Specials 3. Enter Sandman - Metallica 4. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson 5. Paranoid - Black Sabbath 6. Money - Pink Floyd 7. Hotel California - The Eagles 8. Dazed and Confused - Led Zep 9. So What - Miles Davis 10. Everyday - Slade Quite a nice varied selection I think! [/quote] I'm guessing Sandman, Paranoid, Money, or Dazed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychojoy Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Running Free by Iron Maiden for me. It's when I learned to keep notes clean and sharp and I gained some knowledge about quicker fills and how things can move together even in simpler chord progressions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZMech Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 (edited) Despite that I don't every have to play dub reggae, going through and learning all the basslines from Below The Basslines by Ernest Ranglin definitely helped build my feel, and appreciation for nice spacious phrasings. Am liking the lists so far though, think I need to stop neglecting the James Brown lines. Edited May 16, 2012 by ZMech Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yepmop Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Good thread. A couple that spring to mind for me would be; Hit me with you rhythm stick - Ian Dury My Baby just cares for me - Nina Simone Will have to think other the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 I think it was Billy Sheehan who said learn the bass line to every song on Sergeant Pepper if you want to improve as a musician and understand how a line can complement a song. "Rhythm Stick" is a great bass line, as is "What a Waste" also by Norman Watt Roy. Also Stevie Wonder lines are fun, "Master Blaster" and "Sir Duke" have some unison bits that'll have you all over the fingerboard, "I Wish" is pretty relentless. Slap I enjoy playing "Forget Me Nots" and Michael Jackson's "Get on the Floor", I'm not really into full on slap lines. I reckon if you work out how the lines of any songs you are playing fit with the chords, how the fills fit with the rhythm and the vocals, how note lengths are used, accents etc instead of just learning the line parrot fashion you'll make quicker progress as musician. And it's super important to work things out by ear, only use notation / tab / youtube to check afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassfunk Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Sir Duke and I Wish are great, defo helped me. I'd say for me it's been: Things I've learnt that have helped me to become a better player: Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder I Wish - Stevie Wonder Never Too Much - Luther Vandross Canned Heat - Jamiroquai Hey Joe - Hendrix You Got the Love - Joss Stone's Version Things I should probably learn to improve my playing: School Daze - Stanley Clarke Anything by Jaco Loads of Jazz standards The entire standing in the shadows of Motown book Good Times - Chic Now I just need to quit the day job and any bands I'm in. Then I'll have time to become a better player Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1337012587' post='1653979'] Nice mix. [/quote] +1 great choices Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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