Your *favourite* bassline?

[Cicero]

Understandably, choosing just one may prove to be difficult, but if you could...

Perhaps this is cheating a little, but everything Jaco does on this tune is just perfect... One of the greatest fusion performances ever:

 

[ambient]

Not a bass line per se, but still a bass from one of my favourite bassists.

 

 

[bubinga5]

There are not many bass lines that can match (Imo) this absolute classic. it seems very simple to the ones posted before, but I think its a bass line that make people tap there feet more. And isn't that what a bass line should do.? I think the former posted above are more bass performances than a solid bassline. 

 

Edited September 14, 2018 by bubinga5

[drlargepants]

10 minutes ago, bubinga5 said:

There are not many bass lines that can match (Imo) this absolute classic. it seems very simple to the ones posted before, but I think its a bass line that make people tap there feet more. And isn't that what a bass line should do.? I think the former posted above are more bass performances than a solid bassline. 

 

I grew up listening to metal/thrash/prog/punk etc, and Disco couldn’t be anything further away from what I like, but yeah Bernard Edwards was just incredible and in my middle age I can finally admit to loving Chic 😉

[Danuman]

I would almost dare any band to start jamming to this and keep it under 10 minutes.

[bubinga5]

Danuman you just reminded me of this. Probably the best finger style for the record bass playing I've ever heard. Apart from some of James Jamerson's playing . 

 

[Frank Blank]

 

[BassTractor]

 

The "Total Mass Retain" segment from the song "Close to the Edge". I've mentioned it before. but at the time it was a moment of: "Can that even be done?"

Apparently, it could:

 

Edited September 14, 2018 by BassTractor

[bubinga5]

Pino's playing on this record is just amazing Imo. 

 

[TrevorR]

 

I do love this one...

 

And this one too... The fabulous Johnny Gus on bass.

Finally there is this cracker too...

 

[bubinga5]

Great bass playing. 

 

[bubinga5]

Its a different kind of bass playing but Jerry Preston's bass playing on this just superbly funky. This to me is a bass line. 

 

[bazzbass]

I only heard about this song after someone posted it as their fave bassline.

It's very understated, but every note is just perfect

 

 

[Graham]

These two sum it up for me

 

 

[Witters]

Wow, some great learning here for me!

My current fave is “Don’t give hate a chance” - Jamiroquai, but the lines that got me into bass were “Le Freak” Chic, “I don’t like Monday’s” - Boomtown Rats, and “Hit me with your rhythm stick” Ian Dury and the Blockheads....then I go all prog and jazz fusion.

[Cato]

This always gets mentioned whenever this question is asked.

Probably because it's perfect.

[chris_b]

Too many favourite bass lines to list, but, for me, these have to go at the top of the list . . . 

Little Feat, Spanish Moon (Kenny Gradney) Mean and moody, contains one of the best drum breaks ever put on record.

Sly and the Family Stone, Thank You (Larry Graham) When I first heard this in early 1970, on a US Air Base jukebox, I played it 20 times in a row.

Aretha Franklin, Rock Steady (Chuck Rainey) I still can't get that middle 8!

Jean Knight, Mr Big Stuff (Vernie Robbins) The first time I heard this, I had to pull the car over until it finished.

Keb Mo, Just Like You (Hutch Hutchinson) Beautiful, tasteful bass lines.

Stevie Wonder, Do I Do (Nate Watts) I don't like the tone he gets but this is a tour de force of bass playing.

Keb Mo, Muddy Water (Reggie McBride) Great tone, pure class.

[Dad3353]

Never enough mention of Jack Casady in topics of this sort, so here, for balance, is a tiny glimpse of his talents ...

 

[kevin_lindsay]

Pino's playing on this is wonderful:

 

 

Edited September 15, 2018 by kevin_lindsay

[lowdown]

Of course, we all have plenty of favourites, but I like how Jimmy Haslip mixes it up in this track.

As a bonus, Robben Forde on top of his game....

 

 

 

[bubinga5]

Jamiroquai's Space Cowboy with Mr X. Just wonderfully creative bass playing..Miles better than Zender's effort. He's just using that basses range to full effect. 

 

Edited September 15, 2018 by bubinga5

[Hobbayne]

Great little bass break in the middle

[NancyJohnson]

 

[Highfox]

Bruce's always stand out for me.

and some JJ.

This one was always a way to test my new stereo systems

 

 

 

[Cato]

A bit more Jamiroquai.

Jamiroquai's first album was actually a bit of a turning point in my musical tastes. Before that I was mainly listening to rock and metal, this helped me to realise that there was so much more out there.

Plus the bass was phenomenal.