Good tracks to play along to

[wintoid]

I've been having a lot of fun playing along to tracks as a practice, trying to get myself tight et cetera.  I'm working on finger style and looking for pop, funk or soul sort of things.  So far I've had the best time with artists like Shalamar (great basslines), Chic, Duran Duran, The Meters, some Motown, even Abba.

 

Just wondered if people had some recommendations of other artists/albums/tracks I should check out given how much I've enjoyed the ones I listed.  I'm probably less interested in rock or jazz at the moment.  Trying to get funky and in the groove.

 

And yes, I appreciate the question has rather a wide remit, but it should still be interesting to see what anyone recommends.  Cheesy is fine!

 

P.S. I've been trying to master some of the Pino basslines on things like Go West and Paul Young, but often they're just a little tricky for me

Edited January 9, 2022 by wintoid
addition

[Reggaebass]

6 minutes ago, wintoid said:

Trying to get funky and in the groove

Hi , not sure if it’s any good to you, but  it might be worth having a flick through this thread, there was some good suggestions when I was getting my funk on 👍

 

[Mykesbass]

Thundercat put a nice top 10 together on YouTube. A favourite of mine which is on there is Narada Michael Walden, I Shoulda Loved You. I may have put a link to it in the above thread by@Reggaebass

[Boodang]

Nice and cheesy, try the Nils Landgren Funk Unit album 5000 miles. 

For unlimited cheesiness the Instrument Funk mix on spotify, which has some great stuff on it like Cookin' on 3 burners and Funkallisto.

[Grimalkin]

Nathan Watts with Stevie Wonder for one. He had an education in music but he had only played bass for around two years before he got the call.

[Grimalkin]

I wouldn't just look to bassists, take this for instance, tune your E down to D and try it...

 

 

[Grimalkin]

Jamerson, a study in itself:

 

 

[Grimalkin]

 

[Dazed]

70s Stevie Wonder 

Chili Peppers 

Rage Against The Machine
 

There’s so much choice. If you’re feeling ambitious try some Infectious Grooves with Robert Trujillo, an absolute beast!

 

Something more modern and slightly less taxing try Vulfpeck.

 

[chris_b]

In lockdown #1 I charted all the Stevie Wonder albums. Getting into those bass lines was an education, and fun.

[wintoid]

Some great suggestions, thank you!

[Dazed]

Good luck with it, keep us updated with how you get on. 

[cetera]

Bee Gees disco period

Grease & You're The One That I Want

early Jamiroquai

70's Stevie Wonder

[bassintheface]

When I was younger I spent a lot of time listening and playing along to 'Blood sugar sex magic'

 

 

[TrypF]

OK, it isn't particularly funky, but I love playing along to Doug Stegmeyer's parts on Billy Joel's 'The Stranger'. Skip Just the way You Are. Nailing the bass part to Scenes from an Italian Restaurant is very satisfying indeed. Apparently, this was how Nikolai Fraiture of The Strokes developed his playing.

[chris_b]

Keb Mo has recorded about a dozen albums and uses some of the best bass players working in the US. Work your way through them and experience some great and well played bass lines.

 

Also check out Jeff Golub.

[Misdee]

Many moons ago I used to play along with  albums by the Police and learnt so much from doing so. Sting is such a great player . Still a role model to me.  Back in the early 90s it was RATM, RHCP and The Black Crowes.

 

  Lately I have been really enjoying playing along to Back in Black by ACDC. Cliff Williams is so underrated. To get the bass lines right and make the music rock like he is does is much, much harder than it might first appear in. Despite being blues- based, the music is actually quite difficult with lots of turnarounds that are played slightly different every time. Rumours and Fleetwood Mac by (you guessed it) Fleetwood Mac are great play along albums,too.

 

[sammybee]

On 09/01/2022 at 07:56, wintoid said:

Just wondered if people had some recommendations of other artists/albums/tracks I should check out given how much I've enjoyed the ones I listed.  I'm probably less interested in rock or jazz at the moment.  Trying to get funky and in the groove.

 

 

Look for anything by Leon Sylvers III (producer and bassist on Solar records - thats Shalamar's label, along with the Whispers, Midnight Star and a whole bunch of 80's boogie)

Esther Williams - I'll Be Your Pleasure (Larry Levan Mix)

Anything by the fantastic (RIP) Mark Adams of the band Slave

 

A couple of 'easier' but fun and funky songs I love to play and improvise over... 'Shes A Real Mama Jama' - Carl Carlton (synth bass but sounds good played on electric) and 'Before I Let Go' - Maze feat Frankie Beverley..

 

If you like those, I can recommend loads more - have fun!!

 

[wintoid]

So far, I've had the most fun with the Stevie Wonder suggestion.  Really enjoying Master Blaster Jammin.  Good arpeggio workout.

 

9 hours ago, sammybee said:

 

Look for anything by Leon Sylvers III (producer and bassist on Solar records - thats Shalamar's label, along with the Whispers, Midnight Star and a whole bunch of 80's boogie)

 

 

That's a great suggestion, thank you!

[StickyDBRmf]

Early Chicago, while Terry Kath was alive. I played a lot of Pete Cetera basslines in a rock/horn band I was in. (Sorry Pete, it's true)

[Grimalkin]

Strict alternation, a lot of the time. Rocco usually plays around the spot of the pickup on a P bass, softer tension there.