New Bass Lines To Learn?

[bass_in_ya_face]

Hi Guys,

I've gone beyond learning easy stuff and i'm looking for intermidiate bass lines to learn but i'm struggling for ideas....any suggestions?

[skywalker]

[quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='57466' date='Sep 8 2007, 06:42 PM']Hi Guys,

I've gone beyond learning easy stuff and i'm looking for intermidiate bass lines to learn but i'm struggling for ideas....any suggestions?[/quote]


Moondance is nice

[stewblack]

[quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='57466' date='Sep 8 2007, 06:42 PM']Hi Guys,

I've gone beyond learning easy stuff and i'm looking for intermidiate bass lines to learn but i'm struggling for ideas....any suggestions?[/quote]
Give us a few examples of what you've been learning - it'll be easier to judge what might represent a 'step up' from where you are.

[bnt]

Can't go wrong with a bit of Rush, and there's plenty on YouTube e.g [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S9uNxUI9ng"]Far Cry[/url] (2007) is not their most gnarly work by a long shot, but it offers some fun time signature practice. Probably the most bass-visible track off of Snake & Arrows is [i]The Main Monkey Business[/i]: there are already videos up there or people making a Dog's Dinner out of it.

If you have a copy of Yes' 90125 handy, that has a song called [i]Our Song[/i], which I remember Bass Player magazine calling "a one-song electric bass primer". It's one piece that I learned quite early on in my bass studies... and have relearned several times since 1984. I think Chris Squire is playing his Mouradian "Green Fish" bass on that one.

[Tait]

Try some Stranglers. I'd qualify JJ Burnell basslines as intermediate. But then, I listen to Blink 182. So it really depends on what you're classing as intermediate and easy.

[bass_in_ya_face]

Just finised working on "one of these nights" by The Eagles & "Dancing In The Moonlight" by Thin Lizzy.

I seem to have hit a bit of a brickwall where my technique is rubbish but I can't seem to correct it. I know you shouldn't comapre yourself to other people but guys on Youtube etc seem to have brilliant hand shapes when they are fretting but mine still are a real struggle after a year

[stewblack]

[quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='57573' date='Sep 8 2007, 10:39 PM']Just finised working on "one of these nights" by The Eagles & "Dancing In The Moonlight" by Thin Lizzy.

I seem to have hit a bit of a brickwall where my technique is rubbish but I can't seem to correct it. I know you shouldn't comapre yourself to other people but guys on Youtube etc seem to have brilliant hand shapes when they are fretting but mine still are a real struggle after a year[/quote]
Never look at another bassist and compare yourself negatively, mate, that way lieth madness!
There's no way to know how you look and sound to someone else - we can't be out of our bodies so to speak and switching off self criticism and self consciousness is downright impossible. If you've been playing for a year then give yourself a break, I wasn't playing Thin Lizzy basslines a year in. The ease with the instrument, the way other bass players look comes naturally with time but you won't see it anyway, that's for other people to notice I'm afraid.
As far as songs go, it doesn't really matter how tough it is to play, it's the repetition and the attention to detail that will improve your technique. I could list songs but you might hate them! Pick stuff you like the sound of there's bound to be something you find difficult to play. then, once you've mastered it you've moved on. Even the simplest sounding bassline probably has some subtle nuance which is important to master. Also you can try finding other places on the fretboard to play the stuff you've learned - it stretches you physically and mentally and helps reinforce the different places different notes can be found.
Hope that helps (I will try and come up with some song ideas)

[low note lee]

There are some killer Tool songs for bass, such as Lateralus and Disposition (from the album Lateralus), and if you feel a bit more adventurous, take a stab at Schism (Lateralus) or The Pot (10,000 Days). [url="http://www.tooltabs.net/"]Tooltabs.net[/url] and [url="http://www.youtube.com/user/TOOLbassplayer"]TOOLbassplayer[/url] on youtube are both awesome resources.

[bass_ferret]

Try and join a band. The material they do will dictate what you should learn. There are always bands looking for bass players - even if you dont get the gig straight away the experience of doing the auditions, learning the songs and playing with others will be worth much more than learning new songs just to play by yourself.

[bass_in_ya_face]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='57691' date='Sep 9 2007, 11:50 AM']Try and join a band. The material they do will dictate what you should learn. There are always bands looking for bass players - even if you dont get the gig straight away the experience of doing the auditions, learning the songs and playing with others will be worth much more than learning new songs just to play by yourself.[/quote]

I'd love to wife + kids + 20 years too late...say no

[Super_Mario_Bass]

push yourself, its the only way forward.

join a band, not every band is young.

[punksoul257]

Rush - YYZ

Not an intermediate song, but what a bassline.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iONLKn5VHY4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iONLKn5VHY4[/url]

Edited September 9, 2007 by punksoul257

[bass_in_ya_face]

[quote name='Super_Mario_Bass' post='57727' date='Sep 9 2007, 02:02 PM']push yourself, its the only way forward.

join a band, not every band is young.[/quote]

Sorry it's a hobby. too many comitments to able to put in the hours a band would need

[bass_in_ya_face]

[quote name='bnt' post='57520' date='Sep 8 2007, 08:45 PM']Can't go wrong with a bit of Rush, and there's plenty on YouTube e.g [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S9uNxUI9ng"]Far Cry[/url] (2007) is not their most gnarly work by a long shot, but it offers some fun time signature practice. Probably the most bass-visible track off of Snake & Arrows is [i]The Main Monkey Business[/i]: there are already videos up there or people making a Dog's Dinner out of it.

If you have a copy of Yes' 90125 handy, that has a song called [i]Our Song[/i], which I remember Bass Player magazine calling "a one-song electric bass primer". It's one piece that I learned quite early on in my bass studies... and have relearned several times since 1984. I think Chris Squire is playing his Mouradian "Green Fish" bass on that one.[/quote]


Don't really like Rush as a rule but that track is pretty good

Edited September 9, 2007 by bass_in_ya_face

[paul, the]

[quote name='punksoul257' post='57739' date='Sep 9 2007, 02:40 PM']Rush - YYZ

Not an intermediate song, but what a bassline.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iONLKn5VHY4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iONLKn5VHY4[/url][/quote]

Oh dear God. I've never heard rush before. It reminds me of Yes but with added cheese and no hippy love.

This isn't music. Sorry to the rush fans, I don't get it. *cries*

[skywalker]

[quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='57747' date='Sep 9 2007, 02:59 PM']Sorry it's a hobby. too many comitments to able to put in the hours a band would need[/quote]


Same for me, not enough hours in the day, but I,m playing my first gig for 30 years with a jazz trio on Thursday.

(Shi**ing myself)

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='57702' date='Sep 9 2007, 12:44 PM']I'd love to wife + kids + 20 years too late...say no [/quote]

Sounds familiar! My solution(s)?

1. Find a guitarist (or two) and try jamming. Best start with the obvious - the blues. Everyone starts there because you can take a blues jam just about anywhere that your ability can cope with. You DON'T need volume, what you're looking for is technique and FUN!

2. Once you feel good enough to go live, start looking for public jam/open-mic sessions. I'm lucky, I'm in West London and I have half a dozen to choose from. I'm typing this just before setting off for The Red Lion in Twickenham (a.k.a. Filthy McNasty's). Believe me, there are fewer incentives to sharpen your playing that are greater than setting off to a session having no idea who you will be playing with, what they want to play, or how good they are.

3. Get a teacher! I've been playing for 18 months now. I hit a wall around Xmas, looked about, found a guy young enough to be my son but he knows what he's doing, and my technique has improved with astonishing speed ... from a low base, mind you (no pun intended).

[bass_in_ya_face]

I'm gonna have a stab at the Rush track (far cry), not before i've slowed it down to about 85% of the speed first though!...I think attempting a Geddy Lee bass line 12 months in is a bit insane.

As someone once said to me..."to play fast, learn it slow and speed it up "

Edited September 9, 2007 by bass_in_ya_face

[misrule]

[quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='57822' date='Sep 9 2007, 05:57 PM']I'm gonna have a stab at the Rush track (far cry), not before i've slowed it down to about 85% of the speed first though!...I think attempting a Geddy Lee bass line 12 months in is a bit insane.

As someone once said to me..."to play fast, learn it slow and speed it up "[/quote]
I'm in the same boat, mate. Wife, kids and 20 years too late.

Get yourself in a band with other people in the same position who want to do it for fun -- guys at work, for instance.

I'd never played bass before I joined my band three years ago. We started on easy Lizzy songs and similar.

I worked them out by ear then practiced with a CD player. And I live by the "learn slow, play fast" mantra.

Grab anything you like the sound of and have a go at learning it. If you're really stuck, look for tab online but you can probably work it out yourself, given time. And it's rewarding, like a crossword puzzle.

Good luck -- and have fun.

Cheers

Mark

PS -- I just noticed where you're based. I'm not too far away. Let me know if I can help (blind leads blind ).

Edited September 9, 2007 by misrule

[bass_ferret]

Are you gonna post your gigs up Mark - perhaps BIYF could go along and watch? Unfortunately the Ferrets play British Legions and such that are not open to non-members.

[bass_in_ya_face]

Blimey are there legions of 'Bedroom Heroes' (always thought that was a great name for a band but already taken..grr), playing Thin Lizzy bass lines in West Sussex...lol.

By the way, good shout whoever mentioned the Rush Song, it's really good!

Edited September 9, 2007 by bass_in_ya_face

[misrule]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='57870' date='Sep 9 2007, 07:32 PM']Are you gonna post your gigs up Mark - perhaps BIYF could go along and watch? Unfortunately the Ferrets play British Legions and such that are not open to non-members.[/quote]
We don't play often, and then only for fun. Our last two gigs were in East London and Ramsgate.

And we now have three Lizzy songs in our set -- Waiting For An Alibi, Don't Believe A Word and Suicide.

If only I had frizzy hair and a pencil 'tache

Cheers

Mark

[nik1093]

try some of the easier jamerson stuff or some sly stone and some stu hamm songs

[bass_in_ya_face]

[quote name='nik1093' post='58258' date='Sep 10 2007, 03:42 PM']try some of the easier jamerson stuff or some sly stone and some stu hamm songs[/quote]

I fancy some Sly Stone stuff...any particular tracks?

[skywalker]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='57870' date='Sep 9 2007, 07:32 PM']Are you gonna post your gigs up Mark - perhaps BIYF could go along and watch? Unfortunately the Ferrets play British Legions and such that are not open to non-members.[/quote]

I've never seen a British Legion where a pint didn't get you in.