Basslines everyone should know

[Bilbo]

Nothing!!! Why would everyone need to know any one line more than any other? If I never play a Motown/Stax line ever again, it would be too soon.... Personally, I find thousands of famous (and profoundly memorable) basslines so jaded by over-exposure that they bore me rigid. (oops argument already rehearsed and requisite scolding undertaken)

Learn some scales (Major, Minor, Melodic Minor, Augmented, Diminished, Chromatic), play them in thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths and sevenths, in 3, 4, 5 note patterns - in all modes and all keys and there you have it. Its all under your fingers.

[Clarky]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='905800' date='Jul 26 2010, 01:40 PM']Nothing!!! Why would everyone need to know any one line more than any other? If I never play a Motown/Stax line ever again, it would be too soon.... Personally, I find thousands of famous (and profoundly memorable) basslines so jaded by over-exposure that they bore me rigid. (oops argument already rehearsed and requisite scolding undertaken)

Learn some scales (Major, Minor, Melodic Minor, Augmented, Diminished, Chromatic), play them in thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths and sevenths, in 3, 4, 5 note patterns - in all modes and all keys and there you have it. Its all under your fingers.[/quote]
You really know how to scare off a beginner, Bilbo! You are also ignoring the fun bit that - when learning - it really reinforces your enthuiasm to be able to play along to music you really like or appreciate. Learning scales may make you a better musician but it ain't fun, in isolation

Edited July 26, 2010 by Clarky

[sprocketflup]

Too Drunk to F*ck - Dead Kennedys fun little bass line that jingles lol

Also on the punk theme, anything by Rancid.

Nothing too far from the mainsteam there

[Bilbo]

FUN!! You haven't got time to have FUN!! Get to work....

[waynepunkdude]

THE CHAIN

FFS people.

[Low End Bee]

Update.

Peaches and the Bb Augmented scale in twelths or whatever.

[Ajrt]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='905822' date='Jul 26 2010, 02:03 PM']FUN!! You haven't got time to have FUN!! Get to work.... [/quote]

I agree with clarky about having fun-I've only been playing for a year, and fun is the reason I play bass. I do agree with you in some respects Bilbo - I can see the usefulness of scales. Problem is, I find all that stuff so dull after having learnt violin up to grade six. One of my favourite things about learining bass is the fact that you can focus on songs and it's generally more fun than other instruments, mainly classical, which can be quite restricted.

[Wil]

I was made to love her.

[Ajrt]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='905829' date='Jul 26 2010, 02:09 PM']THE CHAIN

FFS people.[/quote]
Another I shall make an effort to learn. Thx wayne.

Edited July 26, 2010 by Ajrt

[Wil]

If you want me to stay

[BigRedX]

Join a band.

The songs that they play are the ones who's basslines you need to know.

[Ajrt]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='905844' date='Jul 26 2010, 02:27 PM']Join a band.

The songs that they play are the ones who's basslines you need to know.[/quote]
I'm in 2

[BigRedX]

Well then there you go. What's the problem?

[Ajrt]

Sometimes it's fun to play stuff outside of a band and you don't always play a very varied variety. Also, there's a lot of songs that help develop your skills like Marcus Miller's stuff. I wouldn't play that in the bands I'm in.

[tauzero]

Waterfront - everyone should know how to play one note.
Relax - ditto.

I realise it's stretching a bit, because it's three notes, but all bassists should know Rocky Mountain Way.

Any more complicated than that and the only reason you should know it is because you want to.

I may have missed the point though.

[rasher80]

I'd love to be able to play "Darling Dear" by The Jackson 5 but it's too freakin' difficult!! :wacko:

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='sprocketflup' post='905814' date='Jul 26 2010, 01:50 PM']Too Drunk to F*ck - Dead Kennedys fun little bass line that jingles lol[/quote]

Tricky to play IIRC, it's been a while since I played it though.

Along the same lines: The intro to 'No' by Subhumans is a lot harder than it sounds!

[Wil]

NOMEANSNO - Big Dick.

[Skinz]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='905829' date='Jul 26 2010, 02:09 PM']THE CHAIN

FFS people.[/quote]

+1!!!!!!

I also heartily recommend "The Somberlain" by Dissection (all 17 pages of it), just for being a piece of absolute, unsurpassable musical genius.

[allighatt0r]

A couple have already been mentioned but:

Pink Floyd - Money
Fleetwood Mac - The Chain
Chic - Disco Inferno
Stranglers - Peaches
Basic 12 Bar Blues! (think WooHoo by the 5, 6, 7, 8's)
Free - All Right Now
Jimi Hendrix - Hey Joe
Black Sabbath - Hand of Doom
Nirvana - Come As You Are

And when you're more experienced: Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick!!!!


Fundamental thing every bassist should know - The notes on the fretboard. Otherwise, you'll be jamming with a band and someone will say "let's play something in F#!!!" and you'll be left looking like this ->

As a matter of fact, I would be looking like that too... Who would want to jam in F#?!?!

[Sarah5string]

Play that funky music!

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='allighatt0r' post='906047' date='Jul 26 2010, 05:08 PM']As a matter of fact, I would be looking like that too... Who would want to jam in F#?!?![/quote]

Me, you get some lovely e-f# hammery pulloff action going on there.

[bartelby]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='905829' date='Jul 26 2010, 02:09 PM']THE CHAIN

FFS people.[/quote]


But only on about 17 Sundays a year...

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='bartelby' post='906061' date='Jul 26 2010, 05:15 PM']But only on about 17 Sundays a year...[/quote]


Isn't it 19 now?

[bartelby]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='906085' date='Jul 26 2010, 05:29 PM']Isn't it 19 now?[/quote]

Wasn't sure, hence the "about".