Nearly 2 years in & I amazed myself today...maybe be helpful to a rookie?

[iconic]

This maybe be useful to someone new to a bass, and by new I mean, like me...I hadn't even picked up a guitar or anything, didn't know a Precision from a Jazz, a humbucker from a flatwound string....I had heard of Fender though whom I thought were budget instruments for schools...like I said raw

Well, it's almost been 2 years in April at the age of 45 since I bought my 1st Yamaha RBX and an Orange amp and tried to teach myself bass with a book and the 'tinternet and I'm amazed that someone as tone deaf and with fingers like Wall's bangers can make a half decent tone from it, 8th decent!

Normally I get all 'crazed out' in a few months of a 'fad' but bass seems to be addictive to me and I have never thought of moving on to something else.

..it really pains me though when I think I really should have picked one up when I was 10, and then 16, then 21 then 25 etc when I knew I loved the sound (and look) of a bass, rather than try and play a piano with 2 godawful 'teachers'. I will always think if only I started earlier it would so much easier now

I find it so hard, very hard, simply because I'm not musically talented and still think there are 2 types of musician, those that have a 'tune gene' from birth and those that don't but ache to want one & love music none the less......that's me.... I sing like someone sat on a pride of newly nuetered allycats and still sometimes find it almost impossible to determine if a note is higher or lower than the other one. I have found that a passion goes a long way though, it's never a pian for me to pick my bass up.

I'm also amazed at the sheer patience of those on this forum, which has been a great help and from bass players I have met at little gigs, who always have a minute for an idiot like myself. Stuarts bass crashcourse book has been great and Studybass.com excellent too...never had a proper lesson yet though.

summary....if I can get the long necked monster to play a tune of sorts, well I'm sure nearly anyone can given a chance!

A customer asked me today what do I play, well this and that I replied, are you in a band, no I laughed it's only for fun...we did a deal, he went then I thought, well what do I play and thought wow, I play a lot of tunes now, which really made me think.

So far I have been into and then out of the following not exhaustive list, and what a mix it is....but I seem to have run out of funk/disco tunes. I can normally get there by ear now, something I couldn't even imagine a year ago, but a vid of someone playing or a sh*te tab is always a good start:

[b]any suggestions for new must play tunes welcome[/b]

....funny thing I love Level 42 but apart from Chinese Way I never play any

Disco/Funk/80’s in no order, although things like LCD same 1st obviously!

Bernard Edwards: Le freak, Everybody Dance, Forbidden Lover, Greatest Dancer, We Are Family, Upside Down, Good Times, Spacer

Michael Jackson: Get on the Floor, Shake Ya Body to the Ground, PYT

Dexies: Geno

Haircut 100: Fantastic Day, Love Plus One

Duran: Rio, Girls on Film Night Version, Last Chance, New Religion, Anyone Out There, Reflex, Planet Earth, Lonely In Your Nightmare, Save A Prayer, My Own Way 12”, Wolf

Brothers Johnson: Stomp, Light Up The Night

Dynasty: I Don’t Wanna Be A Freak

Air: La Femme, All I need

Atmosfear: Dancing In Outer Space

AWB: Cake, Pieces, Round Again

Rose Royce: Carwash

Buggles: Videostar

Cameo: Word Up

Change: Glow Of Love

Wham: Club, Rap, Guns

Central Line: Walking Into Sunshine

Commodores: Brick House

Dazz Band: Whip

Japan: Visions, Polaroids

Detroit Emeralds: Feel The Need

Devo: whip It

Eagles: Hotel

The Beat: Twist and Crawl

Flowerpot Men: Beat City

LCD Sound System: Scum

Funkadelic: Standing, Nation

Gazza Numan: Cars

Tramps: Inferno
Imagination: Illusion

Jam: Eton, Start

Jamiroquai: Foolsophy, Canned Heat, Cosmic, Runaway

Narada Walden Michael: I should of loved ya

Julian Cope: Trampoline

Just Jack: Writers Block

King: Love and Pride

Kleeer: Open Your Mind

Lenny Kravitz: Fly Away

Light Of the World: London Town, Swingin’, Time

Marvin Gaye: Got To Give It Up

MSFB: Mysteries Of the World….1st 100% by ear

Offspring: Original Prankster

O’Jays: Love Train

Bee Gees; You Should Be Dancing

Lonnie Liston Smith: Expansions

Macfadden: Stoppin

Patrice Rushen: Forget Me Notts

Pet Shop Boys: Rent….!

Positive Force: We Got the Funk

Power Station: Some Like It Hot….Taylor link!

Rick James: Superfreak, Getto

Shalamar: Friends

Slade: Mama Were all crazy now

Slave: Dreamin’, Just a Touch of love

The Smiths: Bigmouth

Sophie Ellis Bexter: Murder on the Dancefloor

E-Z Rollers: Walk This Land

Spandau: Gold, Paint Me Down

Aqua: Barbie!!!

Spice Girls: Wannabe!!!

Stranglers: Heroes

Sweet: Ballroom Blitz

Timbuk 3: Futures So Bright

Tom: Its Not Unusual!

Gazza/ Tubeway Army: Are Friends Electric, Cars

UB40: 1 in 10

Taste of Honey: Boogie

Les Rythmes Digitales: Jaques Your Body

Nickleback: Rockstar

Lipps Inc: Funkytown

Whispers: Loveffang, And the beat goes on

Nick Heyward: wouldn’t it be good

Duncan Dha: En Algun Lugar…!

Young and Company: I like what ya doin

Cheryl Lyn: Got to be

Arthur Conley; Sweet Soul Music

Oasis: Wonderwall

Wang Chung: Dance Hall Days

War: Low Rider

Wild Cherry: Play that funky music

Wombats: New york

Aha: You are the one, touchy

Elton: Too Low for zero, your song

Azymuth: Jazz Carnival

Cyndi Lauper: Time

Earth Wind ‘n: Boogie Down

KC and Sunshine band: do a little dance

Nena: 99

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Police: Message

The Real thing: Can you feel the force

Womack: Footsteps

Vocaloid: You should drink milk, that strange Koreon guy…..finger only..slap next year!!

Freeze: Southern Freeze

Various others with dull root 5th octave stuff



[b]Still to get a handle on: Gene Chandler Get Down, Aurra Nasty Disposition Level 42 43, Jermaine Jackson Lets Get Serious, Bomfunk Freestyler, Kajagoogoo Too Shy, Crowns Heights Affair, Scritti Politti Word Beez, Frank Fly Me to the Moon, Chameleons got me fretless now![/b]

[TheGreek]

You've got all those tunes down and you've only been playing 2 years?? Fair play..

There is a thread "Funk and Groove" started by Pete Academy which he refuses to let die - currently 29 pages I think..If you can't find inspiration there, it can't be found..

Keep on groovin'...

[Jam]

Great, good for you for sticking with it

[Balcro]

Sounds like you've got plenty of grit and determination. Good on yer!

Just by way of nothing and an idea that's been getting to me 'cos I keep watching TV commercials and hearing this song again and again - it's been on at least twice tonight. What is that song? I don't know; do you know what it is; No.
Dar dar daaa, listen to the music, dar de dar dar dar.....
Had to "Ask" it just now - Doobie Bros. Aahhh.

A bit more country than the Average White Band, but similar era and really crafted. Give it try.

Balcro.

Edited February 2, 2011 by Balcro

[HMX]

Impressive.

What is even more impressive is your determination to learn Aqua tunes

[Lo.]

You have a bold spirit, sir.

3 humble suggestions from me:


The Gap Band
The Meters
Lots more Earth Wind & Fire

Edited February 2, 2011 by Lo.

[Bidd]

How did you get Neon Genesis Evangelion on that list? Looking through the list I saw a lot of my favourite 80's bands (A-ha, Smiths, Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran etc), some modern stuff and 70's disco, and amongst them a (truly great) 90's Japanese Anime!

If you are into rock at all, then it may seem cliched but learn some oldish Muse stuff. I still enjoy playing along to songs like New Born & Hysteria on my bass with an mp3 player in my garage at a stupidly high volume.

[Bloodaxe]

Two words are conspicuously absent from that rather impressive list

James Brown.

[iconic]

[quote name='Bidd' post='1113366' date='Feb 3 2011, 02:01 AM']How did you get Neon Genesis Evangelion on that list? Looking through the list I saw a lot of my favourite 80's bands (A-ha, Smiths, Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran etc), some modern stuff and 70's disco, and amongst them a (truly great) 90's Japanese Anime!

If you are into rock at all, then it may seem cliched but learn some oldish Muse stuff. I still enjoy playing along to songs like New Born & Hysteria on my bass with an mp3 player in my garage at a stupidly high volume.[/quote]
Key : Cm

Here's the chords, just noodle round this...excuse the pun!

Cm Fm Bb Eb
zankoku na tenshi no you ni
Cm Fm Gm Abmaj7
shounen yo shinwa ni nare


[Intro]
Cm Fm Bb Eb
Cm Fm Bb Cm


Eb Bb
aoi kaze ga ima
Cm Bb Abmaj7
mune no DOA wo tataite mo
Bb Eb Cm
watashi dake wo tada mitsumete
Dm7 F/G G
hohoende'ru ana-ta


Eb Bb
sotto fureru mono
Cm Bb Abmaj7
motomeru koto ni muchuu de
Bbsus Bb Eb Cm
unmei sae mada shiranai
Dm7 F/G G F/G G
itaike na hitomi


Abmaj7 Gm7 Cm7
dakedo itsuka kidzuku deshou
Fm7 Ab/Bb Bbm7 Eb
sono senaka ni wa
Abmaj7 Gm7 Cm7
haruka mirai mezasu tame no
Ddim7 F/G G
hane ga aru koto


Cm Fm Bb Eb
zankoku na tenshi no TE-ZE
Cm Fm Bb Eb
madobe kara yagate tobitatsu
Cm Fm Bb Eb
hotobashiru atsui PATOSU de
Cm Fm Bb Bb/C-Cm
omoide wo uragiru na---ra
Cm Fm Bb Eb
kono sora wo daite kagayaku
Cm Fm Bb Bb/C-Cm
shounen yo shinwa ni na---re


[Instrumental]
Cm {1}

Fm7 Gm7 Abmaj7 Gm7
Fm7 Gm7 Abmaj7 Bb (Bdim) {2}
Cm Fm Bb Eb
Cm Fm Bb Cm
Cm Fm Bb Eb
Cm Fm Bb Cm


Eb Bb
zutto nemutte'ru
Cm Bb Abmaj7
watashi no ai no yurikago
Bb Eb Cm
anata dake ga yume no shisha ni
Dm7 F/G G
yobareru asa ga kuru


Eb Bb
hosoi kubisuji wo
Cm Bb Abmaj7
tsukiakari ga utsush*te'ru
Bb Eb Cm
sekai-juu no toki wo tomete
Dm7 F/G G F/G G
tojikometai kedo


Abmaj7 Gm7 Cm7
moshimo futari aeta koto ni
Fm7 Ab/Bb Bbm7 Eb
imi ga aru nara
Abmaj7 Gm7 Cm7
watashi wa sou jiyuu wo shiru
Ddim7 F/G G
tame no BAIBURU


Cm Fm Bb Eb
zankoku na tenshi no TE-ZE
Cm Fm Bb Eb
kanashimi ga sosh*te hajimaru
Cm Fm Bb Eb
dakishimeta inochi no katachi
Cm Fm Bb Bb/C-Cm
sono yume ni mezameta toki
Cm Fm Bb Eb
dare yori mo hikari wo hanatsu
Cm Fm Fm Gm Abmaj7 Bb
shounen yo shinwa ni na-----re


Abmaj7 Gm7 Cm7
hito wa ai wo tsumugi nagara
Fm7 Ab/Bb Bbm7 Eb
rekishi wo tsukuru
Abmaj7 Gm7 Cm7
megami nante narenai mama
Ddim7 F/G G
watashi wa ikiru


Cm Fm Bb Eb
zankoku na tenshi no TE-ZE
Cm Fm Bb Eb
madobe kara yagate tobitatsu
Cm Fm Bb Eb
hotobashiru atsui PATOSU de
Cm Fm Bb Bb/C-Cm
omoide wo uragiru na---ra
Cm Fm Bb Eb
kono sora wo daite kagayaku
Cm Fm Bb Bb/C-Cm
shounen yo shinwa ni na---re

[iconic]

[quote name='Balcro' post='1113203' date='Feb 2 2011, 11:05 PM']Sounds like you've got plenty of grit and determination. Good on yer!

Just by way of nothing and an idea that's been getting to me 'cos I keep watching TV commercials and hearing this song again and again - it's been on at least twice tonight. What is that song? I don't know; do you know what it is; No.
Dar dar daaa, listen to the music, dar de dar dar dar.....
Had to "Ask" it just now - Doobie Bros. Aahhh.

A bit more country than the Average White Band, but similar era and really crafted. Give it try.

Balcro.[/quote]


Dar dar daaa

that's by Trio isn't it different spelling cos das ist foreigner's

Edited February 3, 2011 by iconic

[Balcro]

[quote name='iconic' post='1113413' date='Feb 3 2011, 07:45 AM']Dar dar daaa

that's by Trio isn't it ;) different spelling cos das ist foreigner's[/quote]

Thanks for that tip. This rookie nailed the bass line by the end of the video.

Balcro.

[AndyZed750]

Excellent post there matey.
I started playing late last year Oct/Nov and i'm a few months away from turning 40.Reading your post was very inspiring,i only hope i can get to the same standard in a few years,i especially look forward to being able to play by ear.
At the moment i learn as much of a song (usually Chilli Peppers)as i can, via tabs and internet, when i get stuck i try as much as i can then leave it for a while, learn parts of other songs then go back to the bits i struggle on and find i can get a little further as my skills and finger speed increase slightly.
Andy

[stingrayPete1977]

You know more songs than me Iconic and I have been playing for over 20 years! Good work

[thepurpleblob]

I think the (often quoted) point about being born with a musical gene or having some innate ability is nonsense. It's an excuse of one sort or another. You get good at something because you have the enthusiasm you get stuck in and, above all, you put the hours in. There's probably a bit of luck in finding the right teacher/book/advice too. You've shown what can be done at a relatively advanced age (not being rude, I'm 47!) when, presumably, you have other responsibilities and drains on your time.

[thepurpleblob]

[quote name='AndyZed750' post='1128927' date='Feb 15 2011, 09:22 PM']At the moment i learn as much of a song (usually Chilli Peppers)as i can, via tabs and internet, when i get stuck i try as much as i can then leave it for a while, learn parts of other songs then go back to the bits i struggle on and find i can get a little further as my skills and finger speed increase slightly.
Andy[/quote]

I dunno if this helps (or hinders) but I would suggest trying to get from one end of a song to another "somehow" and then come back later to polish it up. In a band situation being able to "muddle through" is a skill in itself and is well worth acquiring. When I started, I'd being playing for months and it suddenly occurred to me that I'd never actually played a song from start to finish

[Jambo10]

Iconic.
If you have all those tunes down and you are not in a band....why not?

I myself only picked up a bass for the first time a few years back, same as yourself, just happily learning tunes at home. Then after 18 months and having a folder of well over 100 tunes in it a la muse, feeder, queen, etc found that, although there is limitless songs to learn, it would help to play with other people. So I hooked up with a band, crapping myself at the same time, and found it an even better and faster way to learn. The singer is into pop stuff so we have rock out version sof katy perry and lady gaga, drummer and guitarist is more rock, so we have plenty acdc, stones etc.
Now, I was apprehensive about joining a band after only been playing for a year+, but, and im sure others will say the same, your playing comes on leaps and bounds after a few practices with other people. Now we have been gigging for the last year, things are looking up and where a tune might take a week to learn, now only takes a couple of nights. I am not a *built in gene* bass player either, but the sheer love of playing it makes up for that, just like yourself.
Basically, what I am trying to say is, our situations aren't totally dissimilar, so my advice is to get out there and find some like minded folk to jam with and see how much more you can enjoy it.

[AndyZed750]

[quote name='thepurpleblob' post='1129174' date='Feb 16 2011, 07:00 AM']I dunno if this helps (or hinders) but I would suggest trying to get from one end of a song to another "somehow" and then come back later to polish it up. In a band situation being able to "muddle through" is a skill in itself and is well worth acquiring. When I started, I'd being playing for months and it suddenly occurred to me that I'd never actually played a song from start to finish [/quote]



Thanks for the advise and i've been thinking the same thing these last few weeks.So i think i'll get straight to work on a few songs i can play a half of already like californication and soul to squeeze,there 2 songs i'd love to be able to play all the way through.
Thanks again.