Naetharu Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Hi all, I've only been playing a few weeks and I was wondering if anyone has suggestions of good simple bass lines that I might work on? I'm keen to try all sorts of stuff, so any style is welcome. At the moment I have been working on Sitting by the Dock of the Bay (the Otis Redding version), Mellowship Slinky in B Major (Red Hot Chilli Peppers) and Teddy Pickers (Arctic Monkeys). If anyone has some suggestions of other tracks that might be easy enough for a novice like myself to get into that would be really great. Best wishes James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number6 Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Listen to Thin Lizzy' Dancing in the Moonlight. A nice Phil Lynott bassline that is fairly easy to learn. All the best with your learning journey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 The first bassline I ever played was The Chain by Fleetwood Mac (is there a bassist who hasn't? ), but the first full song I learned was New Years Day by U2. Nice simple bassline that only uses the E & A strings, but sounds a good bit harder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 A and D strings surely ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 [quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1432791924' post='2784958'] The first bassline I ever played was The Chain by Fleetwood Mac (is there a bassist who hasn't? ) [/quote] Me. I never learnt how to play The Chain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Stand be me is a good one for all 4 fingers Learn simple blues riffs then 12 bar blues using different starting positions Alternatively get some lessons and follow the teachers homework Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 [quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1432792528' post='2784962'] A and D strings surely ? [/quote] Nope. When I learned it, it was played up the dusty end starting on the 17th so it's easy to play the one open A at the end of the 1st bar & the open E at the end of the 3rd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 [quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1432792787' post='2784963'] Me. I never learnt how to play The Chain [/quote] You never heard the bass at the start of F1 & thought "oooh, I'm gonna try that"? Shocking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 (edited) You might like to try 'Autumn Leaves'; there are several versions and arrangements on t'web. Here's a nice melodic one to have a go at (take your time; there's no rush...)... [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtfNzqxMIXs#t=86"]Autumn Leaves ...[/url] Edited May 28, 2015 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Could try a basic rock n roll song like Johnny B Good. They are good learning tools because at the very basic level you can just play root notes and work on speed & timing then when you are more confident can put extra notes in, say 5ths, to flesh the line out a bit more and can even go on to playing walking patterns, all using the same track to play along with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Not being funny, but pretty much anything by U2. Proof that bass lines don't have to be complex to be effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Search for Stax Records on YouTube and work your way through the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentalextra Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Have some fun with this! [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a65amHd8Fow"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a65amHd8Fow[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No lust in Jazz Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 I think that these have to come from within you; there are countless simple bass lines that underpin the music beautifully, but if they don't inspire you, they don't inspire you. The Chain - Love the 'song' part detest the bass line in the middle and outro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 [quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1432793673' post='2784967'] Nope. When I learned it, it was played up the dusty end starting on the 17th so it's easy to play the one open A at the end of the 1st bar & the open E at the end of the 3rd. [/quote] Ok was basing this on concert footage where he uses a and d but its up to you really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 The first song I learned all the way through was Metallica's "Enter Sandman". Here's some tab which looks ok, but has been annotated by someone with limited spelling skills: http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/m/metallica/enter_sandman_btab.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 First bass line I ever played on a bass (when I was trying out my first one) was The Stranglers - Peaches. Cars by Gary Numan is also a fun one, two little riffs and the other bigger bit and that's about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 (edited) Rappers Delight is a good one to learn ( it's all about feel). Under the Bridge was my first. Edited May 28, 2015 by Horizontalste Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weststarx Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 (edited) If you can play the C note and are happy to play it 100000000000000 times then you can play: ZZ Top - Gimmie All Your Loving ZZ Top - Sharp Dressed Man Both songs are pretty much exactly the same bass line, so its super easy to learn both really quickly. The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary Maroon 5 - Harder To Breathe Bryan Adams -Summer of 69 The Hives - Hate To Say I Told You So Jimmy Eats World - The Middle Foo Fighers - My Hero Vertigo - U2 Feeder - Buck Rogers They are a few that come to mind that are easy to play. 90% of your Pop/Rock songs are easy to pick up once you've played for 2 weeks. Then if you are not lazy like me, you can start looking at more difficult songs from bands with good bass players like: Muse Red Hot Chilli Peppers The Winery Dogs (Brace yourself for that one) etc etc Edited May 28, 2015 by Weststarx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seashell Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 [quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1432809530' post='2785139'] The first song I learned all the way through was Metallica's "Enter Sandman". Here's some tab which looks ok, but has been annotated by someone with limited spelling skills: [url="http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/m/metallica/enter_sandman_btab.htm"]http://tabs.ultimate...andman_btab.htm[/url] [/quote] Good call. But even simpler IMHO is Nothing Else Matters. That was the first song I learned all the way through. I felt so proud! Another simple one I've just learned is Rock,n Me by the Steve Miller Band. I recently played it at a jam, just winging it on root notes. Then found out I had it in a music book, and learned the rest of it. Very easy but really effective! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 [quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1432809480' post='2785137'] Ok was basing this on concert footage where he uses a and d but its up to you really [/quote] I've seen it played both ways (by AC too). When I was learning it back in the early 80's, I had a VHS & a band transcription book (Live at Red Rocks) & was shown as being on the E & A strings. No tinter web back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanx Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 That one off the Grand Prix, and that one by the White Stripes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Chain and seven nation army perchance ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevvo66 Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Depends what music you like too play really ,theirs nothing more deflating than playing something you don't like so play stuff or learn stuff you like you may even add more to said bass line and give it more depth , I've done that a lot especially when playing live and I'm in the groove ,good luck with your journey . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Get yourself a Ramones compilation and play along to it. Its good pretty basic stuff to practice to as a beginner & its also a nice gentle introduction into learning stuff by ear.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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