Bassline needed: Lose it by Ben L'oncle

[solo4652]

Got to learn this, but I'm struggling - can't even find the chords on the web. Can anybody help, please?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk5yMt5jWpI

 

[Reggaebass]

Hi, I don’t know the song at all but if it’s any help looks like the chords are on chordify, I’ll try a link 

https://chordify.net/chords/ben-l-oncle-soul-songs/lose-it-chords

[Terry M.]

Are you familiar with the Nashville Numbering System? As in chord numbers? 2-5-1 for example? This piece of music is in C minor mostly before going up a semitone after the bridge. 

 

Start by familiarising yourself with the intro verse and choruses before the bridge. Two bars of C one bar of F and last bar Ab and G.Or the 1 to the 4 and then the 6 to the 5 in C Minor. The 4 6 5 movement repeats before the 1st and 2nd chorus chant and the bridge section.

Edited 23 hours ago by Terry M.

[Burns-bass]

1 hour ago, Terry M. said:

Are you familiar with the Nashville Numbering System? As in chord numbers? 2-5-1 for example? This piece of music is in C minor mostly before going up a semitone after the bridge. 

 

Start by familiarising yourself with the intro verse and choruses before the bridge. Two bars of C one bar of F and last bar Ab and G.Or the 1 to the 4 and then the 6 to the 5 in C Minor. The 4 6 5 movement repeats before the 1st and 2nd chorus chant and the bridge section.

This is good advice, but an easier way to approach this is as an F minor pentatonic if you’re learning it.
 

This is a uptempo bluesy soul track and that scale would fit much better for the fills (obviously need to modulate too).

[Terry M.]

18 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

This is good advice, but an easier way to approach this is as an F minor pentatonic if you’re learning it.
 

This is a uptempo bluesy soul track and that scale would fit much better for the fills (obviously need to modulate too).

I'm always open to learning so appreciate the suggestion. When I get to my bass later I'll try what you said. The last thing I want to do is confuse things 👍

[Burns-bass]

36 minutes ago, Terry M. said:

I'm always open to learning so appreciate the suggestion. When I get to my bass later I'll try what you said. The last thing I want to do is confuse things 👍

As long as you play the right notes the scale doesn’t matter!

[solo4652]

4 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

Hi, I don’t know the song at all but if it’s any help looks like the chords are on chordify, I’ll try a link 

https://chordify.net/chords/ben-l-oncle-soul-songs/lose-it-chords

Aha! Thanks for that. It's a bit difficult to follow, since Chordify lags behind the song. Nevertheless, that's a big help.

[Burns-bass]

39 minutes ago, solo4652 said:

Aha! Thanks for that. It's a bit difficult to follow, since Chordify lags behind the song. Nevertheless, that's a big help.

GPT coming to help here…

 

—-

 

 

🎶 “Lose It” – Ben l’Oncle Soul

 

 

Key: C minor → modulates up to C♯ minor

Time: 4/4

Feel: Soul / Funk groove

Bass scale suggestion: C minor pentatonic → C♯ minor pentatonic (post-bridge)

 

 

 

 

🎸 Intro (8 bars)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Cm | Cm |

| Fm | Fm | Ab | G |

 

 

 

 

🎤 Verse 1 (8 bars)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

 

 

 

 

🎶 Chorus (8 bars)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

 

 

 

 

🎤 Verse 2 (8 bars – same as Verse 1)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

 

 

 

 

🎶 Chorus (repeat – same as before)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

 

 

 

 

🌉 Bridge (8 bars – Modulation starts here)

 

 

Modulates up 1 semitone to C♯ minor

| C♯m | C♯m | F♯m | A B |

| C♯m | C♯m | F♯m | A B |

 

 

 

 

🎶 Final Chorus (in new key: C♯ minor)

 

 

| C♯m | C♯m | F♯m | A B |

| C♯m | C♯m | F♯m | A B |

 

 

 

 

🎵 Outro

 

 

Repeat chorus progression in C♯ minor and fade out.

 

 

 

 

🎸 Bass Groove Tips:

 

 

Use pentatonic scales for fills:

C minor pentatonic (before bridge): C, Eb, F, G, Bb

C♯ minor pentatonic (after modulation): C♯, E, F♯, G♯, B

 

Emphasise the root–5th–octave movement for funk feel.

Fill ideas over Ab–G walkdowns: consider chromatic or scale-wise lines to connect smoothly.

 

[solo4652]

14 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

GPT coming to help here…

 

—-

 

 

🎶 “Lose It” – Ben l’Oncle Soul

 

 

Key: C minor → modulates up to C♯ minor

Time: 4/4

Feel: Soul / Funk groove

Bass scale suggestion: C minor pentatonic → C♯ minor pentatonic (post-bridge)

 

 

 

 

🎸 Intro (8 bars)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Cm | Cm |

| Fm | Fm | Ab | G |

 

 

 

 

🎤 Verse 1 (8 bars)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

 

 

 

 

🎶 Chorus (8 bars)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

 

 

 

 

🎤 Verse 2 (8 bars – same as Verse 1)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

 

 

 

 

🎶 Chorus (repeat – same as before)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

 

 

 

 

🌉 Bridge (8 bars – Modulation starts here)

 

 

Modulates up 1 semitone to C♯ minor

| C♯m | C♯m | F♯m | A B |

| C♯m | C♯m | F♯m | A B |

 

 

 

 

🎶 Final Chorus (in new key: C♯ minor)

 

 

| C♯m | C♯m | F♯m | A B |

| C♯m | C♯m | F♯m | A B |

 

 

 

 

🎵 Outro

 

 

Repeat chorus progression in C♯ minor and fade out.

 

 

 

 

🎸 Bass Groove Tips:

 

 

Use pentatonic scales for fills:

C minor pentatonic (before bridge): C, Eb, F, G, Bb

C♯ minor pentatonic (after modulation): C♯, E, F♯, G♯, B

 

Emphasise the root–5th–octave movement for funk feel.

Fill ideas over Ab–G walkdowns: consider chromatic or scale-wise lines to connect smoothly.

 

Gracious me - that's extremely helpful. Can I just check the Intro; Chordify is suggesting Cm  - Bbm - Fm - Ab/Bb. How does that look to you, please?

[Terry M.]

44 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

GPT coming to help here…

 

—-

 

 

🎶 “Lose It” – Ben l’Oncle Soul

 

 

Key: C minor → modulates up to C♯ minor

Time: 4/4

Feel: Soul / Funk groove

Bass scale suggestion: C minor pentatonic → C♯ minor pentatonic (post-bridge)

 

 

 

 

🎸 Intro (8 bars)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Cm | Cm |

| Fm | Fm | Ab | G |

 

 

 

 

🎤 Verse 1 (8 bars)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

 

 

 

 

🎶 Chorus (8 bars)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

 

 

 

 

🎤 Verse 2 (8 bars – same as Verse 1)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

 

 

 

 

🎶 Chorus (repeat – same as before)

 

 

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

| Cm | Cm | Fm | Ab G |

 

 

 

 

🌉 Bridge (8 bars – Modulation starts here)

 

 

Modulates up 1 semitone to C♯ minor

| C♯m | C♯m | F♯m | A B |

| C♯m | C♯m | F♯m | A B |

 

 

 

 

🎶 Final Chorus (in new key: C♯ minor)

 

 

| C♯m | C♯m | F♯m | A B |

| C♯m | C♯m | F♯m | A B |

 

 

 

 

🎵 Outro

 

 

Repeat chorus progression in C♯ minor and fade out.

 

 

 

 

🎸 Bass Groove Tips:

 

 

Use pentatonic scales for fills:

C minor pentatonic (before bridge): C, Eb, F, G, Bb

C♯ minor pentatonic (after modulation): C♯, E, F♯, G♯, B

 

Emphasise the root–5th–octave movement for funk feel.

Fill ideas over Ab–G walkdowns: consider chromatic or scale-wise lines to connect smoothly.

 

Pretty much what I said I think? I suggested the piece was in C minor before the half step modulation to C# after the bridge. GPT is saying what I said in the verses and chorus of two bars of C then a bar of F followed by a bar of Ab and G. F Minor pentatonic as you suggested doesn't sound right?  🙂 I only got as far as the chorus before the bridge as I was waiting to hear from the OP before going any further.

Edited 19 hours ago by Terry M.

[Stub Mandrel]

Isn't  Ab to G 6 to 5 rather than 5 to 6?

[Terry M.]

5 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Isn't  Ab to G 6 to 5 rather than 5 to 6?

 

Start by familiarising yourself with the intro verse and choruses before the bridge. Two bars of C one bar of F and last bar Ab and G.Or the 1 to the 4 and then the 6 to the 5 in C Minor. The 4 6 5 movement repeats before the 1st and 2nd chorus chant and the bridge section.

Edited 10 hours ago by Terry M.

 

Yes this is what I said originally. No mention of 5 to 6.

[Burns-bass]

8 hours ago, Terry M. said:

Pretty much what I said I think? I suggested the piece was in C minor before the half step modulation to C# after the bridge. GPT is saying what I said in the verses and chorus of two bars of C then a bar of F followed by a bar of Ab and G. F Minor pentatonic as you suggested doesn't sound right?  🙂 I only got as far as the chorus before the bridge as I was waiting to hear from the OP before going any further.

It’s a Motown style track, so C minor wouldn’t really fit the “vibe”.
 

People don’t think in terms of scales when compositing. You can try playing C minor fills over this but it’s not going to sound good!

 

Anyway, we’ve got all the right notes for the OP to play it. Which is much more important!

[Terry M.]

27 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

It’s a Motown style track, so C minor wouldn’t really fit the “vibe”.
 

People don’t think in terms of scales when compositing. You can try playing C minor fills over this but it’s not going to sound good!

 

Anyway, we’ve got all the right notes for the OP to play it. Which is much more important!

Okay cool. I never once referred to a scale however. Your GPT post starts by saying it's in C Minor and the OP found it helpful.

[solo4652]

Right - I've run it past Chordify a few times, I've re-read Terry M's and Burns-bass posts (thank you both), and I've tried to trust my non-musical cloth ears. This is what I've come up with so far. Three main things to check - 2nd bar in intro (Cm? Bbm?), Bridge chords, and last bar in chord sequence after the key change (G# or B?) Here goes - please be gentle - my music theory is very limited, as you'll see.

 

Intro: |Cm      |Bbm      | F          | G#  G | 

 

Verses and chorus: | Cm       |Cm       |F         | G#  G |  

 

Bridge: |E         | E        |A         |A        

             |E         |E         |A         |A

             |D         |D        |G         |C#

 

Thereafter: |C#         |C#          |F#          |A  G#  |

[Killerfridge]

If I get time tonight, I'll see if I can't transcribe it for you when I get home

[Terry M.]

2 hours ago, solo4652 said:

Right - I've run it past Chordify a few times, I've re-read Terry M's and Burns-bass posts (thank you both), and I've tried to trust my non-musical cloth ears. This is what I've come up with so far. Three main things to check - 2nd bar in intro (Cm? Bbm?), Bridge chords, and last bar in chord sequence after the key change (G# or B?) Here goes - please be gentle - my music theory is very limited, as you'll see.

 

Intro: |Cm      |Bbm      | F          | G#  G | 

 

Verses and chorus: | Cm       |Cm       |F         | G#  G |  

 

Bridge: |E         | E        |A         |A        

             |E         |E         |A         |A

             |D         |D        |G         |C#

 

Thereafter: |C#         |C#          |F#          |A  G#  |

I would say you've pretty much nailed this. I'm away from my bass right now but I would say the only thing to check is the last note of the bridge. I had that as a chromatic walk up from G to Ab(G#) which is the 5th of the new key of C#. Try playing it instead of the C# to see what I mean and report back? Bear in mind I'd never heard of this song before your post. It's that half step movement that "announces" the new key is coming. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Terry M.

[Killerfridge]

2 hours ago, solo4652 said:

Right - I've run it past Chordify a few times, I've re-read Terry M's and Burns-bass posts (thank you both), and I've tried to trust my non-musical cloth ears. This is what I've come up with so far. Three main things to check - 2nd bar in intro (Cm? Bbm?), Bridge chords, and last bar in chord sequence after the key change (G# or B?) Here goes - please be gentle - my music theory is very limited, as you'll see.

 

Intro: |Cm      |Bbm      | F          | G#  G | 

 

Verses and chorus: | Cm       |Cm       |F         | G#  G |  

 

Bridge: |E         | E        |A         |A        

             |E         |E         |A         |A

             |D         |D        |G         |C#

 

Thereafter: |C#         |C#          |F#          |A  G#  |

So minor correction, I think it's:
Intro: | C   |Bb/C   |F    |Ab Bb|

 

Verse: | C   |Bb/C   |F    |Ab Bb|

Prechorus: |F   |Ab Bb |

Chorus: | C   |Bb/C   |F    |Ab Bb|

[Killerfridge]

Also, please ignore everything ChatGPT says about chord progressions. It's pretty awful at that sort of thing, and regularly just makes stuff up. For instance, here's its take on Red Baron (which just goes G7, C7, and a unision line):
 

Quote

 

A common form of the A section is:

∣Am7∣D7∣Gmaj7∣Cmaj7∣

| F#m7b5 | B7b9 | Em7 | Am7 D7 |

The B section, or bridge, often shifts keys, perhaps to the relative major or a related dominant. A typical bridge might be:

∣Ebmaj7∣Abmaj7∣Dm7∣G7∣

 

 

[Terry M.]

10 minutes ago, Killerfridge said:

So minor correction, I think it's:
Intro: | C   |Bb/C   |F    |Ab Bb|

 

Verse: | C   |Bb/C   |F    |Ab Bb|

Prechorus: |F   |Ab Bb |

Chorus: | C   |Bb/C   |F    |Ab Bb|

Ah you have the Bb (flat 7th) instead of the 5th at the ends. I think I have to agree with you on that.

[jrixn1]

10 minutes ago, Killerfridge said:

Verse: | C   |Bb/C   |F    |Ab Bb|

 

Yes, this is correct.

 

As a bassist, in this style of music the rhythm you play is much more important than getting in other scalar notes or runs.
For now I'd stick with playing just the root, 5th and octave of each change for now. Listen to the bassist on track and copy the rhythms even if you choose different notes.  You can always get more advanced later. 

 

Bb/C is a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slash_chord

To clarify, over that chord, continue use the notes C (root) G (fifth) and C (octave) - not Bb and F.

[Stub Mandrel]

9 hours ago, Terry M. said:

 

Start by familiarising yourself with the intro verse and choruses before the bridge. Two bars of C one bar of F and last bar Ab and G.Or the 1 to the 4 and then the 6 to the 5 in C Minor. The 4 6 5 movement repeats before the 1st and 2nd chorus chant and the bridge section.

Edited 10 hours ago by Terry M.

 

Yes this is what I said originally. No mention of 5 to 6.

 

How odd... I shouldn't try to follow such things in the small hours! Sorry for the mistake.

[solo4652]

Yep - Bb as last bar of Intro, verses, choruses, and definitely G# as last bar of bridge. Also, B (not G# as I originally had it) as last bar of chord sequence after the key change. I think I'm pretty much there now. Thanks to everybody.