Nice songs to play with double bass?

him666 · #1 06-29-2005, 01:01 AM

Im in a cover band and im going to buy a double bass in a month. Are there any pop, rock, blues songs where a double bass is in used? I'm sure there are. I hope you can tell me them

mchildree · #2 06-29-2005, 06:30 AM

Two words: Willie Dixon

Most of his tunes were done on upright and tons of them were re-done as rock tunes.

Paul Warburton · #3 06-29-2005, 06:38 AM

Any song, in any genre is fair game for the DB.....the limitations are only in your head.

pklima · #4 06-29-2005, 08:07 AM

Danny Thompson has played DB on tons of pop and rock recordings. Try to track down some of the recent stuff he's done with Richard Thompson (no relation) - he plays DB even on some pretty aggressive rock stuff.

DB is traditional in rockabilly, of course. But like Paul says you can use DB in anything. I've even done it in metal and played it arco - made a big fat droning sound that did the job of the BG and the keyboards at the same time.

Mike Goodbar · #5 06-29-2005, 11:03 AM

Most of Norah Jones's stuff uses double bass if you're into that kind of thing.

a. meyer · #6 06-29-2005, 11:26 AM

"Love Cats" by the Cure.

FredH · #7 06-29-2005, 11:58 AM

Check out anything by the Skatalites.
.....Straycats

I play whole sets of groove dance stuff on my upright

larry · #8 06-29-2005, 01:33 PM

Much of the Barenaked Ladies is DB.

ImAGoodDuck · #9 06-29-2005, 01:42 PM

I agree with Paul, anything can be played with the double bass. Any insturment is limitless, only the player limits the insturment.

him666 · #10 06-29-2005, 02:12 PM

Ok thanks

mchildree · #11 06-29-2005, 06:13 PM

Also, there was lots of great URB on the '90s-era swing craze stuff.. Brian Setzer Orchestra, Big Bad Voodoo Daddies, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Alien Fashion Show, etc.

Bassmickeyd · #12 07-03-2005, 12:26 PM

King Of The Road(intro is just upright)
Fever
Dock Of The Bay
Are three solid bass lines that work very well on upright.
Or unless one get right advent:
Watching The Detectives
Which is a seriously solid bass line but near imposible to sing and play at the same time. I've tried, many times, tried.

Root movement and melody is the bassis of all "modern" music. And I mean "modern" by singer song writter form.

I've done a solo upright and vocals show for years(when allowed), and you'd be suprised what I can pull off, because of solid bass lines and good melody.

anonymous0726 · #13 07-03-2005, 12:30 PM

'Unforgettable' is a stupid tune on ANY instrument.

azbass · #14 07-03-2005, 07:31 PM

LOL!!!

I just saw on the news that the Fulton Fish Market (no, that's not a rock band) is moving to the Bronx. Now THAT'S stupid. (Or is it?)

Howard Lester

anonymous0726 · #15 07-03-2005, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azbass

I just saw on the news that the Fulton Fish Market (no, that's not a rock band) is moving to the Bronx. Now THAT'S stupid. (Or is it?)

Or the Brooklyn Dodgers in L.A. or a Basketball team in Utah name 'The Jazz'.

Utah Jazz. Does that mean that a bass player can have as many singers as he wants at the same time?

Silversorcerer · #16 07-09-2005, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

Any song, in any genre is fair game for the DB.....the limitations are only in your head.

The word, there, totally. Use it all the time, if you can. The first band I used my DB extensively in was a heavily amplified rock cover band. We play all kinds of stuff (see dropatlanta.com) with emphasis on the psychedelic. It's totally cool to whip out the bow on tunes like Strawberry Fields, Nowhere Man, Morning Dew, Standing On the Moon, etc. The arco possiblities are really fun as long as you don't overdo it.

On the more alt. rock side I use the bowed DB on Perfect Blue Buildings (Counting Crows), If You Could Only See (Tonic) and The World I Know (Collective Soul).

Naturally, I also like to use the DB for all of the jazz swing stuff and upbeat country and folk rock stuff. Oh, and you definitely want a DB for Kashmir (Led Zep). Do that one with the bow. I even worked out an arco version of Us and Them (Pink Floyd). I use the bow and do double stops a bit on that one. I bow it on Comfortably Numb also. If the song has the opportunity for long sustained notes, I'll go arco in a heartbeat. About 90% is pizz., but really that is just another personal preference.

There is some stuff I will use my EBG on, but I like to just think of the song and play the bass, which ever one it is. I don't get too caught up in best songs for DB or that type of thinking. It could limit what I might attempt.

Just dive in there and try all of em with the DB. You'll surprise yourself.