Hard Bass Songs

[Bassman1988]

Hey i am looking for a couple songs to learn so i can get a scholarship to a music collage, and i was wondering if you guys knew some pretty hard songs for me to learn for my tape i have to send in. I am learning Cherokee right now by Victor Wooten which is insanlly hard and i wanna try Donna Lee by Jaco on a double bass. I need 2 more songs that don't necessarily have to be jazzish like the ones above, i was thinking somthing more technical lke Dream Theatre? Any help would be awsome!!! Thanks.

[Whafrodamus]

Originally Posted by Bassman1988

Hey i am looking for a couple songs to learn so i can get a scholarship to a music collage, and i was wondering if you guys knew some pretty hard songs for me to learn for my tape i have to send in. I am learning Cherokee right now by Victor Wooten which is insanlly hard and i wanna try Donna Lee by Jaco on a double bass. I need 2 more songs that don't necessarily have to be jazzish like the ones above, i was thinking somthing more technical lke Dream Theatre? Any help would be awsome!!! Thanks.

Why not do a piano piece? I recently learned Fur Elise directly from the piano version, and though it wasn't much of a challenge, I bet you could find a lot more challenging pieces out there.

[peteroberts]

Try 'Portrait of Tracy' on Jaco's 1st solo record

'Tricotism' by Oscar Pettiford

does it have to be solo bass? Listen to the solo on 'Manos de Piedra' on Jeff Berlin's 'Pump It!' record - it's a little hard to find, try online shops ebay, etc. It's worth it! There's also one called 'Bach'...oh man! And then there's 'Joe Fraizer'...

I always thought the bass breaks in Rush's 'YYZ' were pretty smokin'.

[Bassman1988]

Yeah YYZ was one the more recent songs i learned, after you hear the Dream Theatre version you cant play it the same speed as rush...

[Whafrodamus]

Originally Posted by peteroberts

Try 'Portrait of Tracy' on Jaco's 1st solo record

'Tricotism' by Oscar Pettiford

does it have to be solo bass? Listen to the solo on 'Manos de Piedra' on Jeff Berlin's 'Pump It!' record - it's a little hard to find, try online shops ebay, etc. It's worth it! There's also one called 'Bach'...oh man! And then there's 'Joe Fraizer'...

I always thought the bass breaks in Rush's 'YYZ' were pretty smokin'.

Pfft... Portrait of Tracy is pie.

haven't heard the other songs :-p.. I think I'll download em.

[paniak17]

Originally Posted by Whafrodamus

Why not do a piano piece? .

Agreed.

[bassmanbucko]

If you learn Victor Wooten's "Classical Thump" or his version of "Norwegian Wood" they'll have to let you in or I will shoot them

[bassmanbucko]

Originally Posted by Whafrodamus

Pfft... Portrait of Tracy is pie.

Yes, it is, unless you are built like a normal human being with small hands and not alien-sized digits, lol. I can play it pretty well until the very last chord where you have to stretch your fingers from the 9th to the 13th fret and hit the false harmonic Ab and Eb. I've yet to hear another human alive who can play that song all the way and hit the last harmonics and let them ring out. If you have a copy of yourself playing that, I would surely like to hear it.

[hodgy]

Zappa's 'Enchinda's Arf (of you)' is fun, though it's got some parts that are really difficult for me, it is a great tune that really rips some people's heads off.

[Mr Fretless]

Well, Echidna's Arf is a funny song, but it doesn't work as a bass solo song.

I think "Marie" by Dominique di Piazza, from John McLaughlin trio's album "Que Alegria", would be a good choice.

[hodgy]

Originally Posted by Mr Fretless

Well, Echidna's Arf is a funny song, but it doesn't work as a bass solo song.

I think "Marie" by Dominique di Piazza, from John McLaughlin trio's album "Que Alegria", would be a good choice.

Oh, my friend, use your imagination. Have you heard the original 'Donna Lee' before Jaco got ahold of it? Hey that's fine, I'll save the Zappa fo' myself... Oh, and I'll do some solo bass 'No Doubt', too... uh...ok.

[Bob Clayton]

The solo in Maxwell Murder by Rancid

[Aaron Saunders]

Originally Posted by bassmanbucko

Yes, it is, unless you are built like a normal human being with small hands and not alien-sized digits, lol. I can play it pretty well until the very last chord where you have to stretch your fingers from the 9th to the 13th fret and hit the false harmonic Ab and Eb. I've yet to hear another human alive who can play that song all the way and hit the last harmonics and let them ring out. If you have a copy of yourself playing that, I would surely like to hear it.

Plenty of TBers can do PoT, including the last harmonic. The last harmonic is one of the only things that takes a lot of work to play -- I picked up most of it in a couple lessons, and I am by no means a bass prodigy. Then again, I as of yet have by no means come close to getting the last harmonic ringing like Jaco, and I have pretty stubby fingers.

That said, I doubt PoT will get anyone a scholarship to a music college. It really isn't THAT hard to play.

Maybe some Mingus? I'll put in another suggestion for something from a piano -- maybe Moonlight Sonata?

[Whafrodamus]

Originally Posted by bassmanbucko

Yes, it is, unless you are built like a normal human being with small hands and not alien-sized digits, lol. I can play it pretty well until the very last chord where you have to stretch your fingers from the 9th to the 13th fret and hit the false harmonic Ab and Eb. I've yet to hear another human alive who can play that song all the way and hit the last harmonics and let them ring out. If you have a copy of yourself playing that, I would surely like to hear it.

You know what they say .

[Whafrodamus]

Originally Posted by bassmanbucko

If you learn Victor Wooten's "Classical Thump" or his version of "Norwegian Wood" they'll have to let you in or I will shoot them

Those songs aren't that complicated, that's the problem. Berklee doesn't care how many Jaco or Wooten songs you can play. You need to play something that demonstrates a knowledge in theory as well as general musical ability, and a proficient skill level with your chosen instrument.

[Dr. PhunkyPants]

...go into the audition with a Real Book....any key or instrument. Pick a page out at random...then nail the song through all 12 keys. I don't think the interviewers would be as impressed with a memorized finger exercise as much as the ability to play an unfamiliar tune well the first time out through the whole cycle of fifths.

[bryan bailey]

Tommy The Cat - Primus.

Hello? I have never seen anyone besides Les play this one right.
And I have seen Les play it.

[pbassmanplease]

Hit up sme of Billy Sheehan's stuff, that guy is crazy good so i bet u'll have a hard time with that, im not so sure exactly wat colleges want (im only 14) but i know enough to know hen i hear good...complicated music

[sargebaker]

The Fish- Yes (like the live verison form Yessonsgs) and you can even elaborate oon it jack it up and make it more complicated if ya want/can.

[DaveBeny]

Originally Posted by Whafrodamus

Berklee doesn't care how many Jaco or Wooten songs you can play. You need to play something that demonstrates a knowledge in theory as well as general musical ability, and a proficient skill level with your chosen instrument.

I agree. A professional music college is not going to be impressed by "chops". Here's some advice from Ed Fuqua that was in a similar thread:

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

At least you didn't say you were going to play TEEN TOWN. Or some Victor Wooten thing.

They are going to want to hear you walk four, play an improvised walking line over changes, play an improvised solo over changes, play in a variety of styles (2 beat, latin, etc), show some conceptual ability to play more open or contemporary (think Tom Harrell or Mark Turner), sight read written bass lines.

They are going to be a little less interested in what you worked up. I'd suggest something more from the standard repertoire -play the melody, play a chorus of walking bass on the changes, play a chorus of improvised melody and play the head out.