Songs to help with Technique

mattsk42 · #1 07-21-2005, 02:31 PM

Hey I'm beginner-intermediate player and I'm wondering what would be some good songs to learn to improve. Original Behind Blue Eyes and Sweet Child of Mine really helped when I learned those, AND I could find tabs since I can't pick out the semi-complex riffs in songs yet.
So what are some suggestions I can do w/out buying the bass book for them? Thanks!

DaftCat · #2 07-21-2005, 02:39 PM

Moondance
Pride & Joy
Bullet in the Head

mattsk42 · #3 07-21-2005, 03:54 PM

Wow quick reply. Thanks!

OrderingEntropy · #4 07-21-2005, 04:05 PM

mxtabs.net/basstabs.php

good tab site, mostly correct, large selection

My suggestions would be:

anything by Tool
californication by the chili peppers
anything by primus
and if you want to improve stamina, sugar by SOAD is good

soontobedead · #5 07-21-2005, 05:39 PM

mmm.... for metal and non-metalheads:

4 finger technique/stamina:

-agent orange - sodom
-angel of death - slayer (you are bound to get REALLY frustrated/tired here the first bunch of times...)

Left hand dexterity:

-spirit crusher/scavenger of human sorrow - death (yeah... i know there are better songs... but these are good for intermediate players... plus... it doesn't get any cooler than death)

Slapping/Popping/Tapping

-Tommy the cat - Primus
-anything from Atheist's cd Elements... enjoy... even if you don't like metal, Atheist is a MUST to any bassist.

Harmonics

-of course, portrait of tracy

bonscottvocals · #6 07-21-2005, 07:01 PM

Get the bass "Play Along" series from Hal Leonard. There's Rock, Pop, Funk, Classic Rock, Metal, and a couple others I can't remember. I have all except vol 6 (Classic Rock), which I ordered. Excellent stuff, and you get the tracks with and w/out the bass line. No vocals. Some of the songs are "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Maneater", "Brown-Eyed Girl", "Another One Bites the Dust", "Come Together", and "Get Ready". You'd be surprised at how easy the songs can be if you really get into them.

If you've got a good music collection, pick up the "Bass Guitar White Pages", which is 200 songs tabbed out! It covers several song styles, and I think you'd like it. Everything that's in the Play Along series and more. Also from Hal Leonard. Check it out at this link: Bass White Pages Link

mattsk42 · #7 07-21-2005, 11:06 PM

Hey thanks for the replies! That book looks really nice. It got good reviews from everywhere I read, and that's almost exactly what I've been looking for. The slap stuff is coming, any more suggestions? Californication was good, too, those chord-ish things are good to work on.

Tash · #8 07-21-2005, 11:52 PM

Bach's suites for solo cello.

METALHEAD · #9 07-22-2005, 06:31 AM

I enjoy playing "lovecats" by the cure. not very hard but fun to play.

John-Paul666 · #10 07-22-2005, 11:45 AM

What about a couple of queen songs or something by the stranglers

scourge · #11 07-23-2005, 10:15 AM

Listen. Learn. Play. Repeat.

Start with songs and bands with a prominent and definable bass part. Hum the more difficult parts and play to your humming. Its easier to break down bass lines this way, I believe.

Tash · #12 07-23-2005, 03:18 PM

It helps if these songs are things you don't already listen to and play. You don't improve much by learnign something you already know...

scourge · #13 07-23-2005, 03:35 PM

...or Think you know. Preconceived notions can hamper your ear.

**Blackbird** · #14 07-23-2005, 04:28 PM

Beatles. Definitely Beatles.

Also get Standing in the Shadows of Motown. By the time you're done with it, there won't be anything you won't be able to play, except the extreme Jaco/Wooten stuff which is more of a luxury anyway.

Starbucker · #15 07-25-2005, 02:18 PM

I actually started by learning Blink 182 songs. They are far from being the most talented musicians around, but their riffs are simple enough and they helped me learn to play by ear. After that, I moved up to Rage Against the Machine. I think Tim Commerford is a very talented bassist, and his lines have enough variation and substance that repeating them over and over again helped me learn the scales and whatnot. After Rage, I moved on to Chili Peppers, then to Primus, so on and so forth.

As far as albums go, pick up Blink 182's "Dude Ranch," Rage's debut, and Chili Peppers' "Californication." Practice these and soon you will be able to move on to bigger and better things.

Good luck to you.

lowphatbass · #16 07-25-2005, 03:13 PM

I find that almost every song I learn has something in it to teach me, some more and some less. IMO, tab is o.k. to get you playing when you can't quite pick something out by ear, but you should be spending as much time learning by ear as you can possibly stand. It sounds like you are interested mainly in rock but are willing to expand your listening to increase your vocabulary, and that's REALLY good. I would prescribe(ha ha) a heavy dosage of early Police. While the basslines aren't complex they are rich in melodic and rythmic variation and a good study for a beginner/soon to be intermediate bass player!!

MaskedJackal · #17 07-25-2005, 04:01 PM

Ok ok, I've got a GREAT one. Two, actually. First, "Masked Jackal" by Coroner. Yes, I love it so much that I made it my screen name here. There's only one place to find a tab, though, and I SHALL LINK YOU.

http://www.designvortex.com/coroner/tabs/masked_j.txt

Also, look for Iron Maiden's "The Trooper" on most tab sites, it'll help you teach yourself triplets and increase stamina.

Both of these work great for your finger strength, even if you don't dig metal.

mattsk42 · #18 07-25-2005, 04:14 PM

Wow, great advice on these. They've helped a lot!