3-4 basic tunes to test out a bass guitar with?

[30hrz]

Might seem like a dumb request but as I spend all my time at the moment just doing scales and such I was wondering what 3-4 basic songs you'd recommend for a beginner to test out a guitar with at the local store (please not 'Smoke On The Water'). I'm lookin to purchase in about a month and I'd like to go in and try a few different styles of music.

On a side note is there any 'kick the tire' advice?

[Depth_Charge]

I'll presume you are asking after a bass guitar

I have a few "simple" songs I tend to run through after the bass passes my other tests and I go for a bit of a play:

White Stripes - 7 Nation Army.

Queen - Under Pressure and Another One Bites the Dust.

Metallica - The bass part to Orion or The Four Horsemen (the runs up during the chorus are a good test). Expect guitarists to join in.

Electric Six - Danger! High Voltage (lots of root/fifth throughout).

Fleetwood Mac - The bridge in "The Chain". Play it standard tuned and you will always have older folk bugging you to know what you're playing haha

My tyre kick tests include looking down the fretboard like it's a rifle to see everything lines up from the 4 main angles. Checking the wood for cracks or splits, the finish for wear and tear, the nut to make sure the strings are snug and the bridge to make sure it's tight. I never slap or tap on a store bass, , just like I never thrash cars I'm thinking about buying even when the salesmen are begging me to.

[codyAllen191]

these are my "test tunes"

Slap- "Take the power back" by Rage against the machine and "American Life" by Primus
Funk- "Power Mad" by Primus
Hard Rock- "Schism" & "46 & 2" by Tool
Fretless- "Over the Electric Grapevine" & "Fish On" by Primus
Classic Rock - "Roundabout" by Yes
Punk- "Use Your Nose" by Millencolin

hope that helps....its alot of Primus...but he does alot of things to test the sound(personally)

[30hrz]

Yeah I guess I'll pick a few fav tunes out of each genre and learn them. Like 1 Soul, 1 Funk. 1 Rock, 1 Reggae. I'm testing out a Jag in a couple of weeks and want to get a good sense of how it sounds for various music styles. Haven't bothered to learn songs yet cause I'm working on technique and scales, etc.

[meev991]

1. Nirvana - Stay Away
2. Avenged Sevenfold - Blinded in chains
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers -....pretty much any song, because flea slaps the hell out of his bass all the time

[Depth_Charge]

Originally Posted by 30hrz

I'm testing out a Jag in a couple of weeks and want to get a good sense of how it sounds for various music styles. Haven't bothered to learn songs yet cause I'm working on technique and scales, etc.

Do you mean a Fender Jaguar? Drool...me want a red one they don't match the black on the headstock I've noticed and thats all Perth has got when I called around

As for what they work for well, look up Pino Palladino's more recent recordings and live acts, he has been using them a lot "recently".

Cheers,

DC

[Thunder_Fingers]

Songs? I usualy simply play randomly to get the feel of the bass.. i dunno what songs im playing when im testing stuff, it always varies by my mood..

[Pilgrim]

This shows the difference in age between me and some of those above. I tend to noodle around with the bass lines from these:

- Sunshine of Your Love (Cream)
- Time is Tight (Booker T)
- Night Train (Neal Hefti)
- Rumble (Link Wray)
- Pipeline (Ventures)

I listen for different things in each one, but I've played all of them enough that I know what I'm listening for.