50's rock music

[joeyzaza]

It's not a time or a genre I'm really familiar with, I have to teach somebody some of this stuff possibly. What scales and harmony are common in this era of rocknroll? From what I think I've heard, bass generally tends to plod along to the root note. I'm guessing guys like Buddy Holly and Elvis are the major players of this era, again, not familiar with that stuff either. Who was doing anything interesting with the bass back then?

[DocBop]

Listen to the classic rock of Little Richard, Bill Halley, Fats Domino, Elvis, Ricky Nelson (always a great band), Jerry Lee Lewis and of course Chuck Berry. Most are I, IV, V progressions or "Ice Cream Changes" I, VI, IV, V. Most was major pentatonic but add the b7th. A lot of bands still used double bass then, many times the bass doubled the guitar or piano. Listening to a few tunes will teach you more than a thousand words will. It is a lot of fun to play lots of energy and cool feel for the Ice Cream changes/DooWop tunes. Don't forget the dance steps Back then the bands typically did time steps while playing. Everyone was part of the show.

I remember I took my girlfriend to go see Little Richard at this club. She couldn't understand why I kept laughing. Every song Little Richard did was in G and bass player used the same bass line for all of them. Basically 'Richard just changed the lyrics the rest was the same.

[hublocker]

Willie Dixon, Willie Dixon and Willie Dixon.

Listen to "You can't judge a book" by Bo Diddley.

[K2000]

Originally Posted by joeyzaza

From what I think I've heard, bass generally tends to plod along to the root note.

You need to walk the basslines, nothing too complicated, but you definitely don't just hammer the root note. Think about how the electric bass was considered an offshoot of the upright bass at that time... Think about how rock'n'roll was tied at the hip with R&B at this time. You simplify what an upright might do, in order to express the energy, though.

Don't bend any notes, do hammer-ons, play power chords, or anything else that would be considered an extended technique. Keep it rudimentary in comparison to today's approach.

Keep it nimble, don't bludgeon the song with long notes. Lots of players used to put foam in their bridges to keep the bass from ringing out. So consider damping the notes more than ordinary.

Try listening to Hank Ballard and the Midnighters (they did the original version of Little Sister, later popularized by Stevie Ray Vaughn, plus lots of other raunchy tunes. Also, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis. And check out some rockabilly with Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps.

[joeyzaza]

Excellent. Can you name any really definitive tunes as regards what we're talking about here? I'll check out the Bo Diddley tune.

[ducknturtle]

This is a bigger field than you may realize with too many great artist and songs to list easily. By the way the roots of Rock and Roll really go back to the late forties. It would be more than worthwhile to investigate T-Bone Walker, Slim Gaillard, Louis Jordan, Big Joe Turner, Wynonie Harris, Ruth Brown, Big Maybelle and many others.

[hublocker]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVR1WqCJHKw

Go to you tube and watch anything Chuck berry did in the 1950s and any of his recorded live shows any time as he played the songs forever.


Watch the whole movie "Hail, hail rock and roll" with Berry and Keith Richard.
The Beatles playing "Roll over Beethoven" is good, and "Matchbox" and "Honey Don't" too.

They do Roll over Beethoven Live in Holland which is good.

Watch the 1950s videos of Carl perkins doing Blue Suede Shoes and Matchbox for example.

[rjny36]

Originally Posted by ducknturtle

This is a bigger field than you may realize with too many great artist and songs to list easily. By the way the roots of Rock and Roll really go back to the late forties. It would be more than worthwhile to investigate T-Bone Walker, Slim Gaillard, Louis Jordan, Big Joe Turner, Wynonie Harris, Ruth Brown, Big Maybelle and many others.

+1

Guys like Wynonie Harris and Louis Jordan made some fantastic records. Highly listenable, even if 40's and 50's era jump blues/RnB/RnR isn't your thing.

[hublocker]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdKxb...elated&search=

Long Tall Sally: A Little Richard Song.

Plodding on the one indeed.

This Beatles stuff in Holland is really cool because Ringo isn't on drums!

More Chuck Berry!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJoVg...elated&search=

[JimmyM]

I would also add listen to Bill Haley and the Comets. My friend Marshall Lytle played some great upright slap on that stuff and had possibly the best-recorded upright sound ever.

[K2000]

Originally Posted by hublocker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdKxb...elated&search=

Long Tall Sally: A Little Richard Song.

Plodding on the one indeed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJoVg...elated&search=

??????

Paul McCartney is most certainly walking the bassline on that song.

Maybe I didn't understand your post.

Oh well.

[hublocker]

The original poser said this:

"From what I think I've heard, bass generally tends to plod along to the root note. "

[Pilgrim]

Just because a bass line is simple (I, IV, V // then up one string, then back down, etc.) doesn't mean it can't be a ton of fun to play. When you have a simple bass line that uses the root a lot, changing even ONE note or doing a simple walkdown back to the root can be a really nice change that adds character to the bass line. Hit the groove with accurate, precise notes, and you don't need fancy bass lines - you move the whole band along and carry them.

This type of music is what I prefer to play - no plodding required!

[hublocker]

Listen to Bonie Moronie or "There's a Riot Goin' On."

[::::BASSIST::::]

We play alot of 50s covers in the band I'm in. We purposely steer away from the cheesey "bubble gum" songs. Its great high energy music that people really respond well to. Most of it is very danceable.

Here's a few of the songs we play that I reccomend checking out:

I’m Goin’ Home – Gene Vincent
20 flight rock - eddie cochran
say mama - gene vincent (not the cheesey version)
Mary Anne – Link Wray
Ain’t That Lovin’ You Baby– Link Wray
little sister - Elvis
honey don't – Carl Perkins
whole lotta shakin' goin' on – Elvis (this version rocks)