Help - Newbie here - ez songs

LuvJohnDenver · #1 10-09-2008, 04:09 PM

Learning the basics at the moment and coming along ok. Would like some info on how to best work on my timing.

Looking for some great easy songs to start w/...possibly some country (Gene Watson, Johnny Cash, George Strait) and/or some easy rock...think some of George Thorogood's is basic.

Anyone willing to help out a new bass chick?

Thanks!

Stumbo · #2 10-09-2008, 04:12 PM

Most of the tunes from the 50's and 60's.
Check youtube for lessons.

Sub5ound · #3 10-09-2008, 04:21 PM

Check out Muddy Waters or The Band. Rick Danko of the Band used to do some very interesting things in within the confines of simple tunes. Check out Up On Cripple Creek,
Chest Fever or The Weight. As for Muddy, just learning some basic blues will do wonders for your playing.

vinestreet · #4 10-10-2008, 01:01 AM

1) Go to http://www.bassmasta.net/

2) Find a song you like

3) Go to YouTube and look for the same song

4) Switch back to the bassmasta tabs and play along to the YouTube song.

Have fun!

51m0n · #5 10-10-2008, 05:47 AM

ACDC for the rock stuff.

Its very simple but all about timing and feel.

Whole Lotta Rosie is just a superb riff

DudeistMonk · #6 10-10-2008, 08:57 AM

Creedence is also some real simple rock that sounds great.

mambo4 · #7 10-10-2008, 09:23 AM

For simplicity, functionality and timing, try Sting's basslines on older Police tunes.

also, as you learn these and other basslines learn what chords they support too.

Joel S. · #8 10-10-2008, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinestreet

1) Go to http://www.bassmasta.net/

2) Find a song you like

3) Go to YouTube and look for the same song

4) Switch back to the bassmasta tabs and play along to the YouTube song.

Have fun!

yea, don't do this. 9 out of every 10 tabs I've seen on that site, and others, have been wrong.

Work on old 50s tunes, country, and blues. Very simple progressions. Use your ear.

wizay · #9 10-10-2008, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DudeistMonk

Creedence is also some real simple rock that sounds great.

+100!

DudeistMonk · #10 10-10-2008, 02:50 PM

Also make your way toward some simple old school funk and some good ol' blues and some motown as soon as you can. Once you understand those genres the rest start to make more sense.

Funk teaches you rhythm and feel with only minimal or no chord progression to remember, makes it easier to find groove.

Blues is all about knowing your 1-4-5 chords and holding down the rhythm in a solid steady manner.

Motown is a little of both, feels groovy but moves too.

T.O.Bass · #11 10-10-2008, 02:57 PM

One of the best recomendations made to me when I started out was learning to play the self-titled Rage Against The Machine Album. The bass playing pretty much covers the entire scope of techniques used by a fingerstyle player. Also, stylistically, it has rock, funk, metal, and all sorts of other elements - it's incredibly well rounded. I highly recommend it.

DudeistMonk · #12 10-10-2008, 03:06 PM

Quote:

One of the best recomendations made to me when I started out was learning to play the self-titled Rage Against The Machine Album. The bass playing pretty much covers the entire scope of techniques used by a fingerstyle player. Also, stylistically, it has rock, funk, metal, and all sorts of other elements - it's incredibly well rounded. I highly recommend it.

+1

I had that bass book when I started it was great!

Timmy C. really grooves and RATM is fun as all get out to play, and that album covers all the major techniques (slap/pop, double stops, ghost notes, slides). Probably the only album I ever learned to play start to finish. Its not exactly an easy album to play though, but if you work at it you can accomplish it and it will take your technique up to a good level.

sixx788 · #13 10-10-2008, 04:17 PM

I agree with AC/DC. "Highway To Hell" was my very first song I learned. That one is easy. "I love Rock N Roll" by Joan Jett. "No Sugar Tonight" by The Guess Who. "Leader Of Men" by Nickelback. I say, try Highway to Hell.

edgewise · #14 10-12-2008, 11:22 AM

+1 on the Creedence.

Since you are starting out, you are probably already familiar with tabs. A lot of people absolutely hate them. I kind of feel like they have their place.

Anyhow, I have a suggestion for you that might give you a different perspective.

Go to chordie.com and find the song you are interested in.

Here is the link for CCR's Bad Moon Rising: http://www.chordie.com/chord.pere/ww...t=tab&id=15892

Then go to youtube and play the song.

Find the root notes on your guitar and play a long. Try playing the notes on different parts of the neck. You can go nuts from here on out.

Eventually you will get good enough to figure out the chords by ear and won't need chordie.

The reason I recommend this approach is it exposes you to playing chord changes. This is your job as a bassist.

If you focus too much on tabs you can end up only being able to play a song in one spot on your neck and not know the chords that make up the song.

Anyway, hope this helps!

-EW

dereklol23 · #15 10-12-2008, 01:56 PM

+1 for RATM's first album
Awesome fun to play with and listen to

Sub5ound · #16 10-12-2008, 02:58 PM

I forgot how much fun that Rage album was to play along to! Try some Sabbath...

stratovani · #17 10-12-2008, 03:09 PM

Learn to play some Rush, even if you make a ton of mistakes. If you can play Rush you can play anything!

cossie · #18 10-15-2008, 02:32 AM

Hi LuvJohnDenver,

Quote:

Learning the basics at the moment and coming along ok. Would like some info on how to best work on my timing.

How I worked on (and still do) my timing is to always spend some time (even just 10 minutes, after all most songs are 5 minutes at most) playing with a metronome and make sure you can tap your foot along to the beat - it helps me to internalize the timing, it'll feel a bit awkward if you're not tapping in time...i hate seeing bass players who don't move on stage when they play!

(If you have any way to record yourself playing that would be very advantageous).

I would then try to either play a bass line I knew, or just make up a simple one - 2 or 3 notes - in time with the metronome. Always try to play with the click on the metronome and be aware of the sound of the notes you play - you'll be able to hear the length of the notes and how they fit in time, it's not just a case of picking/plucking the right string at the right time. You can mix things up by trying to play on every other click or whatever you feel like.

After doing the 10 minutes of just you and the metronome, pick a song to play along with, listen to it first before playing it and tap your foot/fingers/whatever along with it. Feel the groove and what's driving the song - for the most part, the kick and snare drums will probably stand out the most.

Then plug-in and rock your head off to all the tunes you want.

Ac/Dc are great for working on timing (and you'll also pick up on the subtle difficulty of Cliff Williams' playing) - Whole Lotta Rosie, Hard As A Rock, It's A Long Way To The Top.

Try some ZZ Top - Tush, Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers or La Grange for example are great fun to play and straight forward. Just be aware of the blues "shuffle", I used to be in a band with a guitar player who was a huge blues fan - he had terrible trouble with a lot of songs because he'd lapse into shuffle feel when we'd be playing a straight rock song.

Jimi Hendrix's Fire and Foxy Lady are also straight forward but aren't just straightforward pumping lines. (Woah, this has turned into a long post, sorry!).

I know it's not on your list of preferred music but you can't go wrong with some Metallica to sort out your timing - Enter Sandman is a very accessible tune if you're not a fan of their music (I must admit, I'm not a huge fan).

I hope I haven't waffled on and wrecked your head!

Cos