Must Have Tunes to learn?

[FeltFedora]

I am a new bass player. I have been taking lessons for a short while and am now involved in a 1x per week ensemble where 3 guitarists, a drummer and myself are working on some different songs. Playing in a group is a new experience for me. I am told (and it makes sense) that I'll never get any good at playing with others if I... well never get out there and get some playing time under my belt with others.

The group of guys I am playing with are all over 30 (some more than others. ) We all take lessons and in addition to this weekly ensemble every Wednesday. The teacher is pushing us to call it a band but none of us are even convinced it can be called that yet... regardless I am having an absolute blast. We are working on just four songs at the moment Anyways - this is really getting me to want to get out there and play even more. Both my bass instructor and the teacher on Wednesdays thats running this thing have mentioned getting out during the week and doing some open jams they have during the week at some of my local bars.

Would some of you be kind enough to chime in on some of the more "must have" songs that I should have under my belt to prepare for this sort of thing? I am guessing many of the same songs pop up again and again at these sorts of things. I won't be having another bass lesson until just after Christmas so I thought I might stop here and ask.

Thanks Much
F.F.

[aus_bass]

Mustang Sally
Brown Eyed Girl
Sweet Home Alabama
Johnny B Goode
I Saw Her Standing There

[mambo4]

For open jams, 12 bar blues in a variety of keys is probably the biggest must

[hrodbert696]

Any group of musicians playing together is a band, so congratulations, you are indeed in a band.

At least around here, "open jam" generally means blues, so learn your basic 8, 12, and 16 bar blues structures. Then you can go here.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_blues_standards. A lot of folks will play blues-based rock too -- Doors and Rolling Stones and stuff.

[Martin89]

+1 12 bar blues, so learning how to groove with that is a lot of fun and enjoyable to listen to. the whole walk up/down 1,3,5,6,1(octave or 7 minor for less bright),6,5,3,1 plus variations is good stuff.

[fourfinger]

Welcome, New Bass Player!

If older and bluesy fits your style (and with your choice of hats, plus 3 guitars, decent chance) I'd say these are good easy instructional tunes that get called at jams:

1. Sunshine of your Love (pentatonic scales, accents on the One)
2. Pride and Joy (I-IV-V 12-bar shuffle with stops, imaginative walking)
3. Sweet Home Chicago (see above)
4. The Thrill is Gone (groove groove groove)
5. Tush (I-IV-V shuffle but rocked, the patience of pedaling)
6. Johnny Be Good ((I-IV-V straight beat rocked)

A lot of guitarists know these songs and I know I learned from each of them.

[Stumbo]

Here are a couple of links to check out:
Top 100 songs by year 1950-2009
Cover band set lists

You might ask instructor and/or your 30 something bandmates what they consider as essential.

+1 on learning the blues, the basis for rock 'n roll. Here are some links to help you out:
~Blues
Becoming a blues bass player
Blues progressions explained w/ audio samples
Basic lessons/free backing tracks
Getting into the blues
Slow blues
1 "Must know" blues tunes
2

1 Blues jam terms/progressions
2
3
Ice Cream Changes
Backdoor Progression
ii-V-I
more blues
Abersole's 35 blues variations
Improving the blues

Check out the link in my sig. below for more great TB info.

Good luck.

[Nev375]

At my local bar jam nights theres a lot of younger kids. Some common songs there are


Creep - Radiohead
Various popular Nirvana songs
What's up? - 4 non blondes
Hotel California - Eagles
Various popular Weezer songs

I'm pushing 40 and I feel lucky to have found this group where it's not all Creedence and Hendrix and blues covers all the time.

Just drop in and make a list of what's getting played. Learn more and more as you go. They probably aren't expecting you to nail the songs note for note.

[MalcolmAmos]

Jamming in my neck of the woods is being able to wing it when someone says; "The next one is kiss ole Kate, let's do it in D, ready one and two and.............."

You've never heard "Kiss ole Kate" so..... you assume some stuff - roots right at first. After several measures sneak in a R-5, perhaps a R-5-8-5 with I IV V I progression in D. Change chords when the rhythm guitar guy does. Yes basic 12 bar blues progression is safe and if you get lost do a I-V-I vamp till you catch up and if everything fails and you are completely lost build a groove with the tonic pentatonic. As long as you are using in key notes and keeping the beat you are functioning in a jamm session.

Have fun, keep doing what you'll are doing and add to your gig book. Play from chord charts, chord charts (fake chord sheet music) will let you play hundreds of songs.

Google can find them for you. Google ----- Guitar chords, "name of the song" the comma and quote marks help. For example; Guitar chords, "Cold, cold heart". gave me several choices I liked this the best.
http://www.chordie.com/chord.pere/ww...dColdHeart.cpm

Have fun.