Reggae songs to learn

[j_micho]

I'm trying out for this band that plays mostly rock oriented stuff, but use reggae in some portions of their songs. I'm trying to improvise something on the demos they sent me but it just made me realize I don't know what to play on reggae. This is probably due to the fact that I never played a reggae song...ever.

I guess a good starter would be to learn a few of these songs, then I would have a better idea of what to do. Can you guys propose me a couple songs to learn?

Thanks

[N.F.A.]

So Much Trouble in the World by Marley

[ericw]

I just started going through the album "Red" by Black Uhuru. You'll pick up on lots of patterns, rhythms, and riffs to use as you dig into it.

EDIT: On that album: Youth of Eglington is an easy one to start with. Sponji Reggae, Journey, Puff She Puff, and Trodding are all good ones to look at. Make to look at how he uses his riffs in the song structure as well.

[JoZac21]

Anything w. Aston Barrett or Robbie Shakespeare

[jodyacoustic]

try dub incorporation.if your into books reggae bass by ed friedland

[bass12]

Look up some stuff on the Studio One label. Studio One was the most important label in the history of Jamaican music and many of the most famous and often-played bass lines in reggae originated there (most of them are pretty easy to play, too). Of course, the Bob Marley stuff with Family Man is great (as is much of the stuff with Robbie Shakespeare), but I'd start with Studio One.

Here are two to start off with:

"Real Rock" by Sound Dimension (Studio One house band)
"A Darker Shade Of Black" by Jackie Mittoo

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Here's a video of myself playing Bob Marley's "Is This Love":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8JvUd1LOYM&fmt=22

Hope it helps.

[kesslari]

+1 on Black Uhuru's "Red" - great introduction to Robbie Shakespeare.

For Family Man (Marley and the Wailers) - try "Stir It Up" and "Natural Mystic" for two very different approaches.

[guitfiddle0409]

Stir it Up by Bob Marley and the Wailers. Think 1-3-5 a lot and it will work.

For most reggae, just play in grips major/minor around guitar chords and it will work just fine.

[JoZac21]

I just spent almost the entire day playing along to the Wailers records (as I often do)...
Here are a few of my favorite tunes to play:

Concrete Jungle
400 Years
Stop that Train
Night Shift
Trenchtown Rock
Rastaman Chant

There are many more, Barrett and Shakespeare are probably my 2 favorite bassists and learning their lines are probably the best music lessons I've had in a long time (even though I rarely actually play reggae w. bands/during gigs). They were both incredibly tasteful, but what made them interesting was their sense of rhythm. Awesome stuff. Hope this helps.

[sackvegas]

Originally Posted by JoZac21

There are many more, Barrett and Shakespeare are probably my 2 favorite bassists and learning their lines are probably the best music lessons I've had in a long time (even though I rarely actually play reggae w. bands/during gigs). They were both incredibly tasteful, but what made them interesting was their sense of rhythm. Awesome stuff. Hope this helps.

THIS

[no_fret]

Get Legend, the Bob Marley greatest hits disc and you've got a good start. You might also check out Ernist Ranglin's Below the Bassline.

[bass12]

I just realised you're based in Montreal. PM me if you want some more suggestions. We could even hook up if you want. I don't play a whole lot of reggae on gigs, but I still DJ quite a lot of reggae and can give you a good primer.

[lolaviola]

Don't play on the One.
Learn Kaya by ear.
Looka t the video of the Wailers playing Stir It Up on youtube

[s_mcsleazy]

maga dog - peter toosh
54 46 was my number - toots and the maytals
fite dem back -lkj

[bass12]

Originally Posted by lolaviola

Don't play on the One.

Not playing on the one is probably the biggest cliché regarding reggae bass. It's true that a lot of reggae bass lines don't start on the one, but more often then not they do.

[905]

I see Aston and Robbie have been mentioned, so in order to avoid repetition:
Listen to some stuff by Groundation, a relatively "modern" reggae band.

Namely "Not so Simple" from their latest album, Here I Am, and "Something More" from Hebron Gate.


(Also listen to "Get Up, Stand Up" by Marley - really beautiful bassline.)

[b_ryceeeee]

Try some of these bands
Aswad- the older albums are great
The abyssinians
Steel pulse- tribute to the martyrs is a great album.
Ooklah the moc

[dave2]

Originally Posted by JoZac21

Anything w. Aston Barrett or Robbie Shakespeare

You beat me to it.......Yes anything recorded by the Sly Dunbar (drums) & Robbie Shakespear (bass) dynamic duo or Familyman Barrett with the Wailers.
Also check out Lee Perry's reggae music through the years. It seems that the Jamaican recording studios in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s hired the same groups of studio musicians to record on all the records... for instance Studio One, or Treasure Isle, or the Joe Gibbs records. Or look into famous producers like Sir Coxone Dodd. He recorded Marley in the beginning I believe.

I learned to play reggae by listening a lot and then playing it with a reggae band in the early 1980s. I still love reggae!!

Best,

Dave

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by j_micho

I'm trying out for this band that plays mostly rock oriented stuff, but use reggae in some portions of their songs. I'm trying to improvise something on the demos they sent me but it just made me realize I don't know what to play on reggae. This is probably due to the fact that I never played a reggae song...ever.

I guess a good starter would be to learn a few of these songs, then I would have a better idea of what to do. Can you guys propose me a couple songs to learn?

Thanks

Get your hands on a copy of Bob Marley: Legend, his superb hits collection, and learn every song note for note. I recently did this with one of my students over the course of a few lessons. We both learned a lot.