What Beatles Basslines Should I Learn?

Icculus · #1 12-19-2010, 04:18 PM

I don't know how to play any Beatles besides "Come Together" and I wanna learn some more. A lot of people are influenced by Paul and it hasn't really clicked with me yet. Hoping this could be a fun way to learn some songs and maybe gain an influence.

manbearpig97 · #2 12-19-2010, 04:24 PM

Day tripper, Yellow Submarine, Taxman, Get Back.

StereoPlayer · #3 12-19-2010, 04:26 PM

All of them...... or as many as you can.....Not kidding....really.

jlt5x · #4 12-19-2010, 04:29 PM

Also don't forget his post-Beatles stuff. Silly Love Songs, Goodnight Tonight are a couple of cool bass lines....

wagstaff · #5 12-19-2010, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StereoPlayer

All of them...... or as many as you can.....Not kidding....really.

I had to do this for college last year... not fun at all, only just recovering from beatles OD...

Back to the OP, Drive My Car has a great bass line and also Helter Skelter. Taxman...

Mark.

MalcolmAmos · #6 12-19-2010, 04:32 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obFcsEtFIKA
Build your groove with:
Roots. If it's good enough for Sir Paul.....
Then R-5-R-5
Then R-5-8-5
Any combination of those three notes. R-R-8-8, etc.
Slip in some 6's as they are neutral. R-R-5-6-8-6-5-R
4's make good passing notes.
Forget about the 2 it's too close to the root.

The above are all generic and will work over most any chord progression. The following get a little specific.
The 3 and 7 are specific - if you have a minor chord the b3 will fit. Major chord the natural 3 will fit. The dominant seventh chord and the minor seventh will take a b7. A plain ole 7 will work over a maj7 chord.

Yep, that same thing will work for just about everything..... Use what is needed for the groove.
Other than that try some pentatonic scales and or mode notes for your groove. Notice I used the word groove. Sir Paul thought roots were enough in the above song. If I keep it simple I can groove, if I make it complicated I get bogged down worrying what note is next. Roots, 5's and 8's will build a lot of grooves.

Have fun.

mtshark · #7 12-19-2010, 04:32 PM

Day Tripper, Get Back, Revolution... Whatever floats your boat really

tangentmusic · #8 12-19-2010, 04:32 PM

Dear Prudence

plangentmusic · #9 12-19-2010, 04:36 PM

Penny Lane, A Little Help From My Friends and Something are all bass masterpieces.

**yodedude2** · #10 12-19-2010, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manbearpig97

Day tripper, Yellow Submarine, Taxman, Get Back.

these are terrific suggestions! great choices!

i would replace 'yellow submarine' with 'oh! darling'. 'rain' is another old-school fave of mine....later, ron

mccartneyman · #11 12-19-2010, 04:47 PM

I Sew Her Standing There; Hold Me Tight; All My Loving; And Your Bird Can Sing; Rain; Paperback Writer; I Will -- even though he sings it.

After Beatles: Another Day; See Your Sunshine from Memory Almost Full is among his best in years.

JTE · #12 12-19-2010, 04:52 PM

More good uns...

"Hey, Bulldog!"
"For No One"

John

Baer · #13 12-19-2010, 04:55 PM

All My Loving
Eight Days A Week
I'm A Loser
Rain
Penny Lane
Lady Madonna
Hey Bulldong
Oh Darling!
Sexy Sadie

Then learn a couple of the root/five type songs while singing the harmony parts.

Things We Said Today
This Boy

C.Linton · #14 12-19-2010, 04:57 PM

One of their early tunes with possibly one of the first fuzz basses on record and a fairly neat bassline in it's own right, "Think for Yourself" (I think that's the title, anyway)

Icculus · #15 12-19-2010, 04:58 PM

Got Taxman and Dear Prudence down. This should keep me busy for a while

hrodbert696 · #16 12-20-2010, 04:21 AM

Depends on what you want to learn them for -- for gigs to get people dancing to you want Twist and Shout, Birthday, Day Tripper, that set of songs. Songs to develop your chops and musicality on you can go further afield.

My band plays Don't Let Me Down which I think is going to go over like a lead balloon with audiences but I do enjoy playing the bass line, and the middle section was a good exercise to figure out.

dinogroovie · #17 12-20-2010, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plangentmusic

Penny Lane, A Little Help From My Friends and Something are all bass masterpieces.

Good ones. Pretty much anything on Sgt. Pepper's is great.
Also always loved Rain.

foq1978 · #18 12-20-2010, 04:55 AM

Two of my favourites:
Something
http://hearthebass.blogspot.com/2009/12/something.html (with tabs)

Lovely Rita
http://hearthebass.blogspot.com/2009...vely-rita.html

dougjwray · #19 12-20-2010, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StereoPlayer

All of them...... or as many as you can.....Not kidding....really.

+ 100

It's all about seeing how McCartney's genius, melodic mind approaches every kind of situation.
The early, seemingly routine parts had little surprises all over the place. (I only recently discovered the little accents he added in George Harrison's "I Need You", and I've been listening to that album ever since seeing the movie ("Help!") in the theater when it was released, in 1965.)
The later stuff (from around "Rubber Soul" on) is more obviously original and ingenious.
No matter what, his sound, time, and phrasing are always impeccable, too. Every aspect of his playing is superb.

dougjwray · #20 12-20-2010, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obFcsEtFIKA
Build your groove with:
Roots. If it's good enough for Sir Paul.....
Then R-5-R-5
Then R-5-8-5
Any combination of those three notes. R-R-8-8, etc.
Slip in some 6's as they are neutral. R-R-5-6-8-6-5-R
4's make good passing notes.
Forget about the 2 it's too close to the root.

The above are all generic and will work over most any chord progression. The following get a little specific.
The 3 and 7 are specific - if you have a minor chord the b3 will fit. Major chord the natural 3 will fit. The dominant seventh chord and the minor seventh will take a b7. A plain ole 7 will work over a maj7 chord.

Yep, that same thing will work for just about everything..... Use what is needed for the groove.
Other than that try some pentatonic scales and or mode notes for your groove. Notice I used the word groove. Sir Paul thought roots were enough in the above song. If I keep it simple I can groove, if I make it complicated I get bogged down worrying what note is next. Roots, 5's and 8's will build a lot of grooves.

Have fun.

With all due respect, I think this post misses the point. McCartney, being focused on the song as always, thought roots were enough *in this instance*. But holding this up as an example -- a gateway to McCartney -- would be like turning someone on to Shakespeare and then using one of his shopping lists as an example of his writing. (IMO)
And your quick, practical guide to harmony vis a vis bass playing is perfectly fine, except that McCartney was probably the single figure most responsible for trying to come up with something new and different and non-rote, every time he picked up the bass. Study McCartney's thinking process to *surpass* the kind of advice given in your guide.
The one thing you do hear in this clip is McCartney's really solid time.
Peace.