Bass lines that almost everybody plays wrong...

[Toronto Bassist]

Also, "All Right Now" by Free (the middle section of course)

 

[smurfco]

I kind of like it with the open E, however. I noticed McCartney would do that often, though...play the high 'E' instead of the low 'E' - like in I Saw Her Standing There, Money (That's What I Want), etc. I always thought that was kind of strange...why have a bass if you're going to play in guitar range? I thought maybe because his Hofner apparently had intonation problems, but I doubt it. If that were the case, then playing the low 'A' riffs would be problematic too.

Just a guess on my part, but a low E on the bass rigs of the 60s probably didn't sound as good as a low E on more modern and powerful rigs. A lot of that stuff, he had to play it up there to be heard I'm guessing, as the low stuff would just fart out or get lost.

Just my opinion though, I can't back it up.

 

[lunarpollen]

I kind of like it with the open E, however. I noticed McCartney would do that often, though...play the high 'E' instead of the low 'E' - like in I Saw Her Standing There, Money (That's What I Want), etc. I always thought that was kind of strange...why have a bass if you're going to play in guitar range? I thought maybe because his Hofner apparently had intonation problems, but I doubt it. If that were the case, then playing the low 'A' riffs would be problematic too.

Only the first octave of the bass is not in guitar range. Why have frets higher than that?

Actually a lot of great recorded bass lines dwell in the guitar's range. The big difference is that "range" here only refers to notes. On those recordings, a bass playing a note in the guitar's range does not sound the same as the guitar playing that note, because the tones (overtones, etc.) are completely different.

 

[jongor]

"it's a half step, not a whole step"

Wha??

 

[rokkitt]

learning 3/4ths of the song is not "creative interpretation", it's just sucking.

THHAT is funny!

 

[rokkitt]

oh, and radar love gets killed....but when it is played dead on , it sounds great!

 

[nortonrider]

I find it interesting that so many people are saying how boring it is to "play what's written" when classical players are required to do just that to excel.

plus one!

 

[Tommygunn]

-Tush
-Almost anything by the who or rush
-many greenday songs (and its always the simple ones)
-Dani california
-peace sells
-pulling teeth (metallica)

 

[Mr. Mig]

I'm confused, by playing it "right" do you mean, note for note the same as on the album? I've been to a lot of shows, I mean, not as many as some of you no doubt, but in the hundreds, and I would say 90% of those shows, the bass player didn't play what he/she laid down in the studio. And that's ok with me, I don't want to hear the studio version, I want to hear them play it live.

I can understand if you are talking about totally playing off-key, or playing unison with a guitar/keys part when you should be playing something counter to that, but I don't buy into the note-for note deal.

Also, if you are covering a tune that say, someone in your band can nail, but has some insane bassline that you will be able to play in say 10 years, what's wrong with simplifying it down a little bit, if most of the bassline is made up of fills and crazy stuff, just lay into the background a bit, pick out the main groove of what the bass player is doing and run with it.

For example the guitair player I play with can *tear up* the vocals and guitar for Johnny B. Goode, but I A.) cannot play upright bass. and B.) cannot play nearly as well as Willie Dixon (I've only been playing about 10 months) So, I just play some thumpy walks on top of it, and people really get into it. Sure, that bassline kicks an amazing amount of butt, but I'm just not there yet, so I say, if people are hoooting and hollering and having a good time, it's good enough for Rock and Roll.

+1

 

[John Wentzien]

"Margaritaville" often shows major "nincompoopery" in the bass line.

 

[DizzyExiled]

If it's been posted already I'm just adding emphasis
YYZ - Rush
Non 4-string Primus songs being played by some kid on his Squire jam-pak P bass.

And the 200 wedding party guests would never know the difference as long as the drummer keeps a solid meter.

An Open bar picks up any slack the drummer leaves behind

 

[Gerhn Blanston]

Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall" suite - I don't hear it often but when I do hear it, it's always butchered.

Guilty as charged! We even nail the coffin with Goodbye Cruel World.

 

[Craigmartini]

AC/DC Back in Black!

 

[Andrew Jones]

The A/C# ??

Yah,,,I hear that,,pretty common


Aj

 

[cmewhinney]

The Meter's "Cissy Strut"

James Brown's "Super Bad" (BTW- that was an upright doing that)

Beat me to it. I learned that line from George Porter Jr. himself, and he told me that everybody always plays too many notes on it.

 

[JMacBass65]

that's stupid. playing bass lines note for note off records isn't making music. sure learn the parts just to develop your ears, and your concept, but why play them out like that? who benefits? those notes might be the "perfect" notes. but they are perfect for that performance. The music will be better in the moment. the crowd knows when great music is made in the moment and they respond to that more than nailing the correct lick variation in bar 106.

For the most part I agree with you.

I "think" what the OP was getting at is people half assing things. Not picking up on half step vs. whole step intervals in a riff for example.

Or, lets say, playing "Living on a Prayer" and just pedaling roots during the chorus......I don't care if you don't do MacDonald's line note perfect, but if you don't get some movement in under there, you are clearly half assing things....IMHO.

 

[RBrownBass]

I find it interesting that so many people are saying how boring it is to "play what's written" when classical players are required to do just that to excel.

And, as I tend to do with classical music, I'll put on a CD instead of going to hear the live performance.

I'm one of those people who, if I must hear covers at all, would rather hear a club band do an arrangement that I didn't care so much for than hear them play it just like the record. In many cases, the "arrangement" feeling applies to big-name bands that I've been listening to for years. I absolutely don't want to spend good money to hear exactly what I can hear more comfortably at home. I understand that I'm not in the majority.

There are exceptions (I think most Floyd shoud be played note-for-note), but not many.

 

[Craig_S]

Brown Eyed Girl? Margaritaville?... Who gives a $#!+ Are you guys serious?

Get the feel, cop the main lines, get the arrangement straight and NOBODY CARES. OMG! THESE ARE SIMPLE, THROW AWAY SONGS FOR GOODNESS SAKE...

If you waste your time getting songs like these perfect, there's something wrong with you. Most of the original bands don't even play them that close.

Also: 1) Anyone who can't tell the difference between a 1/2 and a whole step (I Got you) shouldn't be playing. 2) If you can't hear the A pedal tone in the middle riff of Alright Now, there is something severely wrong with your hearing.

 

[Raven2k360]

^^^ Truth

Although I've been trying my best to figure out the 100% "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "Seek and Destroy"

I've got the actual sheet music/tabs if you'd like...

 

[JimK]

All Right Now" (Free) Tough to do correctly (apparently)

Good one!

Free does have a Live album with that tune....and Fraser plays it "wrong".

Which brings me to my point: If you're in a tribute band, I guess you're married to the part. Otherwise, it's a live performance & things may get changed...the guy you saw playing it "wrong" last weekend may have played it "right" last year.

Another example: Once upon a time, I saw Madonna on SNL. She played "Fever" with Victor Bailey on bass & Omar Hakim on drums (damn, Weather's rhythm section!). The tune kicked ass...the next day, I'm at the record store & I buy the album. Needless to say, the album's version reeked.
I could also go on about this '80s cover band we had at the Beach...Oteil Burbridge was the bassist. He took what was on the recording & embellished upon it. Eventually, he was left town & the new guy played it exactly like the recording. BOR-ING!