Bass-only songs that are crowd pleasers

I played Michael Manring's "Music for Armchair Funambulists" for a friend, and she loved it. She's not a musician, either. I don't know if you're at the point where you could play something like that (would especially be hard without a hyperbass), but try some of Manring's stuff. "Funambulists" is available for download on www.manthing.com . Stuff that was written for solo bass would probably be the way to go, since most people don't just want to listen to basslines all night. I've done a few covers of full-band songs solo, and they've come out well.

Edit: I played a recording of MFAF for my friend; thought I should clear that up. I can't play it, and don't have a fretless. Maybe I'll take a stab at it sometime, when I have a fretless.

 

three songs that sound good with just bass and voice that i can think of off the top of my head are:

crash into me - dave matthews (may not seem like it, but listen again the bass holds that whole song down)

give me one reason - tracy chapman (just a good riff)

ain't no sunshine - bill withers (great improv capabilities)

and
makes me want to holler - marvin gaye

______
you'll have to forgive me, i am very new to the bass (7 weeks), so all the songs i mentioned have very simple bass lines (still working on the chops), but the lyrics/basslines of those songs work very well together. i may be new, but i know peanut butter and choclate when i taste it.

 

Walking on the Moon - Sting and the Police

(did a cover of that on my EP....me and my bass)

Stand By Me - sounds great..easy bassline, and you can def. move up the speed if you want

Wish You Were Here - Incubus

Easy little number that is very poppy...

those are the only ones that come to my mind at 2 am est...

good luck

dunivan

 

Funkyneohyte,

That Marvin Gaye is called "Inner City Blues", not "Makes Me Want To Holler".

 

spaced the name for a second.
been playing it for the last hour though.

 

Stu Hamm - country music.

Check out some of his live 'impossible' solos

 

That's a great song - it won the award for 'Best Audience Response' at our gig last Friday (small jazz club in Central London)... it was the one they all started singing along with.

There's no dead cert answer to what will work - it depends very much on who's in the crowd and what mood they're in; when we played the same venue, with essentially the same sets at the end of May, it was Maxwell's 'Ascension' that took the 'award' instead.

What kind of tunes were being done by the performers you saw last week? Did you hear anyone shouting out requests? Did they look like an audience who would appreciate a solo bass arrangement of 'Freebird'?

Give it a shot with something you're confident on and let us know how it went.

Wulf

 

Another one bites the dust by Queen always goes over huge. Or maybe the Crunge by Zeppelin goes well for us and it's about 85% bass

 

Big Bottom - Spinal Tap

Threee players, three basses!

 

"Linus and Lucy" or also known as the theme from Peanuts.

 

Steeler's Wheel - Stuck in the middle with you.
Stevie Wonder - Superstition.
Lord Only - Versatile Residue

You can snag a lot of nice transcipts over at www.bassically.net. Look under the lessons and featured artists. There's even a transcription of Michael Manring's version of Purple Haze if you're feeling brave.

 

I don't know any songs that go over well in crowds that are EXCLUSIVELY bass.


You could give "Longview" by Green Day a shot though.

 

Pulling from my own bands' setlists here:

"Aeroplane" by Red Hot CHili Peppers is bass driven.

So is "Treat Her Like A Lady" by Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose.


Here are a couple other crowd-pleasers in which the bass part could be emphasized:

"Play that Funky Music", Wild Cherry
"Standin' on Shaky Ground", Temptations (and others)

 

Nirvana - Lithium

 

Chilli Peppers - Higher Ground,Get up and Jump,Can't Stop...all that jazz

umm,what else?

Chic- Good Time

Star Spangled banner to start it off...all that good stuff

 

Anesthesia - Pulling Teeth. Cool little bass solo spot.

 

How about "Fever" by Peggy Lee, Elvis, Madonna....it's great with nuttin' but da bass

 

A song that we have always played is

Cake - I will Survive

Its a fun little bass groove, and our lead guitarist doubles all of the trumpet parts. And I guarantee everyone will know at least the chorus!!

RT