Hey I have seen a pile of posts asking about easy songs to start out on. Whenever I see them I usually snag the ones I am interested in and throw them in a list, figured I would just post it since it has gotten pretty big. I plan on learning most of these songs if not all (over the next few years most likely haha), I hope to learn atleast a few a week. A lot of them are really easy that wont take long but I plan on writing out transcriptions for all of them as I go to help my writing and reading as well as making videos of each so I can go back and look for things I need to improve. Here is the list, I am sure majority of the people that frequent this board will find these really easy but if any of the really new players want the transciptions as I learn them I would be happy to post them or send it to you. A few of the ones near the end arent really easy ones but they are in my list to work on. AC / DC - Highway to hell AC/DC - Shook me all night long Albert king - born under a bad sign Alice cooper - schools out BB King - Woke up this morning Beach boys - California girls beach boys - surfin usa Beatles - 8 days a week Beatles - Ballad of john and yoko Beatles - Birthday Beatles - Cant buy me love Beatles - Come together Beatles - From me to you Beatles - Get back Beatles - Hard days night beatles - she loves you Beatles - Twist and shout Ben E King - Stand by me Black flag - White minority Black sabbath - paranoid Blink 182 - All the small things Blink 182 - Whats my age again Bob marley - could you be loved Bob marley - Easy skanking Bob marley - Get up stand up Bob marley - Jamming Bob marley - One love Bob marley - Stir it up Bobby fullerton - I fought the law Bon jovi - bad medicine Booker T and the MGs - Time is tight BTO - taking care of business buddy holly - peggy sue Buddy holly - That'll be the day Carl perkins - Matchbox The Clash - London Calling The Clash - Should I stay or Should I go Cranberries - Dreams Cranberries - Zombie Cream - Sunshine of your love Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son David bowie - man who sold the world Deep purple - Smoke on the water Dire straits - Walk of life DOA - Woke up screaming Earth wind and fire - Lets groove tonight Eddie floyd - 634-5789 Eddie money - take me home tonight Elvis - Dont be cruel Elvis - Mystery train Elvis - Thats alright Eric clapton - Crosscut saw Eric clapton - Lay down sally Eric clapton - Wonderful tonight Exploited - Alternative Exploited - Sex and violence Fleetwood mac - The chain Fleetwood Mac - Jigsaw Puzzle Blues Foo fighters - Learn to fly Foo fighters - monkey wrench Freddie king - Hide away Freddie king - Lonesome whistle blues Germs - Forming Germs - Lions Share GG Allin - no rules Goo goo dolls - Iris Greenday - Longview Greenday - When I come around Guns N Roses - Dont cry Iron maiden - Remember tomorrow James brown - Hot pants James brown - I feel good Jimi hendrix - Hey joe Jimi hendrix - Little wing Joan jett - I love rock n roll John lennon - Imagine Johnny cash - folsom prison blues Johnny cash - I walk the line Judas priest - Breaking the law Judas priest - youve got another thing coming Kings of leon - Use somebody The Kinks - Luie, Luie Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker Led Zeppelin - How many more times Lit - My own worst enemy Megadeth - Symphony of destruction Metal church - metal church Sheet music - Page 1 Sheet music - Page 2 (Done in standard not down tuned) Misfits - astro zombies Misfits - Skulls Neil Young - Heart of Gold Neil Young - Rockin in the Free World Nirvana - Come as you are Sheet music (Done in standard not down tuned) Nirvana - Smells like teen spirit Oasis - Dont look back in anger Offspring - Gotta get away Otis redding - Mr pitiful Otis redding - Tramp Pink floyd - Money Pink floyd - Time Police - Driven to tears Police - Every breath you take Police - Message in a bottle Police - Roxanne Police - So lonely Police - Walking on the moon Procol Harum - Whiter shade of pale Quiet Riot - Metal health Ramones - Blitzrieg bop Ramones - KKK took my baby away Reagan youth - degenerated Red Hot Chili Peppers - Road Trippin' Rolling stones - Jumping jack flash Rolling stones - satisfaction Sade - Smooth Operator Santana - Maria, maria Sly and the family stone- Thank you Stevie ray vaughn - Crossfire Temptations - Aint too proud to beg Temptations - My girl The four tops - I cant help myself Tom Petty - Free Fallin' Tom petty - Into the great wide open Tommy tutone - 867-5309 Trogs - Wild thing U2 - With or without you Sheet music Van Halen - Running with the devil Van morrison - Brown eyed girl Violent femmes - Blister in the sun Wild Cherry - Play that Funky Music Wilson Pickett - The midnight hour Zero boys - civilizations dying ZZ Top - La grange
Now that's fun! I remember that photo shoot- that's Vic's one string upright I borrowed for the photo shoot. I figured since I was surrounded by 6 and 7 strings it worked. Yep, I toured with Enge over 7 years and played on two CDs and the Live at the Palladium DVD. I have recorded for Curb Records (B J Thomas), two CDs for Hotwire, indie records for Winter Harvest (Townes Van Zandt tribute by Jonell Mosser and Angela Kaset's Sanctuary) and for the late Mickey Newberry's last 2 CDs. There's a short and incomplete list on allmusic.com
Think you posted on the wrong one Roy By the way I should be ordering your bass lesson package soon, cant wait to check it out.
I tried to make the list pretty diverse, I like pretty much all styles of music and want to be a well rounded player that is decent at all styles instead of great at a specific style only. Any suggestions? I really dont know much about funk at all but would love to learn some? What do you think would be good starters for funk?
To kickstart the funk, this is a very simple, but so groovy and fun song. Funk players will know of it for sure. Also good for starting slapping. Sly and the family stone- Thank you
Nice list! The ability to play a lot of styles is the mark of a good, in demand, and usually well-paid bassist.
Ooops! I did! Sorry everyone. This was over in a reading thread. EVO strikes again! BTW, thanks for checking out my method, germ77.
Hi! Great idea! This should be on sticky thread!!! 2 things from me: 1. I would make all band names in alphabetical order (and in groups : The Police for instance are on the list here and there....would be nice to have them together... I might do it if I have the time). 2. I would throw in some tunes by Sade: Smooth Operator is one of the first tunes I learned and it`s great (bass is kinda funky plus song contains bass solo!!!!). Also Sweetest Taboo and Paradise
Thanks for the ideas, I will be organizing the list yet as I go through them, if the mods say it's alright I can just post links to the sheet music as I learn them. Can just put them on imgur or something.
Sounds like a plan, I have a lot of songbooks so I wouldn't be surprised if I have a lot of them already.
just want to add something to the list Albert King - Born Under a Bad Sign The Clash - London Calling The Clash - Should I stay or Should I go Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fortunate Son Fleetwood Mac - Jigsaw Puzzle Blues The Kinks - Luie, Luie Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker Led Zeppelin - How many more times Neil Young - Heart of Gold Neil Young - Rockin in the Free World Red Hot Chili Peppers - Road Trippin' Tom Petty - Free Fallin' more to come..
Thanks, I will add them to the top list shortly. I like most of those so will probably try to learn them as well, regardless if people want to keep adding easy songs to the list feel free. Would be nice to have a really large list of easy songs to learn and start with.
"Easy", you say ? Well, if by, "Easy", you mean a song not having that many notes, or not that many fast runs, technically you might be somewhat correct, BUT when you consider how the notes are to be applied - the groove, the bounce, the emotion, how the notes link with the drums - then the term, "Not as easy as it seems", comes to mind. For instance, the bassline for The Police's, "Walking on the Moon" does not carry that many notes, but the way Sting, and Stewart hook it up is magical, and profound. The real deal is to see them do this song live in concert - check the "Certifiable" DVD for a great version of this song. In my opinion the notes are just one part of the story, the other part is the nuances, and feel in application - and that may actually make a seemingly simple bassline complex. Thanks for highlighting some GREAT music, and best wishes, and blessings to you.
Not saying they are not good or anything and there is definitly more to them than it seems. Just want a list of songs that are good to learn for newer bassists. I am not a new player but I don't have much for previous experience with music theory or even learning songs for that matter. Since I was a teenager I have always been in original bands and would basically just follow the roots of the guitar. Majority of these songs shouldn't be too difficult for someone new to playing if they spend some time on them. I am finding that I have been learning just as much from learning these songs as I have from theory, exercises, scales etc. Even the really simple ones have been teaching a lot, Roxanne for example, it can take a while to get used to not playing right on the one beat, atleast it did for me anyways but now I don't always stick to playing on it. With or without you is about as straight forward as you can get but is great practice for playing steady eighth notes over the chords. As well learning some styles I wouldnt normally play.
I started adding images next to the ones I am working on with the sheet music. If you have any of them done and want me to post them just pm them to me and I will add them as well. Would be nice to have them all in one spot. As well if any of mine are wrong just let me know, I am still quite the noob when it comes to transcribing songs myself but usually get my instructor to look them over to make sure they are correct or close.
How about classic Country: The numbers are the page # in our gig book. The low numbers get the most activity. Course a root five works on all of them. If you really want to get "out there" R-5-8-5 with chromatic runs to the next chord. 500 MILES AWAY FROM HOME 47 A ACT NATURALLY 93 ALL MY EXXES 114 AMARILLO BY MORNING 115 AN AMERICAN TRILOGY - Elvis Presley 107 APARTMENT NUMBER NINE 36 ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT Gag Song 116 AULD LANG SYNE 177 AWAY IN A MANGER 176 B BACK HOME AGAIN 118 BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN 120 BANDY THE RODEO CLOWN 41 BEFORE I DIED 121 BEGGING TO YOU 122 BLUE SIDE OF LONESOME 17 BLUE SKIES 106 C CATFISH JOHN 165 CHRISTMAS 172 CHRISTMAS LONG AGO 73 COLD COLD HEART 123 COOL WATER 124 COULD I HAVE THIS DANCE 13 COWBOY LOGIC 48 COWBOY PRIDE 125 COWBOY’S SWEETHEART 30 CRAZY 88 CRYING TIME 43 D DECK THE HALLS 178 DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS 127 DIGGIN UP BONES 16 DON'T COME CRYING TO ME 31 DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS to gigs 6 E ELVIRA 37 EXCEPT FOR MONDAYS 95 F FADED LOVE in G 11 FIFTEEN YEARS AGO 71 FIRST TRAIN HEADING SOUTH 9 FOLSOM PRISON BLUES 128 FOUR WALLS 159 FOUR STRONG WINDS 42 FOURTEEN MINUTES OLD 61 G GEORGIA ON MY MIND 87 GOD MUST BE A COWBOY 129 GOD REST YE MERRY, GENTLEMEN 179 GOOD HEARTED WOMAN 22 GOODNIGHT IRENE 131 GOSPEL MELODY 68 GREENSLEEVES 170 H HANK WILLIAM'S MEDLEY 15 HAPPY BIRTHDAY 72 HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU 109 HE THINKS I STILL CARE 80 HE TOUCHED ME 34 HEARTACHES BY THE NUMBER 7 HELLO WALLS 112 HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT 40 HEY GOOD LOOKIN’ 89 HOME ON THE RANGE 133 HONKY TONK ANGELS 44 HONKY-TONK HARDWOOD FLOOR in C 64 HORSE WITH NO NAME 90 HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN 76 I I NEVER PASS THERE ANYMORE 163 I FALL TO PIECES 50 I GOT A HOLE IN MY PIROGUE 134 I WALK THE LINE 58 I WAS ALMOST PERSUADED 12 I'M GONNA MISS HER 97 I'M JUST AN OLD CHUNK OF COAL 24 IN THE GARDEN 33 IN THE JAILHOUSE NOW 135 IS ANYBODY GOIN TO SAN AN-TONE 70 I'VE GOT A TIGER BY THE TAIL 23 J JACK OF DIAMONDS 167 JAMBALAYA 28 JINGLE BELLS 83 JUST A CLOSER WALK 10 JUST BECAUSE 14 K KAW - LIGA 79 L LET THE COWBOY DANCE 29 LORD I HOPE THIS DAY IS GOOD 55 LOVING HER WAS EASIER 162 LUCKENBACH, TEXAS 136 M MAKING BELIEVE 35 MAMA, HE’S CRAZY 137 MARIE LA VEAU 45 MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS 25 MY SHOES KEEP WALKING BACK TO YOU 160 MY HEART SKIPS A BEAT 66 O O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM 169 OH LONESOME ME 63 OKIE FROM MUSKOGSE 27 OLE SLEW-FOOT 102 ON THE ROAD AGAIN 86 P PAPER ROSIE 99 PEACEFUL EASY FEELING 113 PRETTY PAPERS 168 PRICIOUS MEMORIES 166 R RAILROAD BUM 59 RED RIVER VALLEY 69 RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER 171 S SAN ANTONIO ROSE 20 SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN 173 SANTA LOOKED A LOT LIKE DADDY 138 SATIN SHEETS 39 SEVEN SPANISH ANGELS 81 SHE KNOWS WHY 19 SHE’S GONE GONE GONE 161 SILENT NIGHT 174 SILVER BELLS 74 SILVER THREADS AND GOLDEN NEEDLES 139 SIOUX CITY SUE 140 SNOWBIRD 141 SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW 111 STAR SPANGLED BANNER 84 STARDUST 110 STRAWBERRY ROAN 142 SUPPER TIME 52 SWEET BETSY FROM PIKE 57 T TAKE ME BACK TO TULSA 26 TEARS IN HEAVEN 104 TEDDY BEAR 67 TENNESSEE WALTZ 100 TEXAS 164 THE FISHING SONG 97 THE KEY'S IN THE MAIL BOX 103 THE LOST HIGHWAY 144 THE NEXT ONE’S IN G 4 THE TALKING WALLS 98 THERE GOES MY EVERYTHING 21 THEY’LL NEVER TAKE HER LOVE FROM ME 145 THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME 54 THREE WISHES 75 TODAY I STARTED LOVING YOU AGAIN 146 TOGETHER AGAIN 38 TUMBLING TUMBLEWEEDS 147 U UNCLOUDED DAY 53 UNDER YOUR SPELL AGAIN 32 W WABASH CANNONBALL 148 WALK ON BY 149 WALTZ ACROSS TEXAS 18 WATERMELON TIME IN GEORGIA 92 WELCOME TO MY WORLD 150 WHAT AM I DOING HERE 151 WHAT CHILD IS THIS (GREENSLEEVES) 170 WHEN THE WORK’S ALL DONE THIS FALL 153 WHEN I DIE, JUST LET ME GO TO TEXAS 8 WHEN THE ROLL IS CALLED UP YONDER 56 WHERE DO COWBOYS GO WHEN THEY DIE 155 WHY ME? 51 WILD SIDE OF LIFE 157 WORRED MAN BLUES 85 Y YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS 158 YOU AIN'T WOMAN ENOUGH TO TAKE MY MAN 101 YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE 91 YOUR GOOD GIRL’S GONNA GO BAD 130
Hey Malcolm, Since you seem to like good country I was wondering if you have any tips on the walks/fills between chords for old country. I love old country, and the new guys doing old country like Hank Williams III is probably my favorite musician ever next to maiden. As well as guys like Bob Wayne, and obviously their influences like Hank Sr, David Allen Coe, Johnny Cash, etc. I can plug along with the root-fifth lines easily but always suck at walking between them. So far the only thing I can really do without screwing up the timing is basically playing the 3rd of the chord I am just before changing to the next chord or I will play 2 of the root that I am on then change. Any tips of what is common to use for country walks?
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