So I'm trying to learn the bass line for Billie Jean by Michael Jackson. I see different people doing it in different places on the neck. Anyone have any suggestions on how to really nail this? I'm using my pinky for the first note of each phrase and then sometimes going to the ring finger later in the phrase. Right now I feel like I'm just buzzing a lot. I'm trying slowing it down and it's still driving me nuts! Any tips would be appreciated! Many thanks!
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Billie Jean - AAAAGHH!!!
- Thread starter Bassdude66
- Start date
Play the whole thing in a 3 fret box with your index and pinky only. Won't buzz if you play clean andclose to the frets
Great song for training your endurance. Keep at it!
I'd play that box pattern on the E and A strings (frets 5 to 7) because I prefer the tone there, but it would be fine to play it on the A and D (open to 2nd).
Isn't Billie Jean in F# minor?
EdwardofHuncote
I Still Dream of Jeannie
- Aug 21, 2013
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- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
That's the key I learned it in. Pretty sure... it's been a few years. I was relatively new in a band and thought it was a good-natured hazing. They were totally serious.
And then do Mustang Sally using your pinky to hammer onto that third fret C each bar for several minutes. After I had that down the pinky was never in question ever again.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Play it wherever it's most comfortable to you. There is no wrong way.
Brandon Shea
Commercial User
Paraphrasing one of my favorite quotes from this forum: your job as a musician is to figure out the most comfortable and efficient way to play the music for you. Don't worry about the "right" position... nobody in the audience will care as long as you hold down the groove.
It's probably a lot more comfortable to play up the neck, which isn't a bad thing at all. The notes are still the notes. Experiment with different fingerings to see what feels good to you.
It's probably a lot more comfortable to play up the neck, which isn't a bad thing at all. The notes are still the notes. Experiment with different fingerings to see what feels good to you.
Thats a half marathon. You get thru it the best you can. But I believe people play it in different areas of the neck for lots of reasons. It might be easier (for them), they may think it sounds better there, or they may just be showing off their endurance skills. So long as you can get thru it clean, its all good.
I have indeed. Very interesting. Not sure I'm at the ability level to do the chord on the first note like one of the examples does.
Reminds me of a conversation I had decades ago with -- warning: shameless name-dropping ahead -- Lou Giordano about where on the neck to play a bassline, and Lou said "Why would you ever play it here [demonstrates a figure down around the first 2 or 3 frets on the D string] when you could play it here [demonstrates the same figure up around the 12th fret on the E string]?"
To which I replied "Because that second example sounds fat and tubby?"
and Lou gave me a look like I was crazy and said "You say that like it's a bad thing..."
yup
Awesome! I've always played the option 2 and hoped for keyboard support. A great workout and the turnaround is cool - the D to F# on D string to octave down on low E string F# then rest of chorus and walk down to the pattern to do it all again.
Make sure you chant "hee-hee" the whole time (critical).
Have fun with it!
I use index, ring finger and pinky, it's much easier that way.
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Wow, what the Synclavier is doing is wild. The digital noise layer, so cool.
I used one of those at my very first session ever way back in the 80's - had no idea what I was doing!
