• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Famous Blues basslines

B

Bigeyes

Guest
Dec 20, 2011
36
13
Dublin, Ireland
#1
Hello all,
I was just wondering if anybody could help me out with a list of famous blues bass lines?
I am researching the blues and I plan to spend a few months learning famous blues bass lines but all I manage to find when I search online are generic 12 bar blues lines!

So far I'v been looking at 'In the Midnight Hour' by Wilson Pickett and a few Zeppelin tracks.

If anybody could help me out that would be fantastic! :)
 
#3
Well you need to define what you call Blues, Midnight Hour is soul, but Memphis soul rather the Detroit.

There are many generic Blues lines, but what you need to find is the originals, so find a chess catalogue, a Willie Dixon, Catalogue etc and find when the lines were first used.
For example 'Bo Diddley' is a classic bass line, as is 'Help me', as is 'Baby i want to be loved' etc. like i said you need to define what yo call Blues.:)
 
#5
Here's a few classics: Somebody Done Changed the Locks - junior Wells; Killin' Floor - Howlin' Wolf; hootchie-kootchie man, Muddy Waters; Crosscut Saw - Albert King; Knock On Wood - Eddie Floyd (not really blues but very cool); Big Boss Man - Jimmy Reed; Turnin' Point - Tyrone Davis (also not blues but big on blues stages); Dust My Broom - Elmore James; Stormy Monday - T-Bone Walker; Forty-Four Blues - Roosevelt Sykes; the Thrill Is Gone - BB King; Little Red Rooster - Willie Dixon; Born Under a Bad Sign - Albert King; The Things that I Used to Do - Slim Harpo; Tore Down - Freddie King; Hideaway - Freddie King; All Your Love - Magic Sam; Further On Up the Road - Bobby Blue Bland; I Can't Quit You Baby - Otis Rush; Born In Chicago - Paul Butterfield; Pride & Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughan; Stop Breakin' Down - Robert Johnson; Wang Dang Doodle - Koko Taylor; The Same Thing - Willie Dixon; Rollin' & Tumblin' - Elmore James; Everyday I Have the Blues - BB King; Key to the Highway - Bill Broonzy; Messin' With the Kid - Junior Wells;

...just a few tunes with distinctive bass lines to get you started. You'd be expected to know them all if you turn up for a blues gig (and many more). Good luck!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dewcey, Spin Doctor, NigelD and 1 other person
#6
pmatz2 said:
The thrill is gone by bb king
Born under a bad sign Albert king
Click to expand...

Thank you. I'l check em out!

Fergie Fulton said:
Well you need to define what you call Blues, Midnight Hour is soul, but Memphis soul rather the Detroit.

There are many generic Blues lines, but what you need to find is the originals, so find a chess catalogue, a Willie Dixon, Catalogue etc and find when the lines were first used.
For example 'Bo Diddley' is a classic bass line, as is 'Help me', as is 'Baby i want to be loved' etc. like i said you need to define what yo call Blues.:)
Click to expand...

I'm only really after trying to get into the blues so I'm pretty much a novice and I intended to use any suggestions as a starting point until I familiarized myself with blues artists. If you have any recommendations I would appreciate it! :)

Freddels said:
Get Ed Friedland's Blues Bass book. Learn all the patterns in it and then when you go to the originals, you'll hear those patterns (sometimes exact or sometimes with rhythmic variations).
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'l try pick it up on the weekend if I manage to find it!

TomB said:
Here's a few classics: Somebody Done Changed the Locks - junior Wells; Killin' Floor - Howlin' Wolf; hootchie-kootchie man, Muddy Waters; Crosscut Saw - Albert King; Knock On Wood - Eddie Floyd (not really blues but very cool); Big Boss Man - Jimmy Reed; Turnin' Point - Tyrone Davis (also not blues but big on blues stages); Dust My Broom - Elmore James; Stormy Monday - T-Bone Walker; Forty-Four Blues - Roosevelt Sykes; the Thrill Is Gone - BB King; Little Red Rooster - Willie Dixon; Born Under a Bad Sign - Albert King; The Things that I Used to Do - Slim Harpo; Tore Down - Freddie King; Hideaway - Freddie King; All Your Love - Magic Sam; Further On Up the Road - Bobby Blue Bland; I Can't Quit You Baby - Otis Rush; Born In Chicago - Paul Butterfield; Pride & Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughan; Stop Breakin' Down - Robert Johnson; Wang Dang Doodle - Koko Taylor; The Same Thing - Willie Dixon; Rollin' & Tumblin' - Elmore James; Everyday I Have the Blues - BB King; Key to the Highway - Bill Broonzy; Messin' With the Kid - Junior Wells;

...just a few tunes with distinctive bass lines to get you started. You'd be expected to know them all if you turn up for a blues gig (and many more). Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thank you very much!
I'l start checking these out as soon as I can!
 
#7
Get "Willie Dixons Blues Dixonary" its a 5 album box set of the great mans work.
Everything you want is in there, treat it as your 'learning bible'.

Next the complete box set of the Chess Recordings, its a 12 album Box set and features many classic recording.

The complete works of Stax singles is another great box set, now a 3 Album box set.

Also the Alligator Records 40th anniversary box set is another great album.

If you are into the Blues, do a search for "Blues Record Labels" and you will find many fantastic artists old and new. One of my favourites of the new breed of young artists is Kilborn Alley Blues Band, who hail from Chicago and keep the Blues tradition current.
 
#9
Maybe it's more of r&b than blues, but one of my favorite albums is the "Blues Brothers" movie soundtrack. Duck Dunn's playing is among the all-time greats, so you should also check out his work with Booker T & The MGs. However, the Blues Bros soundtrack is a must.

Since you mentioned Zeppelin, I'll throw out the obligatory "Lemon Song" recommendation. The bass line is a pretty imaginative representation of the 12-bar blues format, but JPJ's solo is deservedly legendary. A great line to learn effective use of open strings, btw.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oddly
#10
I know it's a different approach; However, for me, I found it useful to be familiar with the various blues forms moreso than copping specific songs/lines.
By knowing the form(s), you can ad lib to just about any blues song, if the band leader calls it correctly.

some common Blues Forms

I've played some obscure blues songs that were called like this: Stormy Monday changes, in A, take it from the top.
Or, it's a quick change shuffle in C, take it from the five, in one.. two.. three..
 
  • Like
Reactions: NigelD
#12
+1 on the Ed Friedland Book.

+1 on Duck Dunn's work with the Blues Brothers (actually all his work is worthy, but the Blues Brothers stuff is blues-focused)

Tommy Shannon (bass player for Stevie Ray Vaughn and Johnny Winter) has a pretty good instructional DVD as well. (Tommy Shannon: Double Trouble Bass). Even more than the DVD would be just to listen to how he supported each of these modern blues artists as a bass player.
 
#15
It seems like a logical recommendation would be "What Duck Done"... except it's now out-of-print. Again. Maybe it will come back into print once more or maybe you'll be better off tracking down a used copy somewhere. I can't personally speak to the quality as I've never owned it, but I've heard plenty of excellent reviews.
 
#19
Batman! said:
Maybe it's more of r&b than blues, but one of my favorite albums is the "Blues Brothers" movie soundtrack. Duck Dunn's playing is among the all-time greats, so you should also check out his work with Booker T & The MGs. However, the Blues Bros soundtrack is a must.
Click to expand...

check out the 'Briefcase Full of Blues' album - Duck Dunn + Steve Jordan = grooves a mile wide
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back