Favorite "uncomplicated" basslines.

[Rev J]

I'd have to go with Queen "Under Pressure". It's a great instantly recognizable line and is a fun one to mess with people. If you play that riff you usually get a 50/50 response of "Queen" and "Vanilla Ice".

Another favorite is the verse riff to "White Lines" by Grandmaster Flash. Only 2 notes A and C until the horn break which is an insane unison. I'm a huge Doug Wimbish fan. Maybe that's why I'm getting dreads.

C/S,
Rev J

 

[Fatso]

Al Green - 'Take Me To The River' (Leroy Hodges - Bass)


Or, pretty much anything Leroy or Family Man play.

 

[SunnBass]

Gladiator by The Jesus Lizard

 

[Rev J]

Let's go get Stoned by Sublime:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9FBMM1v38c

It feels like surfing/skating just to play it.

C/S,
Rev J

 

[miles'tone]

Walking on the moon - The Police

So, so simple yet that bassline IS the song.

 

[phillybass101]

Le Freak - Chic

No one? Really? Sorry, I'm wierd...

To play that with the conviction, tone and attack of a Bernard Edwards is not simple. I'd doubt that most of us could play it like he does. It's one thing to play the notes and get them right but it's another thing to execute them like he does.

 

[Spectrum]

Twilight Zone by Golden Earing.

Nothing fancy, but it takes endurance and you can't fall asleep or you'll miss the changes. And god help you if you lose the groove for half a measure; it'll ruin the whole song.

 

[Batmensch]

"La Grange" by ZZ Top
About as uncomplicated a bass line as it gets, but it drives that song like a freight train

 

[rydin4lifebass]

I'll go for some heavier stuff...Dope Show & Beautiful People by Marilyn Manson are as "catchy" as it gets for me. Also Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top, Gold Dust Woman by Fleetwood Mac, and lately I've been hooked on 1979 and Ava Adore by The Smashing Pumpkins.

 

[kbaxter26]

"So What" Mile Davis. Fun to play, and not too hard!

 

[petrus61]

I'm not so sure a lot of these qualify as "uncomplicated" really. Just because a line isn't busy or flashy does not mean it isn't complicated. Take a look at Bernadette...not an easy line, but not the hardest to get around either. Uncomplicated to me means Hendrix's All Along The Watchtower. Three chords, back and forth, repeated for the entire song. It's about feel at that point.

Listen to "Jooq" by the Meters. That bass line is one note, on one string for the majority of the song but just try to follow along on that one!

 

[will33]

Billie Jean.

Booker T's Hip Hug Her.

 

[will33]

Time is Tight is another good one.

 

[quarternote]

ZZ Top, Blue Jean Blues

 

[gb_bassclef]

check out Marcello Giuliani, bassist for Erik Truffaz, amazing groove from really simple bass lines.

One of my favorites: Istanbul Tango from Erik's latest album:

 

[Hamlet7768]

Witch Hunt - Rush. Probably the easiest line from Geddy aside from Working Man, but the tone is so ballsy and heavy.

 

[dls59]

"Papa Was a Rolling Stone" -Temptations

 

[Needenaneden]

Witch Hunt - Rush. Probably the easiest line from Geddy aside from Working Man, but the tone is so ballsy and heavy.

Working Man is easy? Lol

 

[u84six]

"Dance To The Music" - Sly And The Family Stone. It's generally one note, but it grooves.

 

[bigswifty1]

Upside Down - Diana Ross, Bernard Edwards on bass I believe. Nothing to it, if someone had asked me I would have overplayed something chronic and ruined the song completely. Perfect!