Gimme Three Steps

[Bemo]

So I answer a CL ad and get a playlist to learn for an audition and Gimme Three Steps is gently nestled in amongst the ZZ Top and Pat Benatar and Greg Kihn Band songs and all I can say is ...

Ed King is a Beast!

I mean, I'm a bit out of practice but after three days I still don't have it all the way down pat. Saturday I spent 6 hours on it! My fingers are about to fall off. I had no idea that lurking beneath the Rossington/Collins leads was such an intricate and melodic bass line. And the tempo is killer too! None of this root-V-repeat crap here! This line hass balls on balls, and then some. I'm a mediocre bassist and I may be in over my head on this one.

All hail the King!

 

[electracoyote]

In my area, I don't think I've ever heard a bass player other than myself nail that line. And it's a great one, I wouldn't think of cutting corners. Keep at it, and good luck. You will come away a better player.

 

[hrodbert696]

Used to play it all the time in a classic rock trio. I didn't do it exactly note-for-note, but did everything I could to keep that kind of roving, free-flowing groove it has. I'm constantly impressed by the musicality of those 70s bassists we take for granted.

 

[morrisonhendrix]

I used to do that one. You're right, I was completely blown away when I started to learn it. Like you, I had no idea that he was groovin' that heavy. It's one of my favorite bass lines ever.

 

[grinx]

every Skynyrd song I have heard the isolated bass track to has blown me away
it is like Ed was the musical ocean underneath everything, wave upon wave of sonic goodness, but the ship on top sails right on through

 

[TheDirtyLowDown]

Same here! I played it in a band a few years ago, and I remember it taking a long time to get it. (TBH I don't think I ever got it 100% right but I was close) Hang in there, and when you do play it, be proud!

Edit: I did a Wikipedia check and just saw that Ed King passed away last year.

 

[Luckydog]

After you nail that, then work on Poison Whiskey. Killer tune!

 

[Kmonk]

I actually don't find it very difficult to play. Picking out the notes might be a little challenging in the beginning but the physical aspects of playing the song are fairly simple.

 

[LowEndBuzz]

Ed played some great stuff on that first album but Leon Wilkeson was no slouch either.

 

[gln1955]

I'm a mediocre bassist and I may be in over my head on this one.

Nah, if I can do it, you can do it. The bass absolutely carries that song so it's well worth doing right.

 

[Thumper]

We have very good musicians in my band, but if I don't excell on 3 Steps, it flounders. It's a combination of the right notes, tempo, and feel. IMO it is a difficult song to nail.

 

[HubbardsFate]

I learned that tune back in my mid-to-late teens when I was first getting into bass.

I can't claim to have nailed it 100%. I might have...I remember being pretty happy with how I was playing it, but we're talking 27-ish years ago. But the important thing is that it was a fun line to play, and a great learning experience.

If I can make a suggestion, even if it's not in your band's repertoire: Take a crack at The Allman Brothers Band's 'Southbound'...I also found that one to be extremely fun/challenging...

 

[mrcbass]

That's one of those that is nearing the "if I ever have to play that song again ..." territory. Not pretending that I ever got it note for note, but honor it well and yes there are a lot of little nuggets to pick out. But this song seems to be MY Mustang Sally/Wagon Wheel...

 

[The Deep]

It's a very enjoyable song to play on bass.

I found this video very helpful in getting it down.

 

[Flacco]

I played in a cover band that insisted on this song and I begrudgingly said 'ok'. After learning it and playing it at every gig we did, I ended up loving its movement while maintaining its strong groovey foundation.

Its since been my go-to tune to put a new bass through its paces.

 

[Flashback Bass]

Yep! My band tried this a ways back with a guitarist that hacked the hell out of it. I learned enough to get through the one time we played it at a gig. Now newer guitarist would know like to play it so I've been working on it again. As stated above, if you're a mediocre bassist it is definitely challenging!

I just finished learning this:



I had no idea how tough/fun this bass line is!

 

[MrLenny1]

Hail King Ed! I just started playing this on gigs a month ago.
Your right, it's a great bass line.
Once you have it down try adding the backgnd vocals. lol

 

[TheReceder]

In my area, I don't think I've ever heard a bass player other than myself nail that line. And it's a great one, I wouldn't think of cutting corners. Keep at it, and good luck. You will come away a better player.

Admittedly I'd done a hack job on this tune for years. Curious if he's close?

 

[Riff Ranger]

I'm a metal guy who has only ever lived in Wisconsin and California, and those southern rock bassists have had an outsized influence on my (mediocre) playing. To be clear, I didn't pick up the mediocre from them, haha; they have always made me not want to be a slouch.

 

[electracoyote]

Admittedly I'd done a hack job on this tune for years. Ran across this youtube, curious if he's close?

I only listened for a minute:

I think he needs to voice that intro slightly differently, but otherwise he seems to be on the right track. I myself haven't played it on bass for a few years. You can A/B with the hit studio version, and you'll probably find he is mirroring it very closely. You'd be doing well and win the admiration of anal-retentive bass players like me if you got it that close.

On a much more subtle note, he could iron out some of those slurs a bit, make it flow a bit more smooth, it's a little robotic, but the notes and values are there.

Not a fan of that bass tone either. It's not helping the clunky delivery.