Help me develop a bigger bass vocabulary please

[FortyOneHurts]

I’m a decent bassist. Been playing a long time, but I’m interested in starting down a path of self learning. My plan is to learn some great stuff in genres I’m not well versed in to develop feel and vocabulary in those genres.

I want to start with funky/groovy funk, soul, and R&B stuff. Things I have on my list right now include:

Sir Duke (Stevie Wonder)
If You Want Me to Stay (Sly & The Family Stone)
I Want You Back (Jackson 5)

Looking for some good recommendations that would fit on a playlist with these tracks with great bass parts.

Also looking for some super great envelope filter tracks.

Sir Psycho Sexy is on my radar. Looking for others. This is an area I’m not super familiar with.

 

[cxcxcx]

These are albums, but most of this material is on YouTube and everywhere else:

James Brown 20 ALL-TIME GREATEST HITS

Earth, Wind and Fire Greatest Hits

Motown Greatest Hits

Sly and the Family Stone - Greatest Hits

Not for the faint of heart
Chaka Khan “Naughty”, “What Cha' Gonna Do for Me”

Stevie Wonder
“Talking Book”
“Songs in the Key of Life”

Donny Hathaway
“Live”

Parliament “Mothership Connection”


Aretha Franklin
“Live at the Fillmore West”

The best advice I can give is to pay attention to these older tracks - many suggestions you will get are just bad imitations of the work on these records.

You also want to work hard to play exactly what is on the record. There’s nothing really wrong with playing your interpretation of what you hear, but you don’t add to your vocabulary unless you’re studying and internalizing what other players have done before. This especially applies if you encounter things you haven’t heard or thought of before.

 

[bass12]

Chic - especially the C’est Chic album. Not just great bass playing but one of the funkiest rhythm sections ever.

 

[Killing Floor]

Check out a player called Kip Winger. His licks seem simple until you look under the hood.

 

[bass12]

For sixteenth note vocabulary: Tower Of Power (the Back To Oakland album in particular).

Also, Wilton Felder (the bassist who played on “I Want You Back”) on Jimmy Smith’s Root Down album is a masterclass on funky vocabulary.

 

[Polfuste]

To add some vocabulary, another idea is to play other things that bass parts: After getting the bass part from one tune under your belt, try to transcribe the solos, melodies of other instruments, vocal melodies, even the drums part by trying to emulate it with slap technic .... Doing this, you will develop some different paths on the neck, break a little your playing habits and get out regular bass licks.
Use any software to slow down the tune without changing the pitch and all complicated tunes are possible.

 

[mambo4]

I want to start with funky/groovy funk, soul, and R&B stuff.

If you want to dig a little earlier in funk / soul /r&b history
I would recommend exploring The work of Duck Dunn and especially James Jamerson
They are the giants whose shoulders others stand on IMHO

 

[Element Zero]

Check out a player called Kip Winger. His licks seem simple until you look under the hood.

Not what I’d recommend for soul/funk/Motown style playing, but Kip is an amazing and highly underrated songwriter.

 

[T-boneParish]

These are albums, but most of this material is on YouTube and everywhere else:

I was going to chime in because your question is right up my alley in terms of personal taste and bass-o-licious grooves... but then I saw this quick response from @cxcxcx and realized, yeah, this material will give you months of enjoyment and learning. No need to reinvent the wheel!

 

[azureblue]

https://www.amazon.com/Standing-Sha...24941&sprefix=standing+in+the+,aps,110&sr=8-2

 

[Pings Bass]

You've gotta go New Orleans if you want to get funky. The Meters, Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Professor Longhair, Harry Connick Jr, etc. etc.

Funk derives from second line, and that's where you find the "between the cracks" swing groove that's so infectious for dancers.

This is a good read, fairly dry and academic, but authoritative: Strictly Second Line: Funk, Jazz, and the New Orleans Beat

 

[Todd Hamby]

I was on the same quest as you when I started back playing after a long layoff and these two right here were game changers for me. It took a while to get them semi decent but was well worth the work:

and

 

[mambo4]

This is a good read, fairly dry and academic, but authoritative

THANK YOU
I have been looking for solid information on the New Orleans second line rhythms.
Concrete analysis is hard to find.

 

[CaribooBass]

With the book that has been suggested get the movie.

You will hear from the remaining members of the Funk Brothers at the time of filming.
Some went to play in the Lords R&B band shortly after the movie was in the can.
Others shortly after its release.
I can say I have watched the movie over a 100 times since I purchased it back in the day.
It is nice to put a face to the player and even better to see them see them play live.
They are just so cool to listen to in interviews.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I’m a decent bassist. Been playing a long time, but I’m interested in starting down a path of self learning. My plan is to learn some great stuff in genres I’m not well versed in to develop feel and vocabulary in those genres.

I want to start with funky/groovy funk, soul, and R&B stuff. Things I have on my list right now include:

Sir Duke (Stevie Wonder)
If You Want Me to Stay (Sly & The Family Stone)
I Want You Back (Jackson 5)

Looking for some good recommendations that would fit on a playlist with these tracks with great bass parts.

Also looking for some super great envelope filter tracks.

Sir Psycho Sexy is on my radar. Looking for others. This is an area I’m not super familiar with.

The App Chordfy is a great learning tool as you can slow down parts in the correct key. As for what songs to work on, I wouldn’t have a clue.

 

[seansbrew]

Nail down some Tower of Power. 'What is hip' 'You're still a young man' Diggin on James Brown.
Rocco's technique is a study.

 

[FortyOneHurts]

Some great stuff in here. More than I can bite off all at once. My initial selection to get started is listed below. Feel free to pile on even more if you want. I’m sure I’ll need more sooner than later. I made a playlist on Spotify and have found some play through a on you tube.


EWF
Sing a song
September
Shining Star
Boogie Wonderland

Sly Stone
If you want me to stay

J5
I Want you back

Stevie Wonder
I Wish
Sir Duke

Chic
Freak Out
Good Times

 

[groovepump]

Nail down some Tower of Power. 'What is hip' 'You're still a young man' Diggin on James Brown.
Rocco's technique is a study.

Y E S !!!!!!!!!! TOP was a Major influence later-on in my bass life !!!!

 

[bass12]

Some great stuff in here. More than I can bite off all at once. My initial selection to get started is listed below. Feel free to pile on even more if you want. I’m sure I’ll need more sooner than later. I made a playlist on Spotify and have found some play through a on you tube.


EWF
Sing a song
September
Shining Star
Boogie Wonderland

Sly Stone
If you want me to stay

J5
I Want you back

Stevie Wonder
I Wish
Sir Duke

Chic
Freak Out
Good Times

Keep in mind that a lot of the demonstrations on Youtube get the bass lines wrong. The speed control on Youtube (in settings) can be very useful (it will allow you to slow videos down without changing pitch).

 

[theschnitt]

I'm working thru Paul Wolfe's "Funk/Soul/Disco 30 Day Challenge." It's available here: 8020 Bass – 80-20 Bass . No association other than a satisfied customer. I'm finding this program is excellent for building up my personal vocabulary of phrases, ideas, and devices that I can use on the fly, compared to play a song in one key, at one tempo, in one setting, with one vibe, etc. Wolfe's style may not be for everyone, but for where I am right now it's fitting my needs perfectly. He has similar books and programs for Learning from Jameson, Playing Blues Rock, lots more. It may not be virtuosic stuff, but I'm developing my playing in a positive way and I'm enjoying the hell out of it.