How would you finger this passage?

[Lee Moses]

So for all you guys who've suggested 4th finger for the B-F#-C# descending triplet figure... you're barring that with your pinky?
iow, when you hit the high B on the first string 4th fret, you're stopping that note with the side of your pinky (so that the parts of your pinky closer to the tip are immediately available to stop the second string 4th fret and third string 4th fret in quick succession)?

In the first option I suggested, yes. If you want to keep it on the tips of your fingers you can come back down 3-2-1.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I just played it on the DB, and my hand likes 4-3-2-1 for the last 4 notes.

 

[faulknersj]

Can you share at what minute in the song this fill is for the ear players by chance? Also, huge shoutout to Willie Weeks…the highly underrated bass player who played on that live album.

 

[Bob_Ross]

Can you share at what minute in the song this fill is for the ear players by chance? Also, huge shoutout to Willie Weeks…the highly underrated bass player who played on that live album.

It happens right around 0:12 and then again around 0:22...it's the lick that goes "biggity-diggity-DONG"

 

[pbass2]

We do this version with one bandleader I work with. We're generally pretty loose about specific parts, but this one I was determined to try and nail at least most of it. Man, his feel is ridiculous....a true GOAT.

 

[Carl Hillman]

One of my bands is doing a cover of Donny Hathaway's version of "What's Going On?" and I've been using a transcription of Willie Weeks' original bassline from that recording as a general guide.

He plays this figure, twice in the introduction:

View attachment 7317485

(Song is EDIT in C# minor, so four sharps. Tempo is 95bpm, and sixteenth notes are swung. FWIW, if it had been me doing the transcription I'd put the two triplets under a single slur and add an accent over the final B, just to be thorough.)

How would you finger that passage?

I've come up with a way that works...but it is such an odd, atypical way of executing old-school R&B/pop/funk bass lines that I just can't convince myself that's what Weeks did, or even that that's the best way to play this passage.

Just curious if there's something I've overlooked, or if anyone has some insights that might help. Thanks.

Starting on the G# 1-2-3-4-3-2-1

 

[faulknersj]

It happens right around 0:12 and then again around 0:22...it's the lick that goes "biggity-diggity-DONG"

Thank you!

 

[faulknersj]

Hey all…just made this video showing an intuitive way to play this lick. Hope this helps.

 

[Admiral Akbar]

I’d go: G string: 1-2-3-4, then D 4th finger, A string 4th-1st.

Chromatic 1 finger per fret from G# to B (1-2-3-4) With the 4th finger (pinky) playing B on the 4th fret of the G, I’d rake B-F#-C#, then land on the the B natural on the A string with index finger. It’s not bad at all.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

showing an intuitive way to play this lick. Hope this helps.

I can't hear or see your playing the C# note before B.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

I’d go: G string: 1-2-3-4, then D 4th finger, A string 4th-1st.

Chromatic 1 finger per fret from G# to B (1-2-3-4) With the 4th finger (pinky) playing B on the 4th fret of the G, I’d rake B-F#-C#, then land on the the B natural on the A string with index finger. It’s not bad at all.

I prefer to play that short "passage" starting on the D string, and the "rolling up"/pivoting" technique of my Pinky-4 - (strengthened with Ring - 3) would occur on the 9th fret, but, it's me, the beginner bass player talking.
P.S. When I'm listening to that bass "run" slowly, I hear the first triplet as G# - a pickup note, and A and A# notes are played as shuffle 16th notes.
The second triplet is a real triplet.

 

[faulknersj]

I can't hear or see your playing the C# note before B.

View attachment 7317958

When I listen to the track…I am only hearing the 6 (C#) on the main bass line part before that fill…just like it’s played on the original.

1….5656 1….5616 1…5656 1….fill

 

[Whousedtoplay]

When I listen to the track…I am only hearing the 6 (C#) on the main bass line part before that fill…just like it’s played on the original.

1….5656 1….5616 1…5656 1….fill

Here is that measure of the extracted second bass "run" just extremely slowly.

 

[SteC]

What a cool lick! I would be inclined to do 1234321 as well.

 

[fig]

Reminds me of the old Motown basswork from when I was learning bass in early '70's.

Played that riff on electric bass. Fingering the notes (1234321) felt natural using the G, D, A strings, but took me some time to get the timing spot on. In other words, if that were the first song before I warmed up, it's a crapshoot if I'd nail the timing or not as written LOL.

That riff is so quick that, to me, the timing of those 7 notes is the priority. So I started 'cheating' with note substitutions or ghost notes to ensure timing is correct.

Tried about 5 variations and settled on substituting an open A. It allows me time to shift down to the B (on A string). This way allowed me consistent timing. I also like this way 'cause the timbre stays in the same ballpark by using two adjacent strings. Colored numbers are note sequence, letters are finger names.


Willie played a few minor variations of that riff later in the song.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

settled on substituting an open A

But what if the singer asks to play the song in a different key?

 

[fig]

But what if the singer asks to play the song in a different key?

Already played it in a few different keys, precluding the open A. Strategic ghost notes or note substitutes will keep the timing (the priority) for other keys.

I'd keep using those temporary cheats to keep the bass timing on track until such time I practiced it enough on my own time to nail the original note sequence as smoothly as the cheats. Honestly, in the variations I used, it only took one ghost note or one substitute, per version, to keep my timing spot on.