I can play that!

[Zegie]

Think I might have (re)found just about the easiest bass line in the history of popular music.

Bad Moon Rising - by Creedence Clearwater

Its three chords (DAG) but I reckon you can quite easity get away by playing just D on the off beat throughtout the whole song. Which is actually what (IMHO) it sounds like the original bassist was doing.

Easy or what?...

...unless anyone knows otherwise?

Z.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

"Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac... 2 notes... Except that one small bridge part.

Oh, yeah "Cocaine"... mostly three or four notes mainly, VERY BORING bass part to play.

 

[Zegie]

"Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac... 2 notes... Except that one small bridge part.

Oh, yeah "Cocaine"... mostly three or four notes mainly, VERY BORING bass part to play.

Good shout...

...but do they beat just the one note in Bad moon?

VERY, VERY, BORING.

Z.

 

[WayneS]

Most of AC/DC is pretty much as easy.

 

[VegasHasher]

See: Pixies

 

[stuonbass]

Thats called foundation. many songs call for that kind of playing. lock in with the drummer and sell it. do not appear bored.

 

[MonetBass]

Would you rather the song have some Mixolydian modal scales going on instead? (<--- SARCASM)

If it fits the song, then it works. No need to be complicated when it's not called for.

 

[ericw]

I play 'bad moon' with the cover band and I don't mind playing it. I add a fill in one or two places. Also, Stu Cook definately played more than just a D...

 

[Mark Wilson]

Everyday people by Sly and the family stone is ONE note.

But, unfortunately the groove is SO hard, no one plays the song.. haha

 

[washburnxb500]

castle walls by styx, you only play one note verrry spaced out

 

[ddnidd1]

Think I might have (re)found just about the easiest bass line in the history of popular music.

Bad Moon Rising - by Creedence Clearwater

Its three chords (DAG) but I reckon you can quite easity get away by playing just D on the off beat throughtout the whole song. Which is actually what (IMHO) it sounds like the original bassist was doing.

Easy or what?...

...unless anyone knows otherwise?

Z.

He's playing the root note of each chord. You cannot get away with playing only the D.

 

[J. Crawford]

"Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac... 2 notes... Except that one small bridge part.
]

Gah.. I have to play that live, and I almost fall asleep during.

 

[Zegie]

If it fits the song, then it works. No need to be complicated when it's not called for.

No argument with that. Point taken.

But are there any simpler?

Z.

 

[David Jayne]

Gah.. I have to play that live, and I almost fall asleep during.

You can play around with the harmony and have a little fun with 'Dreams.'
For example instead of verse figure F, G, and then F, G again, I'll sometimes play the 4th and b5 to finish a bar(F, G, A, B). You can even extend it if you dare, to make it F, G, A, B, C, D, F(or E if you're feeling cocky), G. Cool to do this leading into the chorus "Thunder always happens when it's raining."

 

[John Bassist]

I remember when I start playing Smoke on the Water. That was such an easy one!

Most of Deep Purple's are so...

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

Yeah, Cocaine is one of those songs that I *hate* playing... dull, dull, dull...

And don't bag on Deep Purple - some of the bass parts are more interesting than you think once you dig in a bit...

 

[Hoover]

Everyday people by Sly and the family stone is ONE note.

But, unfortunately the groove is SO hard, no one plays the song.. haha

+1
I was in a cover band w/ horn section that used to do a ton of killer old skool funk & R&B charts, and "Everyday People" was probably the hardest of the bunch, because if you don't nail that pocket to the floor there's nothing else to fall back on. You & the drummer need to turn your brains off & think with your sphincters to get that groove happening...but when it clicks, it's more satisfying than any knuckle-busting syncopated 16th note stutter-funk-fest.

Well, almost...