Learning bass by ear forum group project (contributions welcome)

[xdanxx]

I'm constantly having trouble finding songs to learn bass by ear because often times bass is mixed poorly into music and dominated by other instruments. This makes the bass hard to hear and learn by ear. So I came up with the idea of getting people to record bass riffs on their own so others can listen to them and learn them by ear. The idea behind it is to be able to hear purely bass without all the other distractions.

I thought we could get a thread going for people who want to participate. I recorded a few riffs to get things started.

I was thinking the riffs could be divided by their level- Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced. Then, the tab or notes can be given as a spoiler forum code. Also, if you wish to do so you can give an optional hint that might help people learn the song by ear such as the scale the line is built off, or the chords used, etc.

For instance

Beginning-

Basic Riff 1

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Hint:

Spoiler

E to B

Tab

Spoiler

(G) |----------------------------------------
(D) |------6666----------6-7-9-7-6-----------
(A) |--7777--------6666-7-----------6-7-9-7-6
(E) |----------7777---------------7----------

Intermediate-

Stir it up
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Hint:

Spoiler

Built off A-Major scale

Tab-

Spoiler

G||:----------|---------------4:|
D||:----------|-----4-7-----6--:|
A|:---4-4-5-4|-4-5-----5-7----:|
E||-5---------|----------------|:

Comments, questions, ideas to make this better?

 

[mbeall]

Learn the melodies of tunes. They are always easy to hear.

 

[CnB77]

This is a cool idea. Later today I'm gonna try yours out

 

[germ_77]

I really like this idea and will try yours out later as well

 

[xdanxx]

Intermediate-

The Ark Riff

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Tab-

Spoiler

G |----------------|----------------------------------
D |-------3-3---3--|-------------------------3-3---3--
A |-----------5----|-5-------5-------5--5--5-----5---5
E |----------------|-------5-------5------------------

 

[xdanxx]

Beginning-

Have you ever seen the rain

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Hint-

Spoiler

C to G

Tab-

Spoiler

|--------------------7-7--------
|------5-5---2-3--5-5--------5-5-
|-3--3-----3-------------3-3----
|-------------------------------

 

[SteC]

That's pretty handy, thanks. Might put some stuff up myself at some stage.

 

[maxiegrant]

Another way to approach it, not to completely dispose of your method here, is that a bass player is going to need to know in all circumstances what chords he/she is playing over. It is pretty easy to suss out chords, and then construct a line using what you know about the chords -- then with those hard-to-hear bass lines you at least know what some of the possibilities are.

And long-term, I would imagine that would be of more long-term use to a player.

 

[xdanxx]

Good point. That was sort of my idea with the Hint section to give the learner a little more to go by. Noted for future posts.

 

[Soverntear]

This is a great idea ill be jumping in to try and learn some of thease sections

 

[PaulyJK]

This is pretty cool, thanks. By the way, I'm pretty sure I got the first one right by the name of the mp3 file.

 

[Waterpilot]

I like this idea. Sub'd

 

[xdanxx]

Beginning-
Ball and Chain-
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Hint-

Spoiler

Key of D. Intervals- I-V-IV

Tab-

Spoiler

g-------------------------------------
d-------------------------------------
a---55555----------------55555-------
e----------55555--33333--------------

Beginning-
Bro Hymn
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Hint-

Spoiler

Key of D

Tab-

Spoiler

G----------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------
A-5555555555-8-7-3333333333333-888888-333-8-7-555555
E----------------------------------------------------------

Beginning-
Wicked game
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Hint-

Spoiler

V-IV-I of E

Tab-

Spoiler

g-------------------------------------
d-------------------------------------
a-----------------------------------
e---7-7-7-5-5-5-0-0-0-------------

Beginning-
Pride and Joy
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Hint-

Spoiler

E to A

tab-

Spoiler

g---------------------------------------
d-------------------------7-5-4------------
a--------7-5-4-------0-0--------7-----------
e----0-0-------7-x2-----------------------

Beginning-
Walking on the moon
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Hint-

Spoiler

C major scale

Tab-

Spoiler

g---------------------------------------
d-----------3-2------------------
a----3-3-5-------3-3-3-5---------
e-----------------------------------

Beginning-
Friend of the Devil
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Hint-

Spoiler

Descending G major scale

Tab-

Spoiler

g------------------------
d----5-4-2--------------
a----------5-3-2---------
e-------------------5-3--

Beginning-
Knocking on heavens doors
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Hint-

Spoiler

I-V-IV of G

Tab-

Spoiler

g------------------------
d-------------3333------
a--------5555-----------
e---3333----------------

 

[xdanxx]

Intermediate-
Midnight blues
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Hint-

Spoiler

C to F

Tab-

Spoiler

g-----------------------------------1--------
d----------1---------------3---1-3----3---1-3
a--3---1-3----3---1-3-------3-----------3-----
e----3-----------3--------------------------