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Loving the simple stuff

Joe Nerve

Joe Nerve

Oct 7, 2000
18,619
38,939
New York City
www.joenerve.com
Disclosures
Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
#1
Lots of peeps are postin lots of threads lately on tunes they hate playing. I get it, and I believe we all have the right to play whatever makes us happy. If money, however, is the proverbial carrot at the end of our bass playing stick, then I think we'll be happiest if we learn to LOVE everything we play. I committed to this about a year ago, and I must in my best humble brag state that it's going exceptionally well. I thought it might be a good idea to kick this topic around for others who have committed or would like to one day commit to...
​
Loving the simple stuff!

Some things to consider, but write whatever you want:
  • What are your favorite simple songs to play?
  • Do you have any tricks or tips for loving to play those songs?
  • Can you play Eminem's Lose Yourself without straying on a single note?
  • What's the most hated song that you love playing most?
  • Do you enjoy seeing other bass busy up simple bass lines?
I'll chime in later. Have to get to my day job.
 
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#3
Howlin' Hanson said:
I don't know much about Eminem, but here's a simple song that I had no idea it would go over in our shows:


And yes, our guitarist plays the solo that badly...
Click to expand...


Good one :).

To be fair... I don't know a single Eminem song outside of this one, and wouldn't know this one if my band didn't already do it when I joined, but for those unfamiliar with it, I guess it should be posted:

Want to add that I hope this doesn't turn into a thread of simple song posts. We've done that a bunch of times already.

I'm more interested in people's thoughts about playing simple stuff.

 
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#4
Joe Nerve said:
Lots of peeps are postin lots of threads lately on tunes they hate playing. I get it, and I believe we all have the right to play whatever makes us happy. If money, however, is the proverbial carrot at the end of our bass playing stick, then I think we'll be happiest if we learn to LOVE everything we play. I committed to this about a year ago, and I must in my best humble brag state that it's going exceptionally well. I thought it might be a good idea to kick this topic around for others who have committed or would like to one day commit to...
​
Loving the simple stuff!

Some things to consider, but write whatever you want:
  • What are your favorite simple songs to play?
  • Do you have any tricks or tips for loving to play those songs?
  • Can you play Eminem's Lose Yourself without straying on a single note?
  • What's the most hated song that you love playing most?
  • Do you enjoy seeing other bass busy up simple bass lines?
I'll chime in later. Have to get to my day job.
Click to expand...


I like playing old "cowboy" country. It's all very simple, but it gets people dancing, and I like the reaction I guess. There aren't really any tricks to playing it, just lock in with the drums and go.

Lose Yourself? It sounds like it's just D over and over through the whole song, if there is even a real bass line? I guess I could play it and stick to it, but I've never tried. Rap isn't my thing, but I'd play it in a variety band.

I don't really have a "hated" song that I play, that I can think of anyway. I guess alot of people hate Mustang Sally, and I don't mind playing it. I haven't been at it long enough I guess.

Busying up simple bass lines is generally a "no" in my book. I'm always open to exceptions I guess if it were done tastefully. Generally though, the song was that way for a reason, and there's no reason to change it.

To me, if you don't enjoy being up there and playing, there's no point. I can tolerate a few songs I don't really personally like, as long as the crowd is there, and feeling it.
 
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#5
The simple ones are ok when you're first learning them, and maybe sort of ok after a few times playing them out...

... after that, I have to spice them up a bit (I'm sure, detracting from the song's original intent) just to keep myself from looking for squirrels...

... when it gets to this point, I highly suggest removing the song from the list, replacing it with something more...

... interesting, which will probably hold my attention, at least.
 
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#6
1) I have railed on this subject 'til I'm blue in the face here. So, short version, I agree.

2) That being said, your timing couldn't have been better @Joe Nerve . I needed a reminder of my own soapbox speech this morning. I just joined a band with an old friend and an older guitar player. The songs they initially proposed for the band were fine. No reinventing the bar band wheel but interesting. From the day I joined, the list has gotten worse and worse. They added "Spooky" (bar none the WORST song EVER played in a bar and only enjoyed by 60 year old guys in bleech white New Balance sneakers) and "Cat Scratch Fever" (eyes rolling out the back of my head) and "Round and Round" by Ratt (three piece band with an older jazzy/blues style guitar player). I had a bad attitude sitting at my practice rig last night. I pissed and moaned to Mrs.Fingers about how dumb the list is getting. So far we only have two shows booked at a little beach bar. I think I'm going to tell the guys I'll play those two shows and then maybe look elsewhere. BUT, I need to suck it up and learn the ever loving crap out of those songs. And then I need to PLAY the ever loving crap out of those songs. And I need to make it fun.

So, thanks Joe. I needed that slap in the face this morning. :D
 
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#7
Joe Nerve said:
What are your favorite simple songs to play?
Click to expand...
A deep pocket is needed to make this tune really swing. A very old Aussie Classic that gets any Aussie crowd up dancing & singing out loud.


Joe Nerve said:
Do you have any tricks or tips for loving to play those songs?
Click to expand...
Play a variety of musical styles & bands. Very little repetition.

Don't phone it in - Learn to execute it with 100% precision. Learn to pick out the little gems, the hidden things in a song.

Joe Nerve said:
Do you enjoy seeing other bass players busy-up simple bass lines?
Click to expand...
When it fits...great, but most of the time it's hiding a lack of musicianship about band dynamics or lack of effort learning the song.
 
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#9
The simpler the better, as far as I'm concerned.
I love losing myself in a deep groove.
My perfect example is this one...almost 12 minutes on that one little riff that holds it all together.



Of course it helps if you've got a band that 'gets' the tune too...and understands leaving space to let it breathe.

I don't think I'd ever really listened to Eminem's 'Lose Yourself' before, but yeah, that's one I'd love to do.:)
 
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#10
Oddly said:
The simpler the better, as far as I'm concerned.
I love losing myself in a deep groove.
My perfect example is this one...almost 12 minutes on that one little riff that holds it all together.



Of course it helps if you've got a band that 'gets' the tune tone too...and understands leaving space to let it breathe.

I don't think I'd ever really listened to Eminem's 'Lose Yourself' before, but yeah, that's one I'd love to do.:)
Click to expand...


You had me for about the first 30 seconds, and then this jumped up on my table...

images(2).jpeg


... serious, great song, and it would be so easy for me to ruin it...
 
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#12
I began playing drums in a band that plays a lot of what I call garage band songs. Old songs that have been beaten up by bad bands that can't or won't play anything else. Irritating at first but now I enjoy playing them for some reason. The band I play bass in is completely different where every song is top notch, to me any way. The drum band plays out more and makes more $. Wish it was reversed but it's all good.
 
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#17
Cool easy song - what I like about you
No tips, that one is just high energy
As for the Eminem song, I’ve never tried to play it but I think it’s just two notes...I would probably stray.
The most hated song that I love playing most? The new version of Tennessee whisky by chris Stapleton comes to mind cause you can walk and fiddle with it, if you follow the kicks it just kinda booms cause the only competition is a thin twangy guitar.
I really like seeing bass players go out of the box when it comes to simple stuff. Sometimes it’s tasteful and sometimes it’s not but either way I can learn something.
 
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#18
This past Friday we played a private event gig with mostly older folks in attendance. So knowing the audience in advance we played a lot of older, beat to death tunes including, yup you guessed it 'Mustang Sally'. There were a core group of these folks who were dancing to every one of the songs. 'Stand By Me' really got them started. So my answer is: their enjoyment contributed to my enjoyment. I'll take a gig like that all day long before a bar gig playing more "interesting" songs to a barely interested crowd.
 
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#20
Probably my three favorite simple songs are:

Om - The Moody Blues



Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel



These two are just a few notes all the way through.

Slightly more complex but sill super simple is Hey Bulldog by The Beatles.

 
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