Double Bass Need ideas for open string jam songs

[McMike]

Hi, my young son is learning bass. He is learning on a cello re-strung with EADG, but cannot yet finger the full size bass notes. I'd like to get a list of basic campground jam songs he could play with all open string bass parts. That way he can join a festival campground jam circle and borrow a bass to play a coupe songs.

Best I can tell. if it is a I/V part, they keys are D, G, or A. And for a I/IV/V part, the key is D, and also A if you fudge the E/B bars.

Please name some popular campground jam songs with open string bass parts (meaning they are played in the keys above and stick to the open note patterns), plus tab if possible. Thanks!

 

[McMike]

Here's an answer I found.... Dr. Banjo's list of two-chord songs: [this site won't let me post a link]

American Banjo Camp also has a jam list that includes songs typically played in D.

 

[BobKay]

Virtually any of the I - IV - V songs can be played in any of those keys. You just have to find other players who will play in one of the keys that will allow use of all open strings.

 

[McMike]

Virtually any of the I - IV - V songs can be played in any of those keys. You just have to find other players who will play in one of the keys that will allow use of all open strings.

Thanks. I guess was hoping to ID a few songs that are "usually" played in D, so the players and singers are used to that key for that song. My son is still pretty young, so we are just picking a couple songs to work on. I am sure everyone will be very accommodating whatever we do.

In any case, the resources i described above turned out to be very helpful.

Cheers.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Songs are sung in the key of the singer, so you might be better off with tunes in 'D' and 'A'.

Whiskey Before Breakfast, Soldier's Joy, Angeline the Baker are pretty simple tunes in 'D'.

Old Joe Clark is in 'A'. I can't think of anything else that's really simple...

 

[McMike]

Songs are sung in the key of the singer, so you might be better off with tunes in 'D' and 'A'.

Whiskey Before Breakfast, Soldier's Joy, Angeline the Baker are pretty simple tunes in 'D'.

Old Joe Clark is in 'A'. I can't think of anything else that's really simple...

Thank you, that's great.

 

[MT Spaces]

McMike .... Congrats on teaching your Son some music on his cello that can later be translated to upright bass !

Jake deVilliers had some good suggestions (like he always does).

Here are some other common jam (fiddle) tunes .... These are traditionally in D (only in 1 / 4 / 5 chords D/G/A) .... 8th of January, Flop-Ear Mule (only 2 chords D & A but usually there is a key change to A which means moving to A & E), Home Sweet Home, Liberty, Mississippi Sawyer, Panhandle Rag, Ragtime Annie, Wind Shakes The Barley .... and one your Son should definitely know is Saint Annes Reel.

If your Son wants a challenge in the Key of D .... Everyone loves Ashokan Farewell in D but beyond the 3 "normal" chords it also has Bm, C, and Em (on bass or cello we just play B, C, E major notes and leave the fancy minor-stuff to the fiddle and guitar). Arkansas Traveler is mostly 3 standard chords in D with an "E" once in awhile but it is a real "busy" tune that will keep your Son on his toes and ears to make the quick changes.

In A .... There's (traditionally) .... Bill Cheatham (quick chord changes), Black Mountain Rag, Road To Columbus, Salt Creek, June Apple, Kitchen Girl, Cluck Old Hen, and Red-Haired Boy.

In G (at least where I play bass) .... There's .... Big Sandy River, Big Sciota, Blackberry Blossum, Cripple Creek, Dixie Hoedown, Red Wing, Sandy River Belle, Seneca Square Dance, Colored Aristocracy, Temperance Reel, Kentucky Waltz, Turkey In The Straw, Golden Slippers, Grandfather's Clock, and Nail That Catfish To A Tree.

He should also learn Billy In The Low Ground in C. It is just 3 chords .... C, F, G but there's a lot of A-minor too. That tune comes up in jams fairly often.

I have played all of the above on bass and have chord charts. I will try to fish out my PDF's from PhotoBucket and post them. In the meantime, I highly recommend getting the Steve Kaufman's Bluegrass / Fiddle Tune Workout Series from Homespun .... He has the chord charts and CD's so you can get the tunes figgered out.

Good Luck, Have Fun, and tell your Son that Jams always need a bass player that knows the "standard" jam tunes. I went to a Montana Old Time Fiddlers Jam last week-end and I couldn't leave the stage for 4 hours. All the Women asked me to play with them (on bass) since I know most of the tunes / songs and I can trust me "ear" to help me through the ones I don't know.

 

[MT Spaces]

Here are some of my Chord Charts .... These are my own attempts at the Chords ... Not really "Tabs" ... Just what I came up with for my own understanding.

These may help your Son to understand Music Theory ....

And I will leave you with this Fine Grave Marker ....

 

[McMike]

Here are some of my Chord Charts .... These are my own attempts at the Chords ... Not really "Tabs" ... Just what I came up with for my own understanding.

Wow that's all excellent thanks. I have plenty of resources now. Thanks all.