Yeah, I never had to go through this. I started playing bass in a band I was already in so just started learning their songs. Then I was recruited into a couple of other bands and just had to learn their songs. Boring. At parties we'd jam on any old thing, just depended on what some guitarist started to play.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
"Proof that you're a bass player" songs
- Thread starter fretlessman71
- Start date
I'm old. The tune to learn when I was just starting was Sunshine of Your Love.
When I was active in the local punk scene (circa 2010-ish), one of my friends (who played guitar in a few different bands) had this thing where, if he knew you played bass, would request you play "Longview" by Green Day. And you know what? Everyone did! I was one of those who got "Longview'd" by him and I played it.
He was amused that, in his words, "It never fails! I ask a bassist to play Longview, and they always do!"
He was amused that, in his words, "It never fails! I ask a bassist to play Longview, and they always do!"
You had a tuning fork!! All I had was a 6 oz coke bottle and a pocket knife. It would ping at a near perfect "G"!
Come Together... Money (Floyd)... some Motown... some Zepp...
Black Dog
Money
Closer to Home
Currently working on Dean Town.....
Money
Closer to Home
Currently working on Dean Town.....
Day Tripper
Walk Don't Run
Pipeline
Pretty Woman
Raunchy
You Really Got Me
My Girl
Keep On Runnin'
You had to know all those to be in a band when I was in seventh grade. We would sit by the radio all day waiting for a song to be played so we could get the next few notes.
Walk Don't Run
Pipeline
Pretty Woman
Raunchy
You Really Got Me
My Girl
Keep On Runnin'
You had to know all those to be in a band when I was in seventh grade. We would sit by the radio all day waiting for a song to be played so we could get the next few notes.
There wasn't one in particular, I remember sending off an audition tape for New Model Army at 19, the tracks were Stupid Questions, Family and another I can't remember. I didn't get a reply, I didn't really have much of a clue of what the band was about at the time, but knowing now, they wouldn't have been looking for someone like me at all. Too '80s, and I wouldn't have blamed them neither.
Depends on the crowd. A few faves:
Money
Come Together
Billie Jean
Good Times (Chic, widely sampled. I've had dudes break into Rapper's Delight but nobody ever sings the Chic lyrics!)
I Want You Back (Jackson 5)
Money
Come Together
Billie Jean
Good Times (Chic, widely sampled. I've had dudes break into Rapper's Delight but nobody ever sings the Chic lyrics!)
I Want You Back (Jackson 5)
Learning that ''For Whom The Bell Tolls'' intro was all it took for me. 
One of my all time favorite UFO songs to sing and play. Along with Shoot Shoot. RIP Pete Way
Yeah, I know. Not the same genres. That's cool. Come at me, Bro!
and sad but true...
and sad but true...
I'm old, too (and I'm not getting better; I'm getting meaner). I suppose the "gauntlet flung" song for me would be Cream's "Crossroads," although the first song whose bass part I had to get exactly right was "Michelle." For us, there were no such litmus tests; just serve the song and make the band sound good.
I never had to prove anything. I started on guitar and then met a VERY good guitarist who wanted to do a three piece thing. This was in 1969. My younger brother was a drummer so I grabbed a bass and became a bassist. Also learned to sing lead and harmony. In all these years I never had to audition. I just played. Oh sometimes I'd go to one but not for me. I would tell them I was auditioning *them*. I always seemed to be the one who started the bands I played in. No proof needed for that.
The Beatles, Abby Road-the entire album! In '69 if you copped the album, you could get gigs because even the guitar players struggled to get the parts down, George was no slouch. This was actually a great learning experience for a young bassist just starting out. It provided a good example of what melodic feel was kinda all about. The most memorable track that illustrated what I'm getting at is "You Never Give Me Your Money" go ahead and give it a whirl, it's pretty fun once you get it down. I-IV-V it ain't. 
1965 - 1969 was a pretty heady time for young bassist's. Motown, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Cream, and towards the Summer of '69 and onward the prog scene started, and took us through the 70's
At the start of it, The Beatles set the bar in '63 for all that followed bringing us to where we are today.
In broader terms the Jazz & Blues greats & legends of the late '20's to the '50's and then when Rock started to take hold in the early '50's to the early '60's it was during the mid '60's that things really started to progress beyond the I-IV-V.
1965 - 1969 was a pretty heady time for young bassist's. Motown, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Cream, and towards the Summer of '69 and onward the prog scene started, and took us through the 70's
At the start of it, The Beatles set the bar in '63 for all that followed bringing us to where we are today.
In broader terms the Jazz & Blues greats & legends of the late '20's to the '50's and then when Rock started to take hold in the early '50's to the early '60's it was during the mid '60's that things really started to progress beyond the I-IV-V.
