Recommend some classic, must-know songs that are beginner friendly (i.e. EASY !!)

[hieronymous]

The first song/bass line I learned was N.I.B. by Black Sabbath - the bass solo (sometimes referred to as "Bassically") at the beginning is cool but don't let it scare you - I started the video where N.I.B. begins but you can back up and listen to the bass solo too.



I like it because it isn't too hard, but it's also a cool, memorable line played with attitude.

 

[comatosedragon]

Easy songs (or songs with easy Basslines) to make you feel good about your playing (well, this is what I play when I feel like I'm not progressing ... anyway):

1) Ain't No Sunshine (Bill Whithers)
2) Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers (ZZ Top)
3) Any Way You Want It (Journey)
4) Modern Day Cowboy (Tesla)
5) Copperhead Road (Steve Earl)

10. Hotel California

If Played correctly, that's actually fairly challenging!

 

[TerenceE]

TNT - Ac/dc
Last kiss - pearl jam
Cumbersome-seven Mary 3
Bad moon rising-ccr
Stir it up - bob marley
Sunshine of your love -cream
About a girl - nirvana
Dust on the bottle David lee Murphy
Groove is in the heart dee-lite
Money - pink Floyd
Comfortably numb- pink Floyd
Paranoid - black sabbath
La grange - zz top

Lotsa ccr and pink Floyd is super easy. Nirvana too. Ac/dc, zz top. All not technically hard...but have a particular groove/feel that has to be there

 

[RyanOh]

10. Hotel California

If Played correctly, that's actually fairly challenging!

Yeah you're right. String changes and octaves, note lengths, muting. Perfect song for a repetitive practice exercise, but probably beyond a beginner list.

 

[wintremute]

Seven Nation Army

 

[Outshined91]

The first song/bass line I learned was N.I.B. by Black Sabbath - the bass solo (sometimes referred to as "Bassically") at the beginning is cool but don't let it scare you - I started the video where N.I.B. begins but you can back up and listen to the bass solo too.



I like it because it isn't too hard, but it's also a cool, memorable line played with attitude.

Similarly the first song I ever learned on my bass was "Iron Man." Not to hard and it helps you get done some string crossing skills.

 

[Slinger]

Heard It Through The Grapevine
Stand By Me.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

Easy songs (or songs with easy Basslines) to make you feel good about your playing (well, this is what I play when I feel like I'm not progressing ... anyway):

1) Ain't No Sunshine (Bill Whithers)
2) Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers (ZZ Top)
3) Any Way You Want It (Journey)
4) Modern Day Cowboy (Tesla)
5) Copperhead Road (Steve Earl)


If Played correctly, that's actually fairly challenging!

Totally agree

 

[Kipp Harrington]

You May Be Right
Sunshine of Your Love
Fast As You (D. Yoakam)
Memphis (J. Rivers)
I’m Tore Down (Clapton)
Rock’n Me (Steve Miller)
Can’t You See (M. Tucker)
867-5309/Jenny
Hurts So Good
Some Kind of Wonderful
Dig In (Kravitz)
What I Like About You
Sweet Home Alabama
Takin’ Care of Business
Long Cool Woman
Dumas Walker
Rockin’ In the Free World
Breakup Song
Take It On the Run
Folsom Prison Blues
My Sharona
Rocky Mountain Way

 

[Kmonk]

Almost anything by ZZ Top
Fortunate Son - CCR
Signs - Five Man Electrical Band / Tesla
You Can't Hurry Love - The Supremes / Phil Collins
Draw The Line - Aerosmith
Cat Scratch Fever - Ted Nugent

 

[Oddly]

Temptations.
'Papa Was A Rolling Stone'.
About as simple a line as you could get, but if you can hold steady to that groove for the full eleven minutes and fifty seconds, you can call yourself a bass player.

 

[2BitHack]

so basically pick any 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's rock radio station or steaming play list and start playing along.

 

[rafitoprtx]

Led zepp Rock and Roll.
G&R Its so easy
ACDC Highway to Hell Back in Black and Thunderstuck.

 

[rafitoprtx]

Led zepp Rock and Roll.
G&R Its so easy
ACDC Highway to Hell Back in Black and Thunderstuck.

Metallica Enter Sandman

 

[TNCreature]

I learned bass (self taught) by trying to play along with recordings with easy lines. Even if I didn't get everything, I could get most of the bass lines and go back to figure the rest out.
I am older so no contemporary stuff. I learned in the early 1980's, so this is what worked for me.
-The Kinks Greatest Hits
-First few Black Sabbath albums
-First Van Halen album
-The 2 Joy Division Albums (+ Still)
-First Go-Go's Album Beauty and the Beat
-Echo & The Bunnymen first 2 albums
-First U2 Album, Boy
-Almost any Ramones Album. My first was Road to Ruin.
-Stray Cats
-Violent Femmes

Have fun!

 

[Orangeclawhammr]

"Boris the Spider". It ain't too hard and it's fun to sing, too. I've been doing it at open mics for years.

 

[Alfonso Alba]

Some "classic" stuff from around the 90s easy to play on bass:

Radiohead - Creep
Radiohead - Karma Police
Nirvana - Come As You Are
Weezer - Buddy Holly
Beastie Boys - Fight For Your Right To Party (just follow along the guitar)

 

[flatrat]

Free Fallin' - Tom Petty

 

[Wfrance3]

My Sharona - the knack is a classic. A beginner can definitely get it under control pretty quickly, and learns couple things as well.

 

[TerenceE]

I learned bass (self taught) by trying to play along with recordings with easy lines. Even if I didn't get everything, I could get most of the bass lines and go back to figure the rest out.
I am older so no contemporary stuff. I learned in the early 1980's, so this is what worked for me.
-The Kinks Greatest Hits
-First few Black Sabbath albums
-First Van Halen album
-The 2 Joy Division Albums (+ Still)
-First Go-Go's Album Beauty and the Beat
-Echo & The Bunnymen first 2 albums
-First U2 Album, Boy
-Almost any Ramones Album. My first was Road to Ruin.
-Stray Cats
-Violent Femmes

Have fun!

Violent femmes is far from beginner level stuff!

Most sabbath is far from “easy” and van Haley is no cake walk either lol!