song ideas?

[funky]

My instructor is having me make a CD of songs to play - whether it's a specific bass line I would like to learn or a song I would just like to play.

Any suggestions for a beginner? I like all types of music - rock, blues, country, etc. There are some Tom Petty songs I like the bass lines in, and Red Hot Chili Peppers always has great bass (but I don't want to get in over my head).

I plan to sit down with my CD collection this weekend, but if anyone has suggestions, I would appreciate it.

 

[bassteban]

The old stuff- Marvin gaye, Al Green, Aretha, etc. A lot of great bass lines in that stuff.

 

[jazzbo]

Cissy Strut - The Meters
Ain't Too Proud To Beg - The Temptations
Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
My Sharona - Whoever the hell
Soul Man - Sam & Dave
Love Song - The Cure
Santeria - Sublime
Sweet Child of Mine - Guns and Roses
Good Times - Chic
The Boy in the Bubble - Paul Simon

I'm not totally sure I"m confident of a teacher that uses this method, but those are some songs that I think are fun, can teach several different things about bass, and play in a number of styles. Again though, I'm not sold on a teacher doing this, unless there's part of this equation I don't know about.

 

[briand]

My Sharona - Whoever the hell

The Knack

...even better, from them, would be Good Girls Don't.

 

[Muzique Fann]

If you like Tom Petty - Free Fallin' is a really easy song. For the Flea stuff - try the Brothers Cup or Jungle Man, or even easier is Freaky Stylee (the song) I think it uses all of 4 notes.

 

[Joe P]

...My Sharona...

Good one - make him practice those OCTAVES!

If you're sort of still 'starting-out', then it's not a bad idea to practice singing while you play right away. A singing bassist is $$valuable$$!

Joe

 

[funky]

Good one - make him practice those OCTAVES!

If you're sort of still 'starting-out', then it's not a bad idea to practice singing while you play right away. A singing bassist is $$valuable$$!

Joe

You mean she?

 

[Luke73]

Check out:

Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits

My Sharona - The Knack

Day Tripper - The Beatles

 

[harley_ou812]

Weezer - Say it aint so is a fun but easy bass line to play
Pink Floyd -Money isnt to bad.. it will make you stretch though

Eagles- Hotel California is a great bass line.. a little tougher then the others but to bad

 

[SunShine]

Anything Alice in Chains is good for bass.

Lots of Metallica. While not overly difficult, its good to have in your bag of tricks.

Dave Mathews Band has some good bass lines.

Grand Funk Railroad is good for the soul

Notice I didn't name any songs? Thats because the majority of the bass lines for these bands are decent, or at least good to know.

 

[Jace The Bass]

I think the idea everyone is putting across is to start on a song that is simple and reaches your capability b/c you don't wan't to start on something too advance in which will only cause frustration and therefore you start losing intrest.
Rock songs are great for getting started ie: ACDC or the beatles etc...
The motion picture soundtrack GREASE has some groovy Basslines

 

[Growler]

I've been playing for a few months (6!) and I started with:

AudioSlave - Like a Stone (Great song, easy to hear and play bass line. My first tune).

Pink Floyd - Money (bassline easy to identify and pick up).

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird (great basslines, slides, patterns. but the rhythm can be tough Learn the notes and the rhythm separately then try to put them together).

Tom Petty - Freefalling - haven't tried it but it looks good.

For what its worth, I purchased GuitarPro software to aid with tabs as they have the rhythm and the notes, which most tabs do not).

Have fun, build finger strength, practice regularly...

-Growler