Song(s) that you wish to be able to play someday?

[champbassist]

We grow as bassists everyday but at every step of growth, we have certain songs which we aspire to play someday in the future, but can't at our current 'level' of skill.

For me a prominent example is Bleed by Meshuggah. It's terribly complicated on many levels: technique and memorizing the rhythm being primary hurdles. But I'm working!

Do you have any such songs in mind?

 

[Duckwater]

Off the top of my head:

Anything by Victor Wooten
Phantom Of The Opera - Iron Maiden, I just can't seem to get the rhythm for the solo
Lucretia - Megadeth
Anything with Bootsy on it
Close To The Edge - Yes
Anything by Niacin
Larks Tongue In Aspic Part I - King Crimson

 

[pygmygrizzly]

a good song.

 

[skippydb]

I don't even know how the bassist from Meshuggah tunes, let alone figure out all those damn rhythms...

 

[Vincent P]

the next song I'm working on.

 

[BassesForTheWin]

Hysteria by Muse

and Longveiw by Green Day (i got most of it, i just forget the bassline part way through.)

 

[foq1978]

Aeroplane, RHCP
I know, it's not that complicated, but I am not good at all at slapping.

 

[NicJimBass]

Mine is two parts from the same song- Zanzibar by Billy Joel. Doug Stegmeyer's walking line during the trumpet solo, and the trumpet solo itself, albeit transcribed for bass. I put the finishing touches on the written music just today, now I just need to go through it a bunch.

 

[JazzBass Love]

Malaga Virgen by Brand X. I'll be working on that one for quite awhile.

 

[Funkturnal]

For me, it's a little different because I'm not necessarily looking to play a "tune" or basslines verbatim.

I'm striving to be able to play the hell over changes. Jazz standards, Bird tunes, Giant Steps etc. Not just "keeping up" with them, or playing something that is merely "passable", but to really be in control of them on a subconscious level (so that I'm not thinking "mathematically").

I'm improving, and I find that my best playing occurs when I simply "let go" and let my ear just guide me. But a lot of times, I find myself in the "deep end of the pool" (which is really in my mind), and then I scramble to get back on the life raft. I can fake it pretty well sometimes, but there is a lot of internal turmoil inside when this happens. I want to just be able to play like I don't have a care in the world, and just have stuff flowing out. A lifelong journey no doubt.

 

[SactoBass]

The middle ("battle") section of The Gates of Delirium on the Relayer album by YES. I can play the entire Close to the Edge album, as well as other select choices such as The Revealing Science of God from the Tales album. But Squire leaves us wannabes in the dust in the middle of Gates.

Oh, and I can't play Sound Chaser either (also on the Relayer album).

Sometimes I wonder if Squire is human. I had the pleasure of meeting him (and the rest of YES) back in 2000, and Squire was very cool and laid back......seemed quite human to me. Hmmm.

 

[champbassist]

For me, it's a little different because I'm not necessarily looking to play a "tune" or basslines verbatim.

I'm striving to be able to play the hell over changes. Jazz standards, Bird tunes, Giant Steps etc. Not just "keeping up" with them, or playing something that is merely "passable", but to really be in control of them on a subconscious level (so that I'm not thinking "mathematically").

I'm improving, and I find that my best playing occurs when I simply "let go" and let my ear just guide me. But a lot of times, I find myself in the "deep end of the pool" (which is really in my mind), and then I scramble to get back on the life raft. I can fake it pretty well sometimes, but there is a lot of internal turmoil inside when this happens. I want to just be able to play like I don't have a care in the world, and just have stuff flowing out. A lifelong journey no doubt.

Nicely put

 

[jacofox]

Probably pretty cliche'd choices but;

Classical Thump-Victor Wooten
Donna Lee-Jaco Pastorius

 

[Time Consumer]

Anything from Aghora or Cynic or any progressive groups in the same vein. With Meshuggah I dont have too much trouble with the rhythms since they're all based on 4/4 anyway and I used to be a percussionist in school but understanding and being able to play them are two way different things.

 

[champbassist]

With Meshuggah I dont have too much trouble with the rhythms since they're all based on 4/4 anyway and I used to be a percussionist in school but understanding and being able to play them are two way different things.

I agree! With some work, Meshuggah rhythms can be 'deciphered' or memorized but playing them is the real problem.

Also, even though I agree that their songs would fit into a 4/4 framework, I feel that to 'isolate' a rhythm figure from their songs, it's (almost paradoxically) more convenient to think of it in an odd time signature.

But, IMO, if I'm learning a song purely for the sake of performance, songs with complicated rhythms/time signatures are much better off memorized, rather than analysed. The latter serves only to confuse further, another prime example being Dream Theater's Dance Of Eternity.

 

[PJMiDi]

Every song I don't know.... but seriously atm I am working a lot on 10000 days by tool(just for personal satisfaction, I don't know any drummers who will play it with me.) and straight on by heart.

 

[IbanezBass69]

Almost anything on a 5-string, mostly because I just got one, and am having a lot of fun just jamming on it, but really would like to actually play a song on it....

 

[bassfart]

For me, it's a little different because I'm not necessarily looking to play a "tune" or basslines verbatim.

I'm striving to be able to play the hell over changes. Jazz standards, Bird tunes, Giant Steps etc. Not just "keeping up" with them, or playing something that is merely "passable", but to really be in control of them on a subconscious level (so that I'm not thinking "mathematically").

I'm improving, and I find that my best playing occurs when I simply "let go" and let my ear just guide me. But a lot of times, I find myself in the "deep end of the pool" (which is really in my mind), and then I scramble to get back on the life raft. I can fake it pretty well sometimes, but there is a lot of internal turmoil inside when this happens. I want to just be able to play like I don't have a care in the world, and just have stuff flowing out. A lifelong journey no doubt.

I am in the exact same place as you. I really want to understand Jazz the way I understand Rock or Blues. Walking over a II-V-I just throws me for a loop every time.

 

[pasta4lnch]

like my ancestors . . . I always wanted to walk (on an) upright