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Songs examples to demonstrate concepts

Batz

Batz

Aug 22, 2012
26
0
Orange County, CA
www.musicforzeroes.com
#1
A friend of mine asked me to give him bass lessons. He just wants to play around and learn songs, but I thought a great idea would be to introduce a concept and then show a song that uses it. I know that would have helped me visualize things a little better. An obvious example would be My Girl and the major pentatonic scale. Both of us lean more to the punk side of things so I was hoping to find songs in that genre, but I need some suggestions. Any genre or popular song will work as long as the bass line clearly uses the technique (scale, etc).

Here is my list. I left blank the ones I am stuck at. I'm hoping you good folks could fire some suggestions at me. Or other fundamentals that I have not thought of and their song counterpart..

Scales
Major Scale: ??
Minor Scale: ??
Major Pentatonic: My Girl
Minor Pentatonic: ??

Intervals
Root Note only- any Ramones
r - 5th: Peggy Sue by Buddy Holly or Folsom Prison
r - 5th - 7th: Down in the Tube Station by Jam
r - 5th - octave: Limit Club Damned
r - 3rd - 5th: Orgasm Addict by Buzzcocks
r - 5th - 6th: Substitute and Anarchy in UK

Arpeggios/ Triads
Trying to think of ska songs...

Walking bass
Want an interesting 50's style one (or modern rockabilly Surf Bat by 45 Grave or a Cramps song come to mind), but also going to use Journey to East Bay by Rancid since he likes that song.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Like I said, more traditional songs outside the "punk genre" are great too. Then he won't spend years sounding like everything he played was a punk song (which I did unfortunately).
 
#2
Batz said:
Walking bass
Want an interesting 50's style one (or modern rockabilly Surf Bat by 45 Grave or a Cramps song come to mind), but also going to use Journey to East Bay by Rancid since he likes that song.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Like I said, more traditional songs outside the "punk genre" are great too. Then he won't spend years sounding like everything he played was a punk song (which I did unfortunately).
Click to expand...

These might fit:

Elvis - Hard Headed Woman

Eddie Cochran - Twenty Flight Rock

Brian Setzer's take on Carl Perkins' "Put Your Cat Clothes On"

Dr. Feelgood doing John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom
 
#3
Major Scale: A.B.C- Jackson 5
Triads- Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts - Less Than Jake or the Bridge to I want you Back - Jackson 5
Walking bass - Transcribe a line from any swinging jazz tune
Rancid Songs are great for learning bass. (I spent several months learning every Rancid song I could a few years back).
Also you didn't put this in there but you might want to find a song or two that center on grooving and playing across the whole neck. Both are skills that come in handy.
For example Sir Duke requires both abilities.
 
#6
There's an obscure old Doobie Brothers tune called Wheels Of Fortune ('76, Takin' It To The Streets album). The middle section is all instrumental and the bassline rips pretty well...possibly good for illustrating a few different concepts. Minor pentatonic leaps to mind, plus just learning the line is great for developing dexterity and articulation. It's also an ostinato line - repeated pattern, no real changeups - and is a glowing example of how just holding down a solid, groovy bottom gives other players lisence to fly and land in fine style.
 
#10
Batz said:
Great suggestions. Thank you. Any others for major scales?
Click to expand...

Great examples of major scale songs:

Sittin' on the dock of the bay - Otis Redding (bass: Duck Dunn)
Everyday will be like a holiday - William Bell (bass: Duck Dunn)
Here comes your man - The Pixies (bass: Kim Deal)
Gigantic - The Pixies (bass: Kim Deal)
Stand By Me - Ben E. King (bass: Lloyd Trotman)
Hello Goodbye - The Beatles (bass: Paul Mccartney)

For triads you can listen to:

Night boat to Caïro - Madness (bass: Cathal Smyth)
Light my Fire - The Doors (bass: Larry Knechel)

If you need parts for any of these songs, send me a pm ;)
 
#14
That link site is great. I didn't even know it existed. Thank you and everyone for the ideas. It took me a long time to realize why learning scales, etc was important. I played by ear for years. I think if I could have seen it in practice I would have learned a lot earlier. I still struggle with identifying things. I can tell instinctively, but not explain it. Giving these lessons is going to teach me a lot too which is very cool.
 

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