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What is your favorite bassline to soundcheck to?

Josie
Peg
Whatever It Is I Just Can't Stop
Still a Friend of Mine


I don't think playing a bass line that is typical of what you do, or that explores the full range of the instrument is showing off.
 
4 bars of each of the following
All I Need by Radiohead because it helps me feel the groove.
Summer Skin by Death Cab for groove and register.
Erotomania by Dream Theater for the odd meter and the drummer I usually play with always plays four against it to mess with me.
 
A scale. There's no need for more.

With the entire band we typically do the Pretenders "Back on the Chain Gang" and Third World's "96 Degrees in the Shade" since they each feature a different vocalist, both have harmonies and, in my case, I use a fretted bass on the former and fretless on the latter.
 
Some of my favorite riffs are below. They're all from songs I don't currently play with any of my bands. I don't consider any of them to be showing off.

"Californication" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
"I Want You Back" by Jackson 5
"I'm a Roadrunner", John Entwistle's riff from Live at Leeds... I think it's in the extended My Generation jam
Various classic rock riffs: "Dazed and Confused", "Sunshine of Your Love", "In a Gadda da Vida"




FWIW I'm never asked to play quarter notes or whatever. Soundmen always tell me to play just like I'm going to play live. I once noodled around gently for soundcheck, and the soundguy said "that won't help, play like you've had a few beers already!" Pretty funny, even though I rarely drink.
 
Something like ramble on, I want you back, or I'll walk a blues if there's no opportunity to warm up since those are medium-busy and get the fingers moving without being too tough, but if Im warmed up, whatever, like quarter notes in different registers to see how they sound.