what songs to learn improve bass playing?

[obimark]

If you want to learn how to play like the pros, land the best gigs and lay in the pocket like a real player does, learn songs by AC/DC, the Foo Fighters, Judas Priest, and U2. And Motown too. Also, write your own basslines!!

This--- forget all the flash until you can play these WELL. Then worry about flash.

 

[show-stoppers]

Listen to some XTC with Colin Molding.

Mayor of Simpleton is a knuckle buster

 

[Clivus58]

Of course, learning anything does but looking for those songs that help A LOT.

I was thinking for example, of Dry Cleaner from Des Moines (Jaco).

Any other suggestions?

Not sure what styles you are wanting to concentrate on, but being an 'old school' bassist myself, I found the playing of Barry Oakley (Allman Brothers) and Gary Thain(Uriah Heep) very inspirational. IN MEMORY OF ELIZABETH REED, WHIPPING POST, and MOUNTAIN JAM by the Allmans, and any track off of the Uriah Heep Live January 1973 album come to mind.

 

[Herrick]

Is this really what a lot of people do? Learn 4 or 5 songs, in one hour?
And here I was, getting impressed with my learning over the last year or so.

That's a lot to learn in one hour and to really get it down. I don't think that's a standard thing musicians do. That's very impressive. I like to learn two songs or so and play them a few times along to the track.

 

[Spectrum]

In my early days I learned YYZ to get my technical skills going, but I'd say over the years what has served me well in rock is learning lots of Geezer Butler.

Faeries Wear Boots
Hand of Doom
War Pigs

Unless you hate Sabbath, of course. Geezer is great at grooving and rocking at the same time, and he weaves his lines in and out of Iommi's guitar beautifully.

 

[Helix]

Every song that's ever been played.....start off with that

 

[Mushroo]

Is this really what a lot of people do? Learn 4 or 5 songs, in one hour?

Very often I will just put the radio on and jam along with songs I've never heard before. I pretend I got hired for a cover-band gig at the last minute, I'm live in front of an audience, and this is my one and only opportunity to nail the songs. I need to be hyper-focused and aware to pull this off! If the chord changes don't pop out at me in the first few seconds (and they very often do), then I will sit out the first verse, listen carefully, and come in on the downbeat of the second verse.

I have a terrible ear, I mean I am really bad at picking out the right notes by ear, so surely I am not the only bassist with the ability to learn simple radio-friendly songs by ear, in real time, am I? Most pop/rock songs share a certain structure, so it's not like we have to reinvent the wheel each song.

Then I might go back, choose a few songs that I particularly liked (or that gave me trouble), and give them a second (or even third!) pass for further improvement. If I haven't learned it after three passes, then I will set that song aside for future practice. I can't imagine repeating the same song four or more times in one sitting; that sounds to me like a frustrating use of practice time!

The exception of course is if I have a paying gig. Then I will do whatever needs to be done to get things right for the gig. But sometimes we do not have a chance to prepare the songs in advance of the gig (pickup jazz, open mic, blues jam, subbing, etc.) so a versatile bassist should have the ability to "fake it" through a song on the first try.

 

[jg42]

this: has everything - solo, walking, etc.

 

[mambo4]

... throw "Rappers Delight" in there too

Just cause we're all bass players here:
"Rappers Delight" was built over a sample of "Good Times" by Chic, bassist: Bernard Edwards

 

[Creede]

Like many have said, play what you like and what suits your skill level. I can tell you to learn Aces High or YYZ, but if you aren't a hard rock/metal guy and you just started playing a week ago, then those songs won't be that great of choices.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Of course, learning anything does but looking for those songs that help A LOT.

I was thinking for example, of Dry Cleaner from Des Moines (Jaco).

Any other suggestions?

If you want something that challenges musical preconceptions than picking something that is outside genres that you might otherwise listen to or with harmonic structures or approaches that lie outside your normal listening experience but are still good basslines can be good.

 

[Tombolino]

thank you all, great suggests

 

[ZenG]

One song that I use to improve finger picking is a simple song:-

The opening bass intro to "Roadhouse Blues".

In this bass riff the bassist occasionally switches (during the song) to a three finger (plucking hand and fretting hand) enhancement.

So if you were playing it in key of A, for example:-

The notes would be A,then up a string to D,E flat and E. then up a string to A down to G then down a string to E.

When you play the D,E flat, E part you use index, middle and ring finger on your fretting hand and index,middle and ring finger on your plucking hand.

Great for developing muscle memory/timing on the three fingers of your plucking hand.

This can be done in practically any key on the neck.

You can play it "stock" or modify it to get more complex finger work.

 

[Duder]

Super Mario Theme & Für Elise really opened my ears recently! helped my playing technique as well.

SMB2 has a fantastic bass line