Essential licks for a beginner:

[ccrnnr9]

I have a lot of material to work on that my instructor gave me however I would like to have some fun bass licks to look to study for a few minutes a day/night as a reward from doing the boring (but essential) technique work, scales, and dexterity drills. You guys got any you can lend me? I'm thinking something in the stlye of blues, classic rock, or jazz (if there is such thing as a beginner's jazz lick).
~Nick

P.S. I promised you guys no more gear advice for awhile but I didn't mention that just meant my posts would be "how-to play" threads...

[Gunny]

If you're just starting out, how about some simple songs with a steady feel - like so many of the ZZ Top tunes? You get to play relatively simple chord changes and get used to pumping out steady rhythms.

[ccrnnr9]

Ya I do want to avoid the use of tabs just because my teacher wants me to and I want to learn to read music and learn to hear. I'll listen through some zztop and see if I can't listen to them and get them down. I don't have much trouble with basic bass lines by listening to the songs such as "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen, "Strange Brew" by Cream, "Heartbreaker" by Led Zeppelin. I was able to hear those and figure them out somewhat quickly for my "young" ear. Note: I know the main bass lines of those songs haven't figured everything out yet. Did you have any songs in mind?
~Nick

[roadrider502]

What is wrong with tab? As long as you don't abuse it (rely on it solely), you can speed up the learning curve. Everything in moderation and nobody gets hurt. Just my opinion.

My son took drum lessons twice (once at 9 and then at 12) from 2 different teachers who only taught theory, reading and exercises. After the 2nd time he quit (at about the same time (6 months), I thought about it and realized it was out of sheer boredom. It wasn't a total waste...He can play Guitar Hero Drums on Expert. I'm trying to talk him back into playing. I say start having fun NOW. Get into all styles of music and suck it up however possible...tab, sheet music, ear, friends, videos, etc...


How about:
Sunshine of your love - Cream
The Ocean - Zep
New Years Day - U2
Come Together - Beatles
Vertigo - U2
With or without you - U2
La Grange - ZZ
Walking on the Moon - Police
When the world is running down - Police
Message in a bottle - Police
Cissy Strut (not actually beginner)
Just like heaven - Cure
I feel good (cool song) - James Brown
Beat it (I know, but the bass is cool)
Billie Jean (saa)
Longview -Green Day
Crossfire - SRV
I wont back down - Tom Petty
Everything is broken - (Dylan)
Smells like teen spirit - Nirvana
Paranoid - BS
12 bar blues riffs
Soul Man - Blues Brothers
Tush -ZZ
Cinnamon Girl- Young
Jailhouse rock - Presley
I will follow - U2
Johny be Good - Chuck Berry
Rock and roll music - Chuck Berry

These are all relatively easy bass lines.

HAVE FUN!

[FirstBassman]

Originally Posted by ccrnnr9

I would like to have some fun bass licks to look to study for a few minutes a day/night as a reward from doing the boring (but essential) technique work, scales, and dexterity drills. You guys got any you can lend me? I'm thinking something in the stlye of blues, classic rock, or jazz

I'm not 100% certain I follow from your original post and from the preceding exchange.

Do you mean actual licks from actual songs?

Or do you mean some patterns/riffs in "the style of blues, classic rock, or jazz" like you wrote?

If it's the latter, I can respond with some ideas.

[Old Cane]

If you get easily bored you need to stop playing bass and become a female singer.

But seriously folks, playing bass should not be boring at all. If playing guitar you can stop, take a drink, light a Camel and come back in. Not so much on bass. If it was me I would get some drum loops and play along. Make it up as you go. You'll have fun and learn a lot. You should know if it sounds good or not. You'll also learn some "licks" that you recognize by accident. Play it fast and play it twice.

The best advice I could give to anyone learning to play anything is learn to read and learn the number system. Tabs, well, I've never seen anyone pull out tabs on the job.

[getbent]

I once saw a guitar player drink a tab and pull out all the stops.... but he was married to an organist at the time....

hmmm, don't like tabs, don't read music yet.. want some good basslines to play to avoid boredom...

I like the one that goes bom bom da da bom bom bom bom ba dadda bom bom bom...

that one NEVER bores me. In fact, I have pretty much eliminated the letter b from my personal alphabet... that way, I can never be bored.

[Old Cane]

So you just play in C flat? A#? or as my sax friend used to say, A##?

Reminds me of the Monty Python skit. He can't say the letter B (you mean C? Yes that's what I said, B)

[ccrnnr9]

Originally Posted by FirstBassman

I'm not 100% certain I follow from your original post and from the preceding exchange.

Do you mean actual licks from actual songs?

Or do you mean some patterns/riffs in "the style of blues, classic rock, or jazz" like you wrote?

If it's the latter, I can respond with some ideas.

I mean the latter. Licks in the style of jazz, blues, classic rock, reggae, etc.

And as for Old Cane's comment, while I appreciate your advice I never once said that bass bored me or I refuse to do the boring work. I think technique work, scales, dexterity exercises are important and that's why I spend an hour a day doing them. However that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun and learn some new licks and tricks from fellow forum members. I realize bass is repetitive. That is what I love about it. It is easy for me to wrap my head around yet a blast for me while doing it. I'm not a professional musician I just wanna play. I do take your advice. I avoid the use of tabs whenever possible as it makes me use my ears. I also learn from my teacher through his notation that revolves around musical intervals which he explains he will eventually turn into reading off the bass clef.
~Nick

[ccrnnr9]

Originally Posted by getbent

hmmm, don't like tabs, don't read music yet.. want some good basslines to play to avoid boredom...

I like the one that goes bom bom da da bom bom bom bom ba dadda bom bom bom...

Don't take this the wrong way but long before tabs there are other ways of notating things. For example you could do something like Key of A in I, IV, V pattern. It is in 4/4 time and you play the root note, 3rd, 5th, 3rd then back to the root beginning the next measure. I'm not against tabs for quick reference just don't like relying on them.
~Nick

[Tim Armstrong]

We play quite a few I IV V blues progression songs, and to keep from wanting to claw my face off I decided to make playing walking bass FUN by figuring out a some variations, like walking DOWN instead of up, playing with octaves, playing longer scale-based walking figures (more passing notes as you climb up towards the octave), etc. Figure out enough stuff that you can keep switching around enough during a basic blues progress so that you don't get bored but you never stop supporting the song...

Tim

[FirstBassman]

Originally Posted by ccrnnr9

I mean the latter. Licks in the style of jazz, blues, classic rock, reggae, etc.

OK, I will come back this weekend with some.

But just keep in mind I don't want to step on your teacher's toes.

He probably has a certain plan in mind and might not appreciate someone else buttin' in.

[Old Cane]

Oh, sorry. You have titled this Lead Bass.

[mudbean]

There are BASS LICKS?!?

Where the hell have I been ...

mud

[getbent]

Originally Posted by ccrnnr9

Don't take this the wrong way but long before tabs there are other ways of notating things. For example you could do something like Key of A in I, IV, V pattern. It is in 4/4 time and you play the root note, 3rd, 5th, 3rd then back to the root beginning the next measure. I'm not against tabs for quick reference just don't like relying on them.
~Nick

I'm not necessarily advocating for tab... more asking what language you'd like to communicate in. Standard notation, the nashville system (there are a million permutations), tab, etc..

You say how you don't want to communicate... what is your preferred method of communication?

[Old Cane]

I don't really know how many permutations there are. The language of music seems to be pretty universal. 1, 3 minor, b7th........numbers are easy espeicially when you have singers that can't decide what key to sing in

[ccrnnr9]

Originally Posted by getbent

I'm not necessarily advocating for tab... more asking what language you'd like to communicate in. Standard notation, the nashville system (there are a million permutations), tab, etc..

You say how you don't want to communicate... what is your preferred method of communication?

I think tab is useful for us to communicate here or use simple musical reference. When I say I don't want to rely on tab I mean when I want to learn a song I don't want to go straight to tab. It's a good way to check up on yourself and whatnot I would just not like to become dependent on it.
~Nick

[Big Mike Simpson]

I learn some stuff watching other players at clubs or on video...

Try searching you tube for "bass (whatever song you want)"

Find a local Blues jam and go watch and/or play. (I do that a lot)

[FirstBassman]

Originally Posted by ccrnnr9:

I mean the latter. Licks in the style of jazz, blues, classic rock, reggae, etc.

Originally Posted by FirstBassman

OK, I will come back this weekend with some.

But just keep in mind I don't want to step on your teacher's toes.

He probably has a certain plan in mind and might not appreciate someone else buttin' in.

OK, here it is, the first Essential Bass Player Move 101.


I am going to assume that you have at least a basic level of chord theory knowledge and are familiar with intervals.


Put one of your fingers on any note on the fretboard (except on the low E string … we’ll get to that in a moment). At the same fret, one string over toward the ceiling is the fifth of the first note.

Play the first note (the “1”). Then play the second note (the “5.”). Repeat 100 times. Just kidding. As the chord changes, you move to the next chord and do the same thing.

But there you have the most basic essential bass playing riff: The “one-five.” It is most associated with Country music and Country was not on your list but it is appropriate for any song especially one that has a rocking back-and-forth feel to it.

Hot Tuna blues songs, for example, that have this one-five feel to them include “I See The Light” (not really a blues song but no matter), “99 Year Blues” and “Hesitation Blues.”

A typical classic rock song with this one-five back-and-forth feel would be Bad Company’s “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love.” There are a million of them.

And, as I mentioned, almost every single country or country influenced type song.

Oh yeah, what if you start with a note on the low E string. Then you have to use the L-shaped-five method. From wherever you start, move to frets up (toward the pickups) and one string over toward the floor and that is also the five.

You’re all set.

If this is the kind of thing you’re looking for, I will write another one for you.
After that, you gotta pay.

[ccrnnr9]

Right I do understand that. It all clicks in my head. I had a long response typed out but it didn't post for some reason and then got deleted oh well...I will give you the reader's digest version:

So let's say I know I know the chord progression for a rock song persay. C, G, A, D: I encountered this last night when jamming with people. Easy enough to remember but other than playing the root note and maybe doing a simply walking line or sliding into the next chord of the progression I never know what to do in each of these if that makes sense. I was basically stuck playing C, C, C, C, G, G, G, G, A, A, A, A....and so on. You get the point. Other than varying my stroking rhythm there was nothing. The guys I was playing with liked that I had timing but I know they were bored with my stuff other than that.

I don't know if this makes sense. In other words I honestly don't care what lines John Paul Jones, Flea, or Jack Bruce, etc. are playing in their songs as much as I care why they are playing them. I figure if I can figure out the why, the how, what, etc. will come. Maybe I am asking too much for a forum member to answer and if so I know my teacher will get to it, but in the meantime can anyone give me a push in one direction? As of last night every time I tried to move away from the root one each chord progression it just didn't fit. Anyways...I know I'm a rambler...but I'm a curious one! So if anyone has any answers let me know...if not, I'll sit her spinnin records over and over trying to figure it out myself... I guess being unemployed has its benefits...unfortunately they aren't a paycheck, healthcar, dental, 401k, etc.
~Nick

[FirstBassman]

Yes, you did an excellent job describing what you’re asking about.
I (and I’m sure others) understand 1,000%.

It’s the basic question of all bass players – “Other than four quarter-note roots in each measure, what the heck do I play?”
It’s the fundamental question. And there is, I’m sorry, no magic simple answer.

Going with a good local teacher is, IMHO, the best way to get there. It will take a little while (some longer than others) as he goes about explaining things and (hopefully) building toward the “climax” but you will get there!

I just promised I wasn’t going to do this but here are two ideas that you can use right away and will give you a big bang for your buck.

Don’t underestimate the “one-five” of my previous post.
Please remember – the “five” is the bass player’s best friend!
Keep your left hand in the “L” position (first finger on the root, third or fourth finger * two frets up on the next string).
Move your hand around the fretboard as the chord changes.
You can do a lot with just that one and five.
As long as you’re still hitting that downbeat (the “1”) and driving the song along you can mix-up the rhythm patterns of your playing a little bit.

I highly recommend a program like Band in a Box to practice this with.

Here’s another relatively easy little “trick” – arpeggiating (spell?) the chord.
Put your middle finger on the root (C, let’s say). Put your index finger one string toward the floor and one fret back (the third) and, again, keep the third or fourth finger on the five.
Improvise with just those three notes for each chord and you will be in harmony with the rest of the band and it will sound a lot more interesting than just C-C-C-C—G-G-G-G-, etc.

But also remember this very important point: Don’t get too busy.
You're not there to be flashy.

The bass players three jobs are:

1. Keep time
2. Keep harmony
3. Keep people dancing … or bobbing their head, or tapping, whatever. Remember, the audience just doesn’t hear the bass, they feel it also. Casady calls it “your job is to move air.”

Hope that helps. Good luck!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

* Though I’m a firm believer in the one-finger-per-fret principle, I also know it’s a little hard to always accomplish that especially down low where the frets are very far apart … so I “cheat.”

[ccrnnr9]

FirstBassman! Thanks a ton! That's exactly the kind of response I was looking for and I am glad my explanation made sense! I will try that more. I really like the Casady quote you highlight...it is so true. I think the main thing other than using some of those little tricks that will help me is just playing along with records as much as possible and getting out and doing it with others live whenever possible.

One question. You mention the I, V, and III. Are those pretty safe to use for other genres other than rock and country? I'm thinkin' blues? The only reason I ask is because I think of blues and I think I, IV, V. Stupid question I know. I would just try it along with some records now however I don't have access to be able to play until I get home tonight.
~Nick

[WickedGTR]

Listen to a lot of records. Notice the bass is almost always playing on the same beats as the bass drum.

I think a lot of beginning bass players (and others) overlook that. I might be 'more fun' to play something other than the root, 5th, etc., but when they bass drum and bass lock on the same rhythm pattern, you have a rhythm section, rather than a bass player and a drummer. And it makes the music sound good.

[ccrnnr9]

That's a really good point that now that I listen I think I overlooked. I think coming into bass and being an "excited beginner" I want to add all this flavor into my playing when really the most important element is to really soak up your role as part of the rhythm section. Thanks for the advice! I think all this will help so much in getting me by these next couple of weeks.

I also found some youtube vids that will be helpful that I might post just in case a beginner, like myself, comes across this thread in the future through, say, a search. I have found a couple in the last hour of searching that really are helpful to me. Technique isn't always there but the principle of what notes to play and what is appropriate in what situation is. I have my teacher for the technique stuff. He really is a stickler for that...something I am grateful for!
~Nick

[geoff_in_nc]

Nick.... PLEASE slap me if I'm being too basic. I may have misunderstood your what you're asking.

Originally Posted by ccrnnr9

One question. You mention the I, V, and III. Are those pretty safe to use for other genres other than rock and country? I'm thinkin' blues? The only reason I ask is because I think of blues and I think I, IV, V. Stupid question I know.

Not a stupid question. But I think you're confusing the references to the notes "within" a chord (i, iii, v) [note I'm writing them in lower case ONLY to distinguish them from what follows... I know lowercase has a real meaning in notation]and the references to the chords in the key (I, IV, V). So in other words the I chord has its i, iii, and v.... the IV chord has its own i, iii, v, etc.
Here's a major chord arpeggio

G  --|---|---|---|---|-- 
D  --|---|---|---|---|--
A  --|iii|---|---|-v-|--
E  --|---|-i-|---|---|--

The above works at any fret, and can be moved across the strings to the roots on the A or D strings. If you're in a minor chord, you drop the iii note a fret lower. So I think what FirstBassman is saying is: find the root, and you can play the notes in the pattern if nothing else.

I've now exhausted all my knowledge of theory

[FirstBassman]

CCR, glad it was helpful to you. Thanks for saying so. My pleasure.

Originally Posted by WickedGTR

I(t) might be 'more fun' to play something other than the root, 5th, etc., but when they [sic] bass drum and bass lock on the same rhythm pattern, you have a rhythm section, rather than a bass player and a drummer. And it makes the music sound good.

+ a million.

Wicked is exactly right.

This might be a little advanced for you right now, but this is a fantastic article about the bass and drum creating a groove together:

http://www.basssessions.com/aug05/thebeat.html

Originally Posted by ccrnnr9

One question. You mention the I, V, and III. Are those pretty safe to use for other genres other than rock and country? I'm thinkin' blues? The only reason I ask is because I think of blues and I think I, IV, V

See Geoff’s answer. Just like he says – I was talking about the three notes in a major triad chord. The I-IV-V you are talking about are the short-hand chord identities off of a major scale.
There’s actually a relationship between the two (which I won’t get into here) but two different things.

Now (to confuse you even more) your question does bring up the following conundrum:

The I, IV and V of a typical blues progression are all major (or dominant) chords which all have a major third in them.
But yet, when guitarists are first learning to play a blues solos, they learn to play the minor pentatonic scale … which has a flat (or minor) third in it.
If one player in the band is playing chords with major thirds and the soloist, at the same time, is playing a minor third sometimes in his solo won’t that sound dissonant and horrible?

No.
As the Geoffrey Rush character in “Shakespeare in Love” says “Somehow it all works out.”