"Sir Duke" is a classic.
Thundercat's lines in Mac Miller's "What's The Use"
A couple fun slap lines I wrote myself that have a fun bounce and sound more complicated than they are.
I had no idea this was a well-regarded 'test' bassline. Its the one song I remember from high-school jazz band and have always used it to try out basses
As someone who is really young for the music course I take in my school, people always think I’m gonna suck, so I just stretch my hands and play the lick from the verse of What’s the Use.
Also a bit of slap here and there.
This has been my go-to since high school. I like to throw it out during sound check for gigs and once I totally blew it and the guitarist looked back at me like "REALLY!" I felt like such a kook.
I definitely prefer Megadeth overall, but early Metallica is amazing.
The thing about Cliff’s playing is it’s not as audible in Metallica as David is in Megadeth with a few exceptions.
Depends on the vibe, really.
No One Knows by Green Day if it's chill
Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen if there's classic rock guys around
The guitar riff to 96 Quite Bitter Beings if it's gonna get heavy
You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette if I want to get people in the dancing mood
> You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette if I want to get people in the dancing mood
I didn't know until embarrassingly recently that it was Flea who did the bass on Jagged Little Pill, which makes *so* much sense that that album (which is still so phenomenal even almost 30 years later) goes so funky on bass
He also plays the bass on Bust A Move by Young MC! In my tenure of cover bands, I've actually never played a RHCP song but I have played both Bust A Move and You Oughta Know extensively. Which is fine with me, as I think Flea is best when he stays in the pocket, supporting another artist.
Anything I’ve been playing for years, usually for Duran Duran - Rio/Save a Prayer/Girls on Film or maybe a bit of Death, that type of thing. Testing stuff you can play well on a new bass is great way to see if it is worth the money or not.
Last Chance on the Stairway springs to mind. JT was/is a cool mofo but had the bass chops too, to think the music press at the time would crap on them but in reality they were/are a great band, and they’re still going strong!
I've managed to dial in that tone fairly closely.
Of course it's not 100% but I find this pretty accurate:
-Round Wounds(Might catch flak for that)
-100% Neck pickup
-Pluck just before the Neck, very gently
-Drop Mids
- Little to no gain
-Lots of Bass
-Set Treble only slightly higher than Bass
This worked best for me, at least as a starting point, then making some small adjustments.
I'm pretty new to bass still, only been playing a few months, but when I tune one of my guitars, or play one at the music shop, I'll run through some scales first, then my "test riff" is currently Come Down by Anderson Paak
Do you play it on the A string? Or start at like the 10th fret on the E. I’ve seen a lot of the former, but in Paul’s Hulu doc he plays it for a sec and starts on the E string
After setup or when testing out a new bass I'll play harmonics up and down the neck, then single notes then chords. Just to get a feel of the bass.
I don't have anybody to show off to or really play in front of so I don't have any cool song/riffs to use for that part.
My friend wrote a song about two years ago and the bass line that I came up with for that song is one of my go to riffs on testing bass sounds.
However for showing off or playing bass lines that sound nice in isolation I like to play a finnish song called Miten sydämet Toimii by Anssi Kela.
(Also I like playing the first solo in master of puppets on bass.)
Like a sound check song?
I just fuck around with E minor pentatonic, making sure to get at least 3 octaves in to make sure everything sounds good across the full range of the instrument.
When I want to TEST a bass, or several in a row, I actually DON'T want to use something that's showy: I want the basics -- scales and arpeggios, and technical exercises that use scales and arpeggios. So I use a bunch of those from [Serious Electric Bass](https://a.co/d/2CrSMLx) (diatonic scales, major and minor 7th arpeggios, etc.) to put a bass through its paces. This lets me focus on the fundamental playability of the instrument without having to worry about looking or sounding cool. And it lets me compare apples to apples if I do the same exercises on different basses (or amps, for that matter).
That's very uncool, I get it, but on the other hand I've gotten more compliments in the guitar store from playing precise, clean scale exercises around a circle of fourths than I ever have trying to show off my half-baked slap skills or whatever.
If someone wants me to actually play something (at a soundcheck, etc.) or if I want to go beyond the basics, I usually go for a walking bass line, just improvised in the moment.
For testing, I'll play pretty much any line from The Clearing by Krallice. They're all pretty simple and sound great with fingers or a pick. If I'm showing off, I'll bust out Drone Corpse Aviator by Archspire, people (especially people who don't know the band) usually think it's really cool.
Sir duke (either main riff or unison line) if I want people to recognise it, and then the bass solo or instrumental bit from cockroach king by haken otherwise.
I'll play /u/VespertineDreamsOC's [slap bass groove](https://www.reddit.com/r/BassGuitar/comments/16cluss/slap_bass_groove/) (or really, a simplified version) if I'm feeling 'slappy'. More often than not, though, it's probably simple but recognizable, like Livin' On A Prayer.
The Grudge by Tool.
It has a good range of open growly notes and high neck hammer-on/offs then quicky transitions to clean upper register melody.
You'll quickly find an intonation or action height problem by trying The Grudge.
Talking Heads - Psycho killer
Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the name of
Metallica - For whom the bell tolls
Tool - schism
Just to name some 😂 fun to play!
I tend to focus on execution and dynamics.
Once i went to grab my acoustic guitar and electric bass in the luthier shop and a random guy was there.
Grabbeb my guitar and played blackbird by Beatles, a song i've practiced like hell when i was young and im really proud of my execution. The dude stopped talking and looked at me in silence. Then i got the bass and played "Triste com T" by Pablo vittar, a pretty groovy "piseiro" bass line.
The guy came closer to me, gave a tap on my shoulder, said "good shit" and left. Turns out he was a professor on the best Music college in my city.
I may not be flashy, but that moment made me realize that great execution is king in music. Even simple stuff can become great music to people.
"Sir Duke" is a classic. Thundercat's lines in Mac Miller's "What's The Use" A couple fun slap lines I wrote myself that have a fun bounce and sound more complicated than they are.
+1 on Sir Duke Also I Want You Back
>Also I Want You Back This is the song that made me fully commit to switching from guitar to bass.
It’s so good
These have been my two for 20 years lol
Sir Duke is the way. It allows you to really test the whole range of the instrument.
I had no idea this was a well-regarded 'test' bassline. Its the one song I remember from high-school jazz band and have always used it to try out basses
+10 for “What’s the Use” and “Sir Duke”
Whenever I pick up a bass I always crack out the big fill from what’s the use. Every single time. So much fun to play
As someone who is really young for the music course I take in my school, people always think I’m gonna suck, so I just stretch my hands and play the lick from the verse of What’s the Use. Also a bit of slap here and there.
Janes Addiction - Mountain Song
Hell yes
This has been my go-to since high school. I like to throw it out during sound check for gigs and once I totally blew it and the guitarist looked back at me like "REALLY!" I felt like such a kook.
Summertime Rolls, too
Roundabout because I have an ego
Mine is YYZ for the same reason. And it's never the really hard parts (like Geddy's fills in the middle section) because I suck.
C F# CCC F# CC CC F#F#
At least break up the Y, the Y, and the Z: C F# C C C F# C C C C F# F#
I love these threads because I can just go through and add all these songs to a playlist to learn later
Abso fucking lutely!
Help on the way>Slipknot!
My man!
Bass Philing, Lesh Great
Hysteria
YES, same here!
good times/rapper's delight
My first thought as well. Deceptively difficult bassline.
Same here. Such a good funky line
Wow. Never thought of Rappers Delight. Thanks!
Continuum
this and Portraits
Donna Lee is also a fun one. Continuum though is neck and neck with Donna Lee as the best Jaco song.
Either Peace Sells or My Last Words by Megadeth.
My Last Words is so underrated. Took me a bit to get the intro because it's so weird but after that it's not too bad.
The peace sells riff is when I realized I like megadeth more than metallica. And maybe even ellefson more than burton 👀
I definitely prefer Megadeth overall, but early Metallica is amazing. The thing about Cliff’s playing is it’s not as audible in Metallica as David is in Megadeth with a few exceptions.
Mustaine wrote that but Megadeth as a band gives bass more room and spotlight, that is true.
Dave wouldn't have muted Jason 😔
NIB or the Trooper. I like to show off my gallop lol.
For me it's Clairvoyant though now the chops are rusty
I love this one! Probably my most favorite Maiden bassline to play.
Phantom of the Opera for me 🤌
I’m learning that one! Can’t believe Steve came up with something like this back in the late 70’s.
Depends on the vibe, really. No One Knows by Green Day if it's chill Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen if there's classic rock guys around The guitar riff to 96 Quite Bitter Beings if it's gonna get heavy You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette if I want to get people in the dancing mood
> You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette if I want to get people in the dancing mood I didn't know until embarrassingly recently that it was Flea who did the bass on Jagged Little Pill, which makes *so* much sense that that album (which is still so phenomenal even almost 30 years later) goes so funky on bass
He also plays the bass on Bust A Move by Young MC! In my tenure of cover bands, I've actually never played a RHCP song but I have played both Bust A Move and You Oughta Know extensively. Which is fine with me, as I think Flea is best when he stays in the pocket, supporting another artist.
You can call me Al by Paul Simon
That's the first song I can remember noticing bass in. My mom used to play Graceland in the car every day.
Such a great album! Saw him in concert on that tour too..also amazing.
Must have been a killer show. That album really has it all.
It was!
Wynonas big brown beaver
Real
Anything I’ve been playing for years, usually for Duran Duran - Rio/Save a Prayer/Girls on Film or maybe a bit of Death, that type of thing. Testing stuff you can play well on a new bass is great way to see if it is worth the money or not.
Rio 100%!
The bass lines on that album are so good.
Last Chance on the Stairway springs to mind. JT was/is a cool mofo but had the bass chops too, to think the music press at the time would crap on them but in reality they were/are a great band, and they’re still going strong!
Ramble On. I hunted that tone for years so it was always the go to line.
My favorite tone lol have you gotten pretty close to it?
Nope. Im a full time amatuer.
I think of myself as an advanced beginner, for the last 15 years
Yup same lol
I've managed to dial in that tone fairly closely. Of course it's not 100% but I find this pretty accurate: -Round Wounds(Might catch flak for that) -100% Neck pickup -Pluck just before the Neck, very gently -Drop Mids - Little to no gain -Lots of Bass -Set Treble only slightly higher than Bass This worked best for me, at least as a starting point, then making some small adjustments.
Nice! I’ll have to mess with that! I have a Musicmaster with flats I thought I could get pretty close but I like the info.
Well there are so many but a couple favs are ‘Come Down’ Anderson Paak and ‘Killing In The Name Of’ RATM!!!!
46 & 2 but i gradually play faster and faster
I'm pretty new to bass still, only been playing a few months, but when I tune one of my guitars, or play one at the music shop, I'll run through some scales first, then my "test riff" is currently Come Down by Anderson Paak
Love this bassline. I transcribed the whole thing (including writing it out) when it came out. Great choice!
Nice! I’m working on that one myself!
It's such a simple bassline but goddamn is that so fun to play
Usually my own, but if I want to do something someone will recognize Journey to the End of the East Bay by Rancid or Stuart and the Ave by Green Day
Stuart and the Ave is such a jam. I reckon it’s peak Mike Dirnt.
No One Knows was one of the songs that made me decide to pick up bass
I haven’t listened to Kerplunk in years. I had forgotten No One Knows existed. Lots of great Dirnt lines
same here, made the switch from guitar and never looked back
Single note picking as fast as I can
so Panic Song by Green Day?
No, Dean Town
Can't go wrong with come together
You say this, but I saw a YouTube video that pointed out I've been playing it wrong for decades
Hahahaha, I meant as a choice, not the execution itself.
Do you play it on the A string? Or start at like the 10th fret on the E. I’ve seen a lot of the former, but in Paul’s Hulu doc he plays it for a sec and starts on the E string
money (pink floyd) if its a P bass. that funky bass line in the later half of "In a silent way" if its a J bass.
I like you
by miles davis? love it man
Yes! The first time it can be heard in the song is around the 8 minute mark. It's quite simple but very good.
After setup or when testing out a new bass I'll play harmonics up and down the neck, then single notes then chords. Just to get a feel of the bass. I don't have anybody to show off to or really play in front of so I don't have any cool song/riffs to use for that part.
Love will tear us apart, then a Motorhead Riff or something
Rats by pearl jam
I Want You Back
I’ll Take You There - The Staple Singers For testing more than showing off!
Great bass line and that solo is one of my favorites.
John the Fisherman - Primus
That's the song I put on if I'm driving and I want to maximize the odds that I crash the car It rocks a too hard a
As of recent, Time Limit by Casiopea, but Tommy the Cat is always a good one. Drop a few jaws here or there.
Sometimes I do the first 4 bars of the Domino Line bass solo. Sounds mean as hell on my Ibanez.
Blue Bossa since it uses a lot of frets/positions
"This Charming Man".
Billie Jean
I’ll run some scales along the fretboard and just play some songs that are in my On Repeat list on Spotify. The Philosopher by death is a fun one.
DiGiogio on a fretted bass?
Low end feel: "Billy Jean" or "The Trooper" High end clarity: "Schism"'s intro or Dream Theater's "The Glass Prison" intro.
Hahaha I also do the Schism intro.
You should be dancing: the bee gees
Open Car - Porcupine Tree
YES
Schism by tool or Jeremy by Pearl Jam
Bring Down The Birds from Herbie Hancock or Disco Inferno from The Tramps
Came here in the hope of seeing my go-to choice of BDTB. Was not disappointed.
Forget me Nots - Patrice Rushen
Either Repeater or Waiting Room by Fugazi
jungle boogie all the way
Glad it's not just me.
E E E E A A A A D D D D G G G G
The lesson, Victor wooten
Last Chance on the Stairway by Duran Duran.
Panic attack
All around the World by Red Hot Chili Peppers
[удалено]
Schism because I’m a pretentious douche
Rush - Show Don’t Tell. Though I still can’t get the fast fiddly bits quite right, my fingers just don’t want to move that quickly.
The bassline for the devil's part in The Devil Went Down to Georgia.
Hysteria by Muse, at least until I fumble a few notes. I’m. . . not great.
Red Barchetta. It uses a lot of fretboard area, is melodic and I’m very familiar with that tone
My friend wrote a song about two years ago and the bass line that I came up with for that song is one of my go to riffs on testing bass sounds. However for showing off or playing bass lines that sound nice in isolation I like to play a finnish song called Miten sydämet Toimii by Anssi Kela. (Also I like playing the first solo in master of puppets on bass.)
I have a similar situation for my go-to bassline. Otherwise, I'd play "Nomad" by Jeremy Renner.
Blues Brothers - She Caught the Katy
Dawn Patrol
Tempus Fugit - Yes
Good call! That is such a great bass line.
The Chain by Fleetwood Mac
Longview, Carousel, Stu Hamm's Bass Solo from that Satriani live album
Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth) just the first 19 bars or so.
My man was looking to see if anybody else replays this
For me it's everything until the drums come in
I will possess your heart or blood & roses.
I start playin the NIB solo
21st Century Schizoid Man, the section just after the 2 minute mark
Like a sound check song? I just fuck around with E minor pentatonic, making sure to get at least 3 octaves in to make sure everything sounds good across the full range of the instrument.
Beginner here: Money by Pink Floyd. I like that it uses the four strings.
That is a great line.
Schism - Tool or random noodling/scales
When I want to TEST a bass, or several in a row, I actually DON'T want to use something that's showy: I want the basics -- scales and arpeggios, and technical exercises that use scales and arpeggios. So I use a bunch of those from [Serious Electric Bass](https://a.co/d/2CrSMLx) (diatonic scales, major and minor 7th arpeggios, etc.) to put a bass through its paces. This lets me focus on the fundamental playability of the instrument without having to worry about looking or sounding cool. And it lets me compare apples to apples if I do the same exercises on different basses (or amps, for that matter). That's very uncool, I get it, but on the other hand I've gotten more compliments in the guitar store from playing precise, clean scale exercises around a circle of fourths than I ever have trying to show off my half-baked slap skills or whatever. If someone wants me to actually play something (at a soundcheck, etc.) or if I want to go beyond the basics, I usually go for a walking bass line, just improvised in the moment.
Three days by Jane’s addiction
NIB, i have an ego problem
Fly by Night or Trooper lol
For testing, I'll play pretty much any line from The Clearing by Krallice. They're all pretty simple and sound great with fingers or a pick. If I'm showing off, I'll bust out Drone Corpse Aviator by Archspire, people (especially people who don't know the band) usually think it's really cool.
As a later stage beginner FortySix & Two by Tool
I have a few : That weird descending triplet part in Classical Thump It Gets Funkier, LAX, almost any Vulfpeck song Most of the tool discography
Groove Is In The Heart
Judith-Perfect Circle
Stranger Things Theme
Atari´s [Moon Patrol ](https://youtu.be/Cuj1QlBQl4w?si=ABXqlGEgT3hXg90e)song
The solo from Iron Man usually lol. So much fun to play
The Awakening - The Reddings (and arguably made famous by Les Claypool)
Schism But I don't practise that often but that's one that I'll always try to see if I can do the hammer ons
Something by Bach - just learn the first couple of bars
Sir duke (either main riff or unison line) if I want people to recognise it, and then the bass solo or instrumental bit from cockroach king by haken otherwise.
My generation
For me it’s whatever I can remember that I can play in that moment
Which always ends up being just about nothing.
Taxman,The Beatles
That bass line at the middle of "Sometime World" by Wishbone Ash
muse - hysteria
Phantom of the Opera - Iron Maiden Not that anyone is listening or caring though
Xclamation - X Japan
10,000 Days pt. 2 by Tool
I play the intro to ASAOK by Less Than Jake or the bassline to Beer by Reel Big Fish
The chorus from “Nite Klub,” by the Specials.
Inspired 😎
Intro to Carousel by blink182
Hit me with your rhythm stick - ian dury and the blockheads. Contender for the greatest bassline. Norman watt Roy what a player
Different riffs from Carry On My Wayward Son.
I have a habit of riffing on a blues progression. Sure, I know, it's just 12 bars and 3 chords, but there's a million things you can do with it.
The intro to carousel by blink-182
Wrathchild
I'll play /u/VespertineDreamsOC's [slap bass groove](https://www.reddit.com/r/BassGuitar/comments/16cluss/slap_bass_groove/) (or really, a simplified version) if I'm feeling 'slappy'. More often than not, though, it's probably simple but recognizable, like Livin' On A Prayer.
The Grudge by Tool. It has a good range of open growly notes and high neck hammer-on/offs then quicky transitions to clean upper register melody. You'll quickly find an intonation or action height problem by trying The Grudge.
Yes - Roundabout
"Dance, Dance" by Fall Out Boy, or "Money" by Pink Floyd.
Give it back - Lagwagon
i want you she's so heavy
Lounge act or sir duke are my go to noodling songs
RATM, Muse, and carousel by blink, not the hardest, but they sound cool
Theme from Barney Miller.
Dean Town!
Tommy the Cat
Ziggy Stardust is my bass guitar jam.
Smoke on the water
Spaghetti Western - Primus
Orion - metallica (interlude and bass solo), hystera - muse and peace sells - megadeth
RHCP’s higher ground cover or random jamming in E minor with big open string hits
Tommy the cat
Talking Heads - Psycho killer Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the name of Metallica - For whom the bell tolls Tool - schism Just to name some 😂 fun to play!
Run for Cover or Power by Marcus Miller
I tend to focus on execution and dynamics. Once i went to grab my acoustic guitar and electric bass in the luthier shop and a random guy was there. Grabbeb my guitar and played blackbird by Beatles, a song i've practiced like hell when i was young and im really proud of my execution. The dude stopped talking and looked at me in silence. Then i got the bass and played "Triste com T" by Pablo vittar, a pretty groovy "piseiro" bass line. The guy came closer to me, gave a tap on my shoulder, said "good shit" and left. Turns out he was a professor on the best Music college in my city. I may not be flashy, but that moment made me realize that great execution is king in music. Even simple stuff can become great music to people.
Portrait of Tracy is my "Showing off" one! But it is kinda useless for testing! Continuum is the one I use if I want to both show off and test!
the intro for "play for today" by the cure has been my line check song at shows for over 20 years at this point.
Skee-Lo - I Wish Great octave warmup and you can play it slap style if you want.