Hello everyone, hope all is well and this question is OK for the Lounge and if not, please remove. I am 70 years old and just purchased a Fender MIM Jazz base and a Rumble 100 amp to learn how to play. Also wanting to learn music too! My question is can I get recommendations on CD instrumentals that feature bass??? I am a Classic Rock guy form the 60’s but love all music (except Rap-Sorry). Thanks in advance for all the recommendations!
If you haven’t checked them out yet, looks into Vulfpeck. They’re a new band but with some of their songs you’d swear they were old time Motown. Joe Dart is a madman on bass and his basslines range from “beginner friendly-ish” (“Half of the Way”, “Animal Spirits”) to “Bass God Level 9000+” (Dean Town, Beastly).
Thanks so much Mr. Crispy, I will check them out.
I love that, at this point, they look like a bunch of dads in a garage band. And they are having SO much fun!
What’s a CD? Is it like an app?
Classic rock check out Bad company, foreigner, the Who oh yeah, and my be some Yes if you feel like a rebel.
I actually transcribed this song a while back if you want the notations and tab just let me know.
I’m working on their France concert love the Lonely town. Want that one let me know I’ll drop it in for you when I’m done. Unless you want to collabs on the cover then it’s even better
You too @AZBob1960
Lots of jazz and jazz fusion out there. Check out
Weather Report
Jaco Pastorius
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
Brand X
Return to Forever
Stanley Clarke
Specifically:
Return to Forever - Romantic Warrior
Weather Report - Heavy Weather
Stanley Clarke - School days
Jaco Pastorius - Self titled solo album
Brand X - Product
I still enjoy revisiting some of the music I listened to as a kid. It can be surprising and inspiring to really focus on what they were doing that wasn’t noticed on casual listening. Sit down with a favorite album and really pay attention to the bass. Did you like Joni Mitchell’s Coyote? That was Jaco!
Are you looking for virtuosic playing for inspiration? Or mellow achievable that you can learn some songs off of?
For minimal or no lyrics, I’ll add to the above:
Casiopea - Japanese jazz fusion
Santana (self titled and Abraxas) - most of the tracks are Latin jazz.
Galt McDermot ‘Shapes of Rhythm’ (backed by The Meters), “Coffee Cold” is one of my favorite songs, with a stumbling walking bassline on my “to learn” list.
Look for backing bands doing their own work:
Booker T. and the MG’s (Stax Records), especially ‘McLemore Avenue’ (soul covers of ‘Abbey Road’)
The Meters - especially their self titled
The Funk Brothers (Motown)
I dunno Al, looks too fast for me!
Well yeah! it’s too fast for most of us. My approach is not to jump in and out of a boiling water pot. It’s much better to cook a frog in a pot with cold water then before you know it, it’s done.
I start at 80% if the song is technical sometimes even at 70% then work my way up at 1% increment each session. I aim to end at 110% or even 120% of original speed so when I drop back down to original speed it would be in a very relax range for me.
Here’s my take on Lonely town. I’d drop it down to 80 bpm to transcribe on GP8 then check all my time at 90 bpm because 80 is just too slow, the original tempo is 103.
Have fun practicing. It’s such a fun song. Let me know if you want to collab on a cover.
Original tempo Live version Lonely Town by VulfPeck
90%
80%
But wait there’s more. I just finished this last night.
The notation was easy enough I finished that a week ago, it’s to Tab. I’m still learning to read the Tab, it’s not as easy as one think. Transcribing is one thing playing is another.
If you have Guitar Pro let me know I have the GP8 file, as I made this on GP8
Wow that’s awesome!
I have TuxGuitar, which reads .gp5 and Transcibe!
I had heard casually heard of Vulpeck but didn’t know one damn thing they’d done. @Al1885 has sent me some cool Cory Wong stuff but I didn’t know he was in this band. With all of the mention of Joe Dart and his bass, I didn’t know a damn thing he had done or that he was in this band. The Vulpeck video posted below by @AZBob1960 made it easy for a lazy me to get up to date. Day-um. Enjoyed that band. For some time, I’d been looking to add a MusicMan. A Joe Dart bass is now on the “to get” list.
Yeah Cory Wong is in Vulfpeck. He’s also in Fearless Flyers with Joe, mark and Nate (Smith). Then he’s also doing his own Cory Wong thing along with collabs with a bunch of people.
His music alone keep me busy. We (our band) missed the opportunity to jam with the funky horn section visiting from Thailand a few months ago. We made a deal for their next visit to jam together the next time they visit.
Their Madison Square Garden concert is a fun one as well. Probably one of the few times you’ll hear that much cheering for the bass player.
Those rugs really tie the set together.
Thanks, Al1885, I have seen all these except for the Who live in concert. Enjoy my classic rock but looking for great music featuring bass without any vocals! Appreciate your input!
Thank you!
Thanks so much!
Thanks BeerBaron!
Me too! I haven’t had much luck with that, so far.
We kinda sidetracked your original request.