What song are you currently/next "working on"?

Here’s a piece of music that I keep going back to. It’s incredibly beautiful but it also gives your fretting hand a great work out, particularly with all those double stops making it a good warm-up exercise. You can also amaze all your friends that you are playing classical music on a bass! The sheet music is in Hal Leonard’s Ultimate Bass Son book which I highly recommend with 70 great songs in it (don’t worry, this is about the only classical piece).

3 Likes

I love Pachelbel’s Canon. A lot of modern songs use its chords on the downlow too.

1 Like

Currently working on “Time Is Running Out” by Muse. Seems like one of their more achievable bass lines that isn’t super-boring to play. I’d recommend trying it out. It’s also helping me with a skill I didn’t realize I needed-- stomping on my fuzz pedal at the exact right time.

My brother plays drums and is obtaining an electric drum set so we can “collaborate” remotely. We both got really into Muse back in the day, so learning a few of their songs for that purpose.

2 Likes

Love Muse. “The Small Print” is my go-to Drop D song :slight_smile:

2 Likes

I’m periodically doing I Wannabe Sedated…about 110bpm so far. 50 odd to go. So much fun just root notes!!!

3 Likes

I think I’m going to try Killing In The Name next. I haven’t learned a full song yet so this might be a bit ambitious, but a guitarist I know is learning it so it seems as good a place to start as any.

Has anyone found a reliable set of tab and/or sheet music for this song? Any tips for a beginner trying Drop D for the first time?

4 Likes

Killing In The Name is a great song, but definitely not easy. I’ve played it in the past, but I’ve struggled with it.
I learned it by focussing on small parts and learning in steps. What I also did, is look up some other songs in the same tuning (Drop D), so I could practice RATM and afterwards do some other songs in the same tuning, before referring back to EADG.

I’m currently working on two songs. One is Here comes your man from the Pixies. I’m close to getting it and it’s a whole lot of fun. I’m also working on You’re the one that I want from the movie Grease. That has quick bits (16th notes…) that are challenging to say the least. But it’s nice to work on songs and play along, next to doing the course lessons!

5 Likes

Here’s a link for you, @GanglyCloth . . . :slight_smile:

https://youtu.be/oFicPQh0NtQ

HTH and all best,
Joe

3 Likes

Thanks for the quick reply @Jazzbass19!

With this level of cooperation and support, is there anything the BassBuzz community can’t do? :rocket::full_moon:

3 Likes

Great song and killer bass line. Comerford has the sickest sense of groove and tone out there. I’d say on that song the string crossing and Ghost notes make it a bit harder, but I wouldn’t let difficultly stop you personally. When I was a beginner I practiced Primus, Chili Peppers and Even Victor Wooten riffs. Sure I couldn’t nail them BUT they did with continued effort teach me techniques I am now proficient in. Ghost notes, muting, slap bass, strumming, using partial chords and even double thumbing all came to me from practicing stuff from those players.

2 Likes

I have the hal leonard book for the whole album , all songs there are great ! If you want I can screen grab all of it and send it over.

I’m nearly there with “wake up” .love the tone .

Currently working on “the pot” by tool…without the fancy pedals for the interlude

2 Likes

I wasn’t aware of these, seems awesome! Just finding the Hal Leonard site is going to help me a lot I think, I had no idea it was out there. Are you finding their transcriptions pretty accurate?

Yeah they are good. I wouldn’t say they are a 100% and as you know there is always at least a couple of ways how to play something.

I have the ratm one and a red hot peppers one. I have found people play some of the songs differently online,but it sounds more than good enough.

Also, you get tab and notation, plus lyrics…if you like rage ,the ratm one will give you lots of fun!

1 Like

Continuing to refine Feel Good Inc and Seven Nation Army, doing full playthroughs. Next on the list is this song: Daughters "The Reason They Hate Me" - YouTube

I know all the sections but I have yet to put it together in a full playthrough. And as always there are a bunch of little bits of other stuff I am working on but this the full song I am focusing on right now.

1 Like

Ah, ghost notes. So simple in theory. Even @Lanny has pointed this out in a post many moons ago but I’m damned if I can get them to work regularly.

1 Like

Great find @Jazzbass19. That’s exactly the one that sprung into my head

1 Like

Decided it’s time to finally try and tackle “Something” by The Beatles. It’s not the most difficult bass line, but one of those that requires nailing the soulful feel of Paul’s playing. I mean, it’s not exactly an easy line either-- very minimal repetition of phrases. All in all just a beautiful bass part.

Love Here Comes Your Man…I’ve only done the main riff how is the rest of the song?

1 Like

It’s a great song, and the rest isn’t too hard, except for the syncopation thing (just learned this week in B2B…). Effectively you have to get your timing right, which is where I’m practising at the moment.
I have the full tab in a book from Hal Leonard, a lot better that the stuff you find on the web, and if you can find a book with the songs you like, I’d recommend buying it!

Off course, since it’s copyrighted, I’m not allowed to just post a picture of the pages from the song…

1 Like

“ Whiskey in the Jar “ amongst quite a few others including some Bach !
I’m also desperately seeking a tab for “ Killed by Death” by Motörhead but have only found some sketchy ones so far

2 Likes