First Song to Learn on Electric Bass?

[mjs1217]

k, I wanna learn a song before my power goes out (thanks to the hurricane), so please respond pretty quickly:

I'm beginning to learn electric bass; teaching myself
so, whats a good (ie easy) song to learn first? preferably rock or metal, or maybe punk, but as long as its easy...slow might be good, but thats rare in rock or metal bass (to my knowledge).

thanks!

-mjs

[BrockSampson]

With or Without You, by U2.
Stupid simple... :D

[mjs1217]

With or Without You, by U2.
Stupid simple... :D

Eh, it wont sound at all like a song though (like if im trying to show it off to anyone, unless i have an electric guitar player with me, it wont sound like anything)...

anything else?

[Gunther_mag_user]

enter sandman by metallica :headbang: :headbang:
might not be easy, but would be very impressive lol

[mjs1217]

enter sandman by metallica :headbang: :headbang:
might not be easy, but would be very impressive lol

heh, i love that song, but it looks pretty hard..have a look for yourself:


Artist: Metallica
Album: Metallica
Song: "Enter Sandman"
Tabbed by the Fuelman


Intro/Verse Riff

|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|
|--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--1--|


Second Intro Riff
-Okay this is where I had some trouble with the last tab. Jason doesn't go
up onto the E note on the A string like the other two guitars, instead he
fills it in and hangs back with Lars by playing open on the E string.

|--------------------------|
|--------------------------| x3
|--------------------------|
|--0--0--0--6--5--5--0--0--|

|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|
|--3---0--2--0--2--3--2--0--|


Pre-Chorus Riff

|-----------------|--------------|--------------|
|-----------------|--------------|--------------|
|---------2-------|------2-------|------2-------|
|--2-----------2--|-----------2--|-----------2--|

|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|
|--2--2--2--2--2--0--0--1--|


Chorus Riff

|--------------------------|----------------------------|
|--------------------------|----------------------------|
|-----------3--2--2--2-----|----------3--2--2--2--------|
|--2--2--2--------------2--|----2--2--------------2--2--|

|-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|
|-------3--2--2--2------------5-----7--5--------|
|-2--2--------------0----5/7-----7--------7--3--|

|-----------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------|-----------------------------|
|--------3--2--2--2-----|-----------------------------|
|2----2--------------0--|--0--0--2--0--3--0--5--0--3--|
pm .



Would that be too hard for a first song? how long do you think it would take to learn, seeing as im BRAND NEW to playing bass?

[Gunther_mag_user]

ok then lets see..... house of 1000 corpses by rob zombie :headbang:

and btw i dont know how to play bass im jsut telling you good songs lol

[mjs1217]

ok then lets see..... house of 1000 corpses by rob zombie :headbang:

and btw i dont know how to play bass im jsut telling you good songs lol


eh, doesnt seem like itd sound like a full song...

thanks though.


but guys, please keep em coming!!!! idunno when my power will go out, so id like to have some tabs to play till it comes back on

[Chipper]

heh, i love that song, but it looks pretty hard..have a look for yourself:




Would that be too hard for a first song? how long do you think it would take to learn, seeing as im BRAND NEW to playing bass?


Wow, I have played bass before and know its pretty hard, but looking at that and being a guitar player I could not help but laugh.


:rofl: Srry :rofl:


Well, if I were you I would just try improving, or making something up, just 'cause its fun and you can make some cool songs.

[mjs1217]

Wow, I have played bass before and know its pretty hard, but looking at that and being a guitar player I could not help but laugh.


:rofl: Srry :rofl:


Well, if I were you I would just try improving, or making something up, just 'cause its fun and you can make some cool songs.


yea, but with that im much less concerned with it being too hard and much more concerned about it not sounding much like a song without the guitar and/or drums

[Chipper]

yea, but with that im much less concerned with it being too hard and much more concerned about it not sounding much like a song without the guitar and/or drums
True dat. I'm not really sure of how many songs really sound on a solo base though.

[Muzikman]

Pulling Teeth/Anesthesia - Metallica (Long live Cliff)
My Name is Mud - Primus (Les is the man)
The Ox or Pinball Wizard - The Who (Ox, you will be missed)

[BrockSampson]

Sorry, I didn't realize that you'd be playing by yourself. First song I ever played on bass was the James Bond theme. It's fairly repetative and very easy to learn and play. Sting is a favorite of mine to play. A lot of his songs can be very challenging however, but a few are quite simple. Try "Every Breath You Take" or something slow like that to start. Later on, he does some pretty funky stuff for a bass guitar. A few others I enjoy playing solo (which you might as well) are Justin Chancellor, Les Claypool, Geddy Lee and Flea. If you can, pick up a book with any of their music and choose something that's at your level. I know that it's not really practical in the situation you're in now, but it's something to think about for later!

[mjs1217]

Sorry, I didn't realize that you'd be playing by yourself. First song I ever played on bass was the James Bond theme. It's fairly repetative and very easy to learn and play. Sting is a favorite of mine to play. A lot of his songs can be very challenging however, but a few are quite simple. Try "Every Breath You Take" or something slow like that to start. Later on, he does some pretty funky stuff for a bass guitar. A few others I enjoy playing solo (which you might as well) are Justin Chancellor, Les Claypool, Geddy Lee and Flea. If you can, pick up a book with any of their music and choose something that's at your level. I know that it's not really practical in the situation you're in now, but it's something to think about for later!


great, thanks man, ill go look up some tabs for Every Breath You Take and give it a try. I'm also gonna look at My Name is Mud, muzikman.

thanks all!

[personman]

Ode To Joy.

[doc_Zox]

smoke on the water

godzilla

inagaddadavida

ironman

[mjs1217]

Ode To Joy.


Hmm, interestingly enough my brothers friend (pretty good at guitar) randomly came into my room and said "i can play motzart!", sat down, took my base, and played that song. So i was like "hey, what song should i learn?" and he said "this one", so..yeah.

He gave me the tabs for it, so i'm gonna learn that. Thanks though!

[SwankyBubbles]

Nelly - Flap your wings

[The JOE]

You like old punk? Easy stuff?
Learn a bunch of The Ramones' songs. Literally, a bunch. Probably something like 12-13 in the course of an hour. I dunno if they will teach you much but they're just kinda fun.

Other than that I don't have many suggestions, what you requested is outside the realm of what I listen to. Some of the more electric Radiohead stuff (for instance, "Everything in it's Right Place") has some easier stuff. "Myxomatosis" can be easy or hard depending on how many times you've heard the song.

I don't know if this helped you much but I tried.

[AllAmericanMag]

Chick Magnet.
Sunshine of Your Love.

[personman]

Hmm, interestingly enough my brothers friend (pretty good at guitar) randomly came into my room and said "i can play motzart!", sat down, took my base, and played that song. So i was like "hey, what song should i learn?" and he said "this one", so..yeah.

He gave me the tabs for it, so i'm gonna learn that. Thanks though!
Yup, its one of the simplist songs you can learn, and is generally one of the first you learn on ANY instrument..
May I suggest buying a bass book from your local music store and learning out of that? I know, I know, you dont want to play that crap, you want to get strait to the tabs and play your favorate songs, but if you dont learn the fundamentals, you'll never be good at the bass.. its all about technique ;)
Taking lessons might be a good idea too. You'd be suprised how fast you can pick up playing with a private lesson teacher. I've learned how to play two different instruments through private lessons and it really isnt that painful. You just gotta practice :)
Dont try learning by yourself because you will develop bad habits and posture..

[Miltonyz]

Boris the Spider by The Who.

[Mikey B]

easy song is Smoke on the Water. on any string just play 0-4-6-0-4-7-6-0-4-6-4-0

[tony3]

Red white and brainwashed by anti-flag, if you can learn that song for your first song, I'd be very impressed. :rofl:

[Mikey B]

Wait a minute. I know I am about to unleash another plauge... but nobody has mentioned White Stripes. Seven Nation Army is uber easy.

[Mister Sinister]

Five to One by The Doors is hella easy... only 2 notes just G and A in the same pattern over and over...

[-=Squid=-]

Anything by the Misfits is what I recommend to people learning...

[mjs1217]

Er, sorry if I'm a lil late and this thread is a lil' old now, but in case I didn't say it before, Thanks All! I appreciate everyones help. I can now play Ode to Joy fairly well and fairly quick, too...I'm beginning to learn Seven Nation Army now.


Thanks personman, thanks Mikey B., and thanks for all the help everyone!

[Eatem Alive]

"under my thumb" - rolling stones

"soul to squeeze" - red hot chili peppers

"46 & 2" - TOOL

all outstanding bass tracks

[-=Squid=-]

"46 & 2" - TOOL tracks
First song I learned.

Try learning Schism too... Second song I learned.