OK - So This Bass Thingy - How long before I can play it along the Beatles?

[Taverner]

I could play the Keyboard alongside the Beatles

I could probably play the guitar alongside the Beatles

But HOW LONG UNTIL I CAN PLAY MY BASS????

Because I tried, and it was bad, very bad

Their music is harder to jam with a bass to than you'd think!

[Taverner]

1. May I add that The Beatles are far more complex than you would think

Musically, as well as lyrically...

[Brickbat]

2. I haven't tackled any Beatles' songs yet with mine.

I'm still plugging away with the standards -- Soundgarten's "Spoonman," Alice in Chains' "Rotten Apple," and Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love." Oh, and "Down on the Corner," so I can jam with Mr. Brickbat.

[BarbaRosa]

3. Paul's bass lines are deceptive.

Any Beatle song I've learned took a lot more time than one would think. I'm still working out "I Saw Her Standing There". Good luck, but have fun.

[Throd]

4. Same goes for George Harrison

[kentauros]

5. Maybe you should have gotten a Chapman Stick instead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjqUylpsQKc :)

[Kat45]

6. The Chapman Stick is such a cool instrument.

I saw Stick Men in concert last month. I had never seen this instrument before and I found it interesting to hear the different sounds that come out of it. I was fascinated watching Tony Levin.

[kentauros]

8. It IS a cool instrument!

Probably takes a lot of talent to play it, too, though it's so different from a standard guitar or bass. That's cool you got to see Levin's band! I remember seeing Bill Bruford ages ago, but would love to see any of the guys from King Crimson these days :D

I never saw King Crimson back in the 80s or later, but Tony Levin was with them then. Here's a live version of "Elephant Talk" with him opening on the Stick:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MEZ55EQOcE

[Kat45]

21. Then you would have loved this show.

Stick Men opened for the Adrian Belew power trio, then after the two band's sets there was a third set, with Levin, Belew and Pat Mastelotto (all three from Crimson, of course) doing all Crimson material. The show was in a club and band members were around between sets and after the show, when I had a chance to talk to Adrian Belew.

[meegbear]

11. There are three requirements for playing a Stick ....

1. You must be bald.
2. You must have a mustache.
3. You must be named Tony Levin.

[kentauros]

12. Those three may not be enough.

This should do it:

4. You must be one hell of a bass player already!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMPQkIaQEgI

:hi:

[MilesColtrane]

7. Try this one:

It's not incredibly hard. It's just a blues tune basically, but it grooves really hard and there are a couple of fills/transitional things that Paul does that just make you go YEAHH!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGopUELFC-I



You can eventually work your way up to Dear Prudence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ppmdvXsMBE

[hifiguy]

9. I'd probably recommend "I Saw Her Standing There"

because the changes are pretty straightforward. That was the first Beatles song I learned on bass. McCartney does a lot of very subtle melodic stuff that takes a while to pick up on. "She Loves You" might be another line of approach, though the major/minor shifts are a little thornier.

McCartney's real master classes on rock bass are on "Abbey Road." When I had to learn "Come Together" a few years ago for the band I was in I had to sit and listen carefully to it several times and I have been playing bass for almost 40 years. "Something" is his masterpiece, and an absolute pig of a part to play decently, much less well.

[mulsh]

10. Get Back -roof top version, bass is pretty much just 2 notes.

it was pretty cold up there. easy to play along with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqiAl84ipIk

[HopeHoops]

13. Do you have enough of this?

If not, a LOOOOONNNGGG time.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

14. Start with simpler bass pieces

Like Primus

:hide:

[dawg]

15. Hey!

I *am* the Frizzle Fry. :hi:

[Nuclear Unicorn]

17. Dawgy!

Dude, so many cool things have been happening lately. How's tricks?

[dawg]

18. Tricks?

Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids.

But can old dawgs learn new tricks? I'll be sure to let you know. :P

[dawg]

16. Paul is an amazing bass player.

I know this sounds impossible, but I think the Beatles are an underrated band in terms of chops.

[NoGOPZone]

19. The focus has always been on their songwriting and production techniques

so their musicianship does get ignored a lot. Jack Bruce included McCartney with Jamerson, Jaco Pastorius and himself as the best electric bass players ever.

[hifiguy]

20. I would add Jack Casady and the immortal

John "The Ox" Entwistle to that list, as well as Stanley Clarke and maybe, just maybe Chris Squire. In any case, the best of the best is a short list.