5 Beginner Bass Songs You Shouldn't Skip...

I got asked recently what the best beginner bass songs are.

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The question came in a comment and I can't decide if there's such a thing as good beginner bass lines.

On the one hand I do feel that beginners should learn the music they find interesting as that will keep them on the bass.

But, what if they don't know where to start or want a recommendation?

And, speaking as a teacher, should I not also give them things that will help them develop?

How could learning a song also help a beginner progress?

Well, let's start things off with a song that has a clear benefit once learned.

1. With Or Without You - U2

An example of this would be something like "With Or Without You" by U2.

For a beginner, I feel the benefits are obvious. It's one of the easiest bass lines to learn because it has for notes that just loop round for the whole song.

And it helps beginners develop a steady technique. They also learn a song quickly so they can start to enjoy playing right away.

So technique is all beginners need to know?

Well, no. They need to learn way more than that.

Like what?

They need to learn to lock with a drummer for one thing.

What does that mean?

2. 100 - Tommy Simms

In a lot of pop, rock, soul, funk and RnB music, the bass drum and the bass guitar play the same rhythm. The parts work together. Compliment one another and this is what I mean by locking together.

I always give my beginner students 100 by Tommy Simms as a song to learn that shows them this. It's one of the best beginner bass riffs that shows this concept.

That doesn't seem difficult though. Just tell them to play at the same time.

Well, it's not that easy. Unlike technique, this involves making sure you listen to yourself, the drummer you're playing with and the sound of you together.

There's a much more abstract side to it. After all, it's a concept.

So learning bass as a beginner isn't just about moving your fingers properly?

Sadly not. There's actually a set of intellectual skills you need to master.

What does that mean? Intellectual skills?

3. 12 Bar Blues

A 12 bar blues isn't a song as such. It's what we call a standard form. Basically, a blueprint of a song that artists take and adapt in their own way.

So, if artists adapt it into their own songs, could you just learn the notes of that particular version?

In a word...possibly.

Most blues songs are improvised so there are no set group notes. To improvise you need to know some theory and to have developed your ears.

How do you know which notes to play then?

This is where the abstract theory skills like knowing chord arpeggios come in handy. When playing a blues you'll get a chord sheet and you have to make the bass line from that.

It may also help to know a little history about the evolution of blues music so you can create easy bass riffs to use or a walking bass line in the blues.

Now, there's a conflict of interest here isn't there?

Learning set bass lines is great but it seems like they'll only teach you motor skills like technique. And it's really clear that beginners need to know more than that.

They need to understand what they are playing.

So what about learning "Learn To Fly" by Foo Fighters?

4. Learn To Fly

You could look at TABS online and understand that the bass line starts on the 2nd fret of the A string, then goes down to 2nd fret of the E string and then to an open E but that's not what I mean.

Do you understand what those notes are called?

Maybe not.

Do you understand why the bass line uses those notes and not some others?

Not really.

So in practice, is this much different from just learning the motor skills needed to play a song?

No.

Don't get me wrong, "Learn To Fly" is a great song for beginners to learn but we're stuck on a bigger issue here.

Beginners need to learn songs to develop physical skills like technique. But, if they only learn to play songs without ever understanding what they're playing then they won't ever develop themselves fully and likely get stuck in a rut later down the line.

And most end up wanting to quit because they can't get better.

So what should they do? Just keep learning songs that don't properly benefit them or just accept that they'll never get that good?

The answer to both is no.

What's needed is a way of learning that helps develop both physical and intellectual skills.

Don't follow me? Hang tight for a second.

Let's use My Girl by The Temptations to demonstrate the point.

5. My Girl - The Temptations

The point here isn't the song. It's the way you learn the song.

Rather than getting TABS off the internet, try working this one out by ear. That will develop your ear and your technique.

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