How Flea, Paul McCartney, and Mike Dirnt Write Their Basslines: Basslines From Scratch 8/9
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►► FREE: Want to know if your basslines are actually good? Download the Basslines From Scratch Checklist to make sure! → becomeabassist.com/bass-lines...
Want to watch the whole Basslines From Scratch series?
There’s almost nothing better for your own bassline writing than studying some of the greatest bass players’ lines.
That’s exactly what we’ll be doing in lesson #8 of the Basslines From Scratch series.
In this video, I’ve found 3 songs by some of the most iconic bass players ever - Paul McCartney, Flea and Mike Dirnt - and they’re all written over the same chord progression.
This is perfect for us because it lets us see how each player approaches each song differently. Paul McCartney bass lines will be different to Flea bass lines which will also be different to Mike Dirnt bass lines.
We can see how they used different notes, different rhythms, different approaches, the range they play everything in. Even just looking at a few bars of each song can be hugely eye-opening.
If you go through this process with a few different basslines, then you can take the lessons you learn and apply them directly to your own basslines.
By the way, the songs might have the same chord progression, but they were all in different keys. To make things easier to compare, all the lines have been transposed to the key of G.
When you listen closely to each song from this lesson, you can hear how each song has a completely different feel and sound, even though the chords were the same.
Why?
It all comes back to the song. If you tried to play the bassline from one song in another, it just wouldn’t make sense. Each line was specifically crafted to function within the song, and that is the lesson you can apply to every bassline that you ever make.
Serve the music you’re playing.
But once you have a bassline and you think it serves the song, how can you know for sure? The last thing you want is to create a line that’s distracting, non-functional, or just doesn’t work. To make sure that never happens to you, I’ve created the Basslines From Scratch Checklist.
If you want to make sure your basslines are always serving the music, just run them through the checklist. If so, then great! Don’t change a thing. If not though, you’ll know exactly what you can do to make sure your lines are as good as they can possibly be.
To get the checklist, just go here:
becomeabassist.com/bass-lines...
Fill out the form on that page, and I’ll send it to you - 100% free. The checklist also comes with the tabs and notation for the songs in this lesson as well. You can get them in their original keys as well as the transposed versions for easy comparison.
As always, if you have any questions about anything you’ve seen in this lesson, just let me know! I’m always happy to answer questions in the comment section.
Good luck with the lesson and happy bassline making!
Cheers,
Luke
P.S. Here’s the direct link to get the Basslines From Scratch Checklist that will take your basslines to new heights:
becomeabassist.com/bass-lines...
Пікірлер: 58
Don't forget that when McCartney recorded that bass guitar part, he had no expectation that all that orchestration (which he hated) was going to be added.
all my favourite bassists thanks man
@BecomeABassist
5 жыл бұрын
No worries! Thanks for checking it out.
5:07 "Kick Drum and Bass Drum are like one instrument" lol
@BecomeABassist
5 жыл бұрын
Haha! Whoops. Slip of the tongue!
The bass line on "Let It Be" is high because it was played with a Fender Bass VI (not a Höfner Violin Bass, a Rickenbacker 4001 or a Fender Jazz Bass (as these were the basses Macca used to play)). For those who don't know it, the Fender Bass VI is a kind of fusion instrument between a guitar and a bass. These kind of basses are also known as "baritone guitars", and they usually have six strings tuned like a guitar but in a lower octave.
@mrbunghole
2 жыл бұрын
It’s also John Lennon, isn’t it?
@velvetwatermelon2647
2 жыл бұрын
Yeah John originally played his Fender 6 on the track but the bass track we hear on the record is played by Paul on his Rickenbacker. I think he and some other studio engineers had Johns bass part erased because it was too sloppy so Paul overdubbed a new bass part to the song.
@khbgkh
11 ай бұрын
A baritone guitar is actually a separate instrument but otherwise spot on
@Pierfra007
11 ай бұрын
actually the Bass VI is a 30" bass with two added strings like a guitar, but the octave is exactly the same as a standard bass. McCartney wrote most of his lines in the upper register, it's his melodic attitude. consider that the bass in "The long and winding road" is also a Bass VI played by Lennon. the Bass VI is a bass guitar, same octave, same gauge of strings, and McCartney used to play the bass on the upper register most of the time once he started writing articulate lines. it's a typical way of writing when you want the line to be melodic.
Mike is not a bass player hes a bass God
@TKMMA_
3 жыл бұрын
So true also like the name
@otischance9144
2 жыл бұрын
i dont mean to be so off topic but does anybody know a tool to get back into an instagram account?? I was stupid forgot the account password. I love any tips you can give me
@jonathankingsley3956
2 жыл бұрын
@Otis Chance instablaster :)
@otischance9144
2 жыл бұрын
@Jonathan Kingsley Thanks so much for your reply. I found the site thru google and Im in the hacking process now. Seems to take a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
Mike also uses a pick technique which I think also perks up the sound. I try to imitate his sound Green day is my favorite lol
John Lennon plays bass in Let it be
@awesomenesschannel4159
4 жыл бұрын
N. T. Yeah because paul is on keys
@stevevacca6392
4 жыл бұрын
Really? Lennon play the keys on Obi Di and I think on Lady Madonna.
@thatmarchingarrow
3 жыл бұрын
@@stevevacca6392 Paul plays piano on Lady Madonna, but it's John playing piano on Hey Bulldog, which is the song they were actually recording when the video for Lady Madonna was filmed.
@bobbiemiles-foremaniii8747
3 жыл бұрын
McCartney is Def always playing keys on let it be
Thanks a lot for this video. As a bass player we really need to have a philosophy to our play to be remembered. This video allowed me to figure out precisely the thought process of those bass players. Thanks a ton! :)
Awesome video, man. Very good comparisons and analysis. :)
I play the Bass for a group for a language I'm not very fluent with. I do find it hard to keep up with the tones and timings but these artists in the video don't seem to actually worry about the language but more the place where the notes belong and how to enhance the feel of these notes. I will try to make use of this idea in my future basslines, Thank you.
Really helpful video - thanks Luke!
Damn, my top 3 favorite bassists!
Great job as usual Luke. Thanks. And really enjoyed the live Q&A last night
Thanks Luke, keep up the good work.
Cool video
As rick beato says," best way to hear bass is to leave it out part of the song,not exact phrase but more the idea of it,you get my point👍👍
In the last days of the "Fab Four", when McCartney went to the piano, Harrison and Lennon would play the bass line instead (as in "Hey Jude", "The Long And Winding Road", "Let It Be"...). More especifically, in "Let It Be" it is Lennon who does it with the Fender Bass VI.
@BecomeABassist
3 жыл бұрын
John may have played on the original session, (as Paul was playing piano) but George Martin got Paul to replace John's bass line after the fact: www.guitarworld.com/blogs/song-facts-beatles-let-it-be-both-versions So what you hear on the final version is Paul playing bass.
@moeb4348
Жыл бұрын
Johnny couldn't play bass. He couldn't hear low notes. In fact, Johnny only cared about how the song felt, not how it sounded!
errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr now do John Entwistle....
Very Cool😎😎😎
That flea bass line isn’t really representative of his style. I’d pick a more slap based song, or a busier bass line as his example.
@BecomeABassist
5 жыл бұрын
That's true - and I say that specifically in the video, but that doesn't mean there aren't valuable things that can be learned by checking it out.
@johnwilkerson1535
4 жыл бұрын
But the lesson to be learned was playing for the service of the song. To quote the most valuable words a bassist needs to learn and remember "Less is more sometimes"
Can anyone explain why the sixth is a Em and not a E (major)? I really dont understand it. Yes, im new :) Thanks for a great video btw
@federiconovolissi7067
4 жыл бұрын
Cause in the scale of G major there isn't G# so the chord of E is minor because the scale has only the minor third
Mike using a pluck
John Lennon played the let it be bassline
@BecomeABassist
Жыл бұрын
He played the bass on the original session @KrazyKracker Plush, but Paul replaced John’s line at a later session. What you hear on the recording is Paul.
@PunkMarioBros
Жыл бұрын
@@BecomeABassist thanks for the correction! I don’t blame Paul for replacing it after what happened on The Long and Winding Road 😂!
Ok but Mike Dirnt's songs should be played with a pick
@Houseape69
4 жыл бұрын
McCartney used a pick as well
you forgot about the pick
Can't help noticing that Paul DID NOT played bass in "Let it Be" recording but the piano. Lennon played a six string Bass for that song. That's why the line is so simple and not Paul-alike. Check your facts bro!
@BecomeABassist
3 жыл бұрын
Dude - this is a simple Google search away. www.guitarworld.com/blogs/song-facts-beatles-let-it-be-both-versions "George Martin had McCartney *replace* Lennon's clumsy bass work with a new bass track" Aka. John's bass take was dumped and Paul played his own bass line. Check your facts bro!
@pollock8000
3 жыл бұрын
@@BecomeABassist Now you're talking sister!
@BecomeABassist
3 жыл бұрын
r/confidentlyincorrect
paul didn't play bass on let it be...
@BecomeABassist
5 жыл бұрын
I mentioned this in another comment, but John played on the original studio take, but George Martin had Paul replace John's line because of John's 'sloppy' playing. Source: www.guitarworld.com/blogs/song-facts-beatles-let-it-be-both-versions
Is this some sort of elaborate prank video? "Here's how Flea writes a bass line." Proceeds to play 16 notes in the next four minutes and talk about a song that's good because there's no bass in it.
@aussiesurfer805
5 жыл бұрын
Lenny Miller oh Lenny Lenny Lenny ... you have much to learn my dear old friend .. much to learn indeed ... Now then, won’t you take me to funky town? Seriously, I missed the only bus there is today and I need to get back toot-sweet... Oh shit, sorry Lenny, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise you don’t know where funky town is do you Lenny ?? You’ve been looking here and looking there, and look-ing ev-er-we-where... my deepest sympathy is extended to you and yours Lenny , chin up old sun ... chin up ..
@skybluemarshall
5 жыл бұрын
You got so hung up on the title of video, that you didn't fully process his words during his introduction. This video is not a showcase of the writing or playing styles of these three bass players. This video is an examination of how three very different bass players chose to approach three different songs, which feature the same chord progressions. The video attempts to explain why those choices were made and why they worked for each particular song. It's more of an analysis of bass line writing as a whole and less of a demonstration of the individual writing styles of each of these men. A better title might have been: Three Very Different Ways to Create a Bass Line, Using The Same Chord Progression. But, that video probably would have only received about 25 views. Ha ha!
John Lennon plays bass on Let it Be
@BecomeABassist
5 жыл бұрын
John played on the original studio take, but George Martin had Paul replace John's line because of some 'sloppy' playing apparently. Source: www.guitarworld.com/blogs/song-facts-beatles-let-it-be-both-versions