Awesome Bass Lines – Expand Your Horizons

bass player on trainingBass is so much more than an instrument that bridges the gap between the guitars and the drum. The level of expression you have with the bass guitar is every bit as intricate as what the electric guitar has to offer.

You just need to know what works on bass, and what doesn’t. New bass players are so tempted to dig into some sick bass lines that they forget what the basics of bass guitar really are. One of the most important things you need to get down first is keeping the tempo.

Believe it or not, finding a bass player that can keep a flat tempo, despite how complicated the bass line is or isn’t, is hard. There are a lot of bassists who have pretty great skills, but just can’t keep a tempo. In most cases they are not even aware of this fact. So, practicing with a metronome is the key.

However, that doesn’t mean that you have to play some boring scales or the most basic bass lines. We’re going to give you some awesome bass lines that are both interesting, and great for practicing bass guitar technique and rhythm.

Music Skanner Lines Selection

We are going to start the list with easy stuff and gradually work our way up to more complex bass lines that will require some skill. We recommend that you use your fingers, but pick players are welcome as well. So let’s start with a classic that will just make your practice sessions fun.

Another One Bites the Dust by Queen –

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Okay, this one is pretty easy, but also incredibly popular. What makes this line so great for practicing is the fact that it’s not so complicated in terms of notes you need to play, but it can be tricky for the newcomers when it comes to the rhythm.

It will challenge you to learn how to skip notes, which is even more important if you are using fingers instead of a pick.

Billy Jean by Michael Jackson –

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT7wH6Qy2c8″]

That bass line is one of the most memorable tunes in the history of rock and roll. It’s basically a very simple progression that revolves around a basic pentatonic box.

It will help you get some practice in terms of jumping from frets to other frets that are a full step away. And besides, who doesn’t love the Billy Jean?

Wrathchild by Iron Maiden –

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL9UdpB8e_k”]

Steve Harris is one of the most unique bass players to ever walk the earth. His galloping lines are legendary, and really give their music a completely different vibe. Wrathchild is one of his best bass lines ever.

It’s not too hard to learn, but it can be very challenging to get down right away if you want to play the entire song in one go using your fingers.

Trooper by Iron Maiden –

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No bass lines list can pass without adding The Trooper somewhere. The galloping bass line from this songs is the stuff of legends by now. There are many bass players who learned how to gallop and play triplets on bass thanks to this song alone. This is one of the best songs for warming up and getting your fingers in the game.

Alright, it’s time to throw in a curve ball. If you really want to go all technical, and push your skills to the limit, there’s one somewhat obscure song that you just need to learn how to play. We are talking about Sea of Lies by Symphony X.

The intro for this song is the very definition of awesome. Thomas Miller, the bassist who worked on the song at the time, is one of the most skilled bass players in the progressive metal scene. If you can get his madness down to a single note, and in tempo, you pretty much rock. Extra challenge is to play it with fingers, like Miller did.

To summarize

These awesome bass lines are probably not what you expected when you opened this article. We decide to stick to heavier genres of music mostly because they will challenge you to up your speed while also keeping the tempo in check.

The last bass line we suggested is pure madness, and if you haven’t heard of that song before, this is your chance to add another crazy bassist to your list of personal heroes. With all that said, just remember to have fun.

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