I just started playing the bass a few months back. I started with theory and I know how to play stuff from notes, but I'm kind of bored playing just excersises from a book and I really want to play some songs. I was wondering if any of you know any easy songs that I can start off with? It would help if the bass line was really clear and easy to hear that way I can get the beat down faster. As far as tabs I tried to figure a few songs by ear but I can never find the exact notes, I tried looking for tabs on the internet but all of them seem to be off. I was wondering if any of you know any decent and easy tabs for me learn. Also how does one develop the ability to tab by ear? Does it come naturally after years of playing or is there something you need to learn first?

PS I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this kind post, if it's not I apologize.

Hi. I'm in the same position as you at the minute. I've found www.basstabarchive.com to be pretty good. I've eventually managed to find a few easy bass lines and i'm getting on practicing them. Foo Fighters have simple Bass and so so AC/DC. Have a look and see what you think. Maybe not the kinda stuff you want to play but it's a start and it makes you feel good when you manage to get it down right!

try some Six Feet Under, they're really easy and kind of fun to play. thats what most people start with i think.

__________________

The more you play the better you get at tabbing stuff out, just keep playing and updating the songs you play if you find errors in them. I've been playing bass for two years now and I can tab many things, so long as I can sort of hear it. I find one of the hardest things to tab is newer Megadeth because the bass is mixed in so low. I offer to tab something for you if you want, the only catch is I have to own the CD the song is on because I don't have the internet to download it. Name a song and I can give it a try.

__________________

Thanks guys for the advice. I'm gonna look into six feet under. Meanwhile I'm learning/memorizing Iron Man by Black Sabbath. Seems like a pretty easy song. I found like 4 different tabs for it though. This one http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs...n_ver4_btab.htm seems decently accurate. Although I have some doubts about the -5-5-7-7- part at the end of the verses. Can anyone confirm/correct this? Also I chose this song because more less the bass is in synch with the other instruments so it would be easier to learn the beat. Maybe its just me but if all the instruments are playing a different pattern its alot harder to get the beat down. Is this normal for a begginer or am I just being weird? Either way I hope it passes soon.

I fucking hear ya. My band loves covering Megadeth tunes, but it's so fucking hard for me to hear the bass in most of their songs.

__________________

Such is the situation with my band, but since we're just teenagers and we're not very good, we can only cover songs from the post-Rust In Peace era, so I'm not doing anything hard really. I just find it so odd that Ellefson kicked so much ass on the first four albums and then after that he rarely played a noticeable bassline per album. Some of the old ones I like and am learning are Peace Sells and Hook in Mouth. I'd also like to do Take No Prisonners, by I'm not nearly good enough.

I never learned Iron Man when I was first playing because ... well I don't really like that song. I find it is so over rated. If I'm bored during spring break I'll give it a look.

__________________

Iron Man isn't as easy as it looks. Geezer uses alot of improvisation, and for a new bassist, I'd recommend:

Black Sabbath-Hand of Doom
Metallica-Whiplash
Motorhead-Ace of Spades or Orgasmatron
Danzig-Twist of Cain
Overkill-Necroshine
Pantera-Walk
Megadeth-In My Darkest Hour (This one will really help with time and tempo changes, as the bass in this song is actually moderately complicated.)

As for tabbing by ear, it'll get easier as time moves on. As for scales and so one, I can't help you, I taught myself from scratch, scales never meant much to me.

__________________

My bass player wont play anything unless the bass stands out. So much for playing most good metal tunes with those guys.

__________________

try this:
AC/DC - TNT (very easy)
songs of Nirvana (hey I started with this crap)
...
Try it. Really easy and its fun !

__________________

Rage Against The Machine tabs are relatively easy, but fun to play

Hmmm what else?

Oh, if you're an Aussie, Grinspoon tabs are also quite easy. Hope you like Dropping to D on both of those choices

Six Feet Under does a TNT cover too. I dont really like them but its pretty fun to play i guess.

__________________

Peace sells is a cool ass bass riff.
Countdown to extinction is another real fun (and easy) bass riff.
The other megadeth covers we play are trust, disconnect, dread and the fugitive mind, and we're gonna learn in my darkest hour soon.

I've recently been playing everything with my fingers. I've got using 3 down, but i'm having some discomfort with my pinkie (it seems to almost pop at the knuckle). Does anyone have any suggestions?

__________________

but I'm kind of bored playing just excersises from a book and I really want to play some songs.



I know what your sayin' man i'm havin the same problem.

http://www.musicianforums.com/forum...isplay.php?f=58

This actually tought me alot recently..

__________________

Disconnect pisses me off. Such a great guitar riff, that sounds so cool on bass, but you don't even get to play it. I like to play the guitar part from that one when I'm just playing around. Also, concerning Dread and the Fugitive Mind, do you have any clue what Ellefson plays during the solo where Degrasso does that thing with the double kick pedals? The tab I found sais to play this on the E string 000022330. I can't tell if it's right, because the kick really drowns it out. It's kind of fast compared to what Ellefson usually plays on the album, namely that song. What do you play?

__________________

I started out on punk when i first learnt bass.. stuff like The offspring, the hives,green day (which built up my rhythm) some easy shit by.. lost prophets and korn... and then managed onto..rancid (matt freeman is a legend on bass.. he can certainly spice up simple punk note patterns) .. then went to.. black sabbath.. then went to... red hot chili peppers.. and then.. to les claypool at primus, and then.. victor wooten, then jaco pastorius, stu hamm.. etc..

but yeh start with punk as i was saying just to get ur right rhythm, i know its shit, and the music is pants.. but i guess its good to start on it, depends really.. if not just learn easy metall.. like.. metalica and machine head and..deftones... drop D is lush though.. and u can get a nicer tone from playing and creating lines in the Drop D tuning.

__________________

i dunno

__________________

__________________

you mean Seven Nation Army ? Yes, this song is fucking easy.

__________________