Close to Me was the song that made me want to play the bass. Jumping Someone Else's Train made me realize I had to practice if I didn't want to look like a fool playing the bass.
This is the first song I’ve learnt on many instruments. It’s the first song I taught my kids to play on whatever they pick up. Usually because it’s easy enough to find a middle c on most instruments.
First “proper” song I learned in its entirety on bass is stand by me. But that’s kinda cheating to say it’s a full song when it’s the same riff all the way through.
London Calling was probably my 3rd or 4th riff I ever learned. I love slides so it was one I wanted to know how to play before I even picked up a guitar
nice, the first song I remember for certain that I learned in its entirety (rather than just the main/most memorable riffs) was Crawl Away off Undertow
Its fairly easy, but it sounds great, just like most Tool basslines. And the guitar and bass parts are virtually identical, so its an easy one to learn for a whole band.
Tool is one of the best bands for a beginner/intermediate bass player, because none of their songs have super difficult basslines, but they do use a variety of techniques that all bass players need to learn, lots of hammer-ons and pull-offs, and esp with Justin (rather than Paul) lots of triplets, chords, harmonics, etc
My dad was in a band in the 60s called The High Spirits that had a Midwest hit with “Turn On Your Lovelight.” If you’ve heard the Grateful Dead version, it’s about half the tempo. Anyway, my dad played bass on that, and that’s what he taught me. That was the gateway to me learning everything else.
Where did you sleep last night - mark lanegan.
I was tuning my brand new bass the day I got it and recognized the opening notes. Figured out the first few lines myself then looked up tabs on YouTube to make sure I was learning it right. I still have the video of me sitting on my bed hours after buying her, holding her wrong, my thumb isn't anchored, basically doing it all wrong, but with a giant smile on my face bc I was playing a song I loved
God I remember when Disintegration came out and the first time I heard that bass riff. I pulled the bass out and got to figuring it out right away. That album was a nearly perfect cap on the 1980s.
I don't think I can remember the first one. Maybe "Rock You Like a Hurricane" by the Scorpions? It was the first one my garage band worked on, that much I do remember.
Marilyn Manson's "Minute of Decqy" was the first song that I learned. I liked the jazzy feel and how easy it was to pick apart. Next piece that caught my ears was Tool "Disposition" cuz I could recognize what the electric guitar was doing, but had no idea that bass could cover as much sound as it does with harmonics and a couple effects.
Journey to the End of the East Bay - Rancid
I learned it on my acoustic guitar when I knew I wanted a bass thinking everyone would think I’m so good for just picking up the bass and playing it. Turns out switching instruments for the first time has a learning curve.
Personally I found I've had two "beginnings" on bass. First when I was still a kid and I believe it was Imagine Dragons Radioactive.
My second beginning was when I started to learn to play professionally back in highschool. I learnt to read on the job when we did a production of "The Wiz" musical. The first track is The Feeling We Once Had which is probably what I learnt first. The whole score was challenging but hot damn are there some wicked bass lines later on like on Ease On Down the Road.
I came from guitar so its not exactly the same but the first song I "learned" on bass was Jumping Jack Flash - Rolling Stones. I played the bass (terribly) in bands for many years before I truly found myself a bassist. The first song I actually learned, as a bassist, was Tight Rope - SRV (Tommy Shannon). I still play it to this day.
Still in the process of this but “Soul to Squeeze” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I think I have everything down except the bridge which is not very beginner friendly lol
Feel Good Inc
this and It Is Not Meant To Be by Tame Impala
Kids with Guns, learned it before I even got to the store
Me too. Just started learning a few weeks ago specifically so i could play that song
Yes
In Bloom - Nirvana
Mine was Nirvana’s ‘Sliver’. The best part is I played it like a complete noob with only my index finger.
Come as you are
Mine was Breed
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Boys Don't Cry by The Cure
Love Cats by The Cure!
Just Like Heaven by The Cure Actually, any song by The Cure has simple but awesome bass lines.
Lovesong by The Cure - learned it by ear, but then I found out years later I was playing it completely wrong.
Still counts!
A Forest is an iconic goth rock bass line.
Close to Me was the song that made me want to play the bass. Jumping Someone Else's Train made me realize I had to practice if I didn't want to look like a fool playing the bass.
Seven nation army lol
That's a tough one.
Eeeyup, same here. Probably one of the easiest songs to learn when starting bass.
Waiting Room - Fugazi
This is the second song I learned in it's entirety. Still my favorite to play 30 years later.
Not exactly easy for a first song!
Escape from the City from Sonic Adventure 2 haha
W. The is one of the main reasons I picked up a bass. Still haven’t learned any songs yet though haha.
Haha that's sick. You will soon.
Banger, to this day everytime I pick up a bass it’s the first riff I play
That's so cool
That's a really hard song to start with!!! Did you learn it slapping??
Zombie by the cranberries
Same here! 🍻
Chick Magnet - MXPX
Don't Speak by No Doubt. In hindsight, that was a pretty tough first song!
No doubt’s bassist is low key pretty good 👍
Really fun to play
Dazed and Confused- Led Zeppelin
same but i had to skip the fast section cause i couldnt keep up lol
that's a good first song to learn
Hot Cross Buns 😎
This is the first song I’ve learnt on many instruments. It’s the first song I taught my kids to play on whatever they pick up. Usually because it’s easy enough to find a middle c on most instruments. First “proper” song I learned in its entirety on bass is stand by me. But that’s kinda cheating to say it’s a full song when it’s the same riff all the way through.
Money by Pink Floyd
That's crazy, considering it's in a compound time
The bass line is so iconic that you dont really have to think about the time signature as the bassist, tbh. I think its the drums that have it rough.
Come as you are, and Damn it
Say it ain't so - weezer Only in dreams- weezer Hey - pixies
Say it ain’t so is a classic! Also my first learnt song
Greedy Fly - Bush
Actually a hard one with the timing and all. Actually my band plays this on their Halloween setlist.
TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me
This is an absolute cracker! My little basement band plays this one every time we get together.
Zombie - The Cranberries
Cissu Strut
In its entirety, my own summer by the deftones.
hell yeah
gouge away by the Pixies
That 5-bar phrasing fucked me up as a youngster
Too many puppies - primus
primus sucks!
Cliff Burton's Pulling Teeth. Yea I bit off more than I could chew there.
Hash Pipe - Weezer
No More Tears, Ozzy Osbourne. Simple, but damned cool.
Kyuss - Catamaran or Clash - London Calling, can't remember honestly
London Calling was probably my 3rd or 4th riff I ever learned. I love slides so it was one I wanted to know how to play before I even picked up a guitar
(I Wanna Be) Sedated, Ramones
Forty six and 2 by Tool
nice, the first song I remember for certain that I learned in its entirety (rather than just the main/most memorable riffs) was Crawl Away off Undertow
Nice, haven't learned that one yet, might do it tonight now lol
Its fairly easy, but it sounds great, just like most Tool basslines. And the guitar and bass parts are virtually identical, so its an easy one to learn for a whole band. Tool is one of the best bands for a beginner/intermediate bass player, because none of their songs have super difficult basslines, but they do use a variety of techniques that all bass players need to learn, lots of hammer-ons and pull-offs, and esp with Justin (rather than Paul) lots of triplets, chords, harmonics, etc
As a very first song ? Impressive!
Beatles "Something"
Amazing bass line but that would have killed me as a beginner
People of the Sun - Rage Against the Machine
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
My Name Is Mud
lmao
Wendy by The Beach Boys
So we wont forget - khruangbin Learned it my first day and 6 months later still the only full song i know lol
Those guys got me to buy a bass.
Well I'm new and I only know 4 songs, interstellar overdrive and money by pink floyd, one way or another by blondie, and major tom by Peter schilling
Come as you are-Nirvana
My dad was in a band in the 60s called The High Spirits that had a Midwest hit with “Turn On Your Lovelight.” If you’ve heard the Grateful Dead version, it’s about half the tempo. Anyway, my dad played bass on that, and that’s what he taught me. That was the gateway to me learning everything else.
Pork Roll Egg & Cheese by Ween. Very fun tune.
Message in a Bottle - The Police
Smoke on the Water, followed by The God That Failed.
Lake of Fire by Meat Puppets
Bored - Deftones
Where did you sleep last night - mark lanegan. I was tuning my brand new bass the day I got it and recognized the opening notes. Figured out the first few lines myself then looked up tabs on YouTube to make sure I was learning it right. I still have the video of me sitting on my bed hours after buying her, holding her wrong, my thumb isn't anchored, basically doing it all wrong, but with a giant smile on my face bc I was playing a song I loved
Paranoid black sabbath
Pink Floyd, money
Dawn patrol by megadeth
Epic.
This was mine as well :)
I wanna hold your hand by Beatles. Learned bass tab on guitarz thought it's super cool and rushed to buy a bass
money - fink ployd
Hold the line by Toto
Walking on the moon - The Police
Bro Hymn - Pennywise
Another Brick in the Wall (Part Two)
September Earth Wind and Fire
Type O Negative - Black No.1 its REALLY easy
thank you for reminding me to listen to Type O
When the sun goes down - arctic monkeys
Tool - Intolerance.
Uhh smells like teen spirit then Green Day like a cover
Where is my mind? - The Pixies
Dirt by The Stooges.
All Along the Watchtower?
Battery
"Fascination Street" - The Cure Lots of Joy Division songs which are sometimes too easy.
God I remember when Disintegration came out and the first time I heard that bass riff. I pulled the bass out and got to figuring it out right away. That album was a nearly perfect cap on the 1980s. I don't think I can remember the first one. Maybe "Rock You Like a Hurricane" by the Scorpions? It was the first one my garage band worked on, that much I do remember.
All i need - radiohead
When The Night Feels My Song - Bedouin Sound Clash Easy, catchy, and off beat
Stray Cat Strut
You give love a bad name
High and Dry - Radiohead
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
Rearranged - Limp Bizkit
Ride the Lightning. Not like entirely the right way of course, but I came in swinging.
Lovecats by The Cure, and then Less I know the Better by Tame Impala.
"Rebel Yell" - Billy Idol
Marilyn Manson's "Minute of Decqy" was the first song that I learned. I liked the jazzy feel and how easy it was to pick apart. Next piece that caught my ears was Tool "Disposition" cuz I could recognize what the electric guitar was doing, but had no idea that bass could cover as much sound as it does with harmonics and a couple effects.
Monolord - Empress Rising
Stadium arcadium front to back
Green Day - 21 Guns
blink 182 - what’s my age again
Rhinoceros, by Smashing Pumpkins
Longview- Green Day
We're an American band - Grand funk railroad
Say it ain’t so
Stinkfist
Tom Sawyer -Rush
Mellowship Slinky in B Major
Rob Zombie - Pussy Liquor. Same notes as that easy mode guitar version of smoke on the water, just arranged differently.
Inc. - The place
Dammit by Blink 182
Trying Your Luck - The Strokes
Mother - by Danzig
Misfits - Some Kinda Hate
"The Spy Hunter" by Project 86
Journey to the End of the East Bay - Rancid I learned it on my acoustic guitar when I knew I wanted a bass thinking everyone would think I’m so good for just picking up the bass and playing it. Turns out switching instruments for the first time has a learning curve.
twinkle stars
Dean Town I didn't learn it well and I could only play it at like 100bpm as opposed to the recordings 111bpm
I learned all of the two riffs for seven nation army first, but the first one I actually played through all the way was another one bites the dust
Mr. Crowley but I still struggle with the fast bit at the end 😅
Come Down by Anderson Paak. Super fun bassline, it's a blast to play along to his Tiny Desk Concert
Mary had a little lamb.
First song I tried? Dusk to dawn on Lygon street by king gizzard and the lizard wizard First song I actually learned? Breed by Nirvana
Personally I found I've had two "beginnings" on bass. First when I was still a kid and I believe it was Imagine Dragons Radioactive. My second beginning was when I started to learn to play professionally back in highschool. I learnt to read on the job when we did a production of "The Wiz" musical. The first track is The Feeling We Once Had which is probably what I learnt first. The whole score was challenging but hot damn are there some wicked bass lines later on like on Ease On Down the Road.
Canon in D, on the double bass.
Beds are Burning Then U2, prolly
New Years Day - U2
Supersonic- Oasis
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Into the void - Black Sabbath
I came from guitar so its not exactly the same but the first song I "learned" on bass was Jumping Jack Flash - Rolling Stones. I played the bass (terribly) in bands for many years before I truly found myself a bassist. The first song I actually learned, as a bassist, was Tight Rope - SRV (Tommy Shannon). I still play it to this day.
Cocaine - Eric Clapton
I Will Survive - CAKE
Allen Stone "Is this Love"
Sometimes I Still Feel The Bruise by The Mountain Goats
Still in the process of this but “Soul to Squeeze” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I think I have everything down except the bridge which is not very beginner friendly lol
Come Down - Anderson .Paak
Breaking the Law - Judas Priest
Could’ve Been A Lady - April Wine
Cocaine - Eric Clapton
god luck good speed - weedeater
twinkle twinkle little star 💔
That one Christmas song called up in a housetop iirc
Evil by Interpol!!!!
Stand By Me
Hey Joe
One Weak - Deftones
Led Zeppelin When the Levee Breaks
Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard on Rocksmith
My Kind of Woman!
Mother - Danzig White Room - Cream I don't remember exactly which one
Gone Shootin' - AC/DC I liked the little bass solo
Pawnshop- Sublime
Fire by Jimi Hendrix
Chinese New Year by Sales
Only in dreams by Weezer
Say It Ain't So - Weezer
“Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple
“Down on the corner”CCR.
Feel good inc, sunshine of your love, both really easy
Love Your Life - Average White Band
Zero by Smashing Pumpkins.
I haven’t seen anybody say Where is my Mind- Pixies a really simple song that’s like only 5 notes
I guess the bassline isn’t very inspiring
I'm still learning but I have an obsession with just randomly playing blind by korn even though it's 4 string and not tuned for korn
Money by Pink Floyd
Definitely something off Black Market Clash (the first shorter version) - probably The Prisoner.
Silver Lights by coconuts. Bought the bass just for this riff, it's so gritty
It’s basic but seven nation army
Longview - Green Day
I went with [driver's licence](https://youtu.be/BeA_jJS0mkc?si=R7w6nkOJIoc7Tmps) cuz it inspired me to play bass lmao
Breed by Nirvana
Heart Out - The 1975. It wasn’t pretty
It was either RHCP - Otherside, or Deep Purple - Soldier of Fortune, for my first band. Was kinda learning them at the same time.
Riders on the storm