10 greatest funk bass lines (that you’ve probably never heard)

Ever had one of those moments where you hear a song on the radio, but can’t think of what it’s called or who it’s by? Well, in today’s new video I’m going to guide you towards some of the finest funk music that you might not even be aware of. There are some absolute gems in this video - for bonus points, can you name the unknown bass players?

Until next time - may the funk be with you!

Scott :)

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[dorianwashington]

Please pray for me bass family I’ve had a stroke, but I still want to take my bass playing to the next level sincerely Dorian

[cabofalcone]

The Mary Jane Girls "All Night Long" (1983) is basically the same bassline in Keni Burke "Risin To The Top" (1982)

[terrymiller]

1. Heard it. (great line, but maybe too "disco-y")
2. Heard it.
3. Heard it. Play it. (on record, is it doubled on a Moog?)
4. you got me!
5. Heard it. Play it. One of my only bass "lessons" was my cousin teaching me this line.
6. Heard it. But not here. BLOCKED!
7. you got me!
8. Heard it.
9. may have heard it forty years ago, but, in general, you got me! (post-disco funk)
10. you got me!

Thanks for the efforts, Scott.

[diamondbrailey]

:Act Like You Know" is a recreation of "Help Is On The Way" by the Whatnauts which was originally played by Rodney "Skeet" Curtis of P-Funk and Maceo Parker fame

[joshs.]

Damn, "I Need Your Lovin'" is an absolute jam. One of the catchiest choruses I've ever heard.
Love the video!

[silversurfertraveller]

Anyone who was funkin like me in the 70's & 80's will know all these tunes.

[drumzof]

Rodney “Skeet” Curtis is the originator of the baseline played by the guy in Fat Larry’s Band. Skeet played the original bass line on The Whatnauts song “Help Is On The Way” which was out before them.

[jad]

T.M Stevens is the name of the Bass Player for "I Shoulda Loved Ya", Sekou Bunch for Funkin' on Jamaica, Allen McGrier, most likely would be doing the bass on I Need Your Lovin, David Shields is the bass player on Fun City,

[thorntonheath]

Everyone who was clubbing back in t day all these tunes are well known

[SuperBass]

This was everyday R&B radio back in the day.

[SmlzBam]

icl as someone who owes at least 80% of my bass playing to an sbl video and has been watching scotts videos for years it makes me so happy to see scott at his prime of video making right now his content has only gotten better and better over the years and the production quality and content of his videos right now is amazing just nice to see such someone who seems like such a genuinley nice guy who i owe a lot to doing so well

[michaelmosley]

Lol. Man I'm 60yrs old and back in the day I played most of them songs with our group Hotpoint

[zibbybone]

7:33 "Check out the snare" - that's an Oberheim DMX drum machine. Popular choice for R&B groups back in the day. It had a slightly "tougher" sound than the LinnDrum that was common on pop/Top 40 songs.

[ahmed_aq_music]

I listened to Snoop Dogg's debut album when it first came out and I was still in school, way before I started playing the bass. But when I listened to some tracks again sometime last year, I knew that the music behind G's and Hustlaz was just too funky to be an original on that album. Thanks Scott for clarifying that in this video 😁👌

[norakat]

I think its great that you and others are studying music from this era.

You prob never heard these songs because of the neighborhood you grew up in (or the era), but if you grew up in NYC (or most major cities in the US in the early 80's) theres no way you could have missed Mary Jane Girls - All Night Long. It was only blasting on every Boom Box on the radio, out peoples windows and cars.. the clubs, bars, Jams in city parks, roller rinks... well you get the point, everyone knew the song Lol.. It was a street anthem and one of my favorite songs.

[BAF-chts]

I totally forgot about Slave "slide". One of the funkiest bass lines Plus Watching you, and Just a touch of love. Man Slave was just

[oephen]

Please just make this volume 1 in this particular series— there are an endless number of dope bass lines from slightly more obscure tunes like these!

[earnestmack]

Don’t forget about the group Aurra and the track “Are you Single” a real funky bass line!

[stuartthorne]

“I Shoulda Loved Ya” - T.M. Stevens.
“Funk in For Jamaica”- most likely Bernard Wright on Moog bass. I think, THINK, Marcus Miller played additional bass as well.
“I Need Your Lovin” - very likely LA session veteran Allen McGrier.

Great clip, Scott! The only thing is, far from “never having heard” these lines, some of them were a big part of the reason I started playing bass in the first place! 🎶🔥🔥🔥🤘🏿❤️

(Now excuse me while I go fix my Funk Face.)

[juanvallejo]

TM Stevens. Great bass line for the song "I should have loved you" by Narada Michael Walden. The entire album is Narada on drums and TM on bass. Also check out Stacy Lattisaw's "Jump To Th Beat" which is just as heavy. Narada and TM playing the whole album and produced by Narada.