TOP 5 BEGINNER METAL BASS LINES (to rule them all) 🔥😈🔥

Heavy metal is all about the power of the riff. Luckily, there are plenty of easy-to-play famous metal songs, which are excellent starting points for beginner bassists.

In today’s new video, we weigh in with 5 of our favorite contenders for the greatest metal riff for beginners — unranked, because there’s no wrong answer here. You’ll see bass players for metal legends like Metallica, Megadeth, and a couple of surprises – did your favourites make it?

Watch today’s new video to see what are in fact the most epic, awesome heavy metal riffs for beginner bassists.

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Video Breakdown:

00:00 - Introduction
00:16 - #1 - Megadeth - Symphony of Destruction
01:56 - Metal on a Budget!
02:34 - #2 - Metallica - For Whom the Bell Tolls
05:10 - #3 - Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train
07:08 - #4 - Metallica - Enter Sandman
08:38 - #5 - Tool - Forty Six & 2
12:44 - Did You Know...?

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[tfeerick]

Ron McGovney was Metallica's first bassist and toured with them for a year before leaving the band in '82

[cdprince]

It's nuts that one of the greatest metal songs of all time -- Crazy Train -- features a rhythm section essentially playing disco.

[seanhendricks]

If I remember correctly, Justin Chancellor actually recorded 46 & 2 on a Stingray. The previous bassist that played on Undertow used a Stingray and a Rickenbacker to record with and Justin was trying to match that sound. He was never really happy with it though, which is when he switched to a Wal full-time. Aenima has a mix of the Wal and Stingray on it.

[liamolowend]

Love it.
We need a part
Peace Sells - Megadeth
Run to the Hills - Iron Maiden
Aerials - SYOD
Orion - Metallica
Die Laughing - Therapy? (Obscure shout there I know)
Honourable
Damage Case - Motorhead
N.I.B. - Black Sabbath (just for the filthy bass intro)

[joshuacansfield]

Bob played crazy train with a pick. He had said in an interview that for fretless and ballads he'd use fingers, but for rock he would use a pick.

[juggalo]

Ron Mcgovney was the first bass player.

[travisnorman]

I spent decades in metal bands. From my perspective you more than covered the most frequently used metal bass techniques. And you did it succinctly and in a way that's very approachable and attainable. That's why SBL is the best! Maybe an "advanced metal bass lines" video in the future?

[my_name_s_mud_]

Scott and Ian are quickly becoming my favorite internet power couple

[joecasa]

To the list of underrated Metal bass players, I always add the now sadly gone Jimmy Bain: his furious bass tone on "Holy Diver" by Dio was simply amazing!

[rdhudon]

I saw the Ride the lightening tour . We were in a small venue and they were opening for WASP . They blew WASP off the stage . I was right up at the stage and Burton blew my mind . He was doing stuff not done before .

[adamwalcott_official]

I play with fingers whenever possible, but when I use a pick, I usually opt for either a 2mm or 3mm "Big Stubby." These are contoured for your thumb and also rounded on the edges. This makes them much less scratchy than traditional picks, but they have superior attack and speed. I have a pretty large variety of picks, though, because sometimes a soft pick played lightly is exactly what you need. I also found that the Carbon Fiber Jazz III are awesome. They have a great sound and awesome grip.

[kevinkwmiller]

Fun video. Props to Ian for the edited in recommendations for cost friendly gear for beginners.

[lordoftheelements]

I am surprised that Steve Harris is missing here! Any of his bass lines really. I think the Wicker Man or Flight of Icarus would have been perfect fits!

[persephonesephiroth]

Enter Sandman and For Whom the Bell Tolls were the alchemy that FINALLY hooked me into my bass last night. I've been trying to connect with this instrument since 2008, and it just seemed to waver and I didn't progress regardless of what I did. Last night I was inspired, made a decision. Found this video and ended up playing/"messing around" for 2.5 hours. Time flew by! :) I also realized that a lot of these basslines in songs are shapes! Enter Sandman, Bellz, Anesthesia... etc. Thanks Scott :)

[MichaelIppersiel]

Came up playing metal in the 90s and I was surprised to discover I played 4/5 of these tunes (just not the Tool song). Thanks for keeping the metal alive Scott & Ian.

[PedroRodriguez-bwfb]

Black Sabbath's paranoid, iron man, war pigs, symptoms of the universe, iron maiden the trooper, wrath child and killers, White Zombie thunder kiss 65, Black sunshine, Pantera walk, cowboys from hell, I'm broken, 5 minutes alone, mouth of War, and Megadeth peace sells but who's buying., Metallica seek and destroy, motor breath but the 5 you guys picked were cool by the way 5 is not enough lol 🤘🤘🤘🤘

[madhatter]

Guys I’m sure you been informed Ron McGoveney was the bassist before Cliff in Metallica. But Cliff was recruited to get to the next album and was there by the first album.

[pip]

I loved hearing Dream Theater's Panic Attack in the intro. Having listened to the isolated bass track for Symphony of Destruction, I'm also pretty sure Ellefson alternates between open plucking while the guitar is in and then palm mutes in the absence of guitar, rather than palm muting even while guitar is palm muted which kills the vibe. There's a reason that bass is usually open plucking while guitar is palm muted and that's to retain the heaviness because palm muted bass in a metal application tends to kill the vibe unless you do it tastefully like David Ellefson who would do it in the absence of guitar rather than the presence of it. That's something he did a fair bit with early Megadeth material.

[DarrylBallegeer]

Might be showing my age here but the ultimate beginner metal bass line is Priest's Breaking the Law.

[samuelemeryjiujitsu]

If i learned anything in my days playing or trying to play, its play an open D and a melody on the G string. Its always gorgeous.