Top 30 Most Iconic FUNK Bass Riffs

Need some funky bass inspiration? Take a juicy bite of these bass riffs, from Stevie Wonder to RHCP to Vulfpeck. It’s business time.

I had so much fun putting all my favorite funk riffs together for you in this vid. I mean, a lot of my favorites. I would have put 20 more Larry Graham bass lines if you’d tolerate it. 😛

#IconicBassRiffs #BassBuzz

[BassBuzz]

What funky bass riffs should I hit next time? 🎸

[carraigroche]

Its crazy how different all these bass lines are but still all equally as funky

[styner]

Having learned to play bass in the 70’s I learned a lot of these, 70’s and 80’s bass lines were the best. I’m still slapping at 61 😅

[egmoment]

Timestamps:
Patrice Rushen, Forget me nots - 0:00
Kool and the gang, Jungle boogie - 0:09
Marcus Miller, Detroit - 0:18
Chic, Good times - 0:28
RHCP, Mellowship Slinky in B major - 0:44
Headhunters, Chameleon - 0:55
Aretha Franklin, Rock Steady - 1:05
Tower of power What is hip? - 1:14
Vulfpeck: one for one, DiMaggio - 1:23
Stevie wonder, Do I do - 1:40
Rick James, Super freak - 1:56
James Brown, Get up offa that thing - 2:10
Commodores, Brick house - 2:27
Curtis Mayfield, Freddie's dead- 2:47
Wild Cherry, Play that funky music - 2:58
Michael Jackson, Billie jean - 3:16
Charles Wright, Express yourself - 3:30
Jamiroquai, Virtual Insanity - 3:40
Sly and the family stone, If you want me to stay - 4:01
The Isley brothers, Its your thing - 4:10
The brothers Johnson, Stomp! - 4:21
Flight of the conchords, Business time - 4:37
Parliament, Tear the roof off the sucker - 4:46
Graham centeral station, Pow - 5:04
Anderson Paak, Come Down - 5:20
The Meters, Cissy Strut - 5:29
Earth wind and fire, Shining star - 5:40
Ohio Players, Love rollercoaster - 5:49
Rose Royce, Car wash - 5:58
McFadden and Whitehead, Ain't no stopping us now - 6:06

[RevLeonPLeon]

Bro, you are amazing. I'm a 68 year old blackman from Detroit. You're playing all of the music from back in my day like a f-ing boss!

[heHefuny]

My bass teacher made me play chameleon, but he made me play the trumpet part, 10/10 would recommend

[danyomega]

Love these basslines. I would like to add few of my favorites funk lines to this list
Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer
Parliament - Flashlight
Vulfpeck - Dean Town
Vulfpeck - Beastly

[jackquarantillo]

Not sure who had more fun, me watching this, or you playing this!

Funk/slap isn't my thing... I couldn't slap my way out of a wet paper bag. Someday, I'll learn, but the guys I play with are pretty straight up rock and roll. The sheer amount of joy you're exuding in this video has inspired me to learn some funk.

[kabutoid]

I love how you credited each one of the bass players to their every song

[nethad]

A bit off topic but the editing on your videos is always so good 👌
They are playful and fun to watch!

[guille]

Few people know it, but the sweet ass swinging motion performed at the end of the video is an ancient technique to provide better sound. It produces the effect known as “Buttmeister-Asspleize effect”, where sound waves and ass swinging motion match in Hz, thus generating a better sound.

[fabioriato]

"Mellowship" is such an underrated song by the Peppers. I love playing that one. Thanks for bringing it to this list of great funky tunes.

[BARTFUNKBASS]

Great selection! It would be hard for me to fit my favorite funk bass riffs into the "Top 30". I think I would definitely add:
Wilson Pickett - Funky Broadway / bass: Tommy Cogbill
James Brown - Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine / bass: Bootsy Collins
Graham Central Station - Hair / bass: Larry Graham
Slave - Slide / bass: Mark Adams
Michael Jackson - Get On The Floor / bass: Louis Johnson
Pleasure - Glide / bass: Nathaniel Phillips
Prince - Let's Work / bass: Prince
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Aeroplane / bass: Flea

[giovannoak]

WE NEEDED A VIDEO LIKE THIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH! 🙌🏼🔥✨

[danielfowler]

Thank you for this video. Needed some ideas for stuff to play when going bass hunting that aren't just going to annoy everyone in the shops. Love the inclusion of a Flight Of The Conchords song!

[ChungiteApostle]

Awesome list! I'll have to add some of these to my own practice rotation. If I had to add my own riffs, I'd put:
Vulfpeck - Dean Town
Pleasure - Glide
Parliament - Flashlight
Quincy Jones - Ai No Corrida
Michael Jackson - Get on the Floor
Cheryl Lynn - Got To Be Real
Bernard Wright - Haboglabotribin
Victor Wooten - U Can't Hold No Groove

[chieffunker]

Some next bass riffs for your consideration :)

01. Slave - Slide
02. Slave - Sizzlin` Hot
03. Mantra - Boogie Just To Boogie
04. Karma - For Everybody
05. Kool & The Gang - Kind Of Funky
06. L.A. Boppers - Give Me Some
07. Mandrill - Mango Meat
08. Funkadelic - Cholly
09. Parliament - Rumpofsteelskin
10. Bootsy`s Rubber Band - Psychoticbumpscool

[markhuyser]

I could listen to you playing 'Good Times' all day... AwEsOmE!

[CCBassman]

Dude, I love how much fun you are having, and how much fun you make your video to watch! On top of it, your skills are off the charts. I have been playing professionally since 1986, and you mop the floor with me with your slapping, and fast riffs. NICELY DONE!!! It is fun to share the history of these players, and the great music.

[mediaklan]

That, Mister Josh, was one of the most entertaining bass video you've made. So fun to watch ! Thank you !