5 Popular Beginner Bass Lines (Are You Playing Them Wrong?)

Are you butchering these beginner bass lines? These iconic lines are legit impressive - but only if you nail the crucial details.

Beginners often miss specific elements from these riffs, so they end up getting butchered. (which no one wants to hear) I’ll also show you how you can take concepts from these riffs and level up your own bass lines.

First up is Another One Bites The Dust by Queen, with John Deacon on the punchy disco bass. Clearly inspired by Chic’s “Good Times,” this line sounds simple but actually throws beginners off a lot due to the 16th note syncopation. Don’t worry, I’ll explain what the hell that means before we play it together.

Then I’ll quickly walk you through how you can make your bass lines funkier by adding some 16th note syncopation.

Bass line #2 is London Calling by The Clash. Paul Simonon starts off this bass line with a big nasty bass slide, which might catch you off guard if you’re not a seasoned slider. I’ll talk you through bass slide basics (bassics?) and how not to get totally lost when your hand moves that far.

After we play along with The Clash, I’ll show you how adding some slides to a simple bass line can add a little more character and dramatic flair, so you sound more confident.

Our next song is Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes. I know, I know, this one is SO EASY, how could anyone mess it up? Believe me, I’ve heard plenty of students annihilate that triplet rhythm in the main riff. To save you from the same fate, I’ll explain what a “quarter note triplet” is, so you don’t make Jack White cry when you play this.

Bass line #4 is Walking On The Moon by The Police. Sting’s bass line only has a few notes, but getting the note length right - which notes are short and which are long - is the difference between sounding like a n00b and sounding Sting-tastic. I’ll show you how to get it right for this line, and how changing note length can completely transform how bass lines feel.

Last up is the heavy hitting Killing In The Name by Rage Against The Machine. Getting every note to rock as hard as Tim Commerford is hard for beginners because there are a lot of hammer-ons, which require a different fretting hand approach than normal notes. Guess what? - I’m gonna break it down for you so your hammer-ons won’t be wimpy anymore.

#beginnerbasslines #NoobJoshApproved

[BassBuzz]

What’s the first bass line you ever learned?

Mine was Hit The Road Jack (simplified)... followed by I Wanna Be Sedated by The Ramones. 🤘🏼

[itsratso.]

Just in case anybody is wondering, I'm just finishing up his beginner to badass course and it's well worth it. Substantially cheaper than a lot of his competitors too.

[theidahodian]

Likable personality. Good production values. No Fluff. Excellent explanations. Liked, Subscribed and Belled from a 70 year-old noob.

[shorebuck]

I dig your style so much - I'm somewhere between beginner and intermediate (erring more towards beginner) - but I never feel patronised when you explain things, even when you remind me I'm doing things wrong - it's like "ohhh I need to do that - and maybe I can!".

[Shamanmanwow]

Next April fools you should make a video only by Noob-Josh. D:

[annjimenez]

The first song that I leaned was feel good Inc by Gorillaz

[Professor_Bugs]

3:28 "Freddie and the lads" would have been just as good a band name as queen! BRILLIANT!

[sekar]

watched the entire video with no skip, and i dont even have a bass or skill, just love the songs and the way josh explains everything. i want to learn maybe in the future when i have a bass.

[bluzn]

I’ve been playing bass for a while now (3 years) and even that I’m not a beginner, it feels nice having someone who shares this content with depth for free. I wish I’d met this channel before haha

[BicentennialKid]

I needed this video.. And not really for the riffs, but more for the science behind the music that makes it all come together.

[Ronin]

Your my all time favorite bass teacher! I’m half way through beginner to bad ass course I can definitely see an improvement in my playing.
Also it’s awesome that it has a set price rather then a subscription. Just wanna thank you for all your content.

[MarriottPlayer]

I actually learned the "bassline" to The White Stripes "Fell in Love with a Girl." Also, "Walking on the Moon" was one of the first basslines I learned; nice to know about which notes to keep long and which to keep short!

[rotanal]

Quite interesting video, thanks. To me, an old-fashioned bass amateur, all bass lines but two are quite unknown, anyway the explanations to avoid beginner pitfalls are very clear and useful.

[xybdquu]

Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead was the first song that I learned on bass.

[BigRedGrizzlly]

Hey, Josh, between you and Mark over at talking bass and my bass teacher that I take lessons with in person, I’m getting a Harvard style education and playing the bass guitar. I have been playing since September of last year, and I have learned so much. You keep making those bad ass videos of yours, brother.

[justmacbeth]

7:33 sounds like sexbobombs- garbage truck

[lenabeck]

I recently started playing bass and this channel is great. I don't have the named beginner problems because I've been playing music for the past 6 years and I'm so glad I started learning it back then; studying music is something I would recommend to anyone! My fingers still have to get used to the instrument though :)

[josephbiancorosso]

Your teaching technique is amazing. Probably the best I've ever seen. I'm a pro bassist but not a great slapper yet. Thanks for your clear and precise explanations!

[TouchPerInch]

Thank you sooo much for your tips! Helps so much to learn tricks to improve playing 💜, plus the musical base behind it..

[bleszlnilo]

Thanks Josh! Binge-watching your videos. Very helpful.