7 Reasons Thundercat is Funkin' Awesome (+Lesson Tips)

Thundercat is one of the most popular bassists in the world, and possibly elsewhere...so what’s his secret?

Normally things like bass solos, bass chords and effect pedals are a foolproof way to make band leaders and audiences cringe.. and often for good reason.

But Thundercat is a musician first, and a bass player second. (and a cat daddy third, I guess?)

He redefines what it means to be a bass player and finds a happy medium between what's appropriate and what's overkill. He doesn’t just shred for flash - he fully supports the music and fills up the sonic space to make the song better.

So what planet did his creativity come from? How did a man named Stephen Lee Bruner use his love of comics to create his alter ego of Thundercat and fuel a bass revolution?

In this video, I explore the story of how he uses thunderously fast chops, wubby effects and colorful chords to reach the pinnacle of bass kool-kat-ism. Thundercat hoooooooooooo!!!

#Thundercat #BassBuzz #MeowMeow

[BassBuzz]

What’s your favorite Thundercat bass line? 🎸

[treetheoak]

Thunder cat is a dude that wanted to be a 1 man band but only wanted to master 1 instrument. He's crazy talented

[swarthygiant]

I think it’s worth pointing out thundercat isn’t really famous because he’s a bassist. That’s why musicians love him but the general public love him for being an amazing songwriter, performer, and generally classy trendy guy, who also happens to be a bassist. If he did all that badass 6 string stuff in ableton he’d still be blowing tiktok to pieces like he is now

[alejandroramirez]

Can't pin point when I first heard of him but slap fatigue makes me a fan of his style. I feel like his playing isn't just trying to be in the pocket. Definitely great melodic lines.

[neworecneps]

Thundercat is why i started learning bass last year at the ripe old age of 38

[tianxiangw]

ngl Thundercat was the reason I bought my first-ever bass guitar, and coming across the B2B course was why I started to take this instrument seriously 1 year after I bought it. Thank you, Josh, for continuously providing such amazingly high-quality content!

[jhc]

"Look at me!!! blaaaahhhh, I'm on YouTube!!!" I lost it right there. You're the man Josh. I fully appreciate how non-narcissistic and down to earth you are as a YouTuber. I wish more of them were like you. Keep it up brother.

[nomannic]

I love how you are a genuine fan of Thundercat, not only of his music but his personality and individuality! Awesome video!

[matevizhanyo]

It's clear that the main reason you made this video is because you're a big fan... And I can't blame you for that.

Great work again! Thank you!

[girlygirllocssoul]

This was SOOOO excellent! Thank you for showcasing Thundercat. He is an incredible bassist!

[fatsuperfly]

We needed Thundercat! I’m a metal guy, but love my rock and especially funk old school bass Motown. We need a new music hero, lots of guitars guys, but bass and kinda in the modern scene, the image and sound he is a rockstar. Ha! Love this guy.

[Yasin-du]

1:48 why he can't slap bass
4:57 sounds ok
5:03 Cool transition
5:09 that’s insane. Must take a lot of practice.
5:27 Octave Up Effect
13:56 My Favourite

[RichardHoogstad]

Those 18 minutes passed by really fast. Great video and kind mind blown that Thundercat hardly uses any slap. Favorite bass line: Lava lamp but the live version from the tiny desk concert.

[BartFunkBass]

I had the opportunity to see Stephen Bruner live when he was the bassist for Suicidal Tendencies. It was before anyone knew who he was, before he became Thundercat. I approached him a bit stressed, shook his hand and all I could ask was if he knew Victor Wooten, and he said, "Yes, he's my friend".

[HAMMERSMASHD]

I appreciate your videos, I'm a guitarist of like 18yrs but a bassist for 5 or so you've helped me since the beginning.
Also I got to see Thundercat last September I think. Live he plays with just a keyboardist and drummer. I didn't look up any live footage beforehand and was blown away by how hard the shredded as a 3 piece, extremely talented musicians. They upped the tempo on almost all songs and got jazzy with it. Super impressive show

[unchangedimage]

I do love that you always coordinate your t-shirt to reflect the artist/band you are focusing on.

[Snazzy_Tomato]

This definitely helped me contextualize bass in a way I hadn't thought of before

[haldern]

even though he's a pretty household name these days I still feel like Thundercat is one of the most underrated figures in modern music. A shocking amount of people who know him from his solo work/THAT Mac Miller tiny desk concert would have no idea that he used to be in a thrash metal band and also played bass, sang & co-produced one of the most important hip-hop albums of all time. not only is he a ridiculous bass player, he's also one of the most versatile musicians in the 'mainstream' scene. the life of a bassist 😢

[ElMatador]

I first saw/heard Thundercat live when he opened for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and I have been HOOKED listening to his music since then. Super talented individual and he deserves every bit of success that comes his way

[MaybeABass]

Always a good day when a new Bass Buzz video drops!!. I think a joe dart analysis would be a great video idea. Rock on 🤟