Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'

Subject: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 10:51 PM

Piggybackin on Mr. Rassmussen's most excellent Gutar thread

But a par-mutation of his thread.

Are their excamples of Guitar bass riffs which are "signiture pieces accociated with particular groups.

I am thinking rock (Santana, Dead, Oingo, Doors, Starship, Messina)

They are riffs that can stand alone in the piece and become ingrained in the group....so much so that one hearing them the audience immediatedly identifies.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Peace
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 10:56 PM

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: GUEST,Songster Bob
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 11:14 PM

The first thing that comes to my mind is the bluegrassers' favorite "Lester Flatt G run," an octave run that starts on the low G and goes:

G-A-Bb-B-D-E-D-G (the timing is not one count per note, and is hard to reproduce in text alone). If you've heard a bluegrass song, you've heard this run, or a permutation of it in another key.

There are blues riffs that are bass motifs, like Leadbelly's opening to "Mr. Tom Hughes' Town," a riff he uses in other songs as well. I can't bring many others to mind, but I'm sure there are a bunch.

And Maybelle Carter tended to play whole tunes in the bass notes, though these don't "count" as "riffs," to be honest.

Bob Clayton

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: PoppaGator
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 11:15 PM

The Beatles' "Rain" was the first song on which I ever played electric bass. The bass part really seemed to be the heart of that particular number. After a few repetitions of a nifty little bass figure, there's a passage consisting of a single bass note played over and over.

I think Paul McCartney is probably underrated as an innovative player on his adopted instrument. Not a technical virtuoso, but a lyrical and very original bassist.

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: PoppaGator
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 11:23 PM

Ooops -- is this supposed to be about bass riffs on the guitar, but not riffs on the bass guitar -- ??

But you did say "I am thinking rock"... :)

When thinking of the Dead, the first bass riff that come to my mind is Phil's thundering underpinning of the lines "Coming/coming/coming around" in "The Other One."

(Hope that's not a mondegreen -- I've never worried about understanding all those nutty lyrics, as many times as I've listened, as many versions as I've witnessed.)

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: chris nightbird childs
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 11:39 PM

Two words Ladies and Gentlemen... The Ox!

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: alanabit
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 03:35 AM

McCartney's bass on "Come Together" is the engine of the song. I also like Jack Bruce's simple, but essential bass line on "Badge".

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: s&r
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 04:08 AM

Folsom prison blues; Smoke on the Water I Shot the Sheriff

Stu

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 04:14 AM

Andy Fraser of Free. He was most godlike in all their music.

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Scabby Douglas
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 04:14 AM

Beatles: Ticket To Ride

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Cluin
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 06:37 AM

Anything Luther Perkins did on John R. Cash's records.


(there was actually only one riff and he played it on everything and by all accounts could STILL never get it right come recording time)

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Grab
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 07:50 AM

Cream: Sunshine of your love.
Nancy Sinatra: These boots are made for walking
Peggy Lee: Fever
Elvis: Jailhouse rock
Status Quo: Down down (and a bunch of others)

There's a strong argument for the bassline in Procol Harum's "Whiter shade of pale" too (nicked from "Air on the G string"). Yes, there's a lead part, but the bassline is what makes it.

Graham.

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Mooh
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 09:35 AM

Obladi Oblada (Beatles), How Many More Times, Dazed and Confused (Led Zeppelin)...Mooh.

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Scabby Douglas
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 10:18 AM

Another Beatles one: Lady Madonna
Although if memory serves, it was substantively derived from a number called "Bad Penny Blues"...

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Chris Green
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 12:08 PM

Money by Pink Floyd. And it's in 7/4!

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Once Famous
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 12:21 PM

Detroit City by Bobby Bare

Hard Ain't It Hard by The Kingston Trio (Opening notes)
MTA by the Kingston Trio (also in the intro)

Rebel Rouser by Duane Eddy

Now that's what I call an eclectic grouping.

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Mooh
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 01:20 PM

I don't know if it's doubled on bass, but the riff to Crazy Train (Ozzie Osbourne et al) is in the bass range and is not only quite clever but makes a great exercise for both hands on the guitar. It's a real pleaser for the younger student too.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 01:21 PM

support mental health and avoid gargoyle threads. he is very sick

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Cluin
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 01:51 PM

Roy O's "Pretty Woman"

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: john c
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 01:53 PM

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: john c
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 01:59 PM

Sorry 'bout that, chaps.......what I meant to say was - The White Stripes & Seven Nation Army. Top notch, honestly!

And Macca WAS bloody good. And Ringo too. Trust me....

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: chris nightbird childs
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 02:31 PM

That is actually a guitar, but....

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Bassic
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 03:12 PM

"Meet me on the corner" by Lindisfarne. On the original record the Bass was right at the "front" in the mix.

The second part of "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac.........the famous bit used by the BBC for its intro theme for Fomula 1 Motor Racing coverage until they lost out in the bidding wars for the TV rights a few years ago.

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Justa Picker
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 04:52 PM

"A Remark You Made"
- Jacko Pastorius / Weather Report

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Justa Picker
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 04:55 PM

...from the "Heavy Weather" album (same one that has "Birdland".)

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Cluin
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 04:55 PM

Day Tripper

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: GUEST,Bob - a bassist
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 05:46 PM

how 'bout the lead into wherever I lay my hat, by Paul Young, played by Pino Paladino. He makes that fretless sing!

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Cluin
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 05:48 PM

Theme to Seinfeld

Theme to Barney Miller

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Wesley S
Date: 23 Nov 04 - 01:40 PM

Headhunters by Herbie Hancock

Lowrider by War

Fire by Jimi Hendrix

and the coolest bass riff of all time...

Money by the O'Jays

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Nov 04 - 06:30 PM

Stones (perf) - Money.
Albert King - Born under a bad sign.
Steve Miller - Mercury Blues.
Floyd - Heart of the Sun
Plastic Penny ( oh God what was the name of their hit?)
Tyla Gang - Yachtless
Millions of different people - Good Morning Little Schoolgirl.
10 Years After (perf) - Help me
Sly and Family Stone - Family Affair
Chantays - Pipeline
Duane Eddy - everything he ever did
Shadows - Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt
Cream - Politician
Cream - Sunshine of Your love
Iron Butterfly - In - a - gadda - da - vida
Stones - Satisfaction
Mayall - the Stumble
Elmore James - Dust my Broom
Johnny Kidd (bass guitar, not guitar bass strings) - Shakin' all over
Doors - Backdoor Man
Doors - Whisky Bar

There was a French hit in the late 60's "Did you ever see, sunlight, shining on the trees -----" I forget who did it, Killer riff in double time

Nilsson - Jump into the Fire.

Must be milllions....

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 06:10 AM

intro of King of the road by roger miller

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: fat B****rd
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 11:18 AM

Dear Richard Bridge. The Plastic Penny's hit was "Everything I Am" ATB from the fB.
Peter Gunn has gotta be the one. Scotty Moore said he played the lovely opening bass line (on Guitar)and sat out the rest of the session for Don't Be Cruel. Great riff though. Eh ??

Subject: RE: Guitar - Bass Riffs as a 'Lead'
From: Mooh
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 12:27 PM

Lots of good bass soloists too, like in the Who, the Atlantic Rhythm Section...maybe worth a Google...here I go.

Mooh.