Bass is the heart of a band. It’s where rhythm and melody meet. It’s where the soul gets in. But it’s also the most under-rated instrument in rock and pop. It’s possible to just thud along on the root notes of the chords. But one of the great bass players, Paul McCartney, says you can do great things, you can control a band, with a bass.
I’ve been sorting through hundreds of songs, trying to pick out ones where the bass line is what lifts the song and makes it great. Where the bass player adds magic without stealing the show.
I curated a very long list of songs – more than I can play in one episode, so we will return to the theme of great bass lines soon.
