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Introduction

In this section of the website you'll find a selection of short tutorial courses for popular songs. In each of these, bassist/author Stuart Clayton takes a classic track that features a great bassline, and breaks it down section by section. You'll also be able to watch a full, multi-angle play-through of the track, and download additional resources such as transcriptions and backing tracks.

View first lesson of each course absolutely free

Song Tutorials

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The following songs have all been selected not only because they are popular tracks, but because they are valuable study pieces as well. If you enjoy working through these short video courses, be sure to email us to let us know which tracks you'd like to see featured here in future!

Earth Wind & Fire - 'Shining Star'

This video course will teach you how to play Verdine White’s bassline from ‘Shining Star’, one of Earth Wind & Fire’s biggest hits. This line is notable for the use of shakes and tenth intervals.

Marcus Miller - 'Frankenstein'

This video course will demonstrate how to play Marcus Miller's bassline on 'Frankenstein'. This song a cover of the Edgar Winter original and can be found on Miller's 2005 album Silver Rain. As you might expect, this one features some very challenging slap bass parts.

Incognito – ‘Colibri’

This video course will teach you to play the bassline from Incognito's 'Colibri'. This line was written and programmed by Richard Bull and is an excellent workout for your fingerstyle funk chops.

Level 42 - 'A Physical Presence'

This video course will teach you to play Mark King's bassline on the Level 42 classic 'A Physical Presence'. This line has a lot of different elements: fingerstyle grooves, slapped lines and manipulated harmonics.

The Trammps - 'Disco Inferno'

This video course will teach you to play Ronald Baker’s bassline from ‘Disco Inferno’, the 1977 hit for The Trammps. This song has a great bassline, and it’s definitely one to learn if you enjoy playing funk/disco music.

Jaco Pastorius - 'Come On, Come Over'

This video course breaks down Jaco’s finger-busting line on this great song from his debut solo album. It’s a very tough line to play, but one that’s incredibly rewarding to get down.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - 'Stone Cold Bush'

This video course will teach you to play Flea's hard-hitting bassline from 'Stone Cold Bush' by Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Stevie Wonder - 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered' (LIVE)

This video course will demonstrate how to play Nate Watts' bassline from the live version of Stevie Wonder's hit 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered'.

Aretha Franklin - 'Respect'

This video course will teach you to play the bassline from 'Respect', the 1967 hit song for Aretha Franklin. This song features session bassist Tommy Cogbill on bass.

Herbie Hancock - 'Watermelon Man'

This video course will teach you to play the bassline from The Headhunters version of 'Watermelon Man', by Herbie Hancock. This song has a rather unique bassline and is a great piece to add to your jazz/funk repertoire!

Dua Lipa - 'Don't Start Now'

This video course will teach you to play the bassline from the Dua Lipa song 'Don't Start Now', which was a huge hit in 2019.

Lizzo - 'About Damn Time'

This video course will teach you how to play Ricky Reed's bassline from Lizzo's 2022 hit 'About Damn Time'. This song has a wicked bass groove and is a lot of fun to play!

The Blues Brothers - 'She Caught the Katy'

This video course will teach you to play Duck Dunn's fantastic bassline from 'She Caught the Katy', a great song from The Blues Brothers.

Level 42 - 'Running in the Family'

This course will teach you to play Mark King's bassline from the hit Level 42 song 'Running in the Family. This is a great track to learn for slap players who have mastered the basics and are looking to learn some new ideas.

Stevie Wonder 'Sir Duke'

This video course will teach you to play Nathan Watts’ bassline from ‘Sir Duke’, which is one of Stevie Wonder’s biggest hits. This song has a fantastic bassline and is great fun to play.

Pleasure - 'Glide'

This video course will teach you to play Nathaniel Phillips’ bassline from ‘Glide’, which was the biggest hit for the American jazz-funk group Pleasure. This song has a killer slap bass groove and is a lot of fun to play.

The Beach Boys - 'Good Vibrations'

This course will teach you how to play Carol Kaye's bassline from 'Good Vibrations', a song that was a huge hit for The Beach Boys, and one that has gone on to become one of the greatest pop songs ever written.

Bon Jovi - 'Livin' on a Prayer'

This video course will teach you to play Hugh McDonald’s bassline from the Bon Jovi mega-hit ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’. This song has a very recognisable bassline that is an education in creative session playing.

A Taste of Honey - 'Boogie Oogie Oogie'

This video course will teach you to play Janice-Marie Johnson’s bassline from ‘Boogie Oogie Oogie’ which she wrote and recorded with disco group A Taste of Honey. This song has a very recognisable bassline that’s a lot of fun to play.

The Who - 'Pinball Wizard'

This video course will teach you to play John Entwistle’s bassline from ‘Pinball Wizard’ which was recorded by The Who on their concept album Tommy. This song has a relatively simple bassline by John’s standards, but is a good workout for basic plectrum technique.

The Whispers - 'And the Beat Goes On'

This video course will teach you to play Leon F Sylvers’ bassline from ‘And the Beat Goes On’, the 1979 hit for The Whispers. This song has a fantastic line and it’s definitely one to learn if you enjoy playing funk/disco music.

The Jackson 5 - 'I Want You Back'

This video course will teach you to play Wilton Felder's bassline from the Jackson 5 hit 'I Want You Back'. This is one of the most popular and recognisable basslines of all time, and it's great fun to play.

Wham! - 'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go'

This video course will teach you how to play Deon Estus's fantastic bassline from the hit Wham! song 'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.

Gladys Knight & The Pips - 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine'

This video course will show you how to play James Jamerson's bassline from Gladys Knight's version of the Motown classic 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine'.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - 'Stretch'

This video course will show you how to play Flea's fingerstyle funk bassline from 'Stretch', a great track by Red Hot Chili Peppers that was recorded during the sessions for the One Hot Minute album.

Bob Marley – Could You Be Loved

This video course will teach you to play Aston Barrett's bassline on the Bob Marley classic 'Could You Be Loved.'

Stevie Wonder – Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours

This video course will teach you to play Bob Babbitt's great bassline on the classic Stevie Wonder song 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours'

Deep Purple - Never Before

This video course will show you how to play 'Never Before', a classic Deep Purple track from their acclaimed Machine Head album. This one is a great workout for plectrum playing.

Otis Redding – Hard to Handle

This video course will teach you how to play Duck Dunn's bassline on the classic Otis Redding song 'Hard to Handle.'

Jamiroquai - 'If I Like It, I Do It'

This video course will show you how to play Stuart Zender's bassline from 'If I Like It, I Do It', a great track from Emergency on Planet Earth, Jamiroquai's first album.

Nik Kershaw - 'Easy'

This video course will show you how to play 'Easy', an early eighties track from Nik Kershaw. This song features Level 42 bassist Mark King, who plays a powerful slap groove throughout the tune.

Star Wars – Cantina Band Theme

This video course will demonstrate how to play a solo bass arrangement of the Cantina Band Theme from the original Star Wars movie. This piece is performed using several different playing techniques, making it a very challenging study piece.

Marvin Gaye – I Heard It Through The Grapevine

This course will teach you how to play the James Jamerson's bassline from Marvin Gaye's hit version of 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine'. This line is a great piece to study if you're interested in learning how Jamerson constructed his lines.

Duran Duran - Rio

is is a video tutorial for John Taylor's bassline on Duran Duran hit song 'Rio'. This line is challenging, but great fun to play!

Jocelyn Brown – Somebody Else’s Guy

This course will demonstrate how to play the bassline on Jocelyn Brown's 1984 disco/funk hit 'Somebody Else's Guy'. This line is played using a combination of fingerstyle and slap techniques and is tougher to play than it might seem!

James Taylor - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)

This course will teach you how to play Leland Sklar's simple but effective bassline from 'How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)'. If you're interested in learning how to craft an effective bassline, this is a great track to study.

Extreme - 'Midnight Express'

This video course will show you how to play 'Midnight Express' by Extreme. This advanced piece was originally written for acoustic guitar but has been arranged here for 4-string electric bass.

Extreme - 'Cupid's Dead'

This course will teach you to play 'Cupid's Dead' by Extreme, which is an excellent study piece for Intermediate Level plectrum players.

Marcus Miller - Son of Macbeth Bass Solo

This 50-minute video course will teach you how to play Marcus Miller's bass solo from his song 'Son of Macbeth'.

Level 42 - 'Dream Crazy'

This course will teach you how to play 'Dream Crazy', a track from Level 42's 1985 album World Machine.

Level 42 - 'The Chinese Way' Bass Solo

This course will teach you how to play Mark King's incredible bass solo from live performances of 'The Chinese Way'. Hold on to your hats...

Level 42 - 'Sandstorm'

This course will teach you how to play the three main slap sections from the classic Level 42 instrumental 'Sandstorm'.

Level 42 - 'The Machine Stops'

This course will teach you to play 'The Machine Stops', a classic Level 42 track featuring a killer bassline from Mark King.

Ian Dury & The Blockheads - 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick'

This course will teach you to play 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick' by Ian Dury & the Blockheads - this one's a real workout for your fingerstyle technique!

Patrice Rushen - 'Forget Me Nots'

This course will teach you to play Freddie Washington's bassline on 'Forget Me Nots', a hit song from 1983 with a great slap bass groove.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - 'Hump de Bump'

This course will teach you to play 'Hump de Bump' by Red Hot Chili Peppers. This track has a great bassline which features aggressively plucked double stops and a funky fingerstyle groove.

Mr. Big - 'Merciless'

This is a video demonstration of Billy Sheehan's fantastic bass part from the classic Mr. Big song 'Merciless'. This play-through also features session drummer Will Beavis recreating Pat Torpey's original drum part.

Primus - 'Tommy the Cat'

This course will teach you to play Les Claypool's incredible bassline from the classic Primus track 'Tommy the Cat'.