This song is from Incognito’s 1993 album Positivity and is one of the band’s most popular tracks. It features a complex fingerstyle bass groove written by Richard Bull and performed by Randy Hope-Taylor. This line is one of the more challenging parts in the band’s catalogue. This bassline features many of the key ingredients in […]

This song was a huge hit for soul duo Sam & Dave back in 1967. Written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter, it topped several US charts on release and was successful all around the world. ‘Soul Man’ has since been covered by many artists, notably The Blues Brothers, who performed it on Saturday Night […]

This song is from Blood Sugar Sex Magik, the fifth album from Red Hot Chili Peppers. This song features some killer fingerstyle funk grooves from Flea, as well as some overdubbed lines. The bassline for this song was performed on a 4-string bass with each string detuned a whole step (D-G-C-F). Tuning in this way […]

This song was written by Otis Redding and STAX guitarist Steve Cropper. It was recorded in December 1967, shortly before Redding’s untimely death in a plane crash. It was released posthumously in 1968, topping the charts in the U.S. and reaching number 3 in the UK. This song was recorded with the STAX house band […]

‘Lady Marmalade’ was written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan and was originally recorded by Labelle back in 1974. It was a number one hit for the group and is now regarded as a funk/soul classic. Since its original release, the song has been covered many times, by artists such as All Saints, Christina Aguilera, […]

‘6:00’ is the opening track from Awake, the third album from progressive metal giants Dream Theater. Released in 1994, the album is held in high regard by the group’s fans, and features some of their best-known songs. This piece is an excellent introduction to the band’s music, and to the bass work of John Myung. […]

This slap bass study features a relatively sparse bass part. The line was inspired by ‘Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)’, a classic song by Sly & The Family Stone. This song holds an important position in the history of the slap technique as it is considered to be one of the first recorded […]

This study piece will help you to incorporate several phrasing techniques into your slap bass playing. These include hammer-ons and pull-offs, trills, vibrato and slides, all of which will really help bring your lines to life. You’ll also learn how to control note length when using the slap technique. Don’t forget to hit the Download […]

This study piece has a relatively slow tempo. In addition to playing conventional supportive grooves, the bass is also the featured instrument here, taking on many of the main melodic lines. Using the instrument in this way recalls the work of Marcus Miller, whose influence can be clearly heard throughout the composition. Although there are […]

This study piece has a disco feel and as a result, the bass part is heavily based around root-octave figures. Early albums by Jamiroquai were a significant influence in the composition of the piece, and so there are many ideas here that are often found in Stuart Zender’s playing. These include sliding octave figures, and […]