‘Respect’ was originally written and recorded by soul singer Otis Redding, who had a hit with the song in 1965. It was then recorded by Aretha Franklin in 1967 (with some changes to the lyrics) and became a hit song for her as well. Aretha’s version – the subject of this course – features a memorable bassline from seasoned session musician Tommy Cogbill.
Be sure to hit the Download Resources button above to download the PDF transcription for this piece (available to subscribers only). The transcription is available WITH TAB and WITHOUT. Please note that a backing track is NOT included with this course.
This course contains the following videos, each of which can be selected from the video player above:
In this video I’ll be performing ‘Respect’ using a ’72 Fender Jazz bass.
In this video I’ll be giving a brief overview of the song and its bassline. I’ll also be giving some advice on how you can find an appropriate tone for the piece.
In this video I’ll be demonstrating how to play the bass groove for the song’s intro and chorus sections. The line here is a syncopated, inventive part that sets the tone for the rest of the piece.
This lesson covers the song’s verse sections. The line here is similar to the one played during the intro and chorus, although over a different chord progression. This lesson covers all three verses and the minor variations heard in each.
In this lesson I’ll be taking you through the Middle 8 of the song, which features a sudden key change. The bass part during this section is much simpler than the lines in the verse and chorus parts.
In this final video we’ll be covering the final chorus of the song which features the famous ‘R-E-S-P-E-C-T’ vocal refrain.