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Herbie Hancock – ‘Watermelon Man’

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‘Watermelon Man’ is one of jazz pianist Herbie Hancock’s best-known compositions. Originally written for his 1962 Takin’ Off album, it was revisited in 1973 by Herbie and his jazz-funk group The Headhunters for the album of the same name. This version of the song - covered in this course – features an inventive bass part built around tenths, from bassist Paul Jackson.

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:

1. ‘Watermelon Man’ Play-Through

In this video I’ll be performing ‘Watermelon Man’ using a ’72 Fender Jazz bass.

2. Course Overview

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.

3. A Section

In this video I’ll be talking through the song’s intro section and demonstrating the repeating two-bar bass groove. This inventive line makes use of tenth intervals, a concept which recurs throughout much of the piece.

4. B Section

This lesson covers the next part of the track, which is a turn-around section which is used again later in the piece. Once again, tenths are used to reinforce the harmony, although the syncopated nature of the part makes this harder to play than it might seem.

5. C Section

In this lesson I’ll be taking you the C section, which is anchored by a sixteenth note bass groove. This is a relatively simple line that moves between two chords.

6. D Section

In this video we’ll be covering the D section of the song. It’s at this point that the melody is heard for the first time. This part is essentially an extended three-chord blues sequence. Tenths continue to be used in much of the bassline throughout this section.

7. E Section

In this final video we’ll be working through the E section of the piece. This is essentially a repeat of the D section, although with some altered timings during the IV and V chord parts.