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Level 42 – ‘Running in the Family’

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‘Running in the Family’ was one of Level 42’s biggest hits, reaching #6 in the UK charts in February 1986. The song features a relatively simple slap bass part from Mark King, but it’s a line with several hidden treasures: fretting hand slaps, sixteenth note-based licks and major/minor tenths are all put to use here, resulting in a bass part that’s enormously satisfying to play.

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. ‘Running in the Family’ Play-Through

In this video I’ll be performing ‘Running in the Family’ using a JayDee Supernatural 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 you some advice on how you can find an appropriate tone for the piece.

3. Intro and Verse Sections

In this video I’ll be demonstrating how to play the main bass groove from the Intro and verse sections of the song. This is a simple slap bass part by Mark King’s standards and is a great introduction to his playing. There are some subtle but very effective variations here that really bring the line to life.

4. Chorus

In this lesson I’ll be showing you how to play the chorus bassline from this song. This line is predominantly an eighth note-based groove, although major and minor tenths are also used to outline the harmony.

5. Middle 8

This lesson will cover the song’s middle 8 section, which is very simple to play.

6. Re-Intro and Bass Fill

In this video we’ll be covering the re-intro section, which features a tasty slap bass lick at the end of the sequence.

7. Final Chorus Variations

In this final video, we’ll look at some of the small variations you’ll hear in the bass part during the final chorus sections.