Bass Transcriptions - Page 7
Bass Transcription: Fernando Lamadrid’s “Mollete Express”
Just as I was wondering which piece to select for this month’s transcription, along comes this killer track from super-talented bassist Fernando Lamadrid and drummer Rick Arencibia. This one has it all: harmonic-laden odd-time grooves, funky slap lines, chordal work and several jaw-dropping solos. Perfect! Download the transcription (PDF) and follow along: “Mollete Express” opens with a fingerstyle groove over...
Transcription: Jaco Pastorius’ Solo on “(Used To Be a) Cha Cha”
Among the great tunes on Jaco Pastorius’ self-titled solo debut was “(Used to Be A) Cha-Cha”. His solo is a tricky one, at an upbeat tempo and with Jaco’s trademark melodic and syncopated lines. Here is Jukka Haavisto’s take on his wonderful solo on this track.
Bass Transcription: Tal Wilkenfeld’s “Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers” Solo
Tal Wilkenfeld’s fantastic solo on the Jeff Beck classic “Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers” has been watched countless times. There are several live recordings of this track, but the one transcribed here is from the Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2007.
Transcription: Viktor Lörincz’s “Boomerang”
This month’s transcription is “Boomerang”, a funk-filled slap-fest from Hungarian bassist Viktor Lörincz we originally featured back in 2011. This chops-heavy piece is a great workout for anyone looking to take their slapping and tapping skills to the next level. Download the transcription (PDF) and follow along: Viktor opens the piece with a Latin-flavored tapping part which outlines a series...
Transcription: Periphery’s “Make Total Destroy”
Bass transcriptions are cool. They're even cooler when they're written by the bassist who played on the track. Adam “Nolly” Getgood shares this transcription and breakdown of his work on Periphery’s “Make Total Destroy.”
Transcription: Colin Hodgkinson’s Catcote Rag
This month’s transcription ties in nicely with the recent feature on underrated bassist Colin Hodgkinson. Colin is a superb bass player, and very unique. During the late sixties and early seventies, he played some truly astonishing bass parts with his trio Back Door, and was even said to have been a big influence on Stanley Clarke when Back Door opened...
Bass Transcription: Stu Hamm’s “Going to California”
This month’s transcription is Stu Hamm’s live performance of the Led Zeppelin classic “Going to California”, which can be heard (and seen) here: You’ll need to detune your E-string to D in order to play this piece. This performance of the song opens with a chord consisting of an open low D-string and A and D harmonics played at the...
Transcription: Cliff Burton’s “Orion”
“Orion”, the classic Metallica track that features bassist Cliff Burton in a lead role, was an obvious choice for this month’s transcription. To this day – nearly thirty years after it was recorded – it’s a track that is studied and dissected by metal-loving bass players all over the world.
Bass Transcription: Evan Marien’s Arrangement of Jaco Pastorius’ “Havona”
Evan Marien‘s fantastic take on the Jaco Pastorius-penned classic “Havona” was high on my list of pieces to transcribe for this monthly feature. Evan’s breathtaking melodic soloing on the chord changes simultaneously calls to mind the spirit of the original, while showcasing his own unique melodic voice. Skip to the transcription and video “Havona” has a 22-bar form consisting of:...
Transcription: “No Woman, No Cry” Solo Bass Arrangement
This great version of the Bob Marley classic “No Woman, No Cry” was arranged by popular YouTube bassist Viaceslav Svedov, a talented young musician known for his hard-hitting covers of popular bass-driven songs.