Advice for Music

DGRulz

I was just wondering, does anyone have any suggestions for what songs I could play on a bass for my music practical? I don't have the exam untill next year, but I figured I might as well start now.

Alanstrainor

What ever you like to play really. Whether it be blues jazz rock folk...etc, no one can tell you what to play you have to find something at your plying skill level and that's to your taste.

DGRulz

Does it not have to be hard-ish though? Im into grungy post grunge ect, & I dont think I'd get away w/ playing a two riff Nirvana song:L I was thinking of learning Laquerhead by Primus and Schism by Tool.

Alanstrainor

DGRulz wrote: »

Does it not have to be hard-ish though?

You see, the thing is, saying whether something is "hard" or not, is very specific to the level you are at. Something that is hard for you could probably second nature to someone else. What i learned to do for the practical, was to try and have a selection of pieces that were each different, try mix it up a bit, so you're not playing the same genre/style/tempo pieces each time.
But most of all its about the performance, not the skill displayed, just treat it like a "gig" and try and entertain the examiner.

DGRulz

So in other words....get my band in and play buddy holly by Weezer?

Fad

DGRulz wrote: »

So in other words....get my band in and play buddy holly by Weezer?

Dunno, my friend is playing YYZ by Rush, a Miles Davis song, and something else.

Jay P

I'm doing trad on the fiddle, but just to mix things up a bit, I'm gonna lash out Orion!

Fad

Jay P wrote: »

I'm doing trad on the fiddle, but just to mix things up a bit, I'm gonna lash out Orion!

Record it! that is something i wanna see!

Jay P

Fad wrote: »

Record it! that is something i wanna see!

Thanks! When I write out the notes and stuff I will. It's prolly not gonna be for a while though. I'll try and have it done in the next few weeks.

Fad

Jay P wrote: »

Thanks! When I write out the notes and stuff I will. It's prolly not gonna be for a while though. I'll try and have it done in the next few weeks.

Unusual Covers are a great love of mine, I'm getting a Mandolin soonish, so MOP here i come

HUNK

You could do "stuck in the middle with you" by Steeler's Wheel (clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right etc..). It has quite a nice bass line. Then again its probably not your kind of music so...
Ah yes YYZ, quite the difficult bass line. Miles Davis not bad. I'm playin freddie freeloader for my friends practical.
You could also do "Bouree" by Jethro Tull...then again, not your kind of music

DGRulz

Wow its been a while lol. Tbh I'll listen/play to anything bar pop punk, hell ive done a gig where i played Katie Perry & Rhianna :L Atm I'm thinking of doin 1/2 bass & 1/2 singing. Not sure what im gonna do for bass (possible Everlong -Foo Fighters & Killing in the Name of - RATM) but if I do the singing part I was thinking Zombie - the Cranberrys, House of the Rising Sun - The Animals version & if I had to Muse's version of Feeling good & Let it Die - Foo Fighters but Im open to ANY suggestions.

Also conserning bring my band in. Am I allowed to bring them in as backing (its just a guitarist & drummer), considering they're not doing their Music practical & their from a different school?

tootyflutty

You can bring your band in, but the examiner has to be able to hear you. They will dock marks if they cannot hear your bass under and have to strain to hear you.
I'm a bass player too, and was actually going to suggest Orion on bass before I even read the rest of the posts, just because it's got a bit of melody to it.
After that have a look at some of the stuff on bassmasta.com, you could play stairway to heaven or that sorta stuff too as it's not just a rhythmic bass line but an actual melody.

not bakunin

i played backing bass for a friends music practical this year......he had a drummer too, you can ring in whoever you want it seems.

another friend of mine played bass for his practical, and did "control" by joy division, "rocking in the free world" by neil young and "gigantic" by the pixies. all have pretty cool basslines. try and throw in a few runs, modes or whatever to spice up what could otherwise be a repetitive beat. attempt some slap perhaps.

Fad

OP I really dont know what the expected standard would be for bass, but I really think everything you have mentioned seems way too simple.

Some Jazz maybe??

Or Rush?

I dunno, but make sure no matter what you're playing you have it down tight.

That_Guy

DGRulz wrote: »

Does it not have to be hard-ish though? Im into grungy post grunge ect, & I dont think I'd get away w/ playing a two riff Nirvana song:L I was thinking of learning Laquerhead by Primus and Schism by Tool.

It doesn't have to be "hard" in any way. As long as you can play the songs well then you will be marked as such.

Everybody's level is different in terms of music and performing it.

For the LC music practical you can either do 4 solo and 4 group pieces or 6 solo pieces.

The 4 and 4 option is the most common.... well it was in my school anyway.

The 6 pieces are marked a bit tougher I believe but you've to really know your stuff.

The 4 and 4 option is probably the handiest I think. Pick 4 solo songs to do by yourself and then find some people to play 4 songs with you. The 4 songs in a group made me feel very relaxed because I wasn't on my own. I was with mates just playing music. Well that's what it felt like to me anyway.

If you're good at your instrument you should have no problem with this.

Jay P

Jay P wrote: »

I'm doing trad on the fiddle, but just to mix things up a bit, I'm gonna lash out Orion!

Jeez, I never got around to that! :pac: I didn't put much effort into the practical so I did pretty badly My own fault though.

Actually on bass, my friend did Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder, not exactly hard, and a few others that were easy enough. But he topped it off with YYZ.

Kareir

Fad wrote: »

OP I really dont know what the expected standard would be for bass, but I really think everything you have mentioned seems way too simple.

Some Jazz maybe??

Or Rush?

I dunno, but make sure no matter what you're playing you have it down tight.

YYZ is by Rush. It's what i'm planning on doing.. Probably some Chili Peppers aswell, and.. something bluesy or jazzy or possibly funky. I'll see :P

_Kar.

Dante

Play whatever you're good at and as others have said, mix it up a bit in terms of genre and tempo.