Hey there folks, I've got another bass lesson for you. This one has a bunch of nuance to it. There are advanced rhythms and some intermediate harmonic concepts at play here. This tune was made popular again by the Quentin Tarantino movie Django Unchained. You can listen to it here.
One of the quirky elements of this song is that we aren't sure who played bass on it because two men have claimed credit for it. There seems to be a lot of discussion regarding the credit, but it's still uncertain. I find this recording fascinating because the stylings are blended between folk rock and Motown style bass lines. The form is sophisticated as well. If you look into the chart you'll notice that each chorus is a bit different. The changes in the solo are nearly identical to the verse, but it's simplified in the 5th measure to B instead of the chromatic inversion of B/D#. A very simple change that creates a profound effect for the listener.
The bass line is very syncopated and uses a fair amount of arpeggios to create motion that is atypical of Folk Rock. It also includes some unusual accidentals. Fx(double sharp), B# and E#. These are caused by the C#minor chord being raised to a major chord, creating a secondary dominant feeling to move towards F# major. It's a pretty jazzy progression hidden inside the key of E. The F# major is also out of place. It is another secondary dominant moving to B major. The accidentals are sometimes odd. Usually I try to take note of the options to keep as little ink on the page to make it easier to read. I could have avoided Fx, but that would have meant using G natural to G# repeatedly, which is clumsy by comparison.
Listen through. See if you can isolated ideas worth exercising. Get comfortable with the form to the point you can predict the transitions (watch the repeats and the coda).
Remember to enjoy the process and keep playing.
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