Favorite Key Bass Parts

[Jeremy Darrow]

Hey Justin, lately my band has been diving into a wide variety of cover songs for fun, and for content, a handful of them have been '80s pop songs. We're an acoustic string band, but we do pretty literal interpretations of these songs. In the process, I've come across some really great bass parts (in Whitney Houston and Tina Turner songs in particular) that I suspect were played on keys, and I want to get more familiar with these kinds of parts. Do you have some favorites that you wouldn't mind sharing?

Not an '80s pop song, and not originally played on key bass, but here's the kind of thing were doing with these covers. This one is by Tune-Yards.



Thanks!

 

[Wood and Wire]

Love Action - The Human League.

It's an absolute monster.

 

[4001]

Scott Kinsey's walking bassline under Gary Willis' bass solo during "The Big Wave" from Tribal Tech "Illicit"...
2:54- 4:35...

 

[Wood and Wire]

Also :

Just an Illusion - Imagination.

That would also be a lot of fun, in your bands format.

 

[Jeremy Darrow]

Love Action - The Human League.

It's an absolute monster.

Also :

Just an Illusion - Imagination.

That would also be a lot of fun, in your bands format.

These are both great! Thanks for sharing them.

 

[Jeremy Darrow]

I find it really interesting what key bass players sometimes decide NOT to play, and how they express harmony. Implied slash chords, occasional skipped downbeats, stuff like that.