What are examples of songs where you'd define the bass line as intermediate ?

lowplaces

lowplaces

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Dec 20, 2015
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#1
Reason I ask is because I have an audition pending. The band leader wants to know if I'm an intermediate player or better.

He wants some examples of intermediate level songs I'm comfortable playing.

How about I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You


Or Sugar Daddy



I can play them both spot on. Are those at least intermediate level bass lines ?
 
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#4
Most experienced musicians can identify an "intermediate player or better" almost regardless of the basslines he's playing. How precise is your rhythm and attack? How well do you react to what the drummer is doing? Are you laying down a groove that the rest of the band can jump into and go? For cover tunes, does it sound and feel like the original?

But on a quick listen, I would say that both those tunes sound to me like intermediate or better rock basslines.
 
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#7
The last time I was emailed that question (with regard to my lead guitar playing), I wasn't sure what they meant. When I auditioned, it turned out that the band's keyboard player and rhythm guitar were decent, the drummer was substandard, and the bass player was appalling.

So "intermediate" might mean "the good players we've auditioned turned us down, so we're now looking for players at our level."
 
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#10
If this is his first day on the job as a bandleader, I might cut him some slack, but even then, it's ridiculously obvious what needs to happen in this situation.
As others have already said, the thing for him to do is to provide you with a couple songs that define his "intermediate". These days how hard is that?
It's not like he has to give you a tape or burn you a CD, just provide you with the names, and maybe versions of the songs.
If he can't or won't do that, he's not a leader.
 
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#13
lowplaces said:
I have an audition pending. The band leader wants to know if I'm an intermediate player or better.

He wants some examples of intermediate level songs I'm comfortable playing.
Click to expand...
So he and the band are going to learn new songs that you’re comfortable playing just so they can audition you? Seems backwards. They already have their songs worked out. They should ask you, “are you comfortable playing xyz?” Or even better… do what every other band does and show you their setlist and ask you to chose some songs you’re comfortable enough to play at the audition. Your choices alone will tell them what you’re comfortable with.

In any case, if I were in your particular situation I’d do some research and then name off a few intermediate or higher bass line songs I was sure THEY play in their set. I’ve personally never heard of the two songs you’ve named, and sorry, but I’m not taking the time to listen to them now. (The band probably won’t listen to them either if they’re unfamiliar with them). If the band hasn’t heard of what you’re suggesting it wouldn’t be ideal or in your best interest. Think about that if you really want to win this audition.
 
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#16
Most of the time, notions like "Intermediate" are ambiguous, and it is not very clear what they really mean. Ideally, you should ask for a song list and see for yourself if you are able to play them. Also, it would be good to know how the band works, if there is enough rehearsal time for these songs, or if they require you to play new songs in one go, reading from a chart. With some rehearsing, for instance, I'm able to play songs more complex than the ones you’ve shared, but I know I wouldn’t be able to play them if I had to do it in one go, reading from a chart.
 
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#18
I didn’t know by name those songs you put up. Once I played the videos, yes I’ve heard them before and they’re fine songs, but not exactly songs on the tip of everyone’s [collective] tongue. Accordingly, if those songs aren’t in this band’s set (or if they don’t play more than one song by each of these groups already), your examples wouldn’t be my first choices for demoing my skill level.

And yet, ya never know. Maybe everybody who has tried out is playing Rhiannon or Dreams, and the band, perhaps not even knowing it themselves, is hungry for a bit deeper dive into the catalog (without getting too obscure). Maybe one of those songs is one of the band member’s favorites, perhaps one he’s been trying to get the band to play for years. It’s possible. There’s a lot to be said for being yourself.

Meanwhile, I’d say those songs can reasonably be called intermediate. Certainly more involved than a beginner would be doing well, but not anything you had to graduate from Berklee or do years of rigorous study to play. Intermediate. But, it would be best to know where the band is coming from. What kind of songs are they playing and how good are they. One person’s "intermediate" could be another guy’s advanced or "too much work" and yet another person’s "too simple".

I don’t disagree with the other responses that it would be better if you had some songs on their set list to learn, but here’s another way of taking the band leader’s tryout requirement: he just doesn’t want to be taking on a beginner.

Maybe he doesn’t know a dang thing about bass, he just wants someone to "do whatever it is that bass players do" and doesn’t want you dragging the rest of the band down while you’re still learning to play (i.e., a beginner). He’s perhaps thinking by saying that he wants examples of intermediate songs that you’re comfortable playing, he’ll not only get an insight into where you’re coming from musically but also keep it comfortable for you (you pick your own songs to show us, whatever you’re most comfortable with). Just show us where you’re at. The requirement might be very basic like that. Just show us you can actually play. You can even pick your own stuff, whatever you already know. We don’t know you from Jack, so just show us bass playing you.

Other than that, a lot of the audition might come to how comfortable people are hanging around each other. If you can play, do you fit in personality-wise? Do you look like a plausible member of the band? Are you really available schedule-wise and into their music and presentation style? Practical stuff like that
 
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#19
lowplaces said:
The band leader wants to know if I'm an intermediate player or better.
Click to expand...
Defining levels of proficiency is far more complicated that naming a few song titles. I would much rather listen to 'simple' music played really well than 'intermediate' or 'advanced' music (whatever that might be) played badly (or barely) by people working way beyond their abilities.

With that in mind, these are the songs from the Trinity College London 'Rock and Pop Bass Syllabus' from 2018 (still current). Grades 4-6 cover the transition from Intermediate to Advanced. Either of the songs you posted would look OK in any of these lists, IMHO:

GRADE 4
FOREVER, Haim;
I NEVER LOVED A MAN (THE WAY I LOVE YOU), Aretha Franklin
I WISH, Stevie Wonder
RIFF RAFF [TF] AC/DC
THE RIVERBOAT SONG, Ocean Colour Scene
SLEDGEHAMMER, Peter Gabriel
SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT, Nirvana
YOU KNOW I’M NO GOOD, Amy Winehouse
HEROES, David Bowie
MONEY, Pink Floyd
WHITE ROOM, Cream
WOULD?, Alice In Chains

GRADE 5
CAR WASH, Rose Royce
CAUSE I’M A MAN Tame Impala
DAY TRIPPER The Beatles
HEARTBREAKER Led Zeppelin
REACH OUT I’LL BE THERE Four Tops
SMOOTH CRIMINAL, Alien Ant Farm
SWEET CHILD O’ MINE, Guns N’ Roses
WAKE UP, Rage Against the Machine
BOOKS FROM BOXES, Maximo
TIMEI S RUNNING OUT, Muse
WHEN I CAME AROUND, Green Day

GRADE 6

GET LUCKY Daft Punk
NO ONE KNOWS. Queens of the Stone Age
ORION, Metallica
RIO. Duran Duran
SCAR TISSUE, Red Hot Chili Peppers
SOMETHING GOT ME STARTED, Simply Red
WHAT’S GOING ON, Marvin Gaye
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS, Joe Cocker
ASHES TO ASHES, David Bowie
THE CAPTAIN, Biffy Clyro
HEAVEN KNOWS I'M MISERABLE NOW, The Smiths
WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN, The Who

At the same time I think there is a lot of overlap in how these lists are compiled. For example, the Grade 2 list includes 'Private Life' by Grace Jones, and the Grade 3 list includes 'Walking On The Moon' by The Police. IMHO 'Private Life' played and performed well is a lot more demanding than playing 'Walking On The Moon' or even 'Heroes' (on the '4' list) to any standard. YMMV.
 
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