5 Disco Bass Lines For An EPIC Plucking Hand Workout

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►► FREE: Get the tabs, notation and practice tracks (including the slowed down practice tracks) for all the bass lines in this lesson → becomeabassist.com/disco-bass...
Disco bass lines get a bit of a bad wrap…
Was there a good amount of questionable disco music?
For sure…
But did some of the songs have truly epic bass lines?
Heck yes!
Will you see me rocking the tighty whitey Travolta-style disco suit at Studio 54 this Saturday night?
Absolu…Wait - actually, that’s a hard no. Lol
But there were some absolute gems that came out of the disco era; songs with truly epic disco bass lines.
And not only are these lines fun to play, they can also help ‘level up’ your plucking hand.
Of course the disco octaves are a bit of a cliché, but actually playing them accurately and up to speed can be challenging.
Especially when you start adding in the 16ths as well.
So in this video, I share 5 disco bass lines with you that start off very easy and get progressively harder and harder for the plucking hand.
You’re probably very familiar with at least the first 3 songs, but there’s also one artist I snuck into the lesson that isn’t quite as well-known, but one I’m absolutely loving at the moment.
Now if you found any of these disco bass lines difficult, I wouldn't be surprised.
They can absolutely be challenging.
The best way to level up your plucking hand as always, is to practice. And to make that as easy as possible, I've made all the tabs, tracks, and notation for all these disco bass lines available as a free download.
You’ll even get the slowed down practice tracks so you can work your way up to the actual tempos of all the songs.
Just click here
becomeabassist.com/disco-bass...
Fill out the form on that page and I’ll send every last disco bass line you see in the video PLUS the full speed and slowed down practice tracks.
Good luck with the lesson and happy discoing!
Cheers,
Luke
[Chapters]
0:00 Intro
0:56 Disco Bass Line #1
2:50 Disco Bass Line #2
5:32 Disco Bass Line #3
9:22 Disco Bass Line #4
11:58 Disco Bass Line #5
14:39 FREE: Download the tabs, tracks and notation for all the disco bass lines
#discobass #becomeabassist #basslesson

[@BecomeABassist]

What disco bass lines have YOU played that have leveled up your plucking hand?

[@michaelbujanda8785]

The fourth bass line "Disco Yes" that you demonstrated was the one that was a finger twister for me!!!! It had a combination of octaves and single notes!!! 😄😁😁🙂

[@michaelbujanda8785]

I've played in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal bands so I played mostly with a pick because I wanted my bass lines to be precise , punchy and I wanted the notes to be heard especially over those heavy low distorted guitar amp sounds!!!!! L.O.L.!!!!🤣🤣😂😂😂🤣😄😄😄😄 It was kind of ironic for me!!!! I played in a Heavy Metal band but my bass sound was super clean with a chorus effect!!!! So I gravitated towards a pick!!! But your exercises have helped a bit with my right hand picking!!!! In the past I only used my fingers for slow ballad Rock songs!!!😀😁🙂😀😄

[@londonemski]

I can make you feel good by Shalamar. Leon Sylvers III is a great and underrated player whose lyrical yet funky lines tell a real story while always in support of the song. Great lesson by the way - thanks!

[@satoshislim863]

N/A; I'm not playing like that, yet. Would LOVE to see you do Future Islands' "For Sure". This youtuber, I, does great with it, but he's not teaching, just playing. You'll never see this, but Thanks all the same. 🙂

[@ManMan-sj7py]

why is your right arm hangs like a tree when you do your plucking? thats so disturbing... not what i want to look like when playing bass! you look like a robot...

[@SKBassist]

Your videos are sooooo awesome!! Keep up the good work.

[@KlintonSilvey]

I am so glad to see index---middle-index for your octave. I keep seeing vids saying it's better to go index--index-middle but it seems so much harder to me.

[@Ren_Xander]

Thanks for helping me become a better bassist! These bass lines are really cool!! Would love more disco bass lines in the future.

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks so much @Ren Xander Miller - I really appreciate it! Any disco lines in particular that you'd like to see broken down like the ones in this video?

[@OrganicFaithFactory]

I LOVE this channel thanks for all the cool grove compilations.

[@BecomeABassist]

Glad you enjoy them all @Faith Factory!

[@andrewwright6893]

Great lesson and great playing. Some great disco tunes. Thanks very much for the sheet music and tracks. Cheers

[@thomasfioriglio]

Another super lesson Luke. I didn't think I would like disco, but hey, always be open to trying something new. These were cool bass lines you picked. And the slowed drum tracks are so helpful. Thanks for sharing!

[@BecomeABassist]

You're welcome @Thomas Fioriglio, and I'm glad the slower practice tracks are coming in handy for you.

[@nicwookie1313]

I appreciate your videos and resources they have helped me out a lot!

[@BecomeABassist]

That's super cool to hear @Nicoco - really appreciate you letting me know.

[@danielpalmersofficial]

Disco is one of my favourite music genres, disco bass lines are ace!! ✌️😙

[@Xarli.O]

Thx Luke for this🙌💚

[@daitos1955]

How very true, when I was a teenager back in the seventies I never thought much of disco music, in fact I hated it ( I was a rocker through and through), but later on on the nineties a joined a retro band that played mainly seventies disco and then is where I started to appreciate the greatness of those bass lines. Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive is one of my all time favourites.

[@carolinabelstries6362]

Great video. Disco ulysses was like one of the first bass lines I wanted to learn and at that time I didn't even own a bass yet. I just had the urge to play bass lines so badly that I took the old begginer acustic guitar my father used to play. It was missing a string and another one snapped, but hey I only needed 4😂

[@Froi97Freixo]

Carolina that's a sin on bass religión. Basslines must be played on basses. We can not forgive you

[@BecomeABassist]

That's awesome @Carolina Belstries! As long as you're improving, it doesn't matter what you're practicing on. Keep going!

[@byronconsbass]

Nice and interesting technique. Thanks for sharing.

[@BecomeABassist]

No worries at all @ByronCons Bass - glad you found it interesting!

[@PatNetherlander]

Great basslines! In the past those octaves gave me a lot of frustration, but easy does it. That 4th line from Tom Misch is really beautiful in a classic disco way. And that Joe Dart line is, well, a typical Joe Dart line! What’s not to love about it. Thnx again mate!

[@BecomeABassist]

I'm on a big Tom Misch kick at the moment @Pat Netherlander, so including that line was a no-brainer for me. Glad you like it!

[@Jedmanuel91]

Thank you Luke!

[@BecomeABassist]

You're very welcome @Jose E.

[@acprado67]

When I see this video I perceive my level is very high today. I can play all of the hardest disco´s bass line with easy and on the other hand I´m able to learn all of them very quickly. Even intermediate bassists often has dificult in playing funk or disco lines

[@oldunclemick]

Great fun 👍. My wife calls me the Disco Bunny - anything with a groove gets me moving.

[@BecomeABassist]

Bahaha! Great nickname!

[@TheBinaryWolf]

Thanks!

[@ThilinaBlyz]

Thanks Luke

[@BecomeABassist]

No worries @Thilina Blyz!

[@michaelbujanda8785]

I wish there would have been a bass teacher like Luke during the early 90s so I could have taken lessons from him!!!! These comprehensive lessons are really good!!!! Plus for some reason I am drawn to his U.K. accent(voice) much the same way when I am watching the BBC network and there is a nature wildlife program on TV!!!! I like the British accents!!!!😂😂😂😂😀😀 There was no KZbin back in the 90s and the bass teacher I was taking lessons then wasn't very good teacher!!!! Too much music theory!!!! And I got bored and frustrated!!!! So I quit taking lessons and learned from music books and magazines on my own!!!!😁🙂😀🙂😃😎🤗 I have learned more stuff from Luke's lessons than I have in 10 years of playing!!!!

[@stevieffs]

He's not British 🙄

[@michaelbujanda8785]

@@stevieffs Thanks. I didn't know.🙂 My bad!

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks so much @Michael Bujanda - I'm glad you like the lessons! And you can be forgiven for thinking I'm 'British'. Technically, I guess I *am* since I was born in Scotland, but my accent is definitely Aussie since I grew up in Australia.

[@stevieffs]

@@michaelbujanda8785 Maybe absent-minded :) If you listen to someone like Prince Charles, and then to Luke, I'm sure you'll hear the difference! And yes, he's a great teacher.

[@michaelbujanda8785]

@@BecomeABassist Thank you for replying back!!!!🙂😀😄😀🙂 I appreciate it! I am going to look for more bass lessons!

[@jorisotten1967]

Great video, again! 🙏 If you record a follow up, please make sure to incorporate Bernard Edwards. For me, he forms the apex of disco bass playing.

[@dianaphirst9143]

You've already mentioned Abba, so Daft Punk, Get Lucky. Some fast widdly bits in there!

[@BecomeABassist]

Ooh - that's a great line. I'll have to include it at some point in the future.

[@alexandervelikiiiii]

Spector rules!

[@donaldswan1587]

I love that bass! What is it?

[@theloniouscoltrane3778]

I hate disco music since I am not a "slap bassist"; until I stumbled on your video. You showed me that you don't need to "slap" the bass in disco. Now, I like disco music.

[@rossfletcher4362]

Thanks Luke, lots of good stuff to practice here, love a bit of disco!

[@BecomeABassist]

Absolutely @Ross Fletcher. The last line was a workout for me - I definitely had to make sure my hands were warm before tackling it.

[@slq3263]

Hi Luke, I'm interested in joining your online course. Is there a lot of content on there to take me from a complete beginner to someone who can proficiently read tab and play along to songs etc?

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks for the interest @Sarah Q. If reading tabs and playing along to songs is your goal, I think you could probably achieve that from my free material on KZbin. Here's a super comprehensive video about reading tabs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2KqqmiGbNuanNk And for some very beginner-friendly lines, check out this playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6arknWgfM2Io6s I do have some specific courses that are beginner-friendly about technique and groove (the first 2 things I believe a beginner should focus on), and if you'd like a bit more info about them, just send an email to support (at) becomeabassist.com. The student support team will be able to send you the full details for each.

[@christiangagnon3264]

What finger are you using first when you start plucking , is it always the middle or it depends if you have 16 notes or something else?

[@ChrisP3000x]

Anybody play octaves with pick?

[@versloe1]

Hi Luke. I am just curious as to what bass you are using ? It looks awesome. thanks. johnathan

[@BecomeABassist]

In this video, I'm using a Spector Euro LX - the banana bass!

[@versloe1]

@@BecomeABassist thanks so much. It looks awesome and I wanted to look it up. Much appreciated Luke ☺️

[@giorgiopiccini]

what spector is this ? i never see this color

[@BecomeABassist]

It's a Euro LX I think. Don't quote me on that though. Lol

[@randomcrusader5632]

Didn’t know the first 3 at all and last 2 which were meant to be more obscure I knew perfectly and had already learnt

[@oldunclemick]

I guess he's not as young as he looks! 😀

[@BecomeABassist]

I'm precisely as old as I mean to be @Old Uncle Mick. lol

[@TheDarklady28]

What is that bass? I love it!!!🍌❤😊

[@TheDarklady28]

Taste of honey “ Boogie Oggie Oggie”? Please? Thank you

[@rockndisco3874]

I Love Village People YMCA

[@michaelbujanda8785]

I know Disco sucks!!! But if you want to learn how to groove and be a bad ass bassist you should learn bass lines in Disco, R&B and dance music and Funk!!!! I was kidding about Disco sucks!!!!😁 When I was a young boy I was into KISS and that's all I liked!!!! Well I also liked some Beatle songs and Paul McCartney songs!!!! As I got older like when I was a young 21 year old bass player for a local gigging ROCK band I started being open minded about all styles of music and started learning different styles of music for improving my musicianship!!!!!🙂🙂🙂🙂😁😁😁🙂🙂

[@BecomeABassist]

Nice - and I totally agree. You can learn something from *all* kinds of music, especially the styles that you aren't naturally drawn towards.

[@peterw3160]

Disco music is for winners.

[@davedave8608]

ripe banana bass

[@BecomeABassist]

A tasty bass for some equally tasty lines.

[@davedave8608]

@@BecomeABassist stick'er in the fridge bud.. slows the bruising 🙃

[@peterw3160]

Tom Misch (and Vulfpeck, which I saw in the comments) ain’t disco, kids.

[@BecomeABassist]

If you say so Peter