7 EASY Bass Lines that sound INCREDIBLE (the 90’s Edition)

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Every bassist knows the feeling of first picking up the bass and being at a total loss for where to start. That said, there are plenty of beginner-level songs that you can learn how to play with just a few notes, and ‘90s music boasts no shortage of them.
Here’s our list of iconic ’90s songs that are easy to learn on the bass guitar, even if you’re just starting out. We’re also giving you a FREE workbook where we’ve added the tab and notation.
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Video Breakdown:
00:00 - Introduction
00:43 - 01 - Rage Against the Machine - Bullet in the Head
01:55 - 02 - Deee-Lite - Groove is in the Heart
03:36 - 03 - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Give It Away
04:37 - 04 - Nirvana - Come As You Are
05:51 - 05 - The Offspring - Self Esteem
06:59 - Using a Pick 101
07:33 - 06 - Green Day - Longview
09:10 - 07 - Blink 182 - What's My Age Again
10:10 - BONUS - The Stone Roses - She Bangs the Drums
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[@BladeV8]

The extent to which these are all the songs we all learnt at 15 if you grew up in the 00s is terrifying.

[@AndreaAustoni]

Deee Lite is the band, Groove Is In The Heart is the song, the bassline is sampled from Herbie Hancock's Bring Down The Birds, which is from 1966.

[@garrettlowell7637]

And that high pitched sampled “ah-ah” repeated sound is from the theme song of Green Acres.

[@JesseClaus]

❤

[@sotheresthat7882]

And Longview. Guess I can play two, at least.

[@zimmejoc]

Which explains the line’s awesomeness.

[@pritchy6071]

Their dj towa tei is great too.

[@mikebuick2332]

Scott and Ian just work so well together!

[@tylerkerxhalli7789]

The bassline for 'In the Meantime' by Spacehog 100% deserves to be on this list!

[@abouc]

Good God, that red & white bass is stunning!

[@davidschrader3257]

What is it?

[@Vykk_Draygo]

@@davidschrader3257 Looks like a Mike Lull IMA4.

[@davidschrader3257]

@@Vykk_Draygo ...yep, just found it, looks to be extremely limited (and no doubt pricey)...I put my name on Lull's list just for grins...it's a stunning bass though and sounds great. Thanks for the reply.

[@entrigueall2661]

Is it red or orange? Beautiful

[@davidschrader3257]

@@entrigueall2661 ....looks orange to me.

[@camf8372]

I really appreciate Longview. It's totally one of the reasons I started playing bass. I also associate that riff with a lot of bass lines from the 60's. From what I've seen, playing bass with a pick was super common in the 90's.

[@blousug]

I like to play Give it Away on my fretless. It’s fun sliding around! Thanks for the PDF I have an SBL collection😊

[@parkerellerbeck1674]

Keep up the great videos brothers 🤘🏻

[@strykr82]

This is so great, some of the first songs I learned in my first year were Give It Away and Killing In The Name.

[@modestfreak87]

Feels illegal to be this early in the comments! Love the content guys!

[@timothypietrzak5684]

Great video.. ty.. awesome to learn these cool riffs in less than 30 minutes.. hoping for many more videos to bookmark.

[@floppytnarwal1641]

Ahh she bangs the drum was the first bass line i learnt!!!! Love that song. I remember playing a small stage at Euro Woodstock and practicing, while the stone roses played the mainstage, i jammed along with this tune at the same time they were playing it 😊

[@85tclower]

I love this man. Just two guys jamming and having fun.

[@Andrea.Assandri]

Scott that ginger bass is stunning

[@metalchu]

My favorite era for bass jam sessions I love Blink and others around that era that I grew up on and practiced like crazy to get in music jazz bands at an early age to have fun and jam out afterwards with older kids lol

[@materafa957]

Nice ! I think one of the songs was Self Esteem which "pushed" me to play bass !!! Thanks

[@popefang]

Bloody lovely stuff chaps, the Mani present was lovely. some Andy Rourke Smiths bass would be nice

[@Alianger]

Zero by Smashing Pumpkins was one of the first I learned back in the day

[@antonburger01]

Just as I thought "why is the bass line of Longview never on these lists?" - BOOM - they play Longview! One of the all time coolest bass lines!

[@garrettlowell7637]

I’m Free by The Soup Dragons is another absolute winner of a bass line.

[@camillemaquillage]

Good god i love this channel.

[@1234drums]

Sooo fun ❤❤❤❤

[@fedexnman]

Guys killing it on the P bass !

[@joen3784]

Id love to know which strings, amp, and settings youre using on that P Bass. What a fabulous tone!!! Well done!!!

[@thebassmonster]

Ian your such a master of tone with the HX Stomp. Ive just purchased one because of your videos. I was never a fan of multi fx units but they have vastly improved over the years so looking forward to giving it a go. Can I ask where you got the extra two button add on from ?

[@sebastianba3822]

In high school I was big fan of Blink 182. I`ve learn almost all of songs. It helps me to Play fast and in right tempo.

[@neurocosm]

I love that orange and white-stripped bass! :D

[@pmdinaz]

The Cars, Drive. 1st bass line I actually learned and played in 1989. I had to search for the bonus song, she bangs the drum, I've never heard it before. Wow that bass punches through!!! (on my 20 year old Sony MDR Pro headphones anyway haha)

[@alessandrobaggi6129]

All the things i played when learning, with a focus on RATM & RHCP... 😎🤟

[@brettgillen9342]

Scott plays Groove is in the Heart naturally with 1 and 3 and then takes care to teach it using only 1 and 4. I'm curious as to why? Is it because Ian plays it this way, (using only 1 and 4), or because there is some benefit? Love watching you guys play - thank you kindly for the generous instruction and your contagious enthusiasm 🤘

[@cisolino]

I propose to you a song of an italian band of the 90s: - C.S.I. “Forma e sostanza”… all played with the pick. Believe me! She deserves to be heard.

[@MikeNevill3]

Come down by bush. So fun

[@bobpond6381]

Not my decade (I’m old) but great stuff!

[@Clumplays]

Deffo gunna give a couple of these a bash guys!

[@devinebass]

Have fun with them!!

[@avital2166]

You should do "Orange Colored Sky " next 🤞 (in the spirit of "Fallout"😉..)

[@michaeldesalvo5983]

These are the songs that made me want to play music! Also, I never realised that I need a bass with racing stripes until now.

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@mrseaweed88]

Longview is such an incredible bass line

[@devinebass]

💯💯💯

[@ivansuvorov9270]

Классный канал. Спасибо

[@chadholladay6228]

How about a BONUS song #2 and throw in a song from Jane's Addiction? Eric Avery's lines are tasty!

[@PedroRodriguez-bw6fb]

You guy's have to do a part 2 , tool sober, offspring bad habit and got get away, space Hogs in the mean time, Alice chain wood, Pantera walk, I'm broken , Megadeth symphony of Destruction, anthrax cover Got the time , RANCID Ruby Soho, Local H Bound for the floor, Metallica the god that fail and my friend of misery, RHCP SUCK MY KISS and many more lol this was awesome 🤘🤘🤘🤘🔥🔥🔥

[@mod.life.crisis2964]

The link for the workbook opens up the nirvana workbook

[@alanalford4702]

Scott is fire on da Bass baby! Keep up the great work mate. I bought your fret progression program. Dude gotta a question. Just bought a new guitar but changing the strings the E string keeps popping before I can tune it to E. Around D#. Anyone ?I bought long scale strings still pop.

[@devinebass]

Go and check things over with a tech, because the low E string should not be breaking before you get to E!!

[@BuckFlicks]

Best 90s bass lines: The Distance by Cake, and any Jamiroquai song.

[@bennobassosaurus7078]

Every epp is a triumph gents! More short scale bashing please 😂

[@BloodyBeethoven]

The F# on the chorus on Whats My Age Again is played an octave up!

[@danyomega1472]

Talking about easiest bass lines the band that instantly comes to my mind are The Ramones, they're not from the 90's though. Just strum the root notes with a down stroke and you can nail almost all of their songs.

[@hardcore302]

What do you guys think about spending some time on punk rock? Like NOFX, Rancid, AFI?

[@catzdollz9810]

Dee Lite!

[@lepiszcze1]

Scott please use a bass with fret markers when doing a video for beginners, it'd be much easier to see what you're doing👀Thank you

[@gergokovacsjazzpiano8165]

Ears, these are the miraculous organs you might use ;-)

[@simonosborn1125]

We really need caps and jacket links along with the tabs gents!

[@elrafa782]

I’m definitely not a rock guy. I love you still 😉🙏

[@leonardodemarchi]

What about Rancid's bass line for "Journey to the End of the East Bay"? Doesn't Rancid deserve an episode?

[@ryplay08]

Can you guys do a video about Mike Dirnt and talk about more than just Longview?

[@devinebass]

Potentially at some point!

[@Adamimp1]

As someone who is in their first year, just wanted to say thanks. 🙏 You guys rock and I love your videos!

[@danielelise7348]

How is that glove working with a flat tyre?🤔🧤🧤

[@Mikebumpful]

If you would forgive a stupid question: What's the benefit of using your fourth instead of your third finger when covering only three frets like both these guys seem to be doing? The way I was taught, the fourth finger goes on the fourth fret (relative to your first finger), or on the octave two strings down.

[@devinebass]

Because sometimes playing 'finger-per-fret' can be a real stretch, especially when you're playing close to the nut!

[@zeenedin9013]

How did Ian get that tone on this p-bass? DI or Mic?

[@IanMartinAllison]

DI with my Ultimate Amp preset on the HX Stomp - basically a tweaked SVT amp / cab sim 👍🏼

[@zeenedin9013]

@@IanMartinAllison sick tone dude. What actual amp are you hearing yourself through? I see two in the background, the Aguilar probably is Scott's amp, the other one i cannot figure out.

[@devinebass]

The other rig behind Ian is a Vanderkley Spartan and an MNT112. Behind Scott is a Barefaced Big Twin!

[@poubelle2849]

Beginner question here : at 3'05, you say that you want to play the lick with finger 1 and 4, not 1 and 3... any reason for that ? I naturally tend to play with finger 1 & 3, i don't know if it's a bad habbit for some reason...

[@squidworx]

Totally agree. Feels far more intuitive to use 1 & 3 seeing as the next note after the 3rd finger is on the same fret and requires the 4th finger. Everyone's different I suppose

[@devinebass]

Because it means less of a stretch with the left hand! The pinky also 'tends' to be stronger and more dextrous than the ring finger because the ring finger has a shared tendon with the middle finger. If that fingering works for you though, nothing to stop you using it!

[@squidworx]

@@devinebass Love the insight! I probably should have added the caviat that I'm a guitarist first and foremost and generally deal within a smaller distance between the frets and that's why the 3rd finger makes more sense haha - I'm a frustrated bass player at heart 😜

[@paullawson8610]

You get a like just for including the stone roses

[@joeclark149]

Bullet in the Head, I would not describe the bassline at the middle and end as “easy” 😉

[@jamesmorganearley]

Stone Roses for the win!!

[@chrisbille]

Hey cool, first year of bass. And first year of bass when you're 61 ?-)) There"s only one line (maybe 2) I will learn.....

[@MrAnimator-ud9cu]

Sorry I’m a bit confused here. I thought they gave away the custom IMA4? Was this recorded before the giveaway or what?

[@devinebass]

Yes, we recorded this shortly before the bass was handed over to the winner. :)

[@weissarnaud3461]

Love to see some love given to Mani / Stone Roses on this channel. The guy is a badass

[@subparnaturedocumentary]

cannonball by the breeders not too hard for beginners and most people will recognize the line

[@catpope]

She bangs the drums was 1989.

[@eden9186]

okay mate

[@joelhernanveron]

4:30 - Esa no me la vi

[@JowSithm]

What? No Eric Avery?

[@woody4269]

1st yr? 3rd day....lets go!! ♿️....♿️....

[@warwicker22]

When I saw “easy 90’s bass lines that are incredible” the first song I thought of was “Good” by Better Than Ezra. Sad it didn’t make the cut.

[@MikeNevill3]

Hello. Guys ..

[@giovannicontarelli]

Deee-Lite è il giro di basso di Herbie Hancock "Bring Down The Birds 1966 soundtrack del film BlowUp kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqqveYJ3oM9sqdU

[@Glad4394]

Opinions on danelectro bass thinking about getting one because I have chronic pain due to a wreck and I can’t play my squire jazz bass

[@antoniolyon4970]

Please film a show about or with Paul Denman, Sade’s Bass player. He’s the best!!! Saludos !

[@90nined]

Helmet unsung

[@diegoalejo15]

ey Scott, did you check the "Flatter" to play fretless on a freted bass?

[@andrewpappas9311]

Some other ones I'd suggest as well are Sabotage from the Beastie Boys, Cannonball by the Breeders, John the Fisherman by Primus (or anything by them really), Higher by Creed (playing that song with my band at an upcoming show and it's surprisingly fun to play), My Friend of Misery or King Nothing by Metallica and Boys & Girls by Blur

[@devinebass]

Good choices there!!

[@andrewpappas9311]

@@devinebass Some potential picks for a Part 2 lol but thanks, those are some of my personal favourites as well

[@LloydWillisTurnbull]

'She Bangs the Drums' isn't 90s; the track was recorded in 1989, and the single and album were both released in 1989.

[@bradami1234]

You guys should do a stone temple pilots breakdown video.. robert deleo is a super slept on bassist and musician..

[@leftbas65]

Brad Wilk, RATM's drummer, is violating a sacred, unwritten rule: you can take off your shirt, you can wear gloves, but you can't do both 😂

[@SO-ym3zs]

Someone tell Mario Duplantier from Gojira!

[@RandyLott]

Talk to Dave Silveria from Korn. Calvin Klein model turned Nu Metal drummer 😂

[@ChrisHopkinsBass]

If you don’t copying a synth bass line, tune down to E flat and learn “Killer” by Adamski. It is a killer riff (I’ve also got a cover up on my channel) from 1990 :)

[@themosaito]

Hey Ian, you get much better tone out of that bass than Scott does. Just sayin'...

[@joshjosh25694]

Scott loves it with flats. Ian is playing with rounds.

[@Alex88302]

No Alice in chains? Very disappointing. They need a video dedicated to Starr's and Inez's bass work

[@gazfunk]

She Bangs the Drums is 80s. 😉

[@shogungekko]

Not a big fan of our new flag. But it dose make a better hat.

[@AHoundOnAHonda]

'90s. Not 90's...

[@Hey-Its-Dingo]

People have been writing it as 90's since the 90's, both are equally correct, so sit down and shut up.

[@AHoundOnAHonda]

@@Hey-Its-Dingo It's not correct. The apostrophe is only used to indicate missing characters - in this case, "19". You wouldn't write "ninety's" or "ninetie's" would you? So... sit down and shut up...

[@Hey-Its-Dingo]

@@AHoundOnAHonda You are arguing linguistic semantics vs commonplace vernacular shorthand. People have been writing the decades as 70's 80's 90's 00's for just as long as they have been using '70s '80s '90s '00s. Yes, '90s is the technically "correct" way, but to say that 90's is wrong is to say that billions of people across English speaking countries have been wrong for decades, and that isn't how commonplace shorthand works. So sit down and shut up.

[@AHoundOnAHonda]

@@Hey-Its-Dingo They've also been getting plenty of other words wrong, like too and you're and were and they're. Just because so many people get it wrong doesn't by default make it right. 90's can mean three things; a) 90 is; b) 90 has; and c) belonging and referring to 90. (Not the decade of the nineties, just ninety.) There's no apostrophe in the word nineties, so why insert it when using numerals? The dictionary does not agree with your theory of commonplace shorthand. It's either correct or it isn't, regardless of the lowest common denominator you value so highly. So again, in your own charming phrase, sit down and shut up.

[@HowlingMad86]

I refuse to use picks.

[@lukehinkle9614]

Scott doesn't play Come as You Are are with fingers, because he plays the song with fingas.

[@SanayMenon]

No enter sandman?😢

[@thumbthump]

90s were weak

[@cthomashalversen8604]

70s and 80s rule. I got a list a mile long. Oh yeah, 90s Bach! .... meh

[@virgilrytaar9083]

Get a room

[@sebg2086]

should teach people not to used pick.....take less skill to play with a pick

[@LouisL1963]

Anthony Jackson, Carol Kaye, Joe Osborn, John Entwistle, John Paul Jones would all disagree...

[@devinebass]

Cody Wright, Bobby Vega, Steve Swallow, Wilton Felder too...some fingerstyle players are hopeless with a pick. No player is less skilled because they use a pick

[@sebg2086]

@@devinebass way easier to play fast with a pick....exemple take the pick out of david ellfson and he cant play 95% of the megadeth song anymore...... give a pick to steve harris and im pretty sure he can still play the iron maiden song...... an average guitarist can look like a god on bass with a pick..... pick i more easy

[@sebg2086]

@@LouisL1963 im pretty sure they would agree.....people play with a pick because its a short cut.... take 2 brand new bassist....make them play a fast song.....iron maiden exemple...... the pick player gonna play that song way faster than the one with the finger....some song sound better with a pick......but pick is really a short cut

[@GregSB1]

I prefer playing with fingers because I feel like I can get to every string faster and more accurately, so fingers are EASIER for me. If I need to bang out consistent 8th notes especially if I’m singing, then the pick is easier. The pick can be part of the sound that makes a song what it is.

[@dalemogk38]

Having grown up in the '70s & '80s, I can report that NONE of ANY of this is actually 'Rock'. There is no Rock here.