Deconstructing The Moondance Bass Line (No.222)

[@silencedones4421]

Just wanted to take a moment to thank you for the time you put into your videos/lessons. The way you explain everything really seems to resonate. I am really glad to have found your channel.

[@GregsBassShed]

Thanks so much. It's really great to get feedback like this! More good stuff coming up!

[@edtaylor7816]

As always Greg, your deconstructions are an incredibly clear and concise learning tool. Your calm demeanor is also effortless to learn from!

[@GregsBassShed]

Thank you very much Ed! That's really great feedback to hear 👍

[@telfordwhite6476]

Absolutely great lesson and breakdown of the tune. Top marks.

[@GregsBassShed]

Thanks, glad you liked the lesson.

[@anbyeastbank319]

Fantastic lesson greg. Tying together the theory and how the different sections are approached is a great way to learn, especially for a tune that so many of us are familiar with. Thank you sir!

[@GregsBassShed]

Thanks so much, glad you liked the lesson.

[@robertbeattie5292]

Thanks Greg, valuable as always! It's great that you do this type of in-depth style to offer so many extras so well done.

[@GregsBassShed]

Cheers Robert. Glad you liked it!

[@fergusashcroft-walsh2242]

This is so helpfully put and explained. Thanks!

[@GregsBassShed]

Thanks Fergus. Glad it was helpful!

[@Herminator66]

Greg, as the one who initially hoped on your FB chat that you would do a lesson on "Moondance" I am so grateful! I've been playing along with the recording and struggling with the chorus for weeks ... and never quite finishing with the rest of the band. I knew you would be able to break it down to where I could get it. Playing those stacked 3rds straight, rather than swinging was a key point. Lots of great ideas for the verses and pre-chorus that I hadn't played. Keeping it fresh! Thank you again and enjoy your coffee on me - Cheers!

[@GregsBassShed]

Glad to help Herm and it was a fun bass line to breakdown. have fun with it and appreciate the coffee.

[@TKelly-js3os]

You lessons are very easy to grasp Greg, thanks for sharing these.

[@GregsBassShed]

My pleasure Tim!

[@robertmock4146]

Great lesson. One of my all time favorite songs.

[@GregsBassShed]

Glad you liked it Robert.

[@TheJohnclark19]

Hi Greg, thank you once again. You make these lessons so much easier to follow for those of us amateurs who play largely for fun these days. The reason our band has never performed this song “live” is me, I guess?…….. as they, and I, haven’t had the confidence I’d get through it. We’re all on holiday, but I aim to surprise them when we get back together, so once again thank you for putting Moondance out for us. The Walkin’ The Blues course is also a great course….so glad I signed up for it…… Coffees on their way 👍

[@GregsBassShed]

Really pleased to have helped you with that. I'd love to hear how you get on when you do play it with the band. Thanks for the coffee and really glad also that you are enjoying the Blues course.

[@brynyowannatkinson2915]

Hi Greg, outstanding. Very nicely played and explained, especially on tunes that cry out for improvisation. I sometimes think this wasn’t wrote as a song but developed from a jam session. Whatever and whichever way it was wrote it’s brilliant. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve played this, arpeggios work well and stacking 5ths from the intro 16 bars leads to some interesting voicing, or vamping and throwing in a fast triplet. Moondance seems to have unlimited versions. I do play that last section with a swing feel but it’s down to personal feel. Moondance and Take Five are my favourite Jazz tunes it’s rumoured that on the original chord sheets said “….jam along guys”🤣 You have earned a coffee thank you for this lesson on Moondance I’m armed with a few more ideas!! Take care Keep Groovin’ Bryn

[@GregsBassShed]

Glad you liked it Bryn and thanks for those extra ideas. I think I read that Moondance was recorded in one take. Apparently Van Morrison liked to lay new vocals down afterwards but everyone loved the magic in the first take. Thanks for the coffee too!

[@drazendragovic2175]

Hey, Greg! Another wonderful lesson you gave over here. The one of the first tunes I played and recorded inspired by James' lesson that with some other brought me to the bass as an instrument before bit more than three years ago. I love the scales, the ideas and your driving attention of "feel". I am the one who did not play straight feel on that spot. I will work on that and try to recorded after some time, maybe played on my fretless. Thanks for your attention to the details that make difference! Cheers! Dražen

[@GregsBassShed]

Hey Dražen, glad that you enjoyed the lesson. I never use to play the straight feel there, It's actually quite challenging to play it straight. Personally I think that it also works with the swing feel. That could be really nice on your fretless. By the way, thanks so much for the coffees.

[@garethevans2650]

There's a version of this in a 50 First Songs book. Comparing with it shows how valuable your teaching is. There's far more good input in your lesson. Thankyou

[@GregsBassShed]

Thanks so much Gareth

[@editingmachine]

We've been checking out your videos, and loving it! Great work 🙌

[@GregsBassShed]

Thank you so much 😁

[@StevenDoyleLuke]

Totally love learning walking over this tune!

[@GregsBassShed]

It's great isn't it!

[@travisreed5965]

Outstanding - I Definitely Sound Like A Beginner And You Clearly Play With A Groove - I Dig The Whole A To B Notes And Then A Quick E Mixed In - Such A Cool Sound - Also, Loved The Three Jazz Tutorials - Super Cool Stay Rowdy Brother G, Cheers

[@GregsBassShed]

Just keep thinking about where you place your notes and listen to the rest of the band and you’ll develop good groove too. Glad you enjoyed the Jazz Week Series, that seemed to go down well with everyone. Have a great week.

[@troublebrewing2121]

Thanks Greg, I really have to try get those scales nailed, especially in 2 octaves :)

[@GregsBassShed]

That really helps. Once you can play these scales over the whole neck you know where all the note choices are.

[@jmd01]

Nice lesson. Thanks :-)

[@GregsBassShed]

Cheers 👍

[@andychisholm]

That Epiphone is a beauty! 😍

[@GregsBassShed]

Cheers Chiz, by far my best purchase over the last few years. it's got the option of a much more beefy tone than I originally thought it was capable of.

[@harryreinert5948]

Another outstanding lesson Greg. Any chance you could add something on doing a bass solo for this song? Found a couple of nice ones on the “tube” posted 10+ years ago but hard to figure them out. Actually heard some of what you showed in this lesson in them, just need to figure out how to apply it

[@GregsBassShed]

That's a great idea, I'll add that to the list for future lessons 👍

[@halberd4696]

Awesome tutorial of a great tune, Sir! Many thanks! Is that minor blues scale run (5:19) the same as the one in Green-eyed Lady?

[@GregsBassShed]

Thanks. Yes that riff is based on the Blues scale with another couple of notes added

[@carloadapimps6870]

alot of kudos and gladhanding in the comments, but seems the instrumental solo (bass line) was not addressed in this vid would that be done over the A harmonic minor? That is the only section I have difficulty with, and the reason I played this video to begin with.

[@GregsBassShed]

@@carloadapimps6870 thanks, yeah it looks like this lesson went down really well with my regulars and new viewers. The solo section is over the same chords so take what I show you throughout the video and apply that to this section. The same principles apply.