How to play like Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath - Bass Habits Ep. 7

⭐ Lemmy & Powerchords video: • How to play like Lemmy...
⭐ Geezer's gear: whichbass.co.uk/know-your-bass...
⭐ Geezer & Steve Harris plucking technique:
• How to play like Steve...
• How to Get Geezer Butl...
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[@PaulDelBelloYT]

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[@bonescheffel7795]

Steve Harris does NOT pluck hard at all. His technique has been described (by Nicko) as "just tickling the strings." His tone comes from lots of gain and compression.

[@DannyBoi2112]

Geezer has one of the best P bass tones ever IMO

[@M.Holland]

I guess you meant Paranoid. ;)

[@Wheresthepepsibismol]

My p bass tone is so distorted and clicky af because of my scooped mids and my boss DS-1

[@tormentor502]

I think John Deacon has the best p bass sound

[@DannyBoi2112]

@@tormentor502 yeah Deaky's tone is pretty good too

[@nickfanzo]

Truth

[@mtp4430]

Geezer was an underrated bassist who never fully got his due. He's responsible for so much of the Black Sabbath sound.

[@jakekerr7250]

Geezer and Ward is straight up one of the best rhythm sections in history

[@mtp4430]

@@jakekerr7250 👍🎶

[@princebonnie1357]

Geezer wrote his share of lyrics as well. He was absolutely pivotal and crucial to the sound of Sabbath. I'm a guitar player, I simply can not get enough of Geezer's style and brutal delivery at times!

[@Ranmann86]

Sabbath is so overshadowed by ozzy and tony nobody ever talks about how geezer and bill are one of the greatest tightest and grooviest rhythm sections in all of music

[@mtp4430]

@@Ranmann86 Well, some of us do. But I get your point. Geezer and Bill were always overshadowed by Ozzy and Tony.

[@ferox965]

You forgot bending the notes. This is a hallmark of Geezer's sound. Adds even more tension.

[@dragonskinavi]

Yeah man! And also octave slides on the same string...

[@Mike-kv5pl]

Geezer Butler's imprint is all over those classic Sabbath albums. He was a big reason why that Sabbath sound was so powerful.

[@notapplicable328]

Not to mention writing all the lyrics

[@Mike-kv5pl]

@@joaquinlezcano2372Not sure what exactly you are talking about. I just know he was great on those first several Sabbath albums.

[@TheBlackKnight1o1]

1:28 Bassists everywhere "You had me at Don't Change My Strings."

[@kosmicviolet7540]

Glenn Fricker is probably having a fuckin fit at that statement lmao. fr tho strings are fuckin expensive.

[@TheBlackKnight1o1]

@@kosmicviolet7540 True, lmoa. They do hold up longer than guitar strings at least, you don't have to change them every month at least. But you should do it once or twice a year

[@geraldfriend256]

James Jamerson never changed them his entire CAREER.

[@cmvb]

@@geraldfriend256 flatwound...

[@ShuKatashSam]

Geezer's independence was always striking to me, compared to most all other bands, but then he, Bill and Tony would all go different although well blended directions, then suddenly fall back together into the same riff. They did not sacrifice the song for the independence, in fact, many would argue that's what made their music great.

[@dragonskinavi]

Exactly man...that's why I've loved (early) Sabbath and still do! That's one of the things that made them truly GREAT! It's like pay for 1, get 3 😄

[@shanemolloy2824]

Geezer is a very deep character, an awesome lyricist. He can write a song that just poses questions which you have to consider carefully to answer. When you get it, you gain wisdom. When you get it you learn something about yourself and the wider world. I don't care what "style" it is. That's some powerful art that is transcending the art form itself and becoming part of culture. The fact that he's one of the greatest bass players in one of the greatest bands just is the perfect mix. I could talk about all the original members. Each brings their piece of the party, but Geezers quiet occultism and that bass sound and style are the biggest part.

[@Renegade8652]

Geezer is the man, that nasty thick bass makes me so happy.

[@guero_mocoso]

GEEZER! My music hero. Along with his incredible bass playing, he also wrote about 95% of the Black Sabbath lyrics (during the Ozzy era).

[@acidjazzsoulfunkrock]

Geezer is the creator, the main inspiration for all Stoner bands

[@Tyrannosaurine]

I love a couple stoner bands, and played in a “stoner rock” band for many, many years and this statement is an understatement. There are some great bands out there, but the genre is not the most innovative. I used to joke that on every show we played there would be a band playing what is basically Junior Varsity Foghat or Mountain for Dummies. Generic riff rock. But far more prevalent is a whole world of Doom bands doing the most cookie cutter, cooler by numbers Sabbath worship. Masters of Reality spawned the genre, and there are far too many bands out there perfectly happy scrapping what’s left of the barrel out of 1974. It’s tedious and boring and it’s a shame, because when done right, stoner rock in all its rumbling and swaggering glory is as close to honest to god, real Rock and Roll. But it’s stagnant. Josh Homme wants to dance in L.A. Scott Hill has played the same riff since California Crossing Eddie Glass can’t keep his shit together Ruben Romano got sick of all his money turning into nodding out Eddie Nick Oliveri is doing meth and in the middle of a standoff with the FBI or something. Jesse Hughes is a fucking bigot Neil Fallon is still doing that whole thing. Dave Wyndorf got sober Jus Osborn might honestly be just a cartoon of Jus Osborn anymore. Wino is probably starting some awesome band he’s gonna break up in 4 months. Greg Anderson is still playing the same note from 8 years ago. The one band that still produces vital music is Sleep and half of their reunion album was written in the 1990s. But the new material is fucking solid.

[@Renegade8652]

@@Tyrannosaurine Dude, never heard of this band SLEEP until you just mentioned it, checking it out, loving the nasty Geezer style thick-ass bass. Thank you.

[@Tyrannosaurine]

@@Renegade8652 so glad you enjoyed it. They’re fantastic.

[@seamussc]

I think anyone playing in a rock band with just one guitar, and not a lead and rhythm guitar dynamic, can learn a lot from Geezer in particular. A bass supporting a good guitar solo, without the aid of a rhythm guitar, is going to need to be doing a bit more, and Geezer shows us a very effective way of doing it.

[@andreasdeutinger7319]

the bassline of „supernaut“ is basically the foundation of everything i play on bass ;) it is sooo brilliant!

[@Renegade8652]

One of my favorite Sabbath songs. Fairies wear boots is another barn burner on bass.

[@Andyanddiana467]

My favorite bassist ever.

[@kevmc8791]

As far as the rock guys who played bass geezer and John entwistle were the two guys who made me pick up the bass as a teen.

[@LUR1FAX]

Geezer Butler was originally a guitarist, but ended up playing bass in Black Sabbath. The same was the case for Lemmy.

[@wyattisrite5153]

Geezer essentially plays his bass like it's an upright. Two finger plucking high on the body if not actually over the fretboard, close to the bass's center of gravity. When you think about the fact that Earth was a jazz band before they became Black Sabbath, it makes a lot of sense.

[@adamnoturfuknbusiness2367]

Imagine they never make the change and their names get lost in that unfortunately mostly forgotten flurry of psychedelic jazz jam type stuff of those times

[@geraldfriend256]

Yeah those arpeggiated power chords could be in any upright line to be sure

[@beatlesrgear]

I love the jazz flavour that they put into some of their songs and extended jams. Most people would't think that jazz could work in a heavy rock song, but Sabbath do it SO deliciously! 🤟

[@sekritdokumint9326]

Geezer is the most British looking British person ever

[@Metaliconian]

@@SludgeManCometh This was the comment I was waiting for! Besides, I think Allan Holdsworth is more worthy of that accolade.

[@beatlesrgear]

😂

[@Rebel-Rouser]

Geezer was a bad ass... My favorite tone!

[@fonseca90660]

I don’t play any instruments but I still found this video very interesting. I’m a big Sabbath fan. Thank you.

[@bradwolfe1999]

He’s amazing. You also mentioned Steve Di Giorgio which I respect.

[@bendagostino2217]

Butler is so underrated man. Listen to his playing on the outro on lord of this world. So great.

[@ericpurvis2262]

How he doesn't always follow tony is the main reason why I really dig them together, especially when iommi solos and geezer just gets in there and cuts through, they remind me a bit of the deleo brothers went it comes to doing their own individual thing

[@MartyWilson100]

Great video!=) Geezer Butler is one of my all-time favorite bass players, he's like a more evil version of Jack Bruce

[@televinv8062]

That's brilliant. Well said!

[@MartyWilson100]

@@televinv8062 Thank you 😎👍

[@televinv8062]

@@MartyWilson100 absolutely Bruce and Butler, both master bass players. I couldn't care less if anyone disagrees. They're giants.

[@MartyWilson100]

@@televinv8062 I agree, two of the greatest rock bass players

[@Storm-xg5ry]

Agree! 🤟

[@eldiablo3794]

Two of my favorite bass players of all time are Geezer and John Entwistle. Imo they have a very similar style when it comes to playing w/their fingers. The both have a more percussive sound & approach to playing the bass. Similar configurations too when it comes to effects & using guitar cabs w/ bass cabs combination. Its very unorthodox & sounds awesome. I am always attracted to bass players who dont stick to the basic mold of playing bass and always approach their playing & thinking outside the box. From Geezer, Verdine White, Les Claypool, to John Entwistle.. these guys all in their own way changed and progressed bass playing in some way. Because its crazy to think but electric bass in the grand scheme of things is still a pretty new instrument and only a little over 70 years old, and when Geezer was playing and doing his thing with Sabbath electric bass was only around 30 years old and look how he changed it and made people think wow I never thought of playing bass that way while influencing many future legendary bass players, and musicians.

[@davidmolloy329]

Geezer's swing in Fairies Wear Boots solo is my favourite bass playing of all time.

[@bigmamajama2829]

Great video, my top three rock bassist's of all time, in no particular order, Geezer Butler, Chris Squire, Geddy Lee.

[@paradox7743]

AND SMOKE A LOT OF DOPE!

[@estebanb7166]

Obviously.

[@vondernacht]

"You were kidding, right?" ;)

[@Shaytan67]

An aweful lot of coke, I have heard.

[@Shaytan67]

@Swan Ford But still... more coke.

[@GrennXBlizzard]

How to sound like John Paul Jones would be great :)

[@lucasmiller9081]

+1

[@raycope754]

I know that's right.

[@betweenthewars4054]

It's not so fundamentally different from this, with regard to the left hand- same with Steve Harris.

[@quantumfoam140]

Geezer also played on Ozzy’s 1995 album Ozzmosis. The song “Perry Mason” has all kinds of killer bass lines.

[@caioferreira117]

Great video! I think one topic you didn't mention is how often Geezer Butler plays bass fills (NIB, Paranoid, Heaven and Hell, The Sign of the Southern Cross). He's the king of pentatonic fills. Can't wait for videos about Geddy Lee, Justin Chancellor and Steve Harris.

[@danplaysguitar6706]

Those fills are always so good

[@hinjurock70]

Sabbath actually only tuned down to C# on 3 (beginning with Master Of Reality) out of their first 8 albums - the other 5 albums from the Ozzy era are in E standard, and Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules are in E flat (a.k.a. blues) tuning.

[@Kruegernator123]

It's funny that a lot of people don't know that. Probably because their first three albums are their most popular.

[@hinjurock70]

@@Kruegernator123 A lot of people don't know a lot of things 😎

[@calus7890]

Cliff burton next please

[@cosimobaldi03]

Woah good idea

[@craigcotter7476]

@@cosimobaldi03 woah yeah! Forgot all about him. It isn't like people mention him in every other comment on bass videos.

[@arturoacosta6583]

Great request!!!!...too bad he left, the world too soon!

[@cosimobaldi03]

@@craigcotter7476 yeah of course, under rock/metal bass videos people are gonna mention cliff, no shit... I just wanted the comment to go up so he can make a video and see what he has to say, if there's something new

[@bruno45446]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5vVh2uJetKUh6c You're Welcome! :)

[@googleedwardbernays6455]

This upload is light years more impressive than the last time i watched one of your vids. Congrats on steppin up your game . I hope you see an improvement!!!

[@Shaytan67]

Thank you for these videos (Lemmy, Dave Ellefson, this one). I don''t know who I want to sound like, but these short tutorials give me a lot of insight on what to work on. Awesome!

[@Shaytan67]

Cliff Burton, John Deacon too!

[@belalugosi9829]

4 years ago i was impressed by the Geezer Butler technique, in that days i didn't have this videos, so it was hours seeing black sabbath concerts and practicing bass to get that technique. At the end i get to copy that technique, nowadays i dont use it but it helped me to develope my bass skills

[@StoanPhrogg]

Great observations and well-made video! I noticed a lot of that bass/guitar independence in psych and early metal music and could never put my finger on what was going on. Feeling inspired to break out of the melodies more now.

[@chrisaldridge3117]

Dude your vids always teach me so much!

[@aquariuswithfire]

I love Geezer's bass lines. My only complaint would be that with his signature 'muddy' distortion made it difficult to hear much of his hard work over Iommi's power chords and killer leads. There are many vids here on YT with his isolated bass tracks that I would encourage other bass enthusiast to check out.

[@beatlesrgear]

A couple of things I need to point out: It truly does make a difference if you're playing a Fender Precision Bass (or a different brand P Bass); Bending strings was one of Geezers' big trademarks, he did it in a lot of songs; lots of volume will put you closer to the Geezer sound, as well. Another thing I have learned after playing bass for 42 years: Use Rotosound Jazz 77 strings. They are basically flatwounds but they retain a lot of the brightness of roundwounds. I can get 2 years of constant playing out of a set before I have to change them. After playing almost every bass string on Earth, these are the strings that win out over all of the rest. Plus, they won't eat your frets like a roundwound does nor will they rip up your fingers like roundwounds do.

[@danscalone8110]

Just started playing bass. Been a fan of Geezers. I'm going to do this

[@dariovargas8843]

You made me and my t shirt happy now you got a new suscriber! Kudos for linking to which bass channel alfie is a champ!

[@paulorben6830]

Very good....been playin sabbath bass since 79....back in the day not everyone knew about the down tuning stuff...we had to learn off albums. No you tube...etc. Different world now. Everything i do is based on geezer style....powercord arpeggios....pentatonic scale...flopping strings....not changing strings....lol...thanks geez.

[@ShaneScott69]

you popped out of nowhere on my recommendations, thank you for your fresh inspiration that i needed, you give a clear understanding of tones and simple theory that i can grasp thanks bro :-) edit:are you going to do a video on John Entwistle??

[@therealeikichionizuka]

Geezer taught me to play bass. Just binging sabbath albums taught me the m pentatonic an blues scale, improv, bending, etc.

[@Vokhaable]

Thanks for the great video! It’s interesting to listen your explanation! Just in one breath! Cool! Good Job!👏

[@creepymcpeepers]

Love your video!!

[@MrRenardbleu]

fuck. I love the sound of old strings wich is not very popular in facebook bass groups. I hate when they break not only because of the money I have to spend to buy new ones but also because I'll hate the new sound and will have to wait a few months until they sound the way I like

[@oniricodosfatos8286]

Great video, Paul !

[@SignalFragments]

Great video. Love it

[@GoldWildFire]

Ohhh love it.. Sabbath is my favorite band .. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊 Geezer 😊

[@pedromagalhaesdomingues6430]

The Master

[@pedrobenitezherrero9191]

Thanks paul😁

[@wobblynoggin]

Great video. His style with Dio was amazing, too. More driving. Thicker.

[@DaisyHollowBooks]

This was helpful. Thank you.

[@rudymila4325]

Hey man great video.. When You told about the 60s bass players, that remind me to jhon paul jhones, so can You do a video about him??

[@renangoncalvesflores]

Great video!

[@RisingSun96]

Great video, Geezer is most probably my favourite bassist of all time. Could you please do Peter Steele?

[@mikeseaquest9246]

Thank you for these vids. I’m wondering if Ben Shepherd is worth your time to analyze?

[@gustavoaguilar1271]

love it!!! i would like to see a video of how to sound like MIck Karn

[@williampierini5801]

Geezer e Mel Schacher foram minhas maiores referências quando comecei a tocar. Monstros

[@suggestivenoise]

You nailed it, bro 🤘🇺🇸🤘

[@skybluemarshall]

Many flatwound players don't change their strings very often. Flats are so smooth that they don't trap much dirt and grime and wiping them with a damp cloth can keep them clean. For deep cleaning you can always boil them. Some flatwound players prefer a dead thumpy sound like James Jamerson. He never changed his strings. James used to say, the dirt keeps the Funk. Phil Chen was a well known side man and session bassist, who played with dozens of famous artist. Phil was a huge James Jamerson fanatic. Phil had a 62 Precision Bass like Jamerson's 61 P-bass. When he died at the age of 75, Phil's Labella flatwound strings were at least 55 years old.

[@Grommie122]

Great vid dude, I have the Geezer signature EMGs in my bass, they sound really good, even for blues

[@eaglebauer944]

Yes, great pickups. Have them in my mexican p-bass, awesome sound.

[@JS-pd7lg]

It's supposed to be a dead-on replica of an early '60s P pickup, so it should

[@Joetime90]

Geezer and Geddy got me into bass at 14.

[@danton8302]

Could you do Peter Steele from Type O Negative? :D

[@Tomas-te3ph]

Use an eq pedal, a chorus, and a delay. For distortion he used a ds1 on October rust forward before that he used a combination pedal of some sort. I personally use a metal zone with the distortion pretty low. Play chords, hammer ons, bends, and double stops.

[@chriscampbell9191]

@@Tomas-te3ph and BEAD tuning.

[@Tomas-te3ph]

@@chriscampbell9191 yep

[@symptomoftheuniverse1261]

In reality I'm a guitarist but Geezer inspires me so much to give bass a try too.

[@joshfeldblyum3723]

DO IT! All of my formal training and experience is on guitar, but I recently got a bass and it's so much fun to play with, in a very different way from the guitar. If it's in your budget then you should definitely go for it.

[@emilio8381]

The King of bass

[@WalrusDoom]

Is that info correct about Geezer using flats on the first album?

[@kilroy2517]

Geezer's bass is in large part what made Sabbath so trippy (acid rock, anyone?). The bass was so large and flat (2 dimensional) due to its tone that it was almost ambient, engulfing you and allowing the guitar to cut like a razor. I think I'm having a flashback.

[@romulonumfoith]

Excelente!

[@rickmullins4878]

Love the breakdown of Geezer’s technique and habits. Have you considered doing an analysis of Jimmy Bain?

[@Mat_Gomez23]

I believe he had old Roundwounds strung on the bass for the first album. In an interview he said that they were old Roundwounds that were so broken in that they can pass off as flats

[@auralfury]

good info for sure....and dont forget to buy geezers signature emg pickups, for that true GZR sound..hehe

[@IDamianosI]

Qué gran bajista !!

[@SanitysVoid]

Can you do a video on how to sound like yourself on bass? So far as plucking near the neck I had a drummer reject jamming with me cause I did that on difficult bass lines. I was making a come back from not playing for ten years at the time. He basically said he can tell I did not read music and did not want to waste time with me.

[@Spritsailor]

I saw an interview of Geezer a couple years ago. He said no matter how good he got or how famous he got the classical music update bassists looked down on him LOL.

[@lepeoci11]

How to sound like Leon Wilkeson (Lynyrd Skynyrd) on bass.... please, please, pretty please

[@toranabanana]

The bass line from Evil Woman is not an example of the augmented fourth/flattened fifth. It is a minor third interval.

[@MetaFootballTV]

Hi Paul. Great vid, great bassist from my home country. Could you please tell me how to get the bass sound like: Cake - The Distance? I'm told it's just compression. 🤔🤔 Thanks!!!

[@TheAndrewPlayz]

Awesome video! How about Joey Demaio next?

[@gringofett3944]

He was a huge influence on how I played.

[@lucagrop]

Can you talk about Robert DeLeo (STP)?

[@PaulvonPaulus]

It would be soo great

[@chrisgoodrich46]

Jeff ament pearl jam would be another good one

[@nirvanafan6669]

Could you do Cliff Burton?

[@emanuelehomer3]

Bel video 🤘🏿🤘🏿🤘🏿

[@DrGalile0]

@Paul Del Bello Amazing video! Love it! Ehm, weird question, what's the font you're using on your text? E.g. at 4:09 - I love that too :D

[@kareemabusalah5079]

Can you do nick o' malley hes the bassist for arctic monkeys and hes really talented

[@dowens3781]

Geezer and Cliff Burton are hands down the greatest metal bassists of all time.

[@gerrysnow_2310]

Hello Paulo I like your videos like this, "how to sound like"

[@iamgribs]

He is a master improviser.

[@Wag2112]

I just caught Die Young from 2009 on here again tonite, Geezer and Dio were SUCH a perfect matched pair !!! Ha , there's an idea - Randy telling Sharon NO , and Joining Sabbath - WITH DIO !! and Vinnie ( another chemistry point ) and Tony !

[@themigwel6185]

But Steve Harris doesn’t pluck hard at all.

[@chriscuthbertson]

yep, the secret to his tone is to play quite lightly.

[@owenpaullucas6882]

@@chriscuthbertson but with low action, allowing him to get the sound of a hard attack (essentially just the strings slapping against the fretboard) while being able to play faster lines (e.g. the trooper) without fatiguing

[@Roadking26]

Steve also uses flat wound strings.

[@Brian19451]

Great video, Les Claypool next?

[@Jay-jn3sl]

Could you do a video on Rex Brown please? He's one of the most underrated bassists in metal imo

[@josi8569]

Rex has a very unique sound, super underrated, has good solos too

[@jacobarthur15]

Who cares. This vid is about a legend just sit down stfu and enjoy. Enough suggestions

[@davidfox7983]

Great vid Power chords on bass rawk out

[@CosmicCamelClash]

"Get busy during guitar solos". I remember listening to "TV Crimes" (from the album Dehumanizer) for the first time and being baffled by the bass part during the solo. It was more interesting than the solo itself.

[@hubert9841]

Yeah, just like in Floods

[@giordanodermeister]

Master.

[@baroqueguitarist5673]

People have to remember in the 60s and 70s the public's view of a bass was an upright bass. The upright was the defining bass tone for 100s of years. Electric Bass was new. Many early electric bass tried to emulate and get as close to an upright sound as possible. Tons of low end, picking closer to the neck, even using your thumb. James Jameson, Paul Mccartney, even Jack Bruce playing a Gibson ebo being a longtime upright player wanted a upright deep low end tone. It wasn't until Chris Squire, Geddy Lee and Jaco Pastorius played treble heavy and lead heavy did the electric bass's tone become its own seperate unique sound. That's why the early bass players and bass guitars like Gibson's and Hofners had such tremdous low end in the sound. Remember guitarists used Fender Baseman amps. So a bass amp didn't really get you closer to an upright tone. And a electric bass dosnt get a upright tone either. More of a low end guitar tone not an upright tone. So bass players would pick with there thumb, shove foam under the strings etc.. Alot of guys back then were using any trick they could to sound like an upright and distinguish electric bass from electric guitars as much as possible. Even Geezer Butler. That's why he likely played so close to the neck. To seperate his sound from Iommi as much as possible and sound more like a traditional bass would sound.

[@kanagawa_namako]

ギーザーバトラーはマジでかっこいい。ベース初めて1年くらいになる俺の憧れ

[@Kat-nd5fq]

surprised that you didn't bring up N.I.B during the root-5th-8th bit

[@wickeduploads]

hope that you do an episode on fear factory-