The REAL Way To Play Billie Jean on Bass (The Bass Wizard)
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- Опубликовано: 12 сен 2024
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The bass line in Michael Jackson - Billie Jean is one of the most famous and iconic bass lines of all time. However, most bass players don't know how it was actually played on the record.
In my previous video I taught you how to play Michael Jackson's Get On The Floor, which was played by bassist Louis Johnson. In this bass lesson, I show you another great bass line by Louis Johnson and how he utilized some of his unique techniques which I discussed in my last video to create one of the greatest and most recognizable bass lines ever.
If you want to master slap bass, check out my Slap Bass Mastery Course: www.TheBassWiza...
![Eminem - Like My Shit [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/vx_IMvFkrfA/mqdefault.jpg)
Just watched a live recording of him playing it, and boy you are so right. It's amazing how that's escaped notice.
this guy is a badass. I really enjoyed the tutorial he did on amp selection, although I knew 85% of it, it was very well explained..good job you tube friend
I AGREE!!! HELL OF A PLAYER!!!
Just like my father...you set me up for failure when you asked me which one was right and neither of them were..
Hahaha
oh hi mark
I did not hit her! It's bullshit, Lisa!
Lol
yes
shut up and take my like
hahahaha
Marcelo: "Is it this bassline or _this_ bassline."
Me: "That's a trick question, it's clearly a mixture of bo-"
Marcelo: "It's actually both."
Actually, not only the root note, which is played with the thumb is played in staccato, most notes of the bassline are.
There are places in the song where the notes are supposed to be played legato, but most of the time it's staccato.
without the octave, i'd say the high F# is more appealing than low F#
That's irrelevant. He giving you the right way to play this song and you are throwing in your opinion, which btw your opinion is wrong
Just re-read that last part, “btw your opinion is wrong”. It’s an opinion it can’t be wrong. You can agree or disagree, but an opinion can never be wrong.
Of course an opinion can be wrong! Duh. In the end, reality always wins. Although in this case I believe that the original statement is correct, if you're only going to play one note, doing the high one to him is more appealing, and it is to me, too.
OogieWa let me guess, your opinion is always correct and if I share the same opinion I'm also correct? But if I disagree then my opinion is wrong?
That's ridiculous. If it's your opinion that it's OK for the kids to go play in the busy street, then that opinion is pretty wrong no matter what mine or anyone else's may be. If it's still someone's opinion that the earth is flat, they are messed up, how can that opinion possibly be right?
My personal solution for approximating the original sound by only one bass and no synth, is putting a capo to the 2nd fret so I have the lower f# (and lower b in the Bm parts) on open strings. That makes it quite easy to play the octaves. Takes some practice however to mute the open strings in time.
The real answer is, the bass guitar goes with the higher F#, while the synth plays the lower F#.
Listen to original. It's both.
there was no such thing as a synth when this song was written, watch a video of Louis Johnson playing and you will in fact see him thumbing this song.
@@djurgens76 but there is on the record though
@@djurgens76 uh...there were synths for over a decade before this came out. I thought the low F# was a synth until I saw Louis Johnson play this. So there were synths but the low and high F# were played on bass.
Bass guitar is both, Synth Bass is Higher F#
Listen Wizard. After years and years I gave up and said to myself: ‚Either it‘s a synth doubeling or a overdub or he switches an octaver quickly in and out (which I would have been too lazy to do).
I never came on the idea of octave it with the thumb.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
And, LOUIS JOHNSON WAS A GENIOUS!
Mind blown! its little details like this that makes helps a song timeless.
I always ask myself why the F# was distorting on that bass riff, this answered it! Thank you!
Hello Marc, Love all your videos and I completely agree with your opening statement that NO ONE live or most here online don't execute all the subtle nuisances of this amazing track and bass line. You are correct about Louis Johnson thumbing double stops when he plays but, my ear has always heard it this way and this is how I always have played when playing "live" with variations of the two once the song is going: I hope you don't mind my input, and I appreciate you and your ear....
F#m
Billie Jean Bass Intro (KeyBass unison):
8 - 5 - b7 1 - b7(pull off) 5 - 4 - 5
Bassline once into track (8 Bars of bass), moves up to upper octave of riff along with KeyBass:
8 - 5 - b7 8 - b7 5 - 4 5
With incorporating it this way, a lone bassist can cover the part when there's no keys or synthbass in the Band. :)
great insight. the bassline sounds great all 3 ways..
IMO it is doubled by keys or synth bass effect.
I think you're right. But The Bass Wizard is also :)
I agree. There's alot going on there ,with all the different synth ,effects etc. "Not saying that this isn't how it's played on bass"
It is, no idea if this link will come through but here's a comparison of the two bass lines on the original record. First is the bass played by Johnson, and the second is a layered synth bass, both are taken from the original recording session: mega.nz/#!sAdUVaiJ!gwNjVjo4Vl669yvP-XbPnKlMivKM5UUurtjQySl8dNA
That's what I always thought it was too... and yeah, like you say - I think it might be. But this does approach does get the sound of the record with just one bass which is pretty sweet.
Your opinion is wrong
he is right, there is a video of Louis Johnson playing this live and you can hear and see him thumbing the fret board. His hands look super big so I think it's fairly easy for him to pull off.
The funny thing is...I knew about this and still made a tutorial with only the higher octave :D I put a card over to this video, though...so those serious about playing it like the record can come here and watch your awesome video! Great stuff!
The "Billie Jean" bassline actually was borrowed from a Bo Diddley tune. It starts off on the lower octave F# and the bass line follows the exact same notes, except that it's swung to a blues beat.
Johnson was a fantastic bass player.
Fairly certain it's actually a synth bass playing the low F#
Probably both, but it's also got a hefty mute on the bass, either with foam or, more likely, with technique... maybe even with both.
I agree
Actually it IS both, the thing is is, the high F# version is the original bass line in composition, the low F# is indeed an accompanying note that Louis Johnson played when performing the song. The whole idea was to give more of a strike when the F# repeated, give a little more of a grunt and funk to the bass line, only thing is in composition, you'll see that the low F# is often separated from the bass altogether, such as in midis and are an entirely separate instrument altogether, so technically, while the octave F# fret is more accurate, if you for some reason had to chose between the low and high F#, the high one will always be a better choice, simply for the sake of consistency.
ruclips.net/video/CighI6lnSkE/видео.html clearly not
andrew pangus woah, relax buddy, no need to be self-righteous, I'm fairly certain that no one had garageband in the early 80s so thanks for stating the obvious.
The confusion comes within trying to piece the song together freehand, which, in case you didn't notice, doesn't happen analog-wise these days because that's just been dated. No one has the original stems or concrete proof to show how the song was really put together, so a computer composing program is the best bet to making a more interactive version of the song that can be listened to, as well as taught and played. No need to go off galavanting about the "good old days", no one's disrespecting them here. Leave the reminiscing to yourself, the level of threat you face whenever someone mentions a new way of doing things that out don't fully grasp is imminent. Just sit back and enjoy the preservation, as well as the progression, pun wholeheartedly intended.
Dude- been playing this exactly the right way for years and every pieces as hell at me then again I attended a few clinics with Louis Johnson in Miami. Wish I made this video a long time ago!!
Thank you! I've been straining to hear what that buzz on the f# was and if it was intentional and you nailed it. Nice one.
I always thought there was a synth part playing the low F# along with the bass line. Cool!
You obviously can play like that, but it's a synth.
Very interesting. I always heard that low F# being played twice like that, but I always thought it was some overdub (and still think that might be it) ... but yeah; this sounds right - closest way to get it sounding just like the record anyway.
Subscribed.
never mind the hater that comment wtf,you did great,and helped us solve the riddle.I'll subscribe.
Damn this was actually insightful. Thanks!
I've always played it with a first low F# and a second high F#, because that's the way I played it on the keyboard before having a bass.
And sounds pretty cool.
How I play it is actually half and half what you demonstrate, the first note I use the low F# but the second one I dont... But hey, now I know how to play it the right way thanks
mind blown. Thanks.
Omg... When I tried learning this song on bass, i got so frustrated because the tabs I was going off had me play a high F#. Thank you for this video tutorial, now knowing that it's both high & low helps so much.
Sweet bass. I've got a Schecter Diamond Series 5 string. Of course, that negates thumb playing the E string. Love the detailed description, though. Looks like I'll continue to half ass it. High F# is my go-to, for reference sake.
It's all layered synth bass on the recording. The main bass line uses the high F# but while that note is hit, the low layered synth bass plays the lower octave accent note. If Louis Johnson does play on the recording it is definitely buried in the mix. That also goes for "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough", all synth bass.
About alternative (single-note) solutions mentioned in the video: I dont't recall any bass player ever doing the line with both low f#'s, and that's well understandable because the line sounds quite sick. I mostly hear and see the both high f#'s, but a good compromise would be doing the first f# low and the second high. That would produce a fluent line.
As someone who learned it by ear I was ALSO surprised to see how many people play it wrong.
How noble is to pass ahead such knowledge?! Thank you very very much :-)
You could tune low E string one step up to F# so then you get to play the low F# open. This avoids the difficult stretch. Muting that open low string becomes an issue, but I think it's doable.
Is it Yanny or Laurel
Nice job man. Evh used this technique too. Great lesson!
Man, your not alone. Been playing it like this way too, thought i was the only one haha..
I play using that technique so much, naturally, & I never once thought of this!
Did not realize the late great Luis Johnson played on this track! I played the high F and felt I was always missing something, thx for the great lesson..
wow!!! ive been playing the high f# forever lol...just pulled out my bass and played it the way youve shown and WHAT A DIFFERENCE. thanks for sharing
I like to end on an A, which is a major third. Sounds really good that way. I know it isn't right but it settles so well
I think the first way (with the high F sharp) is correct. A keyboard player adds a low f sharp underneath all the high f sharps that the bass player is playing
+Igor Herstel Well, I guess I was wrong
pretty clever. its the octave trick
It could be that playing live differs from the recording in the studio. I guess that the bass was doubled with synthesizers and the low note was played separately.
Of course, not everyone is able to use their thumb, either cuz of hand size or arthritis like me, so it can be done with the typical way of playing an octave. Though it is a challenging new technique. Thanks !
You got yourself a new subscriber. Keep it up.
Now I got convinced that I can trust my ear. I always wondered why noone I have seen played it with the low f#...
But to be honest, as we covered the song with a trio (Bass, Drums, Sax(Sax player switched to Keyboard for some parts)) I also played it without the low F#. First reason is that I don't know that he did it with the thumb, but it is also possible to do it with your indexfinger if you have a 5-String like me. So this reason does not really count.
The main reason for me not playing the low one at gigs was that my gigs with that trio were mostly on Birthdays and there most people wouldn't have noticed it anyway so I just got lazy doing it.
good ears to hear the octave two note good job....
MJ would be proud. what a beautiful peace of work my friend. i take my hat off to you. well done.
It's neither, synth bass doubles the low f#/ there is no high f# in the bass part
I always thought it sounded off when I played it and not exactly right. Great video, thanks!
Thanks dude really great advice
I like the first one!
Excellent! Can you play "Let's Be Young Tonight" by Jermaine Jackson? Thanks.
I’m not a bass player by trade rather I play guitar mostly. But I did want to learn that song one time and I remember heart both notes. I just assumed it was dubbed in the studio. Thx for the insight!
Mr Feldman. Good morning. I enjoy your tutorials. I have a goid ding got you to break down which also would be a good technique exercising in fingering but not too hard for the masses to understand;”777-9311” Produced all by Prince but he had Morris Day & the Time executing performance !
Will you do a bass tutorial to 777-9311?
You got it. Most dont getthe octave thng .
I thought some other instrument like a piano (rhodes or some) was hitting the subtle high octave at unison with the (low on) the bass. Now I can hear the original track and yes you're right :)
Heart. Barracuda. Chorus. "You bettah .. Think up somethin' quick .."
Why so badass right there? Chords in the bass? Just a major 5th interval? Is it the bass plus lowest guitar string?
I thought it was the high F#, but after you said that it's an octave and listening again you're right. I never would've noticed that
have you ever made a review about this bass of yours?
Wow I was sure before that the low F# was right. Thanks you’re da man.
That was good ! I never would've guessed Louis did it that way !😊
I play it on the F# on the 9th fret on the A string, I use a pick and it cuts through the live mix better....but hey, I'm just an old guy ;)
Obviously...you did Steven ;)
Whaaaaaat??? I always knew something wasn’t feeling right! Thanks a lot man!
Only just heard this ....... you may be right, I do think the first 3 notes of the intro are also doubled by a synth or maybe the bass set up with an octaver blended right back
Ah! That's awesome. That octave helps with the syncopation. Thanks for all your videos. Can I request a Santería tutorial? That's one of my all time favorites. Do you do private lessons?
Nice tone with that Schecter.
Full and even..
EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I thought the low octave was a synth and just on the first F#! This is a cool way to do stuff and maybe I'll try to use it. Thanks!
cool!! Back in the day I played it starting with the low F# and playing the second F# (on the "and" of the second beat) an octave above on the D. But you are right! The octave gives the pulse of the song an extra boost! Always enjoy your stuff! Spot on! You can even teach us old dogz!
You are correct sir!
It's the same as everyone getting the picking pattern of "handle with Care" wrong. So far I'm the only one who seems to get it. It makes sense because it's mostly arpegios but not always, which sounds slightly off. Most people just accept that as correct.
Fantastic lesson! Great job maestro.
I see your playing Schecter ,I just bought two of them .The Stiletto Extreme 4 ( Black cherry ) and the Schecter Diamond Series P Plus . Really fantastic Basses I think.
Roy Colley I just bought an SGR C5, they are incredible
Your right they are really great for the money
00:08 - Me: oh hi Mark
congratulations man
Omg! I always thought that the double octave was on the Rhodes/Moog/whatever the other instrument that plays the baseline is!
...because it is. The synth bass plays it. This video isn't correct at all.
you just blown my mind
geniously
Why the intro music is played on electric guitar not on bass!!!
Davie will slap you!
Well, I thought it was the high F# until I went and listened to the original, then I thought both. I've tried playing the line with both before (though not with the thumb, which might make it easier if I got used to it). Don't know if it's Louis Johnson hitting both (I could see him doing that) or it's being doubled by something else, but cool regardless. (On listening to the comparison of Johnson's bass track with the synth line, posted a few comments below, it appears that Johnson IS playing the octave (both notes) while the synth is only playing the higher F#! Edit: on listening to the comparison tracks again, I'm still not sure if that low F# is played as part of the line, a bass overdub, or another instrument -- in any case, if you can play it and it sounds good, why not, to fill out the line?)
I read that a synth bass part was added along with his Yamaha bass line to beef it up.
Wow would of never heard that in Billie Jean and nice opening Marc everything got upgraded lol
that bass is beautiful
You are wright! I also think he played both: Route and octave as a double stop. But I'm a lazy guy. I just play the octave ;-)
I learned this the proper way then way back when I first heard it. I really didn't know thunder thumbs did this though. Nice
Low F# the first go-around, high F# the second which a good helping of Synth Bass on the Original Recording.
...this vid got you a new sub my good man. good stuff & right on!
Double stop. Nice.
Schecter?! Damn near killed her!
🎼 Exaactlyyy : thanks a million fir sharing ! 🎶
Thanks for the tip!
P. S.: Which strings do you use now? Gotta buy a roundwound set after a year of using flats - wanna try your strings)
+HereticJudgment In this video I'm using the DR Pure Blues, they're great! amzn.to/1SMeJcD
I also use the Hi-Beam when I want a really bright sound- amzn.to/1RzWkk7
I knew it was neither, but I usually don't hear both. I typically hear a "walking" scale with emphasis on the low "F#" at the top of the measure, and emphasis on the high "F#" at the end. And then the other way around. But I'm a keyboardist - what do I know? Good video. :)
I got it right!
brucenlittlepictures yeah me too :) go us
Very insightful, thanks.
i think he also does the double octave on the transition to b