On The DL

I stumbled into a video of the lead singer of Londonbeat performing this song last year. He's 82 years old and he crushed it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8IVG6Q6spo This song is a hidden gem from 1990 -- catchy and upbeat!

Another song that was suggested by our CopyPaste band's singer. The first time I heard it, my first thought was why have I not heard this before? Great rhythm, uptempo, and very catchy chord progression. I played this on my 1973 Fender Jazz bass guitar into a Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp. Recorded on GarageBand from the amp's DI out. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ CopyPaste: https://copypasteband.com Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

Our CopyPaste singer suggested this one. I had never heard it before. But it checks all the other boxes. Will be fun to play at some point to see how people respond to it. I played this on my 1973 Fender Jazz bass guitar into a Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp. Recorded on GarageBand from the amp's DI out. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ CopyPaste: https://copypasteband.com Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

I can see this song working really well in a night club. High energy, danceable, and familiar. Probably not appropriate for any corporate gigs though, unless HR gives explicit approval. It's a very easy song to learn with only 4 notes: B, G#, D#, and C#. Just add octave syncopation on the chorus. I played this on my 1973 Fender Jazz bass guitar into a Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp. Recorded on GarageBand from the amp's DI out. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ CopyPaste: https://copypasteband.com Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

One of my colleagues at work brought this song to my attention a few days ago, pointing out the prominent bass line. Not one to pass up a challenge, I thought I'd try to learn it. I can see this being an "Oh Wow" song at a club. It's still very new but getting attention with 15M views on YT in the first month. I played this on my 1973 Fender Jazz bass guitar into a Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp and recorded on GarageBand from the amp's DI out. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band CopyPaste: https://copypasteband.com

One AM and we had one more song on the tank. Site: https://retroflection.band

Our band "CopyPaste" is currently working on building out our set list. This was the second time we ran through the song. Site: https://copypasteband.com FB: https://facebook.com/copypaste.sf IG: https://instagram.com/copypastetheband

This is one of those songs where the bass plays the same progression for the entire song. After a while, the challenge with songs like this is to stay alert and just keep the groove. But the simple bass groove adds so much to the song, especially the last D - G - A - C - E - D line at the end of the progression. I recorded this using a 5-string 2021 G&L L-2500 bass guitar into a Zoom B6 multi effect pedal, with the XLR out direct to GarageBand and synced the video from a GoPro Hero 12. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ CopyPaste: https://copypasteband.com Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

This song came up as a suggestion in one of my cover bands and our initial rehearsal surprised me. It sounded great! I can see this working out as a mashup with a few other songs too. I played this on my 1973 Fender Jazz bass guitar into a Boss B6 multi-effects pedal. Recorded on GarageBand from the B6's DI out. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band CopyPaste: https://copypasteband.com

This is one of those infectious pop songs that I'm almost ashamed to say is a guilty pleasure of mine. From a bass perspective, it doesn't get much easier than this. It's literally only 4 notes: Gb, Db, Ab, and Bb, in that order. I'm playing this on an Ibanez 1005MS EHB 5-string bass, modified with Aguilar pickups. The bass is plugged into a Boss B6 multi effects pedal with the DI out going directly into GarageBand. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band CopyPaste: https://copypasteband.com

I know, this song is played with a pick. But, there's one little problem. I don't play with a pick. It's not because I don't like to. I can't! I can't pop a wheelie and balance on my rear wheel on my bicycle either. By the way, both of these are personal goals of mine in 2024. I'm probably more committed to achieving the wheelie though. Seriously, this song is a smash. In 2018, this song earned the band a Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Grammy. I'm playing this on an Ibanez 1005MS EHB 5-string bass, modified with Aguilar pickups. The bass is plugged into a Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp with the DI out going directly into GarageBand. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band CopyPaste: https://copypasteband.com

If you are just learning to play bass guitar, this is a good one to start with. It's really just 4 notes: F - A - D - Bb. You just walk between the notes. F-G-A, A-C-D, D-C-Bb, Bb-C-F. You repeat this pattern and gradually shift to lower notes. On the intro and first verse, you start on the high F and stay on and above the D string. Then on the first chorus, you still play on the high F but stay on and above the A string. After the rap, you shift down to playing the low F on the E string. I'm using a modified 2021 Harley Benton PB-20 SBK Bass + Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp. DI out direct to GarageBand. You can read about the mods on my HB bass here: https://mcbass.band/gear/2021-harley-benton-pb-20-sbk/ It is a shockingly inexpensive bass that I picked up as a modding platform. I purchased mine here and saved on shipping by buying 2 instruments at the same time: https://www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_pb_20_sbk_standard_series.htm My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

I heard this song while waiting in the lift line at Mount Snow, VT over the holidays. I pulled out my phone on the chair lift and made a note reminding myself to learn it. It's pretty easy to learn the notes but the rhythm is a little tricky and it's long at 5.5 minutes. I recorded this using a 5-string 2021 G&L L-2500 bass guitar into a Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp. I recorded the audio from the amp's DI direct to GarageBand and synced the video from a iPhone 15 Pro Max forward facing camera. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

The original version of this song features the bass on just the chorus and bridge. But when you're playing a live gig, it's better to have more sound than less. This is my little live arrangement of Spotify's 5th most-streamed song in 2011. I'm playing this on an Ibanez 1005MS EHB 5-string bass, modified with Aguilar pickups. The bass is plugged into a Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp with the DI out going directly into GarageBand. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

This song came up during a recent rehearsal as a possibility. I'm really curious how the bar crowds will respond to this. Even though it peaked at 13 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in 1986, I wonder how many people will recognize it. I'm really excited to give it a try, but it might not last long. We'll see.

This is one of the easiest songs to learn -- 2 sections that repeat, 4 measures each. Nothing fancy, just a groovy repetitive bass line on a 1975 #1 hit disco song. I played this on my 1973 Fender Jazz bass guitar into a Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp. Recorded on GarageBand from the amp's DI out. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

This song is easily confused with "Show Me Love" by Robin S, which came out in 1993. This "Show Me Love" was released in 1997 and made it to #7 in the Hot 100. Looking forward to trying this at a gig some night to see the reaction. I'm using a modified 2021 Harley Benton PB-20 SBK Bass + Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp. DI out direct to GarageBand. You can read about the mods on my HB bass here: https://mcbass.band/gear/2021-harley-benton-pb-20-sbk/ It is a shockingly inexpensive bass that I picked up as a modding platform. I purchased mine here and saved on shipping by buying 2 instruments at the same time: https://www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_pb_20_sbk_standard_series.htm My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

First time working on my own arrangement for a cover song. The bass begins playing around 90 seconds into the original recording. On this one, I wanted to see how it would work with the bass coming in first. I recorded this using a 5-string 2021 G&L L-2500 bass guitar into a Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp. I recorded the audio from the amp's DI direct to GarageBand and synced the video from a iPhone 15 Pro Max forward facing camera. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

This is a timeless song released in 1992. Easy to learn, fun to play. It's got great energy and is very catchy. I played this on my 1973 Fender Jazz bass guitar into a Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp. Recorded on GarageBand from the amp's DI out. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

Not a lot of bands cover this Grammy winning song from 1987. Retroflection has a male & female team of vocalists who can pull it off though. Since we have been rehearsing it to ultimately add it to our set list and I have been practicing it lately. I thought I would show you how I am playing it. I'm playing this on an Ibanez 1005MS EHB 5-string bass, modified with Aguilar pickups. The bass is plugged into a Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp with the DI out going directly into GarageBand. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

Nathan East, who was the bassist for Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, and others performed on the studio recording for this uptempo hit song by Phil Collins. It peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1990. Lee Sklar @lelandsklar6363 performed the song on several tours with Phil over the decades. He recorded himself playing along with a recording of this song on tour here (and it's definitely worth a watch): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xLFG7Hz11I It was a fun song to learn and super fun to play because the bass line is such a distinctive instrument on this track. My daughter, Gemma, encouraged me to play this on "Honeyburst" because I've been playing my Ibanez so much lately. She thought it was getting a little neglected. Still love the G&L. I recorded this using a 5-string 2021 G&L L-2500 bass guitar into a Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp. I recorded the audio from the amp's DI direct to GarageBand and synced the video from a iPhone 12 Pro Max forward facing camera. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

Because of course! It's sassy. It's funny. It's self-deprecating. And it's all about that you know. Interesting choice of fretless bass for that upright sound. But it helps to make the simple pattern distinctive and retro. The song made it to #1 for 8 weeks and spent 25 weeks in the top 10. I recorded this cover with a 2021 Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Gen Fretless Jazz Bass + Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp. DI out direct to GarageBand. The video was captured with my iPhone 12 pro max front facing camera. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/events/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

Learned this one for a sub gig last weekend. Released in 1982, this song made it to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was played heavily on MTV. The video went on to win a Grammy. I'm using a modified 2021 Harley Benton PB-20 SBK Bass + Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp. DI out direct to GarageBand. You can read about the mods on my HB bass here: https://mcbass.band/gear/2021-harley-benton-pb-20-sbk/ It is a shockingly inexpensive bass that I picked up as a modding platform. I purchased mine here and saved on shipping by buying 2 instruments at the same time: https://www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_pb_20_sbk_standard_series.htm My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

*UPDATE: Remixed bass track at louder volume.* This song made it to #2 on the US Adult Contemporary chart in early 1993. It's pretty clear from the sound of it, the bass track was recorded on a keyboard rather than a bass guitar. But touring band features a bass guitar player though, and it sounds great! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9CjwE97AsQ I'm playing this one on an unmodified Ibanez 1005MS EHB 5-string bass. The bass is plugged into a Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp with the DI out going directly into GarageBand. My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band

When people think of the New Wave/Pop band "Berlin", the songs "Take My Breath Away" and "No More Words" are probably the first two that come to mind. This song did not crack the top 50 when it was released in 1981. It was later released on different labels in 1982 and 1983, when it became the band's first MTV video hit in 1983. For the bass player, this song is relentless with fast-paced 8th notes throughout the entire song. I started a 1 measure metronome in my earbuds before the song began so I wouldn't miss the first note. I'm using a modified 2021 Harley Benton PB-20 SBK Bass + Fender Rumble Stage 800 amp. DI out direct to GarageBand. You can read about the mods on my HB bass here: https://mcbass.band/gear/2021-harley-benton-pb-20-sbk/ It is a shockingly inexpensive bass that I picked up as a modding platform. I purchased mine here and saved on shipping by buying 2 instruments at the same time: https://www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_pb_20_sbk_standard_series.htm My gear: https://mcbass.band/gear/ My scheduled performances: https://mcbass.band/performances/ Retroflection: https://retroflection.band