| For people starting to learn how to play bass once | | | | chorus is based on a driving 8th note rhythm. And the |
| you have started to get to grips with left and right | | | | bass line to the verse is built around a more |
| technique, and coordinating those techniques, the next | | | | syncopated rhythm where the notes are of greater |
| obvious step is to start learning some bass lines. Some | | | | duration. Again this makes a good study in combining |
| of Sting's early bass lines with The Police are a great | | | | rhythms within a song and helping increase your |
| starting point for beginners. Those lines are a great | | | | rhythmic perception. |
| blend of simplicity and musicality. Here is a list of 5 | | | | 4. I Can't Stand Losing You |
| great Sting bass lines that beginners should learn how | | | | I Can't Stand Losing You came from the same album |
| to play bass to. | | | | as Roxanne and again features a combination of |
| 1. Roxanne | | | | straight 8th notes in the chorus and an off beat |
| Roxanne was one of The Police's first big hits - and | | | | reggae flavoured rhythm in the verse. And again |
| first exposed the general public to their combination of | | | | learning this tune will do the dual job of adding another |
| reggae and rock rhythms. The verse has a very | | | | song to your repertoire and working on your rhythmic |
| sparse rhythm that starts on Beat 2, which transitions | | | | perception. |
| to a straight 8th note type rhythm in the Chorus. This | | | | 5. Walking On The Moon |
| combination of rhythms in the tune is one of the | | | | Walking On The Moon has got two sections to learn |
| reasons to learn it - it will enhance your rhythmic | | | | and each develops something new for you as a bass |
| perception from an early point in your quest to learn | | | | player. The verse has a melodic sub hook. It's very |
| how to play bass. | | | | easy, but it will teach you about duration of notes. And |
| 2. Every Breath You Take | | | | playing the bridge along with the record will give you a |
| Every Breath You take is one of my favourite Police | | | | great start on learning to play quarter note triplets |
| songs. This song is a more typical rock type song, the | | | | across the beat. |
| rhythm in the bass line is predominantly 8th note based. | | | | Summary |
| The tempo is moderate. So learning this is a good | | | | Modelling some of Sting's early bass lines is a great |
| place to develop your plucking technique in the context | | | | way for beginners learning how to play bass both to |
| of a real world song rather than in the context of a | | | | start playing some real world songs and start working |
| theoretical exercise. | | | | on their rhythmic perception. Other Police songs you |
| 3. Message In A Bottle | | | | could also learn include Next To You, Every Little Thing |
| Message In A Bottle is another song like Roxanne that | | | | She Does Is Magic, Spirits in The Material World and |
| combines different rhythms. The bass line to the | | | | from his solo albums Englishman In New York. |