John Deacon Grooves // Bass Around the World #15
Full video + description HERE:
https://insounder.org/bass-around-wor...
As a fine example of Deacon’s approach, we’ll be playing and digging into his bass line in "Another One Bites the Dust."
The verse is a brilliant disco-style groove using a four-on-the-floor pattern with Em minor pentatonic tones (E, G, A, B, D). This iconic bass line becomes a chorus hook when Mercury joins in with the unison rhythmic vocal phrase which gave the song its name.
The bridge part utilizes some gentle chromatic passing notes between the C and G chords, giving it the needed harmonic change before coming back to the verse/chorus disco line.
And this two-part structure is basically the whole song, with one exception—the F# before the clap-along breakdown part.
This bass line is great for your muting skills as all notes are played "kick drum style," as I personally call it—every bass note has a very distinctive length that simulates the sound of the kick drum. Use both hands for muting, with a light touch in your fretting hand and resting your fingers on the strings with the plucking hand.
#johndeacon #queen #groove