Daily Licking 015: Carol Kaye Style I-IV bass line

Carol Kaye has played on more records than just about any other electric bass player, very likely. It is in the thousands of tunes, including songs like "Good Vibrations" and other landmark records. She recorded a lot for Quincy Jones and his many different projects, not just records, but TV shows, commercials, and soundtracks as well.

She has a distinctive rhythmic style and pick tone that is classic, a lot of people think that is what electric bass playing should sound like for pop/rock tunes.

Here is a line in that style that she might play:

Carol Kaye Style Bass Line

bass lick 4/4 tempo 94 | C7 c8. a16 g8. a16 c16 c8 a16 g8 c8 | F7 f8 d8 c8 f8~ f8 c16 d16 f16 c16 d8 |

Check out her books and instructional material, they all have a wealth of great bass lines, theory, and rhythmic phrases that are great for any style of music.