Nathaniel School of Music

How to Play Stand By Me: Bass Guitar Tutorial

The Stand By Me bass line loops the chords A, F#m, D and E in A major, with each chord root played staccato on beat one and held on the and of two, then joined to the next chord by passing notes. It can be played in open position or higher up around the seventh fret.

Video lesson by Jason Zac · Beginner · 21 min

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Key points

What this lesson teaches

In this lesson Jason Zac breaks down the famous bass line from Ben E. King's Stand By Me. The whole song, verse and chorus, runs on one repeating loop, so once you learn it you can play the entire track. The lesson suits beginner to intermediate bass players. You can also play it on any bass instrument, including the left hand of the piano.

You will learn three things: how to count the groove, how the line follows the chords, and how to play it in different positions on the fretboard.

Step 1: Count the subdivisions

Hum the melody while snapping a steady pulse and you will notice that the beats never divide into more than two. So you count the song in eighth notes: one and two and three and four and.

To feel the hit points, simply play the open A string on them before you worry about the real notes.

Step 2: Staccato and legato

The signature sound comes from contrast. The note on beat one is short (staccato) and the note on the and of two is held (legato). To cut the first note short, pluck with your index finger and stop it with your middle finger. On an open string you can also lightly touch the string with your fretting-hand fingers so it chokes. Do not grab or slap it; a light touch is enough. Practise this staccato-legato combination on its own first.

Step 3: Play the chord roots

The song is in A major and the progression is A, F#m, D, E (I, vi, IV, V). Play just the root of each chord on beat one and the and of two:

Step 4: Add passing tones

Next add the connecting notes. Passing tones are the moving notes; landing tones are the chord tones they resolve to. Around beat four, approach notes lead into the next chord root. Over A, the line goes A, A, E, G# and lands back on A, using open E, G# on the fourth fret of the E string and the open A. To move to F#, it walks A, G#, F#. The other chords are approached the same way, with notes stepping into each new root.

Open position is a good start because it forces you to stop open strings ringing, which makes your playing cleaner.

Step 5: The original register

Lloyd Trotman's original double bass part sits higher. Start from the octave A on the second fret of the G string, take the F# with your pinky, and play the E higher rather than the low open E so it stands out.

Step 6: Position two at the seventh fret

Low frets on bass need big stretches, so even newcomers may find it easier to play higher up, where frets are closer together. Use the A on the seventh fret of the D string as your root. Here you need to think in intervals from the root: major second, major third, perfect fourth, perfect fifth, major sixth, major seventh and octave. F# is the major sixth, D the fourth and E the fifth. The A-chord figure becomes root, fifth, seventh, octave (Sa, Pa, Ni, Sa in Indian swaras). Depending on which finger starts the shape, the major sixth falls on a different string, sometimes reached with the pinky on the A string.

How to practise

  1. Count aloud with head movement and snaps on two and four.
  2. Play roots only with the staccato-legato feel.
  3. Add passing tones in open position.
  4. Try the original higher register, then position two.

Questions about this lesson

What key and chords is the Stand By Me bass line in?

The song is in A major and loops the chords A, F#m, D and E, which are the I, vi, IV and V chords.

How do you count the Stand By Me groove?

The beats divide into two at most, so count one and two and three and four and. Snapping on beats two and four while counting helps lock in the feel.

How do I get the short first note sound?

Pluck with your index finger and mute with your middle finger, or lightly touch an open string with your fretting-hand fingers so the note chokes. Keep the touch gentle rather than gripping hard.

Is there an easier position than open strings?

Yes. Playing around the seventh fret, with A on the D string as the root, keeps your hand from stretching as far, but you need to know the intervals from the root to find each note.

Practise it

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