Chords for AWB's Funkiest Bass Line (With Only THREE Notes)
Tempo:
85.825 bpm
Chords used:
E
G
Ab
Eb
A
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
[A] [D] [G]
[E] How about one of the nastiest three-note grooves you'll ever hear?
Played with a pick, no less.
[Dm] [N] Well, let me introduce you to Hamish Stewart, one-time vocalist, guitarist, songwriter,
and along with the great Alan Gorey, bassist for Scotland's funkiest export, the Average White Band.
Formed in Dundee, Scotland, AWB has been giving up the [Ab] funk for 50 years with hits like Pick
Up The Pieces, Person to Person, [N] and 1975's Schoolboy Crush.
Recorded on the Cut the Cake album on Atlantic and produced by the great Erich Martin, the
song was a collective composition that was born out of one of the band's jams.
According to Hamish, it wasn't so easy getting it recorded.
That's right, what you're hearing on the record was actually the run-through [Eb] before they were
supposed to record.
[Em]
[E]
[G] [E] [Ab] Dig the space in this bass line.
It's a four-bar pattern that only actually hits a downbeat two [E] times.
[G]
This is a classic example of the funk formula.
Give us the one, and then you can do whatever you want.
So we're in the key of E minor, the [Ab] key of funk, and dig those swinging [E] sixteenth notes.
That's what makes this tune bounce.
[Em] [Em]
Another key element is obviously [Eb] the brilliant drumming by Steve Ferron and the unusual pattern
that he's playing.
I've already talked about how lining up with the bass drum [Ab] can create a great groove, but
it's not the only way.
In fact, playing off of the bass drum can be just as effective.
This is when the bass line is playing mostly independent of what's happening in the kick
drum and will only [E] line up with it occasionally.
This groove is a perfect example of that.
[G]
[E] This is undeniably one of the classic funk grooves of the last 50 years.
And if you don't [Eb] know Schoolboy Crush, [E] maybe you've heard it sampled by TLC, Floetry, Eric
B.
& [Gm] Rakim, Janet Jackson, Nas, Too Short, [E] Special Ed, De La Soul, Brand Newbie-N, or
Shaquille O'Neal.
Frankly, that's amazing.
Five decades later, and this music is still making new generations of people dance.
Funky music, man.
It's great, it's powerful, and it's timeless.
And that's pretty good [A] for an [G] average white band.
So [Eb] check [E] them out.
[E] How about one of the nastiest three-note grooves you'll ever hear?
Played with a pick, no less.
[Dm] [N] Well, let me introduce you to Hamish Stewart, one-time vocalist, guitarist, songwriter,
and along with the great Alan Gorey, bassist for Scotland's funkiest export, the Average White Band.
Formed in Dundee, Scotland, AWB has been giving up the [Ab] funk for 50 years with hits like Pick
Up The Pieces, Person to Person, [N] and 1975's Schoolboy Crush.
Recorded on the Cut the Cake album on Atlantic and produced by the great Erich Martin, the
song was a collective composition that was born out of one of the band's jams.
According to Hamish, it wasn't so easy getting it recorded.
That's right, what you're hearing on the record was actually the run-through [Eb] before they were
supposed to record.
[Em]
[E]
[G] [E] [Ab] Dig the space in this bass line.
It's a four-bar pattern that only actually hits a downbeat two [E] times.
[G]
This is a classic example of the funk formula.
Give us the one, and then you can do whatever you want.
So we're in the key of E minor, the [Ab] key of funk, and dig those swinging [E] sixteenth notes.
That's what makes this tune bounce.
[Em] [Em]
Another key element is obviously [Eb] the brilliant drumming by Steve Ferron and the unusual pattern
that he's playing.
I've already talked about how lining up with the bass drum [Ab] can create a great groove, but
it's not the only way.
In fact, playing off of the bass drum can be just as effective.
This is when the bass line is playing mostly independent of what's happening in the kick
drum and will only [E] line up with it occasionally.
This groove is a perfect example of that.
[G]
[E] This is undeniably one of the classic funk grooves of the last 50 years.
And if you don't [Eb] know Schoolboy Crush, [E] maybe you've heard it sampled by TLC, Floetry, Eric
B.
& [Gm] Rakim, Janet Jackson, Nas, Too Short, [E] Special Ed, De La Soul, Brand Newbie-N, or
Shaquille O'Neal.
Frankly, that's amazing.
Five decades later, and this music is still making new generations of people dance.
Funky music, man.
It's great, it's powerful, and it's timeless.
And that's pretty good [A] for an [G] average white band.
So [Eb] check [E] them out.
Key:
E
G
Ab
Eb
A
E
G
Ab
_ [A] _ _ [D] _ _ [G] _ _
[E] How about one of the nastiest three-note grooves you'll ever hear?
Played with a pick, no less. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [Dm] _ [N] Well, let me introduce you to Hamish Stewart, one-time vocalist, guitarist, songwriter,
and along with the great Alan Gorey, bassist for Scotland's funkiest export, the Average White Band.
Formed in Dundee, Scotland, AWB has been giving up the [Ab] funk for 50 years with hits like Pick
Up The Pieces, Person to Person, [N] and 1975's Schoolboy Crush.
Recorded on the Cut the Cake album on Atlantic and produced by the great Erich Martin, the
song was a collective composition that was born out of one of the band's jams.
According to Hamish, it wasn't so easy getting it recorded.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ That's right, what you're hearing on the record was actually the run-through [Eb] before they were
supposed to record.
[Em] _ _ _ _
_ _ [E] _ _ _ _ _ _
[G] _ [E] _ _ [Ab] Dig the space in this bass line.
It's a four-bar pattern that only actually hits a downbeat two [E] times. _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
This is a classic example of the funk formula.
Give us the one, and then you can do whatever you want.
So we're in the key of E minor, the [Ab] key of funk, and dig those swinging [E] sixteenth notes.
That's what makes this tune bounce.
_ _ _ [Em] _ _ _ [Em]
Another key element is obviously [Eb] the brilliant drumming by Steve Ferron and the unusual pattern
that he's playing. _ _ _ _ _
_ _ I've already talked about how lining up with the bass drum [Ab] can create a great groove, but
it's not the only way.
In fact, playing off of the bass drum can be just as effective.
This is when the bass line is playing mostly independent of what's happening in the kick
drum and will only [E] line up with it occasionally.
This groove is a perfect example of that. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
_ [E] _ _ This is undeniably one of the classic funk grooves of the last 50 years.
And if you don't [Eb] know Schoolboy Crush, [E] maybe you've heard it sampled by TLC, Floetry, Eric
B.
& [Gm] Rakim, Janet Jackson, Nas, Too Short, [E] Special Ed, De La Soul, Brand Newbie-N, or
Shaquille O'Neal.
Frankly, that's amazing.
Five decades later, and this music is still making new generations of people dance.
Funky music, man.
It's great, it's powerful, and it's timeless.
And that's pretty good [A] for an [G] average white band.
So [Eb] check [E] them out. _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[E] How about one of the nastiest three-note grooves you'll ever hear?
Played with a pick, no less. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [Dm] _ [N] Well, let me introduce you to Hamish Stewart, one-time vocalist, guitarist, songwriter,
and along with the great Alan Gorey, bassist for Scotland's funkiest export, the Average White Band.
Formed in Dundee, Scotland, AWB has been giving up the [Ab] funk for 50 years with hits like Pick
Up The Pieces, Person to Person, [N] and 1975's Schoolboy Crush.
Recorded on the Cut the Cake album on Atlantic and produced by the great Erich Martin, the
song was a collective composition that was born out of one of the band's jams.
According to Hamish, it wasn't so easy getting it recorded.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ That's right, what you're hearing on the record was actually the run-through [Eb] before they were
supposed to record.
[Em] _ _ _ _
_ _ [E] _ _ _ _ _ _
[G] _ [E] _ _ [Ab] Dig the space in this bass line.
It's a four-bar pattern that only actually hits a downbeat two [E] times. _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
This is a classic example of the funk formula.
Give us the one, and then you can do whatever you want.
So we're in the key of E minor, the [Ab] key of funk, and dig those swinging [E] sixteenth notes.
That's what makes this tune bounce.
_ _ _ [Em] _ _ _ [Em]
Another key element is obviously [Eb] the brilliant drumming by Steve Ferron and the unusual pattern
that he's playing. _ _ _ _ _
_ _ I've already talked about how lining up with the bass drum [Ab] can create a great groove, but
it's not the only way.
In fact, playing off of the bass drum can be just as effective.
This is when the bass line is playing mostly independent of what's happening in the kick
drum and will only [E] line up with it occasionally.
This groove is a perfect example of that. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
_ [E] _ _ This is undeniably one of the classic funk grooves of the last 50 years.
And if you don't [Eb] know Schoolboy Crush, [E] maybe you've heard it sampled by TLC, Floetry, Eric
B.
& [Gm] Rakim, Janet Jackson, Nas, Too Short, [E] Special Ed, De La Soul, Brand Newbie-N, or
Shaquille O'Neal.
Frankly, that's amazing.
Five decades later, and this music is still making new generations of people dance.
Funky music, man.
It's great, it's powerful, and it's timeless.
And that's pretty good [A] for an [G] average white band.
So [Eb] check [E] them out. _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _