Chords for CJ Ramone | Playing Bass in the Ramones | Fender
Tempo:
175 bpm
Chords used:
D
A
E
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
[D] [E]
[A] [D]
[A] [D] [E]
Playing in the Ramones, playing the Ramones style is definitely something completely outside
of what I had done before.
I was always a finger player.
I just always felt most comfortable playing with my fingers.
But once I was in the process of learning all their songs, I knew, of course, being
a fan for years, that they only did down picking.
And when I picked up the bass and started trying to do all that down picking, it was
immediately clear to me that I did not have the stamina to be able to do it.
My forearm was locking up, really seriously locking up.
Not to mention that I was tearing my cuticles and breaking off fingernails.
I developed a huge blister right here from where I was resting my wrist.
And I basically was turning my hand into a bloody stump.
It was really, really uncomfortable.
Until I watched some video of the Ramones and I noticed that Dee Dee's bass was a little
bit lower than I played mine.
I lowered my strap a little bit and it got a little bit better.
And that's how I played for a little while.
I still was grinding my fingers down to bloody stumps.
Eventually I learned to wrap duct tape around my fingertips, around my thumb, and I wear
a sweatband to protect my wrist.
However, I'd have to ice my forearm after a show.
It was really bad.
Finally, at one point, I put it together and I lowered my bass all the way down so that
the bottom of my bass was on my kneecap, basically.
And once my arm was fully extended, it took my forearm out of it and I was only using my wrist.
And at that point, I realized, wow, I can play really fast in this position for an extended
period of time.
That was a little secret that I learned at that point, is playing with the bass even
on my hip was still too high.
I was picking with my forearm instead of with my wrist.
As soon as I dropped it down, it was all wrist and that was it.
I skated from there.
It's all down picking.
There's no alternate picking with the Ramones.
It's what gave them that really aggressive sound.
It's also the reason why a lot of times when you go to see bands and they do Ramones covers,
that they never sound quite right doing it.
It's because they're alternate picking.
And it really does change the sound of the song.
It's just not as aggressive.
So the Ramones style is just all down picking.
[A] [D] [E]
[A] [D]
[A] [D]
[A] [D] [A]
[D]
[A] [D] [E]
[A] [D] [E]
[A] [D]
And that's how it goes.
As simple as that.
But like I said, if you're playing it 10 to 15 beats per minute faster than that, you've
got to be wearing it way low because it's near impossible to do it any other way.
[N]
[A] [D]
[A] [D] [E]
Playing in the Ramones, playing the Ramones style is definitely something completely outside
of what I had done before.
I was always a finger player.
I just always felt most comfortable playing with my fingers.
But once I was in the process of learning all their songs, I knew, of course, being
a fan for years, that they only did down picking.
And when I picked up the bass and started trying to do all that down picking, it was
immediately clear to me that I did not have the stamina to be able to do it.
My forearm was locking up, really seriously locking up.
Not to mention that I was tearing my cuticles and breaking off fingernails.
I developed a huge blister right here from where I was resting my wrist.
And I basically was turning my hand into a bloody stump.
It was really, really uncomfortable.
Until I watched some video of the Ramones and I noticed that Dee Dee's bass was a little
bit lower than I played mine.
I lowered my strap a little bit and it got a little bit better.
And that's how I played for a little while.
I still was grinding my fingers down to bloody stumps.
Eventually I learned to wrap duct tape around my fingertips, around my thumb, and I wear
a sweatband to protect my wrist.
However, I'd have to ice my forearm after a show.
It was really bad.
Finally, at one point, I put it together and I lowered my bass all the way down so that
the bottom of my bass was on my kneecap, basically.
And once my arm was fully extended, it took my forearm out of it and I was only using my wrist.
And at that point, I realized, wow, I can play really fast in this position for an extended
period of time.
That was a little secret that I learned at that point, is playing with the bass even
on my hip was still too high.
I was picking with my forearm instead of with my wrist.
As soon as I dropped it down, it was all wrist and that was it.
I skated from there.
It's all down picking.
There's no alternate picking with the Ramones.
It's what gave them that really aggressive sound.
It's also the reason why a lot of times when you go to see bands and they do Ramones covers,
that they never sound quite right doing it.
It's because they're alternate picking.
And it really does change the sound of the song.
It's just not as aggressive.
So the Ramones style is just all down picking.
[A] [D] [E]
[A] [D]
[A] [D]
[A] [D] [A]
[D]
[A] [D] [E]
[A] [D] [E]
[A] [D]
And that's how it goes.
As simple as that.
But like I said, if you're playing it 10 to 15 beats per minute faster than that, you've
got to be wearing it way low because it's near impossible to do it any other way.
[N]
Key:
D
A
E
D
A
E
D
A
_ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [E] _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [E] _ _
_ Playing in the Ramones, playing _ the Ramones style is definitely _ _ something completely outside
of what I had done before.
I was always a finger player.
_ I _ _ just always felt most comfortable playing with my fingers.
But _ once I was in the process of learning all their songs, I knew, of course, being
a fan for years, that they only did down picking.
_ And when I picked up the bass and started trying to do all that down picking, it was _ _ _
immediately clear to me that I did not have the stamina to be able to do it.
My forearm was locking up, _ _ really seriously locking up.
Not to mention that I was tearing _ my cuticles and breaking off fingernails.
I _ developed a huge _ blister right here from where I was resting my wrist.
And I basically was turning my hand into a bloody stump.
It was really, really uncomfortable.
_ Until I _ watched some video of the Ramones and I noticed that Dee Dee's bass was a little
bit lower than I played mine.
I lowered my strap a little bit _ and it got a little bit better.
And that's how I played for a little while.
I still was grinding my fingers down to bloody stumps.
Eventually I learned to wrap duct tape around my fingertips, around my thumb, and I wear
_ a sweatband to protect my wrist.
_ _ _ However, I'd have to ice my forearm after a show.
It was really bad.
Finally, at one point, I put it together and I lowered my bass all the way down so that
_ _ _ the bottom of my bass was on my kneecap, basically. _ _ _
And once my arm was fully extended, _ it took my forearm out of it and I was only using my wrist.
And at that point, I realized, wow, I can play really fast in this position for an extended
period of time.
That was a little secret that I learned at that point, is _ _ _ playing with the bass even
_ _ _ on my hip _ was still too high.
I _ was picking with my forearm instead of with my wrist.
As soon as I dropped it down, it was all wrist and that was it.
_ _ _ I skated from there.
It's all down picking.
There's no alternate picking with the Ramones.
_ _ _ It's what gave them that really aggressive sound.
It's also the reason why a lot of times when you go to see bands and they do Ramones covers,
that they never sound quite right doing it.
It's because they're alternate picking.
And it really does change the sound of the song.
It's just not as aggressive.
_ So the Ramones style is just all down picking.
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [E] _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _
[A] _ _ [D] _ _ [A] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [E] _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [E] _ _
[A] _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _
And that's how it goes.
As simple as that.
But like I said, if you're playing it 10 to 15 beats per minute faster than that, _ _ you've
got to be wearing it way low because it's near impossible to do it any other way. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [N] _ _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [E] _ _
_ Playing in the Ramones, playing _ the Ramones style is definitely _ _ something completely outside
of what I had done before.
I was always a finger player.
_ I _ _ just always felt most comfortable playing with my fingers.
But _ once I was in the process of learning all their songs, I knew, of course, being
a fan for years, that they only did down picking.
_ And when I picked up the bass and started trying to do all that down picking, it was _ _ _
immediately clear to me that I did not have the stamina to be able to do it.
My forearm was locking up, _ _ really seriously locking up.
Not to mention that I was tearing _ my cuticles and breaking off fingernails.
I _ developed a huge _ blister right here from where I was resting my wrist.
And I basically was turning my hand into a bloody stump.
It was really, really uncomfortable.
_ Until I _ watched some video of the Ramones and I noticed that Dee Dee's bass was a little
bit lower than I played mine.
I lowered my strap a little bit _ and it got a little bit better.
And that's how I played for a little while.
I still was grinding my fingers down to bloody stumps.
Eventually I learned to wrap duct tape around my fingertips, around my thumb, and I wear
_ a sweatband to protect my wrist.
_ _ _ However, I'd have to ice my forearm after a show.
It was really bad.
Finally, at one point, I put it together and I lowered my bass all the way down so that
_ _ _ the bottom of my bass was on my kneecap, basically. _ _ _
And once my arm was fully extended, _ it took my forearm out of it and I was only using my wrist.
And at that point, I realized, wow, I can play really fast in this position for an extended
period of time.
That was a little secret that I learned at that point, is _ _ _ playing with the bass even
_ _ _ on my hip _ was still too high.
I _ was picking with my forearm instead of with my wrist.
As soon as I dropped it down, it was all wrist and that was it.
_ _ _ I skated from there.
It's all down picking.
There's no alternate picking with the Ramones.
_ _ _ It's what gave them that really aggressive sound.
It's also the reason why a lot of times when you go to see bands and they do Ramones covers,
that they never sound quite right doing it.
It's because they're alternate picking.
And it really does change the sound of the song.
It's just not as aggressive.
_ So the Ramones style is just all down picking.
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [E] _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _
[A] _ _ [D] _ _ [A] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [E] _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ [E] _ _
[A] _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _
And that's how it goes.
As simple as that.
But like I said, if you're playing it 10 to 15 beats per minute faster than that, _ _ you've
got to be wearing it way low because it's near impossible to do it any other way. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [N] _ _ _ _