The hidden GENIUS of Duff McKagan (6 iconic examples)
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- čas přidán 22. 05. 2024
- In today’s video, you’ll learn what made Duff McKagan’s bass lines with Guns N’ Roses so impactful. We’re talking about some of the biggest hits - Welcome To The Jungle, Sweet Child Of Mine, Rocket Queen and more. Plus, you'll get playing examples & sheet music so you can understand every note. And decide for yourself if Duff deserves the title of bass genius.
From Appetite For Destruction to Use Your Illusion, we’re breaking down 6 of the finest Guns N’ Roses bass lines.
🔥 Download your PDF → sbl.link/4aLBj28
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Video Breakdown:
00:00 - Celebrating the Genius of Duff McKagan
00:58 - Rocket Queen: One of the Coolest Bass Riffs of All Time
03:55 - Duff's Brief Stint in Alice in Chains
06:22 - Bass Giveaway
06:47 - Welcome to the Jungle
08:04 - The Importance of Crafting Well-Thought-Out Parts
09:32 - My Michelle
10:29 - You Could Be Mine
11:39 - Did you know these facts about Duff McKagan?
13:08 - Right Next Door to Hell
16:15 - Sweet Child o' Mine
18:21 - Righting the Wrong!
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A video no one asked for, but everyone is very happy about. Duffs chromatic riffs are some of my favorite vibes ever
BASSED
I asked for it
Totally agree, his chromatic walks along with his octave work really defines his sound. His ghost notes are one of his best attributes as well.
tony franklin wrote the lines.
He is one of my top 5 favorite bassists
What's so brilliant about Duff, in my opinion, is that he has such a badass punk attitude in his playing, but at the same time he is very melodic and really dynamic and musically tasteful. He's like a mix of Dee Dee Ramone, Paul McCartney and Chris Squire or something.
You touched a lot on Duff's bass lines, but he is the master of the fill. There are songs where the only person doing any fills is Duff; no guitar, no drums, just bass fills. Not a lot of other bands that will say "Let the bass player cover all of our blank spaces."
For what it’s worth: Duff is a HUGE Prince fan.
Yep. I saw GnR in Pittsburgh back in July of 2016. We didn't have the best seats, but Duff was playing a white PJ Bass with a logo on it. I took a few pics, zoomed in but still couldn't see what it was. Finally, they put a full shot of Duff on the big screens - it was a Purple Prince symbol. This concert was about 3 months after Prince's death. Props. \m/
One of his books has a list of his record recommendations and it’s eclectic as hell
It totally makes sense that he's a Prince fan....
Who isnt?
Duff's sound cut through the mix so perfectly with out being over the top. This guy is the reason I started playing bass 21 years ago, an absolute legend!
*tony franklin.
He said in an interview that he always hated the term cutting threw the mix. He always just tried to find his place in the mix. It changed the way I looked at playing bass forever.
@@315hfd but Tony Franklin is the one who recorded his lines.
@@HunnysPlaylists Where did you hear this? I have heard several rumours about AFD and the parts on it, especially surrounding Sweet Child: that Slash didn’t write or play the solo on it, that is was recorded with a Jackson, not a Les Paul, etc. would love to know more.
@@MrDc1296 From the people themselves. Almost all big songs were studio musician only.
The outro bass lick from Mr. Brownstone is always a classic Duff moment
Mr Brownstone is probably my favorite G&R song
Or the outro to rocket queen
@@RichieW90210 that's my favorite GN'R song and I couldn't agree more 🔥
Sweet Child is a masterclass in how to use chord tones and scales within a rock bass line, glad it's getting the praise it deserves.
What gets me about that is the first time I took time to learn it I realized it was just every single thing Gene Simmons would've done. It's an early KISS bassline for sure
I just like how it's one of those rare tunes that can have multiple instruments basically doing their own riffing on the intro at the same time and it works out way better than it does on paper...
I find it annoying
Famous session player tony franklin did it, not duff.
word man🔥
I remember it well. I was 13 years old, debating music with another boy in the school playground. He loved hip-hop and asked why I listened to Guns 'N Roses. I told him that if he listened carefully, he would realise they were a funky band. A couple of years later, he came up to me and said, 'You were right, they are funky!' I’ll always treasure that memory.
I spent nearly 15 years being a semi professional hip-hop and funk DJ. I've loved Guns N Roses before, during and since then. They've got a good groove.
dann huff recorded the guitars and tony franklin recorded the bass in the studio.
hip hop is not music tho, lack of harmony, melody, all just repeated samples, scratches, beats. It's NOT music.
@@jakubsabosz2933 Play Queen's "We Will Rock You" in a stadium full of people and then tell them "by the way: this isn't music". Go on, then.
@@angelotro Agreed!
Locomotive is my honorable mention. That intro and riff make me want to run a marathon every time
Definitely.
Locomotive is such a killer song 🔥
@@blacklion401especially the “complicity” outro
I play guitar in a Gn'R tribute band, and can confirm that Locomotive is an absolute pig to play live, but great fun
damn that’s right💯
It took me a long time to realize that Duff Mckagan is my biggest influence in bass playing. He is insane !
And this Fender Jazz Bass Special is my dream Bass forever
He’s a legend
🔥🔥🔥
Duff is good but he is no Justin Chancellor 🏆
he is insane?...... he the only bassist you know?
Duff truly was underrated back in the day, he’s getting his props nowadays, people are realizing what he added to find n roses. He was overshadowed by axl and slash, but people recognize nowadays. Good on him
I feel that way about Eric Avery in Jane’s Addiction. Their music without him seems to be missing some secret sauce (less melodic despite the bass’s rhythm role)
Duff has such an instantly recognizable tone. He's one of the reasons that I started playing chords on bass.
Krist Novoselic needs his own video
Yes I wasn’t a huge fan but I loved his playing.
Perhaps a grunge/90’s rock bass feature like Krist, Ben Shepherd, Robert DeLeo etc…
We really should at some point!
Nah
Yeah
Duff not only gets his A but this video makes me realize that I’ve done myself a disservice by neglecting rock bass. Bass has been my primary instrument for 5 years now, and I’ve immersed myself in jazz and funk/R&B but Duff has turned me on to rock bass !!! Thank you Ian and Scott !
Steve DiGiorgio video about his time in Death when? We need it :)
Dude we need a DiGiorgio vid so bad, and we need a big spotlight on Sean Malone of Cynic as well!
A video on any of them individually is probably too much to hope for, but maybe there could be a video called like, 'Godfathers of Modern Metal Bass' or something featuring Di Giorgio, Sean Malone (RIP), Alex Webster...
@@KyleS.1987 totally agreed. Honestly as a died-in-the-wool death metal guy, I wouldn't even want them to focus too much on extreme metal just because they have their own thing going, but holy smokes those OG death metal legends deserve some love.
DiGiorgio, being a hired gun as well as involved in several side projects, could easily do an hour video on him.
He just chills out with his chickens in California somewhere, if you hit him up he might help you do it lol
I 100% agree! One of the best players and nicest guys ever. I was about 19 years old in 1999 and Steve and the guys from Testament walked into the restaurant I was in, started talking with me and my old band guys, then they sat down and had pizza with us. Steve sat next to me. I was blown away at how cool he was.
Billy Sheehan made me want to pick up the bass. Duff McKagan made me want to play it.
I had a chance to meet him while traveling in the early 90s. One of the nicest people, let alone celebrities, that I’ve ever met.
A genuinely good guy. I’ll be a fan of all of his work for the rest of my life.
I started playing bass 27 years ago because of Duff. He is a huge inspiration for me, as a musician and as a human being - I trully recomend his biography "It's so easy - and other lies". He is a bassis that delivers what the song needs in a very smart way. Thanks for this video
Me too!!!
Please tell me this is only part 1 of a Duff series, because you’ve left so much aside! Great vid guys
Duff always deserves more love!
"Believe in me" was an awesome solo album that very few people seemed to hear.
Was also a drummer in a punk band The FARTZ 1982-83.
Duff is why I play a PJ. I always thought he played a PJ with no pickguard but now I know it's a Jazz Special. I got into GNR because of Terminator 2. I was 12 when it came out and GNR is one of the two bands that got me into playing.
The all time greatest Duff line has got to be Locomotive. The intro with Matt and the groove they create is amazing. It’s the most underrated GNR song.
YES!!!
Finally a tribute to this great bassist, who has always been underestimated.
Congratulations also on the initiative to help needy children. Here in Brazil, unfortunately, we have a lot.
Greetings
I have been teaching Sweet Child. And its really not as easy as people imagine. He has great timing and feel and he slung his bass low, which makes it even more impressive!
I learned to play Sweet Child when I was doing my bass lessons, and I can agree it is not as easy as it first seems! Each repetition is slightly different from the last, and the different sections to think about, but so good to play when you get it.
There's something bout the intro that is hard to articulate quite how duff plays it,everytime in a covers band I play it I'm never happy while it's super fun to play I just don't sell it the same
@@gdonaldson26 Yup, if I remember correctly, different bass fills 2nd and 3rd time through the verse & chorus sections.
@@hadenbaillie1833I thought it was just me! It's like I can play but I always feel like it's not quite right lol
I was lucky enough to be at their first London gig, in 1987, at the Marquee club!
I am a guitarist, but I did play bass in a Guns n Roses tribute, and it gave me a new respect for Duff! Duff is amazing!
Both Scott and Ian sat with PJs with smiles on their faces... has hell frozen over??
Literally EVERY song on Appetite is an absolute masterpiece
Duff was the reason I started playing bass. Never really stuck with that genre of music but he inspired me to pick up an instrument as a teen. A conversation with someone while I looked into bass convinced me to begin on guitar as I wanted to write songs but found the path to bass not too long after.
Played bass 25 years ago in a band in front of like 50,000 people….haven’t really touched one for well over a decade. Sold my last one….so tempted to get another and get back into it after watching videos like this. Duff wrote killer bass lines!
Come on...a guy that plays to 50k people always keep one bass at hand. Go get your new P Bass! Now ! 😂
Do it!!
@@devinebass I will! Thanks 👍
@@HF1600ie I’m probably more of J bass guy 😜
Go do it. Live it again. Make CZcams channel and share your journey. Inspire others.
you guys are always so happy; I can't help but grin along with you
cheers
I was 12 years old up late watching good rockin tonight when all of a sudden i seen this guy with hair covering his face wearing a tophat being interviewed. After that the video for welcome to the jungle came on. I was blown away and hooked on rock n roll ever since. I'm almost 50 now. I see the nostalgia in you guys and i appreciate that. I am going to hit that subscribe button right now. Also i play bass too 🤘🤘
I love how much fun you guys are having! It's contagious, in a good way.
Thank you guys!!! I thought that I was the only one who loves Duff´s bass lines and sound, made my day!!!
Ian giving up that 85 is nuts. That’s been on the screen since he started at SBL, sad day for us great day for 1 lucky winner.
Oh yeah. love this video. The format was killer. Loved that, hearing about the type of gear, how it was played and the insights and history to Duff. Be great to see a series of other videos where you guys gear up and tee up the styles and histories of other rockers. Thanks for all the great content you guys create on this channel.
I have been watching your videos for a few weeks now and you guys make me want to learn how to play the bass!! 🎸🎸🎸
YES! THANK YOU! I never paid close attention to Duff when I was a guitarist - because Slash, obviously - but when I migrated to bass and started REALLY listening to what was going on, oh man, his lines are awesome. And that wonderful 'chime' tone he gets, or his muted tones.....maaaaan. Snobs hate me for this, but I LOVE Duff McKagan's playing.
Completely brings back childhood memories with these albums. Appetite was basically my 7th grade anthem, and then in high school the Illusion albums totally blew me away for those years never getting tired of them over and over.
11 grade for me.
Yes I remember 😊 ..I'm 50 years old I was born in April 1974 and I got into G.N.R. in 87 appetite for destruction is my favorite G.N.R album 😊
'73 here. Appetite is probably on my top 5 albums of all time. I'd also put back in black and master of puppets in there.
@@mikemurray3962 what about warrant cherry 🍒pie
@@shawnhuff3920 they probably got a bad rap with the image and video. Uncle Tom's cabin was pretty cool. The most legit 'hair bands' of the time were gnr, tesla, and maybe Cinderella. Just my opinion of course
@@mikemurray3962 ove course... I like warrant. And RAT. Cinderella and G.N.R and Metallica and mottley.crew up until Dr. Feel good 👍 and the gogo's. And bangles. And. Roxette. And poison. And white zombie . Pantera
Thanks guys, great delivery as always ! I know what you're saying about G&R's sound being on the edge (ie: sounding dangerous) yet totally rock'n'roll cool. This video certainly gives me better appreciation of Duff's playing !
I love the pure joy you guys still get from your instrument you have probably been playing a few dozen yrs and it's as enjoyable as ever
Listened Duff live last year during their Guns N' Roses - Europe 2023 tour, and man, we is still rocking. The riffs, the melodies, the attitude. He's a great bassist, musician and showman.
Love the chemistry and passion you both bring to every video. It shines through and makes for some great videos even when you are talking about something I do not like or am not familiar with. So awesome guys!
🧡🧡🧡
Yes! Been waiting for this for ages. Being able to play along to gnr was a big moment in my bass life
Duff was the guy who first got me interested in playing bass. It was his 'solo' on the "Live in Tokyo 1992" VHS that I got hooked.
Duff's bass sound and his playing gives me chills. It's a very iconic sound
Thanks as always guys. A great underrated bassist gets his rightful tribute. So many great bass,Ines he put out!
I have an 84 jazz bass special, love all the tones you can get from these basses!! You guys are the best, keep it up!!
Awesome job guys. Iconic album, iconic bass tone, and some of the coolest basslines and licks ever written.
Duff is such a huge inspiration for me man i love this video, just recently got myself a 1995 jazz bass special as well
Love this kind of content-fun interaction and talking about basses and bassists-especially cool ones like Duff. Much appreciated guys.
👍👍👍
I remember learning Duff’s bass lines back to back when I was starting to learn bass back in he day. The bass riffs and fills on appetite are great. There’s always cool little fills going on in there that you can take and apply pretty much anywhere. It’s simple but effective.
Watching this reminds me and makes me so happy to be a part of the SBL bass community. Thanks so much guys for all the research ❤ and duff is a definite A.
🧡🧡🧡
Scott and Ian are the best!! As a bass player, the best thing I ever did was become a member of SBL. I learn so much about music, theory, equipment. Everything about bass. It is my obsession and I have found some place that others share that passion. They are always introducing me to new topics, old songs that have interesting bass features I may have never discovered (Sledgehammer), reinforcing my knowledge of bass and so much more. Thank you 4ever SBL!!!
Ahhh thanks so much for the warm words!! 🧡🧡🧡
Could they play in Anthrax if they came as a duo?
Thanks for the video. Hate to admit that I forgot about the talented Duff McKagan. Such great bass rifts brought back to life. Thank you!!
Subbed YEARS ago. Lifelong member at SBL aswell. Never regretted it!
Guys I just discovered your channel!! I love the history, the interviews and the tips. To be honest, I’m a guitar player who secretly wishes I was a bassist. I bought my first bass recently and I’m loving the the complexity of the tones and grooving on the back beat. You’ve got my sub and 👍
This was wonderful, through and through.
Glad you are talking about Duff! Loved your videos since the beginning!
🧡🧡🧡
That green PJ bass looks incredible... I want one...
Love his bass sounds from Appetite for Destruction and Use Your Illusions I & II. Those albums were my childhood. My mom had the best albums for me to get into and listen.
Watching for years and indeed, I never subscribed. Now I did! And what better time on a Duff McKagan honored video. Loving it!
Great video guys, love your enthusiasm, and Duff is a brilliant musician and great dude. 🎸🌍✌️
Thank you SBL! Duff's my childhood bassin' hero, and a big reason I'm a bass player to this day
I learned most of my bass fundamentals from Appetite. Learning by ear all of Duff's parts was what helped me most back when I started. I love that you guys gave him proper kudos.
🔥🔥🔥
Duff, the guy who got me playing bass as a 6th grader. GnR was the most badass band to ever exist in my opinion. Appetite is the #1 rock album of all time for the reasons you list in the video. Thanks, guys! Oh and read his autobiography! Very interesting.
Oh and only a bass player would be practical enough to go back to college and make some fuckin real money! 😊
I just got a squire affinity pj as my first “real bass” freaking love it
Totally cool!! Thank you guys!!
Duff is beyond brilliant.
Spinning this record with a good hifi setup and his basslines Scream and are SO WELL PLACED.
Thanks for this video.
Did a Dark Side of the Moon cover gig and afterwards Duff came up to me to say we rocked it! Awesome and humble guy!
You guys nailed it. Great video. Thank you.
Cheers!
Duff definitely was an inspiration to me growing up great choice guys. You amaze me daily with being your same age feel like we experienced the same life....CRAZY...
I had a Yamaha BB that had a PJ setup and I also ran a GK 800RB. I loved the tone of that bass. I never really explored the sound of Duff, this was great. Makes me want to listen to Appetite for Destruction from start to finish.
Wow, this is awesome! And yes, Appetite and both Use Your Illusion albums are album you definitely should own.
A+++Love Duff's Bass Playing!!!
Really enjoyed this video thanks guys
Cheers!!
Amazing Amazing Amazing review. GnR was such a part of my upbringing. Great 👍 job!
Thank you. It's about time someone paid tribute to those genius basslines that made Appetite the album great. Absolutely funky, simple yet so crisp and rocking. It takes one to know one 👏👏👏👏👏
Great vid and thx for putting up Duff! But what i enjoyed most was your enthusiasm talking about him ❤🤘🏼
🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
@@devinebass ❤️
I love when rock bass lines add something beyond just echoing the guitar parts and roots/5ths.
So glad to see some PJ representation/appreciation on this channel!
What I would have given for this video back in the day! 💥
Thank you so much for this.
It probably bears a Part 2?
He's been a part of many other bands as you alluded to.
Thank you for righting the wrong that bass player magazine did.
This was so much fun to watch :)
Mckagan is my favorite bass player other than Geddy. A note about his sound is that his chorus isn’t always on but comes on during stuff that needs emphasis. I saw him live and he was a stellar musician with an amazing stage presence and a surprising amount of low end in his tone compared to the records.
Double Talkin Jive is another jewel from Duff. Such a great video and so deserved by an amazing artist!
I love that you you give props to bassists from all genres. Duff is soooooo underrated. I never saw GnR, but I learned how good he is when I saw Velvet Revolver. People would never put words like "sneaky" (yours) or "subtle (mine) on a player like Duff, but it's there, isn't it?
I had just gotten my first bass in 1988, and was trying to get the feel of what to do with it. Some fruends and I were watching MTV, and the video for Sweet Child O Mine came on, and I heard Duff Kagans solo at the BEGINNING of the song, and something clicked in my brain. All of a sudden, bass made sense, and it has ever since.
🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
My band does My Michelle. That is such a fun song to play and it straight shreds
Still trying to get the hang of the pick. Good stuff as always.
So glad you covered Duff - the guy whose tone and bad ass fills got me into bass to begin with. Awesome vid on an awesome, underrated player.
you guys are amazing in every video . All cool
Thanks for this. “Appetite” really opened my ears to great bass and drum fills. For a good 6-7 months, I’d get home from school, played along to “Appetite” almost EVERYDAY. Great memories. Finally bought a ‘87 Jazz Bass Special a few years ago. Killer bass.
🧡🧡🧡
Yes yes yes! Love this video, love G’nR and Duff. Gonna have fun with these tabs! Thank you SBL!
enjoy!!
AMAZING!!!!!! Duff's Rock bass genius is sooooooooooooooooooooo underrated !!! Thx for educating the masses \m/ \m/
Huge Duff fan here speaking! Amazing stuff, guys! Rock on! ⚡️
It has been a life quest of mine to find that tone. Have never gotten it! Even with a PJ, pick and chorus. Been close, but never that punchy with that growl, never!!! Awesome tone master.
Okay, this video did it to me, I became a subscriber - having watched dozens of your videos already. Appetite for Destruction was released the year I turned six. I got the album as a birthday gift when I turned 7 if I remember correct - and no, that didn't happen by chance: I remember having made it very clear to my parents that I needed to have an album by this new interesting band I had seen on TV. It was the vinyl version with the original, soon-to-be-censored cover of course. It didn't take long to realize that I was determined to become a musician after giving some spins on that vinyl. Today I play the guitar for a living (both gigs and session work) as well as run my own studio. At times I also teach guitar, do some transcription work and try also to be a husband and a father.
In a way I could say now as someone soon to be 43 that Guns n' Roses for a major part made me who I am today. I've always admired Duff's melodic basslines and his sense of style and sound - and over the years I've learned to appreciate his role on those albums more and more. Guns n' Roses would definitely not sound the same without Duff's invaluable contribution. Since I do quite a bit of studio work and at times get to play some bass as well, I have acquired a couple of "workhorse" basses that can take me through pretty much all of my low end needs: a Japanese ESP Vintage Four (a very stable, reliable and lightweight PJ bass that I use 99% of the time as a P bass) and an original Höfner 500/1 Violin bass from 1967, because ... you guessed it, Paul McCartney.
Thank you Scott for this excellent channel and have yourself a good one - all the best from Finland!
I was in sixth grade when I got Appetite and I immediately wanted to be a rockstar. GNR did sound tough and dangerous. At the time, I thought Duff was an airhead because of his name and look, but as I've grown as a man and musician, I've grown to appreciate him as one of the greats. All fivemof ths original Guns members was perfect for the band. It's sad what happened to Steven Adler and sad that Izzy never rejoined. They were as much a part of the secret sauce as Axl, Slash, and Duff.
Duff McKagen and Mike Roche (T.S.O.L) were two of my earliest influences on bass. The tone, the riffs, everything sounded so mean and full of attitude.
Thank you for this video 🙏🏻🤍
Such a great video