Why This Bass Line Is Tricky
Ghost notes and muting
The groove relies on ghost notes and muted notes for its funky, percussive feel. At full speed, it's hard to hear exactly where they fall in the rhythm.
Precise timing
The riff is syncopated and sits slightly behind the beat. The timing is what makes it groove. Play it too straight and it loses the funky feel entirely.
Right-hand technique
The muting technique is crucial. You need to control which notes ring out and which are percussive. This is all in the right-hand palm and finger placement.
How to Practice This Bass Line
Load a YouTube bass tutorial
Find an Another One Bites the Dust bass tutorial on YouTube and paste the URL into PracticeLoop.
Slow it down to 60%
At 60% speed, you can hear every ghost note and muted note clearly. The rhythmic placement becomes obvious.
Loop the main riff
The iconic riff is just two bars that repeat. Set an AB loop on it and drill it until the groove is locked in tight.
Focus on ghost notes and muting
The ghost notes give it the funky feel. At 60% speed, practice the right-hand muting technique until the percussive notes sound just right.
Gradually increase speed
Work from 60% through 75%, 85% to 100%. Keep the groove tight and make sure the ghost notes don't disappear as you speed up.
Speed Progression Plan
Learn the notes and rhythm
Map out every note and muted note. Focus on the rhythmic placement - where each note falls relative to the beat.
Add ghost notes and muting
Start adding the ghost notes with the right-hand muting technique. This is where the groove starts to come alive.
Lock in the pocket
Focus on sitting slightly behind the beat. The groove should feel laid-back and funky, not rushed or mechanical.
Play with the recording
Play along with the original track. The bass line repeats for almost the entire song, so you'll get plenty of reps to lock in the groove.
Built for Bass Practice
Speed Control 0.25x - 2x
Fine-grained slider with presets. Pitch is preserved so the bass line stays in E minor at all speeds.
AB Looping
Essential for drilling the two-bar groove. Loop it repeatedly until it's muscle memory.
Saved Loops
Name sections like "Main riff", "Chorus variation". Come back to problem areas across practice sessions.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Space to play/pause, [ and ] for loop points, L to toggle loop. Keep your hands on the bass.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Another One Bites the Dust so hard to play on bass?
While the main riff is relatively simple, getting the groove to feel right is challenging. The bass line relies on ghost notes, muted notes, and precise timing. The right-hand muting technique is crucial for the funky, percussive sound. It's easy to play the notes but hard to nail the feel.
What is the Another One Bites the Dust bass line?
The main riff is a simple two-bar pattern in E minor that repeats throughout most of the song. It uses open E, G on the E string, and octave jumps to the higher E. The groove comes from the syncopated rhythm, ghost notes, and muted notes.
What speed should I start practising the bass line at?
Start at 60% speed. While the riff is simple, the ghost notes and muting need precision. At 60%, you can focus on right-hand technique and make sure every ghost note and muted note is exactly where it should be.
Does slowing down change the pitch?
No. PracticeLoop preserves the original pitch at all speeds, so the bass line stays in E minor whether you're at 60% or 100%. You can play along accurately at any speed.