Bass Teacher REACTS: Led Zeppelin "RAMBLE ON" is a MASTERCLASS on Melodic Bass Lines!
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- Опубліковано 15 чер 2024
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➡️ John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin was the very first rock bassist I latched onto when my parents gave me a copy of Led Zeppelin III on CD. After quickly realizing that my efforts to learn "Immigrant Song" at age 14 were futile, I simply sat back and just let the bass grooves inspire me. Today, were are finally bringing Led Zeppelin to Low End University with a reaction and analysis of "Ramble On" from Led Zeppelin II (released in 1969). In this video, I discuss the lost art of bass lines that happen before the drums enter (and how bass has slowly become a "production" element in a lot of ways), how the intro's bass melody foreshadows the song's syncopated feel before John Bonham enters, how the song navigates from "folk" to hard rock seamlessly, some theory and composition behind the song, and much more.
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0:00 Intro
0:27 Reaction / Analysis
13:54 Final Thoughts
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Mark Michell is an internationally-touring and recording bass player known for his work with Scale the Summit, Tony MacAlpine, Tetrafusion, Watermox, and more. Michell is a published educator and author for Hal Leonard, the world's largest music publisher, and has taught bass clinics around the globe for many years. He has played on several Billboard-charting album releases and is endorsed by Jackson Basses, EMG Pickups, and Dunlop.
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👉Original Video from @ledzeppelin: • Led Zeppelin - Ramble ...
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Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. The original work played in this video has been significantly transformed for the purpose of music education.
The bass on "The Lemon Song", also from the 2nd album, is absolutely insane. That fast funk stuff is all over the track but also sooo groovy. It's like a huge bass solo in the middle third.
Yeah, there's some great bass work in "The Lemmon Song".
Oh Yes, I often said to some younger people wanting to rock and blues on the bass to try to play The Lemon Song. It's a resume of all good basslines in blues-rock. Incredible.
"The Lemon Song" is a master class in how to improvise on bass.
Abso-flippin-lutely. And also my favourite snare sound ever.
All of LZ II is a showcase for John Paul Jones' outstanding skill and talent.
The Lemon Song is the pinnacle of the art of bass work, in my humble. The lead guitar features, but the bass is playing the lead instrument line for most of the song.
Master class.
Man crazy how talented this band was. They were so talented it’s like a lot of people forget just how great JPJ was. Never gets brought up when talking about the best bass players.
JPJ was the most talented musician in the band yet the least popular. He could play concert level piano, mandolin and the organ simultaneously while playing the bass with his feet in concert
For some more John Paul Jones appreciation, give Them Crooked Vultures a listen 👍
This is one of my favourite Led Zeppelin songs! I don't care how popular they are, I still think it's underrated.
Here here!
It seems underrated indeed, you have to dig a little to know classic rock legends. I'm 25 and just in the beggining of this year i stopped to listen Led Zeppelin seriously. Liked all the albums, except some songs of the last one. Deep Purple and Black Sabbath seems underrated too, eapecially DP.
The word 'underrated' is overused
This song has always been one of my fav songs, not just by Zeppelin. Since I started playing bass, I didn't realize how key and killer the bass is in this song. John Paul Jones is so often overlooked in this band, but there would be no Zeppelin without him.
John Paul Jones has lots of incredible bass lines. Hell, this bass line isn’t even the most complicated on this album, the Lemon Song would probably take that spot. Check that one out or anything really. In My Time of Dying also.
The Lemon Song is inspired. Why is it overlooked so often? Even the twin CD set Remasters misses it. I was so disappointed.
JPJ played bass like a lead instrument in The Lemon Song.
An absolutely brilliant bass part in an amazing song. Jones is an extremely talented musician. There are so many textures that flow in and out perfectly with the variety of guitar tones that Page adds.. A real masterpiece. Definitely one of my favorite Zeppelin songs.
What a band! Everything from “Zeppelin 1” to “In Through The Outdoor” is pure gold. They have hardly any bad songs in their discography…. even the songs that are considered bad are still good. Cheers✌️
I have always said this is one of the most melodic bass lines in rock . JPJ's philosophy towards the bass within a band is amazing . You can see interviews were he discusses it . He's a humble genius. I love him
He was born in 46. By the time this song was released, he had been playing professionally for more than 8 years. He was probably 23 or 24 at the time. His original influences were jazz and blues, which no doubt taught him the importance of swing and funk, and conveyed permission for the bass to be a lead instrument. Both of his parents were in music. What a talent!
He was also a prolific studio session rhythm guitarist, who played on a lot of pop and rock songs of the mid- late 60s!!
What is and What Should Never Be, from the same album, has awesome bass playing as well!
Major props to you for being able to get a Zeppelin song on the channel! Its an excellent song. A+
This is a top 5 bass line for me. It's right up there with "Something" by Paul McCartney or "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by James Jamerson. You can hear the Motown influence all over it, in fact. A lot of the famous rock bassists like JPJ and McCartney were big Jamerson fans.
I agree. How can he have a bass channel and not one McCartney video?
This is my favorite song of all time, and I'm 70. Now you should analyze The Lemon Song, which is the other song from LZ II that is famous for its bass line. JPJ was also the keyboard player, mandolin player, and multiple other instruments. When he played keyboards live, he would play the bass on the organ pedals.
This is the first real bass part I ever learned. It opened up my view of the fretboard from an early point of learning bass. That was 25 years ago for me and I’m still learning from JPJ.
JPJ was a beast of a session player put in a huge band and didnt really change his precise playing..
The most intoxicating bass sound and line in a Led Zeppelin song is, FOR ME, Heartbreaker.
One of the Greatest bass lines of All Time ✌️♥️
Good morning Dr Mark. Great song to start the day. I was 14 when I got my first Zeppelin album (IV) Lifechanging music, for sure. Great analysis as always. Cheers!
I dare say, this is my favorite of all their songs. In large part because of the bass line. SO good it hurts.
What is and what should never be. That’s your next JPJ bassline to go for 👌
Very interesting analysis. Led Zeppelin were the founders of hard rock, but were never a pure hard rock band. Page and Jones were studio musicians for years and got to know and play a wide variety of styles of music. They were probably the most versatile band, using elements of folk, blues, reggea and even oriental elements in their music. I heard Ramble On live at a Plant and Page concert in 1998. The drums at the beginning are very small drums.
man oh man, GREAT REVIEW....what perception !!!!
Loved you're view and content, thank you :)
Much appreciated! 🙏🏼
JPJ was the glue that held the band together.
Drums on the track are insane. Triplets and that foot on the bass! Jack Bruce and Klaus Voormann were amazing players.
You got it man. WE had MUSIC. Song were constructed, shaped, and formed. Music. Texture, interplay between voices and instruments. The beginning is the lead into what we come to know some kick ass rock. Anticipation.
Preach!!
That's drummer John Bonham tapping a sixteenth note pattern on Jimmy Page’s guitar case, it's in my Led Zeppelin screenplay
Fun fact: John Paul Jonews, the bassist plays mandolin parts LZ 3 & 4. You really have an interesting take on Ramble on. Always interesting to hear what they youth of today has to say, when you pick up some old tunes. I grew up with LZ and was 13 when LZ 2 came out. Even then, and I had no idea of how it was played, I just fell in love with this song over the bass line.
If you're gonna do Led Zeppelin, do The Lemon Song. Re: the tapping at the start of the song , according to the book John Bonham: A Thunder of Drums he was tapping on a guitar case. But some people also claim it was his drum throne, or a plastic garbage can lid, or the soles of his shoes, or dozens of other things.
Back in 1969 it was a big deal to have headphones and everyone wanted good stereo sound. I was a 17 year old and I would listen to Ramble On through headphones and listen to it around 10 times and I would only focus on a different instrument each time. By doing this, I could figure out how they recorded the song. When I record our band's music or my own, I would use the way Ramble On was recorded. I am a big stickler for good stereo sound. A lot of people today could care less about stereo sound and a lot of today's music is compressed so much. I figured out Jone's bass line to this song and it is so good. I like this deep, rich, warm bass sound. Both Page and Jones had a lot of experience in the studio and knew what to do. They were influenced a lot by The Lord of The Rings and Ramble On and The Battle of Evermore has references to it. Listen to Ramble On through headphones and turn up the volume. You will hear a lot of cool stuff near the fade out going left to right. When the music finishes, you just hear Plant singing... Glip. Jones is an accomplished guitarist, bass, mandolin, and keyboard player. I was fortunate to see Zeppelin on 5 different tours starting on April 26, 1969. Thank you for the video.
JPJ and Page could draw on their years of session work to produce their sophisticated arrangements and instrumentation. I could never get over how complete Zep were when they first arrived with 1 & 2 . They seemed to effortlessly outdo all other similar contemporary bands in every department.
"When the Levee Breaks" is another bass gem. JPJ even lent his skills to Playing For Change in covering that one.
Indeed. And you may well have heard it, but you'll also dig this early version of "Levee," where Jones, and not Bonham, kicks off the party! ua-cam.com/video/SB5YDAX5_Ug/v-deo.html
It's really easy to find the isolated bass track on youtube, I sometimes bring it up just to listen to it. The bass really is being the song all by itself, so good
I love how the base line is melodic and very up-front in this song. I've always loved the base line and it is indeed what "makes" this song. Very moody. It's kind of a contra melody to the melody line Plant sings. This part of song...the verses...are very stark with just the rhythm, base line and vocal. But the base line is also very cool in the chorus. This is why Led Zep's music has staying power. It's not all the same and borrows from so many genres of music...and each one handled with near perfection.
Hi I'm a 67 year old English guy, maybe one of the biggest zeppelin fans ever, got into them aged 12,hey please don't think I'm being rude or cocky,I've read every book on zeppelin, watched nearly every documentary on them, John Paul Jones and Jimmy page were the most sought after session players in the 60s, they played with every top artists around, hey Pagey even played with Shirley bassey on a James bond theme song, Pagey often spoke of his idea of mixing hard rock with as you said folkish stuff, he calls it light and shade,when he met Planty he invited him down to his place in Pangbourne on the river thems,he played him a early Joan Baez song babe I'm gonna leave you ,oh my god as I'm writing this I'm listening to on UA-cam, Jesus mate you have to hear it, it's sooo different, but that's where he got his idea from light and shade,,as you probably know its on zeppelins first album,for me yes Pagey and Planty were the greatest front pair ever in my opinion but Jonesey and the beast bless him Bonzo were the very back bone of the band, anyway you take care, all the best, English Billy.
Jones (bass) & Page (guitar) were 2 of the top sessions musicians in London in the 1960s... fax!!!
Definitely one of my favourite bass lines to play on the bass
From the sweet subtlety of the verses to the bouncy chorus… so good
I played the bass for years in bands and for relaxation. I sold everything several years ago. Then, one day, I got this bass line stuck in my head and it was responsible for me going out and buying a new rig.
The Lemon Song....so good.
The bass part, in the chorus rock section specifically, always put me in mind of Motown/Jamerson for some reason.
John Paul Jones is incredibly underrated. Good Times Bad Times is one of my favorite bass tracks from him.
Speaking of underrated…Dirk Lance from Incubus had some really cool slap bass lines on their earlier stuff. The break in “Redefine” is still one of the most ridiculous things I’ve heard lol
JPJ is a brilliant bassist! My suggestions is Dazed & Confused live MSG 73 JPJ starts that song and displays how the four are like a circle. Jimmy follows/syncs with Robert-Bonham follows Jimmy-JPJ follows Bonham so tight!
Watching them live at Royal Albert Hall 70 is such a Joy!
The bassists for Lef Zeppelin and Geezer from Black Sabbath never fail to amaze me 🤩 they’re both among my top 3 easy
JPJ added many great licks for Zeppelin. He’s an awesome musician.
I think the Uk had a version of country music called skiffle that a lot of famous musicians from the 60’s and 70’s would play in when they were younger
Really good review of a great one. Thx
Great dissection. Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
John Bonham is tapping the intro rhythm on Jimmie Page's guitar case
JPJ Was a devotee of
James Jamerson,
Top Gun bassist in
Motown during the’60s.
Most rock bassists cite
Him as a major influence
On them.
I would imagine you’ve
Heard of him…
JPJ is a real hero of mine. I am just too young to have seen LZ, but saw him play with Them Crooked Vultures at the Royal Albert Hall. He was literally 20 feet from me. One of my greatest musical highlights to watch him play. Thanks for the video.
you don't hear this style of bass much, and it's always a pleasant surprise. Another example that comes to mind is Lenny by SRV. Tommy Shannon plays a simple pentatonic riff through most of that song that really gently supports the emotional guitar work SRV puts into that tune. Then again, they aren't exactly current, either. I'm not sure what their influences were, but both John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page were both session musicians before forming Led Zeppelin, so knew how to play multiple styles. Their first two albums in particular infer that had strong blues influences, as I and II are really bluesy, even more than III.
I love your nods to the old school here! When I started playing bass in 1988 this song was one that I put on such a high pedastal.
My favorite bass song of the 70's. I played bass during those years in a band in Seattle and we jammed to this one but never played it live. Not a bar scene song for dancing but so much fun for us to play back then. I loved the syncopation on bass which was a thing for drumming so it was a good excercize for us.
The Player and Song that made me want to become a bass player. JPJ was the backbone of LZ.
This song is a masterpiece.
Recorder not flute. A lot of people confuse the Recorder in Stairway to Heaven with the flute. That’s actually two recorders weaving around each other. I think using them was brilliant and added to the folk sound you had mentioned earlier.
For 40 years I believed in a lie?? Great info!
Great song I love playing this song live much to do. Love JPJ such a great bassist.
The last album was more in the hands of John Paul Johns. It is bit of a change as Led Zepelin was trying to figure like after the guitar solo. My favorite from that was "Hot Dog" just for the humor and style. It was a great set of tunage all the way. I appreciate that the band had enough style to recognize that all things must end and let John Bonham rest. There is a live concert with John Paul Jones solo on the tube if you look. Quite an eye opening show of his depth. Jones also plays guitar, koto, lap steel guitars, autoharp, ukulele, sitar, cello, continuum and the three over-dubbed recorder parts heard on Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven". Coolness ...
John Paul Jones is one of my favorite bass players (and musicians) of all time! You should review Achilles Last Stand, I don't think he repeats a single riff in that song! And not forget he plays piano and an assortment of other instruments!
Super fun and challenging bass song. Once you've nailed it, you'll keep going back to it, and love playing it 😁
Jones was a first call studio musician playing Bass guitar, keyboards, lap steel guitar and mandolin before joining Led Zeppelin. He said he was doing 2-3 sessions a day 6-7 days a week. He says, "I was arranging 50 or 60 things a month and it was starting to kill me."
Zep 2 is my fave. I was 15 when it came out. I think you need more listening to the first 2 LPs and the last few. You have a lot of listening to do!
John Paul Jones once observed that most bands are a coming together of people with like musical tastes. Zeppelin brought together people with a diversity of musical tastes and influences. That showed in the wide range of music they created. The second album was the album where Jones really stood out on bass. The Lemon Song is another master class from him. The third album saw more of Jones on other string instruments and as time went on keyboards became the most significant part of his contribution. The band's final album had Jones as the dominant member.
Ive said this for years that the bass licks on Ramble On are integral to the complex build up of this song,
So incredible cool !!!
Have been a long time fan of Zeppelin and glad you noticed JP Jones bass in this.
great observations
I hear motown influence in JPJ's bass lines, Good Times Bad Times being the perfect example of descending & ascending bass lines
It does spill into lovely RnB/Funk at the end
Children of the sea by sabbath has a wonderful bass line from the underrated geezer butler
John Paul Jones being an arranger, multi instrumentalist , and session musician helps in creating interesting basslines...
Mark, you talk about the music moving around in the head set. In 1971, my dad drove the new SS 454 with all the tricks. He would play Iron Butterfly as loud as he could. I imagine it was on an 8-track but I’m not 100%.
Anyways, he said that during the drum solo in In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida, which is probably 5 minutes long in the original recording, the sound would bounce around through various speakers. He said it would make you feel surrounded and like they were following you around. It was very cool to him back then. I’m sure it would still be.
That would be another request, the bassists for Iron Butterfly. Maybe the shortened version of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.
Hey Mark, loving the channel. If you're into unusual basslines you need to hear Interpol! Their original basist Carlos D. played some truly epic picked lines with lots of octaves and all kinds of interesting flourishes. For proof check out Obstacle 1 (just audio because the video is an edit). Keep up the great work!👍
THx for one of my favs analyse. JPJ and Led Zeppelin is for me the way into Rock.
My first tracher was Tony Mann in NY. I owe a huge debt to him for the fundamentals that he instilled in ny by having me learn to create waking bass lines to the likes of Autum Leaves and How High the Moon. Learning to create arpegiated lineds in the spot is something every bassist should learn. He taught me this song at my request, and what he said about the bass on the intro stuck with me for 40 years. He said Jone's bass line, "Never underestimate the beauty of a simple repetitive melody played well and with passion."
I read somewhere Jonesy also played the acoustic intro.
The band had 4 masters and they weren't afraid to show how good each player is
John Paul Jones is one of the greats. The greats really are masters of their instruments and well rounded musicians and JPJ was not just part of the rhythm section but was another equal instrument that played melodies etc. Chris Squire was another player in the same vein. An equal melodic player integral to the band. Coincidentally Yes and Led Zeppelin came out about the same time.
we used to play that; gave me a total workout. hefty but fun song.
Saw JPJ open for King Crimson and he was fantastic! He played these hand made half scale electric guitars. Very cool.
As far as I know they started as a straight up Blues band, putting their (at the time) modern guitar sounds and powerful musicianship on it, creating the genre Hard Rock. Their (non-Blusy) Folksy tunes / playing came later, no? Also, it has been said that Jon Bonham revered James Brown - Ramble On is one of those tunes where that is SO audible. LOVE IT!
JPJ is an incredible bass player and can take ya to church on the keys as well!
this is 1 of several amazing jonesy basslines. what is and what should never be. aswell as the lemon song are both steller too
Back then bands had lots of bass, harmonica and piano riffs. And drum solos. imagine this band coming to town and a huge crowd rushing to get the best seats. You might be literally trampled underfoot. It was scary and comical. Good times
I grew up with Zep. Top 3 band for me. You asked about modern bands using bass like this. Check out the bass playing in the Markus King Band. I don’t even know their name I just love the playing.
I believe any time you hear a mandolin in Zeppelin it is JPJ. When he starts to rip during the fade out of Ramble On it really reminds me of the bass in What's the Buzz from Jesus Christ Superstar, the motion picture version to be specific.
Page plays mandolin on Battle of Evormore, I believe he borrowed JPJ’s one to do it
The best bass playing on any song ever is in The Lemon Song. FYI the "tapping" that you hear during the verses is Bonham playing the rhythm on a guitar case.
John Paul Jones' playing on the Lemon Song is even more impressive
They were totally hooked up! I'd like to see you investigate McCartney's rolling bass songs, you know the ones!
I have been enjoying your analysis of some of my favorite music, so I just subscribed. Two requests: 1) Like many other comments, Lemon Song by LZ. 2) Studio version of What is Hip by Tower of Power with Francis Rocco Prestia Jr. playing some of the funkiest bass ever.
That weird layer you can almost get carried away with forever then bam! Then back to the weird layer with Jimmy takin up another notch.
Great reaction. This is the only Zep song I will listen to straight through. I love the drumming on the guitar case during the quiet parts and JPJ's bass work, brilliant. I know you've reacted to MISA from Band-Maid, but their acoustic version of Sayonakidori from the Christmas Okyuji has a lot of the same dynamics. I would recommend you listen to it. Cheers !!
Just recently realized Led Zeppelin is a special band .
Check out How many more times from the first Zeppelin album. It's the closing track from a great album.
Saw them play this in Oakland around 1978 at a “Day on the Green”. JPJ bass playing is so good The only other time I’ve seen it played so sweet was by Zepparella with Angeline Saris on bass. Completely blew me away. But yeah John Paul Jones is something special
Wow! Angeline is a old friend of mine! She’s amazing! Even cooler that you got to see them in 1978 😮💨
Ha ! Angeline is probably the sweetest person walking the Earth Also a friend too but one hell of a bassist. The first time I saw her play I was just taken back Have a fantastic day.
Speaking of "ripping it up" in the fadeout, I remember singer/guitarist Phil Keaggy's song, "Cherish the Moment". Keaggy is an absolutely brilliant guitarist, but this particular song is laid back and restrained. His leads during the song are more in the "atmospheric" vein, which suit the song. But then, near the very end of the fadeout, where you probably would never hear it unless you already had the volume cranked, he puts in an absolutely blistering, almost "shredding" run that makes you say, "Whoa!"
Greatest bass player ever IMO
The bass provides the melody.
I’ve always referred to “Ramble On” as the JPJ song. This man is amazing!! However, LZ have always had the ability to feature a member without u knowing that a single member is being featured.
Example: in this one JB is keeping it strong and simple (but u should hear his foot) with JP playing these amazing harmonic folk tracks and RP telling the story going from smooth to rough, yet keeping it clean.
This song has become the song I sing to my 8 month old to sleep at night. As soon as I start humming the beginning baseline to him, he begins to calm down and fall asleep. Mom can’t understand how this happens!!
Jones and Bonham doing some kind of mind meld. Bonham’s chorus kick drum and Jones’ bass line!
I've listened to Zeppelin since the 1970s and I used to think it was all about Page and Plant. The older I get, the more I realise it's Jones and Bonham.
Mr JP JONES is so underated