Transcription: Learn Colin Greenwood’s Radiohead Bass Lines

We take a closer look at Colin Greenwood's playing within the music of Radiohead

Transcription: Learn Colin Greenwood’s Radiohead Bass Lines

We take a closer look at Colin Greenwood's playing within the music of Radiohead

Of all of the impressive characteristics of Greenwood’s playing, perhaps the most notable is his ability to find space to stake his sonic claim amidst the many sounds going on at any given time within the music of Radiohead. Whether it’s pedal-heavy guitars, wild lead solos, layers of synths, frantic vocals, or polyrhythmic drumming, Greenwood has to be extremely tasteful in choosing where to place his lines, and it’s something he’s superb at. His love for Motown and R&B grooves becomes evident when you break down his playing, though it might seem counterintuitive if you simply graze through the experimental, alternative sound of his outfit. Here are some samples of his work that exhibit his unique playing in some of Radiohead’s most bass-centric tunes from Radiohead’s extensive catalogue. Example 1a conjures the mood of the hypnotic mid-song groove that occurs 2:39 into “15 Step.” Note how Colin stresses the minor third of the G#m chord (Bn) on the downbeat of eac
Subscribe or log in to read the rest of this content.