FREE

LESSON
BOOK
The 10 Greatest
Stevie Wonder Bass Lines

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FREE LESSON BOOK: Stevie Wonder 02

Stevie Wonder

Join Ian Martin Allison as he takes an in-depth

look at some of Stevie Wonder’s iconic riffs
throughout the years. Explore signature bass
lines including “Superstition,” “Boogie On
Reggae Woman,” “Sir Duke,” and many more.

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FREE LESSON BOOK: Stevie Wonder 03

Tone & Effects

IAN’S GEAR:
Bass Guitars:
1968 Fender Jazz Bass (Sunburst)
1978 Fender Jazz Bass (Antigua)
Fender Precision Bass
1979 Music Man Stingray

Pedals/Effects:

Octaver Fuzz Envelope Filter Chorus

Ian uses a LINE 6 HX STOMP multi-effects unit to re-create the chorus effect, in
addition to these other pedals. To mimic his chorus settings, use a low rate and
mild intensity on a pedal such as the one shown above.

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FREE LESSON BOOK: Stevie Wonder 04

“Uptight (Everything’s Alright)”

album Uptight (1966)
single released November 12, 1965

Featuring the legendary James Jamerson playing his 1962 Precision Bass with flat-
wound strings and foam under the strings at the bridge, you’ll only need one finger
to play this song the way he did—pluck the strings with your index finger just in
front of the pickup cover:

Root 5th
q � 132

? bb b 44 œ. ‰ j
b œ œ œ œ Œ b œ œ ‰ œ œ bœ œ nœ
bb J œ œ œœ . n œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ

¤ 4
4 4
2 4 2 4
4 4
2 4 2 4
0 1 2 3 4
1 2
4
3

Root Root
4th 4th

5
? bb b œ œ j
b b n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ nœ œ œ™ b œ œ nœ œ œ bœ nœ

4 3 4 1 2 3
0 1 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4
Root Root
4th

9
? bb b œ œ Ó
b b n œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ nœ œ œ bœ nœ nœ œ

4 1 2 3 4
0 1 1 0 1 2 3 4 0 1

Notes:
— The riff is based on a gospel lick walking from the I (Db) to the V (Ab), but after the
first time, James holds the IV (Gb) instead to provide some tension—the IV chord
isn’t being played by the other instruments.

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FREE LESSON BOOK: Stevie Wonder 05

“Signed, Sealed
Delivered (I’m Yours)”
album Signed, Sealed & Delivered (1970)
single released June 3, 1970

Featuring Bob Babbitt on bass, give a listen to the transition to the first Chorus in
Bars 7–8. Bob’s use of ghost notes really kicks the riff into high gear:

�Verse)
q � 110

? b 44 œ œ œ bœ œ œ™ ≈ ¿R œ bœ nœ œ œ œ bœ œ
œ œ™ ˙
X

¤
0 3 2 1 0 0 1 2 3 3 2 1 0
1 1

4
?b œ™ ≈ ¿R œ
œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ

0 X 3 3
1 1 1 3 3 0 3 5 5
1 3 0 1 3

Chorus

Ϫ Ϫ
7
?b œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ ¿ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ ¿ œ ˙
Ó

3 3 3
0 0 3 5 X 0 0 1 2 3
0 X 0 1

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FREE LESSON BOOK: Stevie Wonder 06

“Superstition”
album Talking Book (1972)
single released October 24, 1972

What a horn line. Even better? it’s doubled by the bass!

œ œ œ
q � 102 j
œ œ ≈ œ œ .
œ œ ≈ ¿ œ
? bb b b 44 j ¿ œ œ œ œ œ œ J
œ
bb œ œ™ ≈ ‰

X 13 15 11

¤
13 13 11 13 13 13 11 13 13
X 9 11 13 13
4 11

œ
j œ œ
œ œ œ œ ≈
3 œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ j . ¿ œ
? bb b b œ™ ¿ œ œ œ œ
bb ≈ ‰ J

X 13 15 11
13 13 11 13 13 11 13 11 13 13
X 9 11 13 13
11

ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ

5
? bb b b ˙ œ nœ ™ œ b˙ n˙ b˙ œ œ
bb ‰ œ Œ Ó
J
ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ
13 13 14 13 12 11 11 4 13

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FREE LESSON BOOK: Stevie Wonder 07

“Boogie On
Reggae Woman”
album Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974)
single released November, 1974

A bass line so good, it inspired Spencer Doren, the founder of 3 Leaf Audio, to
create the Doom Fuzz pedal, just to get that sound! The whole line is just variations
on a repeated Root–3rd–5th line:

5th
Root 3rd
q � 108
œ œ b œ
j
œ œ œ œ
? bb b 44 ‰ ™ r œ
j œ œ ‰™ j ¿ œ
b ¿ œ ≈ ¿ r
nœ œ ¿ œ œ ‰ ‰
8 8 8 10 11

¤
X 8 10 10
6
X 4 X 6 8 0 4 X 1 4

5th
Root 3rd

3 bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
j œ œ ‰ ™ ¿ œ œ œ ™ œ ™
? bb b j j

œ ≈n œ œ œ ‰ œr ¿ œ œ
b œ ≈n œ œ ‰ ‰ R j
R œ

6 9 8 6 6 6 6
6 X 6 8 8 8 6
4 0 6 8 4 4 0 6 8 0 X 0 4

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FREE LESSON BOOK: Stevie Wonder 08

“All Day Sucker”

“Sir Duke”
“I Wish”
album Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
released on September 28, 1976
single released November, 1976 (“I Wish”)
single released March 22, 1977 (“Sir Duke”)

“All Day Sucker”

Our first of three songs from Songs in the Key of Life. Use an octave pedal into a
low-gain fuzz that then goes into an envelope filter (set to limit the high end) to
get the sound.
q � 106

œ™ œ
œ œ™ œ
j j
œ
œ
œ œ œ œ œ j
œ
? #### 4 œ œ J ‰
4
11 13 11 13 11 13 16 16 13 11

¤
13 13 11
9 11

œ œ ™ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ™ œ œ œj #œ ™ œ œ ™ œ
j j
œ
3 j j œ
? #### œ œ œ #œ œ

9 9 11 9 11 9 11 13 13 11 9
11 11 6 4 11 9 11 11 13 11 13 11
13 9

œ œ œ™
j j
Ϫ
6 œ œ œ™ ˙
? #### œ œ ˙ ˙ œ
J

11 13 13 11 9 9
11 9 11 9 9 9
11

“That’s what I love about analog pedals:

they respond so nicely to your dynamics.”

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FREE LESSON BOOK: Stevie Wonder 09

“Sir Duke”
Another wonderful unison line from the bass and horns, this time playing
the B Major Pentatonic Scale:

q � 108
œ œ œ œ nœ #œ
nœ #œ
? #### 44 ≈ ¿ œ œ ≈ ¿ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ ≈ Œ
# œ. œ
16 18 19 20

¤
X 6 4 16 18
2 X 6 4 14 16 17 18
0 14 16

œ œ™ œ œ
j
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ
j
œ œ.
3
œ œ œ ¿ j
¿ ¿
? #### œ œ
# ‰ J ≈ ‰

11 13 13 11
ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ X X
13 11 X 11 13 11 9 11 9 9
11 9 11

œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
5
j
? ####
#
œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ ™ œR
œ œ œ
6 8 6 4 6 4 4
6 6 4 6 4 4 4
6 6 4 6 4 2 4 2
4 2

7
œ ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ
œ œ œ. œ ÍÍÍÍÍ
#
? ## # œ œ œ ≈ œ œ™ œ ≈ œ œ ‰ Œ
# œ œ œ œ œ œ
ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ ÍÍÍÍÍ
4 4
4 6 6 6 4 6 4 4
2 4 6 6
2 4 2 2

Notes:
— The riff is based on a B Major Pentatonic Scale. Recall that a major pentatonic scale
consists of the Root, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th degrees of a major scale. The tension-
producing 4th and 7th are omitted.

G
D 5 6
A R 2 3
E

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FREE LESSON BOOK: Stevie Wonder 10

“I Wish”
Featuring Nathan Watts on bass, what an iconic Intro:

q � 106 < q∑∑q = aq∑∑∑∑bq >

3

. . j .
? bb b b 4 œ.
b b 4 œ. œ. œ. œ. nœ. œ. nœ. œ. œ œ œ œ œ nœ. bœ. nœ. œ œ nœ bœ nœ
n ¿ œ. œ. . œ. . . .

¤
4 6 6 8 6
6 3 4 5 6 3 4 5 6 3 4 5
2 4 6 4 X 2 4 6 4

. j .œ œ. œ. œ œ œ . bœ. nœ.
? bb b b œ. œ. œ œ œ œ nœ. bœ. nœ.
4 j
bb n¿ œ. bœ œ œ nœ bœ nœ n¿ nœ
œ. . . . . . .

4 6 6 8 6 4 6 6 8 6
6 X 3 4 5 6 3 4 5 6 X 3 4 5
2 4 6 4

7
? bb b b œ œ. œ. œ. j
œ œ œ . .
bb n ¿ œ. bœ. œ. œ. nœ. bœ. nœ. n¿ nœ. bœ nœ

4 6 6 8 6
6 3 4 5 6 X 3 4 5
X 2 4 6 4

You might be surprised at how much the keyboards and clavinet add to the
overall groove of the Intro. When playing solo, you may want to consider using
a pick, along with an octaver (up an octave) and some echo. The pick will also
allow you to emphasize the swing-sixteenth feel, too:

q � 106 �Swing < ∑∑ a∑∑∑∑b>

q q = q q16ths2
3

. . j
œ œ œ.
? b b b 44 ¿ ¿
bbb œ nœ œ n¿ nœ ¿ œ n¿ œ œ nœ. bœ. nœ n¿
n ¿ œ. œ. œ. œ. .
w/ pick

¤
X 4 6 6 8 6
X X 6 3 4 X 5 X 6 3 4 5 X
X 2 4 6 4

. . j
œ œ œ
œ n¿ œ œ
3
? bbb œ nœ bœ n¿ nœ ¿ J ‰ Œ
bbb n ¿ œ. bœ. œ. œ. .
X 4 6 6 8 6
6 3 4 X 5 X 6
X 2 4 6 4

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FREE LESSON BOOK: Stevie Wonder 11

“Do I Do”
lbum The Original Musiquarium I (1982)
a
single released February 19, 1982

This song again features Nathan Watts on bass, playing a Music Man Stingray bass
with a little bit of drive. Tune your bass down one half step to hit that low Eb in the
Pre-Chorus if you’re playing a 4-string bass:

Tune down 1/2 step:

(low to high) Eb-Ab-Db-Gb

q � 113

œ
j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
?4 ‰ J œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
4 œ œ ≈ œ ‰ œ
J
7 9 7 5 7 5 5
¤
7 7 5 7 5
7 5 7 5
0 5 5

œ
j œ
3 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
? ‰ J œ œ œ ‰™ œ
r
˙
7 9 7 5 7 5 5
7 7 5 7 5
7 5 10 3
3

5
? ≈ œ œ j
. œ. œ. œ. ≈ œ ≈ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ. œ. œ. œ. ‰ Œ

3 3 3 3 3 3 3
5 3 3 5 5 3 5

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FREE LESSON BOOK: Stevie Wonder 12

“Dark and Lovely”

album Characters (1987)
single released November 6, 1987

A bit of a “deep track,” give a listen to the winding, twisting synth-bass Intro.
Add an octave divider, a bit of fuzz, and some 80’s chorus to match the tone:

q � 118

œœ œ œœ œ nœ bœ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
? bb b 4 ‰ œ™ œ Œ ‰
œ
nœ
b 4
8 10 8 10 10 9 8 8

¤
10 8 10 10 8 6 8 8 10 6 8 6
8 8 8 8 6 5

ÍÍÍÍÍ
œ œ œ
¿ ¿ œ™ œ œ œ
3 4
? bb b bœ
b Œ ‰™ œ
R ‰ œ™ œ Œ
ÍÍÍÍÍ
X X 6 6 3 5 8 10
5 10
4 3 3

œ œ œ nœ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
j
‰ œ™ œ Œ
5
? bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
bb ‰ œ

8 10 10 9 8 8
8 10 10 8 6 8 8 10 6 8 6 6
8 8 8 6 8

œ. œ œœ œœ œ œœ
‰ œ™ œ Ó
7
? bb b œ ¿ œ™ œ Œ ™
‰ R ‰ œ™ œ Œ
b
6 X 8 8 10 8 10
8 10 10
4 4 4 8 8
8 8

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FREE LESSON BOOK: Stevie Wonder 13

“So What the Fuss”

lbum A Time to Love (2005)
a
released in September/October, 2005

Finally, let’s give a round of applause to the real groove machine—Stevie Wonder’s
left hand. To match the sound here, use an octaver, some fuzz, an envelope filter,
and, of course, a bit of chorus:

q � 88

œ œ. œ. œj œ œ. œ ≈ œ ≈ ¿ œ
œ j œ œ ≈ œ
? bb 4 ¿R ≈
¿
‰
¿ ¿
b4

¤
X 10 X 8 10 8 8 X X 6 6 6 8 6 5 5 X 8

. œ. œ. œ. œ œ
j
3
? bb œJ œ ≈ œ ¿ ¿ œ. œ. œ. œ.
b œ J ‰ œ.

10 10 8 8 X X 6 6 6 8 6 5
8 6 5
8

œ œ œ œ
j
5
? bb œ œ
≈ œ ¿ ¿ œ. œ. j
œ. œ ≈ œ ≈ ¿ œ
b ‰

6 8 8 X X 6 6 6 8 6 5 5 X 8
3
11

7
? bb
œ ¿ œj œ œ ≈ œ ¿ ¿ œ. œ. œj œ œ. œ ≈ œ ¿ œ œ
b œ ≈ ‰ ≈ œ Œ Ó

10 X 8 10 8 8 X X 6 6 6 8 6 5 5 X 8 10
8 8

continued

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FREE LESSON BOOK: Stevie Wonder 14

Stevie also creates a percussive-sounding triplets on the keyboards that we can

mimic on the bass. To achieve the effect, slap down on the string with your fret-
hand index finger, then rapidly play two ghost notes:

q � 88
œ ¿ ¿ ¿ œ. œ. œ ≈ œ œ. œ. œ œ œ œ ≈ œ
‰™
? bb 44 ¿ ¿ œ
b R ≈
3

*S

¤
10 X X X 10 10 8 8 X 6 6 6 8 6 5 5 X 8

*Slap down on string with pick-hand index finger.

3 œ ¿ ¿ ¿ œ. œ. ≈ œ œ. œ.
‰™
? bb œ ¿ œ œ œ ˙
b R
3

S
10 X X X 10 10 8 8 X 6 6 6 8 6 5

“Stevie’s left hand: the funkiest left hand

(arguably) in the history of the world.”

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