When I posted a quick YouTube Short listing eight bassists who shaped my playing, the comments section lit up. People were tagging their own heroes:
“CLIFF BURTON ❤🎸🔥🤘”
“Where’s Stanley Clarke..?”
“Definitely John Paul Jones should be on this list.”
“Tony Levin?”
“Peter Cetera — check out Chicago’s first 3 albums!”
…plus names like Sid Vicious, Marcus Miller, Steve Harris, Jack Bruce, Paul McCartney, Jaco Pastorius, and many more. It was amazing to see how many different players had left their mark on people.
That reaction reminded me how powerful influence really is. These players didn’t just inspire me; little pieces of them live inside every note I play today. In this first post of a two-part series, I’m slowing down to introduce the four legends who gave me my foundation — how they shaped my tone, technique and creativity — and showing you how to try a little of their magic yourself.
(Part 2 will cover four more bassists who taught me to break rules, get adventurous, and bring stage presence to my playing.)
Geezer Butler
Who he is
Terence “Geezer” Butler, born in 1949 in Birmingham, England, is best known as the bassist and lyricist for Black Sabbath — the band that defined heavy metal. His nickname “Geezer” comes from a Cockney slang word for “dude” (source: Rock and Roll Garage). Before joining Sabbath as a bassist, he was a rhythm guitarist and famously played his first show with the band on a borrowed bass that had only three strings.
What makes Geezer Butler’s bass playing unique?
When Butler moved from guitar to bass, he helped create one of the most distinctive heavy-metal bass approaches. Instead of simply holding down root notes, he threaded in counter-melodies, harmonies and intricate runs that meshed with Tony Iommi’s guitar parts, producing a dense, thunderous sound (source: 50 Greatest Bassists of All Time).
- Memorable bass lines in “War Pigs,” “N.I.B.” and “Slipping Away.”
- Lowered tunings that deepened Sabbath’s dark, weighty tone.
- Wrote the band’s lyrics while anchoring its rhythm section.
What I learned from Geezer Butler’s style
He showed me that bass can function as both the bass and rhythm guitar. That gave me the confidence to let my own bass parts shine when there’s only one guitar in the band. I love weaving in power chords, arpeggios and pentatonic runs that completely groove out a song — his influence is all over my writing.
Try this yourself
Start with the Paranoid album. You can really hear his bass tone on tracks like “Paranoid” and “Hand of Doom.” From there, experiment with a wah pedal to capture his signature feel on “N.I.B.”
Interested in Black Sabbath bass covers? Check out these ones:
Sweet Leaf
Hand of Doom
Heaven and Hell
Paranoid
Victor Wooten
Who he is
Victor Lemonte Wooten (born 1964) is an American bassist celebrated for his work with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and as a solo artist. A few years after joining the Flecktones, Wooten released his debut solo record A Show of Hands. Cut on a single 4-string bass with no overdubs, it’s widely regarded as one of the most important bass albums ever made (source: Victor Wooten Official Site).
He’s also the only person to take home Bass Player of the Year more than once (source: Bass Player Magazine). Beyond performing, Wooten runs his acclaimed Bass/Nature Camps and wrote the best-selling book The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music.
What makes Victor Wooten’s bass playing unique?
Wooten treats the bass guitar as a complete instrument — melody, rhythm and harmony rolled into one. His innovations expanded what was possible on bass and inspired players worldwide (source: Innerviews: Music Without Borders).
- Developed and popularized two-hand tapping, double-thumbing and complex rhythmic interplay.
- Highlights silence and dynamics as much as notes, making space part of the groove.
- Turns bass lines into miniature compositions full of expression and narrative.
What I learned from Victor Wooten’s style
Victor showed me that less can be more. In my own arrangements I consciously leave room for silence or let melodic bass lines breathe. I’ve also started layering taps or harmonics into intros or transitions, directly inspired by his style. His approach gave me the confidence to create bass-only covers of songs I love and to begin writing bass-driven pieces of my own. Double-thumbing, in particular, opened up a completely new palette of sounds for me.
Try this yourself
Learn Victor Wooten’s iconic solo version of “Amazing Grace” to explore his expressive phrasing. Then tackle “Sinister Minister” with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones to practice his double-thumbing groove in a band setting.
Cliff Burton
Who he is
Cliff Burton (1962–1986) was Metallica’s bassist from 1982 until his untimely death. Considered one of the most innovative players in heavy music, he elevated metal bass playing far beyond its traditional support role (source: 50 Greatest Bassists of All Time).
What makes Cliff Burton’s bass playing unique?
Burton approached bass like a lead guitarist, blending his classical background, fingerstyle technique and a wild effects palette into a sound that was both aggressive and melodic.
- Used wah, distortion and chorus to give his lines bite and sustain.
- Took full-on bass solos — rare in mainstream metal — such as “Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth).”
- Wove harmonies and quick runs that helped shape Metallica’s early thrash sound.
What I learned from Cliff Burton’s style
Cliff made it cool to bring orchestral thinking into metal. My own viola and theory background gave me a toolkit to draw from; watching him taught me how to use that knowledge on bass. He also showed me the power of tone experimentation and filling in space in heavy arrangements. When my band hits aggressive sections, I’ll often layer gritty distortion or push the bass forward in the mix as a second guitar voice.
Try this yourself
Experiment with a distortion or overdrive pedal and learn the opening of “Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)” to feel how Burton uses sustain, effects and melodic phrasing to make bass a lead voice. Then check out “Orion” for a masterclass in harmonized lines and dynamics.
Interested in learning more about Cliff Burton? Then check out this article: Influential Bass Players To Know: Cliff Burton
Billy Sheehan
Who he is
William “Billy” Sheehan (born 1953, Buffalo, NY) is an American bassist best known for his work with Talas, Mr. Big, David Lee Roth, Steve Vai and The Winery Dogs.
Fun fact: Over the years he’s become known for his huge international bass clinics, especially in Japan, where he draws some of his biggest crowds. In interviews he’s mentioned clinics with audiences in the thousands and says Japan remains one of his most loyal fanbases (source: Bass Musician Magazine; Blabbermouth).
What makes Billy Sheehan’s bass playing unique?
Sheehan treats the bass like a mini-orchestra, weaving lead lines, harmonies and chords into songs while still holding down the groove.
- Popularized two-handed tapping for melodies and harmonies, not just flashy runs.
- Plays full and partial chords on bass to add harmonic density.
- Uses a three-finger picking style for extreme speed, control and articulation.
What I learned from Billy Sheehan’s style
As a fellow Buffalonian, it was really cool to listen to Billy and follow his techniques. Through his workshops and videos on YouTube, I built my confidence in playing bass through his various teachings and techniques. Billy gave me permission to treat bass as a full-range instrument. In solos or instrumental sections, I’ll play chord fragments, tapping, or let bass parts weave in and out like a lead instrument.
Try this yourself
Learn the opening riff to “Shy Boy” to get a feel for Sheehan’s blazing three-finger picking and chord fragments. Then experiment with adding tapping and harmonics into your own bass lines to hear how they change the sound.
These first four bass legends — Geezer Butler, Victor Wooten, Cliff Burton and Billy Sheehan — laid the groundwork for my approach to bass. They taught me about tone, space, harmonics and melodic thinking.
In Part 2, I’ll share four more bassists — Les Claypool, Tim Commerford, Geddy Lee and Duff McKagan — who taught me to experiment, take risks and step into the spotlight.
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