How to play the bass for "My Generation" by The Who

Firstly, the tone is a crucial factor in playing this song correctly, or at least in the correct style. It's recorded with a trebley bass, since there is only one other guitar being played. It manages to keep a low end in the mix, however, so keep that in mind. Having strong mids is quire effective in cutting through the mix, assuming you're playing with a band. The bass tone on the recording is very edgy and biting, like most of John's work. My personal preference is to play this song on with a jazz bass, but a P-bass might be just as effective. Keep in mind that the actual studio version was recorded with a Fender Jazz bass.

The second crucial factor in nailing this song, namely the famous bass fills, is the hand position. From this photo:

We can see that John's right hand is very close to the neck, practically above it. This gives the bass a more woolly, smooth tone. The strings also are easier to pluck and rebound with more intensity, making the solos comfortable to play when the string needs to be struck very quickly. Try to use the index, middle and ring finger to play the notes to give trills. Make sure that the left hand is in a comfortable position (thumb pressed on the middle of the neck as an anchor), and that the fingers can easily reach the frets on the D and G strings where most of the playing is done.

Finally, remember to use a lot of slides and hammerons. Place emphasis on the hammerons during the verses especially, since it makes the three-note verse bassline more fluid. Don't always trust the tabs (especially for the bass fills), since many of them are highly innaccurate, and keep in mind that the bass fills are virtually always played differently live. Use the studio recording amongst live recordings to check your playing against the real thing.

Here's a live recording of the bass solo