Dance, Dance

Pete Wentz, Fall Out Boy’s bassist and primary lyricist, is unlikely to top any Bass Player magazine readers’ polls (that could definitely be taken as a compliment, incidentally) but he does fulfill his job description perfectly: punchy, picked, pop-punk bass parts that serve the music, not the player.

“Dance, Dance” is no exception, as the intro features Wentz supplying the main riff with a growling plectrum-meets-Precision Bass tone. Roundwound strings and attacking the strings with the pick at a slight angle will help to get the requisite ‘bite’ from the bass.

Fall Out Boy — Dance, Dance

The song’s intro riff serves as the basis for the verses, with the prechorus and chorus sections comprised of straightforward eighth note-orientated lines. The breakdown showcases brilliant usage of a classic pop-punk/rock/metal songwriting trick: the half time feel. Moving the snare drum to beat ‘3’ of each bar completely changes the rhythmic focus of the section, grabbing the listener’s attention.