Hey, James here!
Today, I want to dive into one of the greatest fretless bass intros ever recorded – John Farnham's "You're The Voice". What makes this bass part so special? It was completely improvised by the brilliant Roger McLachlan, who recorded it in a single take!
During a recent chat with Roger, I learned about the magic behind that session. The intro you hear wasn’t planned – it was a spontaneous moment of inspiration. Roger initially thought about doubling the line for thickness, but the producers insisted on keeping the raw beauty of his first take. As Roger explained, sometimes, less is more. That restraint and space give the piece its emotional power. Watch our interview with Roger below:
So in this lesson, I’ll walk you through the three key phrases of the intro, showing how they fit into the song. With Roger's storytelling and performance tips, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for this piece. To make it even easier, I’ve put together a free PDF with the notation and tab, so you can follow along.
If you’re ready to learn the bass lines that shaped this classic song, click the button below to grab the PDF.
See you next week!