Charles Berthoud: all bass, no backing
Bassist Charles Berthoud plays well-known songs on a single bass guitar, covering melody, harmony and groove at once.
What it is
@charlesberthoud is American bassist Charles Berthoud, who graduated from Berklee College of Music with highest honors and co-wrote the instructional book Two-Handed Tapping with Berklee professor Jim Stinnett. His short videos are solo bass covers of well-known songs, arranged so a single bass carries melody, harmony and groove all at once.
Why we picked it
The bass usually lives in the background: you feel it more than you hear it. Charles pulls it into the spotlight and makes a convincing case for it as a lead instrument. Two-handed tapping, where both hands hammer notes onto the fretboard instead of plucking, lets him run several musical lines at the same time, and it is mesmerizing even if you have never touched a guitar.
The other draw is how little talking there is. These are pure music clips: a familiar tune, an unexpected arrangement, a close-up of the fretboard. Offstage, Charles tours across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australia, has signature bass models and runs his own online school, but on TikTok he simply plays.
Where to start
- Covers of famous rock and pop songs, the quickest way to hear what a solo bass can do.
- Close-up tapping clips that show both hands at work.
- Arrangements of classical pieces and jazz standards that show his range.
- His YouTube channel for full-length performances and lessons.
- The book Two-Handed Tapping (2015) if you play and want to learn the technique.
Who it's for
Bassists and guitarists of any level, beginners who just picked up an instrument, and anyone who loves live sound. Language barely matters, since the clips are almost all music, so they work for viewers anywhere.
Quick answers
What is bass tapping? A technique where notes are sounded by striking the strings against the fretboard, often with both hands, making it possible to play several parts at once.
Where did Charles study? He graduated with highest honors from Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Do I need to speak English? No. Most videos are music with little or no commentary.
