Bass Guitar Articles

Article / Updated 08-11-2022

Double your pleasure when you double your bass line (musical phrase) with someone else, usually the guitar player or the keyboardist. Unison is very popular in hard rock and progressive rock styles, but it was also used much earlier by Paul McCartney in tunes such as “Day Tripper” (where he doubles the guitar line) and the more subtle “Drive my Car” (he doubles the guitar on that one as well). In playing in unison, you mirror the exact same musical phrase that one or more of your bandmates is playing, so it’s a really good idea to get together before a gig or jam to rehearse the phrase, note for note, matching each other as closely as possible. Some other unison lines include the famous Led Zeppelin song “Black Dog” (bass and guitars play in unison), as well as the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” (bass and piano play the unison line on that one). You can also check out AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long;” listen to the bass doubling all the hits of the guitar chords. Here, in Chapter 14, Audio Track 114, is a song that requires a unison accompaniment, so get together with one of your bandmates and learn the line, note for note. The effect is a wall of sound played in perfect agreement. Well, as they say, the band that plays together, stays together (or something like that).

Article / Updated 08-11-2022

Luckily for the bass world, Paul McCartney was one of the lead vocalists in The Beatles, and he learned to take the entire song — melody, lyrics, and all — into consideration. Most people want to hear the melody and lyrics of a song; they don’t want the bass in the way. Sir Paul developed an uncanny feel for when to get busy on bass and when to just support the vocals. The countermelody method for accompanying a song sounds immensely complex, but it’s really very straightforward: Play a simple line when the melody is busy, and get busy when the melody is simple (or even pauses entirely). This method creates a beautiful and effective balance between the high and the low register of the song. A prime example of the perfect interplay between the melody and bass, with the bass as a countermelody, is The Beatles’ song “Something.” (And don’t get into arguing with your bandmates “Hey, let’s play ‘Something.’” “Okay, but what?” Many hours of valuable rehearsal time have been lost on this one.) Listen to the song carefully, and you hear how the bass kicks in when the vocals take a breather. The same holds true for McCartney’s bass parts in “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and “Hello, Goodbye.” Other examples are Paul Young’s version of “Every Time You Go Away” (with Pino Palladino laying down an amazing bass part) and Jaco Pastorius’s soaring bass line on Joni Mitchell’s version of “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.” Playing the countermelody on bass as heard in Chapter 14, Audio Track 115 is a highly individualized approach to accompanying a tune. Everyone has a unique way of embellishing a melody, so don’t be shy — get busy, just not when the melody is.

Step by Step / Updated 08-11-2022

The bass guitar, more than any other instrument, is at its best when tightly aligned with the drums. Together, the bassist and drummer develop the powerful grooves that drive the song by constantly listening and reacting to each other. Here are ten classic bass-and-drum combinations (sorted alphabetically by the bass player’s last name) that have enhanced a multitude of songs. Check out Chapter 20, Audio Track 117 to hear brief bass and drummer groove examples in the styles of these masters. However, to get a sense of truly great bass grooves, you need to listen to the original recordings. Go directly to the source and get inspired by the same musicians who inspire me.

Article / Updated 08-11-2022

You want your left hand to cover one fret per finger without causing any undue stress. By using one finger per fret on your bass guitar, you set up your hand to execute almost any musical figure without shifting, or moving your hand position to reach a note. (A figure is an independent and self-contained musical phrase, sort of like a sentence when you're speaking.) Check out this demonstration of left-hand positioning in Chapter 2, Video Clip 1. When you do have to shift your hand, a move of one fret in either direction usually suffices. Follow these steps to accomplish the proper left hand position: Hold out your left hand with your outstretched arm in front of you. Keep your wrist and hand limp. Without changing the angle on your wrist, turn your hand so your palm faces up and your fingers are slightly curved. Position your thumb so it faces your index finger (or the area between your index and middle fingers). Bring in your elbow to the side of your rib cage (without moving your hand) until the neck of your bass is in the palm of your hand. Remember not to close your hand! Place the tip of your thumb on the middle of the back of the bass neck. Make sure that your fingertips are pointing upward. Gently spread your fingers onto the strings, with each finger close to an adjacent fret. Curl your fingers until your fingertips are on one of the strings. Be sure to keep the tips of your fingers close to the frets. Now you're just about ready to press the string to the fret to play a note. Even though you can now fret the desired note, something still has to set the string in motion to produce the actual sound. This is where your right hand comes in.

Article / Updated 08-11-2022

The six-note blues scale is one of the most commonly used scales in bass guitar soloing — and with good reason: It’s comfortable to play, it’s easy to move from chord to chord, and it sounds great. The blues scale is a one-size-fits-all scale, no matter what the chord tonality (major, minor, or dominant). However, as with those one-size-fits-all pieces of clothing, the blues scale doesn’t always give you a perfect fit; you may have to move a note or two by a fret. When you create a solo with the blues scale, it of course will sound bluesy. Let your ears be the judge of which notes you can linger on and which notes you should use as passing tones (unaccented notes that connect two strong notes). It’s just like salt for the soup: When you add the right amount, it’s delicious; when you use too much, you spoil the broth. You need three strings to complete the blues scale for one octave, so start on either the E or A string on the root of the chord you’re playing. However, when you’re playing a bass solo, it sounds really nice if you extend into the next octave and use all four strings of your bass for the blues scale licks. The following steps explain how to play a blues scale. Press the index finger of your left hand down on the root of the chord (on the E or A string) and play the note. Press your pinkie down on the same string and play the note. This note is ♭ó3 (flat 3); it’s one of the blue (slightly dissonant) notes. Press your index finger down on the next higher (thinner) string and play the note. This note is a 4; it sounds fairly neutral. Press your middle finger down on the same string and play the note. This note is a ♯4 (sharp 4); it’s another blue note. Press your ring finger down on the same string and play the note. This note is a 5; it’s present in almost all chords. Press your index finger down on the next higher (thinner) string and play the note. This note is a ♭ó7 (flat 7); it’s usually a cool choice. Press your ring finger down on the same string and play the note. This note is your octave; you’ve arrived at the root again. Three strings. No shifts. The blues scale couldn’t be easier. You can use the notes of the blues scale in any order — not just straight up and down. You also can use the blues scale over any chord: major, minor, or dominant. Use the blues scale tastefully and sparingly; don’t overdo it. Pay attention to which notes sound good for any of the chords. For example, don’t hang on the ♭ó7 when you’re soloing over a major chord; instead, just pass through it and land on the root (that’s just one option). Check out some useful blues-scale licks. A lick, in this case, doesn’t refer to how your dog welcomes you home. A lick is a short melodic phrase you play in a solo — a solo is a succession of licks. You can collect a repertoire of licks from your favorite musicians, and you also can create some of your own. Check out Chapter 7, Audio Track 50 to hear what a blues scale (in A) sounds like, followed by three distinctive blues-scale licks (each preceded by a groove). If you start the extended-range blues scale on the E string, you won’t have to shift. You can also see the scales being played in Chapter 7, Video Clip 18.

Article / Updated 08-11-2022

Bass guitarists can really mix it up with funk shuffle grooves. Funk shuffle (also called shuffle funk) is a hybrid groove style, which means that it combines several elements of other styles — funk, blues, and jazz. When funk, which normally uses straight sixteenth notes, is combined with blues and jazz, which use triplets, the resulting combination is a lopsided sixteenth-note groove (a combination of long and short notes) — a very cool combination. This type of groove is pretty challenging to play, but some useful tricks of the trade can help make it a lot easier. This groove uses only the root (in two octaves) with an added dead note (a note that sounds like a thud). The drums are crucial in this style because they drive the rhythm along in tandem with the bass. You can start this groove with your index or middle finger on the low root (the starting note). This funk shuffle groove uses notes common to both the Mixolydian (dominant) and Dorian (minor) modes. Whoa! This groove fits over both dominant and minor? Yep! In fact, it’s an ambiguous groove. This groove isn’t all that easy to master, but after you get comfortable with it, you can get lots (and lots) of use out of playing it over any dominant or minor chord. In the funk shuffle style, almost all chords are dominant or minor. This funk shuffle includes more notes from both the Mixolydian and Dorian modes; notice the cool syncopation — the way a note anticipates the beat that it’s normally expected to land on. The groove can be used over most chords in shuffle funk tunes (that’s right; it’s an ambiguous groove). Most of the chords are either dominant (Mixolydian) or minor (Dorian). Start the groove with your index or middle finger to keep it in the box (so you don’t have to shift your left hand). As you listen to the funk shuffle grooves in Chapter 9, Audio Track 70, your head should be boppin’ with the beat. The funk shuffle has a much more…well…funky sound than the other shuffle styles. You still have the lopsided shuffle feel but with a lot more attitude. You can also watch this funk shuffle groove in Chapter 9, Video Clip 25. When you’re grooving on a funk shuffle, you can keep going for hours and hours without getting the least bit bored; because of its complexity, a funk shuffle is going to keep you busy. Keep the shuffle funky, “’cause it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.” The quintessential generic shuffle/swing song is a good old-fashioned blues.

Article / Updated 08-11-2022

Two of the most common approaches to a killer bass line are the straight and syncopated rhythmic styles. In both cases, the harmony of the bass part stays pretty much on one note, usually the root. Where they differ is in their rhythm. In straight rhythm, the notes are played on the beat; in syncopated, some of them are played between the beats. The effects are quite different. Pumping eighth notes Pumping eighth notes is a common bass style in pop, rock, hard rock, punk, and songs with a driving beat. The Beatles’ tune “Get Back” is a perfect example, as are “Please Please Me” and “Back in the USSR.” Beyond The Beatles, you can listen to U2’s Adam Clayton laying it down on “Beautiful Day.” You can also use this style for slower songs, like Sting’s “Every Breath You Take.” You can play this technique by evenly subdividing the beat, effectively doubling the feel of the tempo, and pumping eighth notes without actually playing the chords any faster. You’re simply doubling the number of hits per chord. To make this technique interesting and to give the music a lift, you can practice occasionally striking the next chord an eighth note early. It’s a harmonic syncopation rather than a rhythmic one. Check out this song. First, pump eighth notes, changing the root at the beginning of each new chord. Play it again, occasionally moving to the new chord an eighth note early and see how you like the sound. Check out this song using pumping eighth notes in Chapter 14, Audio Track 109. The chords don’t change, nor does the tempo, but occasionally the bassist plays an eighth note a little earlier than the chord officially changes, giving the music a less regimented feel. Syncopating the bass beat Playing a syncopated bass part requires you to skip occasional beats and to play in between others. Musicians often refer to this method as “singer-songwriter” accompaniment, and it’s one of the most commonly used bass lines. The Beatles use it on “Ticket to Ride,” “And I Love Her,” and “In my Life.” You can also hear this technique played on Bruce Sringsteen’s “Badlands” and Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl.” On some tunes, you may hear the bass part as simply syncopation on one note; on others, you hear syncopation that has a more active harmony, with other chord tones thrown in. The first time through, the bass part includes only the roots of the chords; the next time around, it includes chord tones. Both are syncopated. Check out this song using syncopation in Chapter 14, Audio tracking 110.

Article / Updated 08-11-2022

Blending a bass line means choosing the notes you play so they support the song perfectly without being overly noticeable. It’s almost like the hidden beams in the ceiling of a modern house — you don’t see them, but if they weren’t there, the roof would collapse. A bold groove, on the other hand, has a much more obvious role in a tune. It’s more akin to the exposed beams of an old colonial house. They, too, serve to hold up the roof, but they’re obvious and also ornamental; they’re a major part of the aesthetics. Grooves that blend and grooves that are bold both have their proper place in music, and both are equally respected when they’re used appropriately. Here’s the lowdown on when to use each of them: Blending grooves: You use a blending groove when you’re playing a supportive role in a song, when you’re trying to stay out of the way of the vocals or a melody instrument, or when you’re just not all that familiar with the particular song (or musicians you’re playing with). Think of the song “Soul Man.” The bassist plays a perfectly complex yet unobtrusive groove. It blends so well that it’s kind of difficult to think of what exactly the bass is doing. Bold grooves: Playing a bold groove thrusts you into a leadership position; you’re leading the song, and your bass part has a much more authoritative and unyielding quality. This means, of course, that you have to be very familiar with the song. The Beatles’ “Come Together” is a perfect example of a bass line that really sticks out, creating a secondary melody to the song. It doesn’t blend in at all. Check out Chapter 13, Video Clip 33 to see both blending and bold grooves. Blending bass grooves A blending bass groove is a favorite device of session bassists, who may play in hundreds of recording sessions per year. After all, this type of groove is the perfect vehicle to support a song without diverting attention from the melody and words. You can achieve the desired blending effect as a bass player by keeping your notes low. This means keeping the notes you use to flesh out the groove below the root of the groove skeleton. In other words, after you establish the groove skeleton, play the follow-up notes lower than the root. See how the notes for the blending groove in Chapter 13, Audio Track 106 are positioned. The root of the chord is the highest note and then the groove dips, only to emerge again at the root for the beginning of the next round of the groove. How to create a bold groove When you want to capture the ear of your audience, create a bold groove by choosing a sequence of notes that rise. Let your notes soar upward. After you establish the groove skeleton, play the follow-up notes higher than the root (instead of lower). When you choose to create a bold groove, it’s usually a good idea to settle on a firm, repetitive groove and to pick notes that complement the melody. Your upper notes are much closer to the range of the melody and can easily clash if they aren’t related to the same chord. Notice that the notes after the groove skeleton are higher. Listen to hear the impact of this groove in Chapter 13, Audio Track 107. Blend by genre The choice of using a blending groove versus a bold groove falls squarely on your shoulders as the bass player. You’re the one to choose which kind of groove to go for, but you don’t want to use a groove arbitrarily. You need to follow certain broad guidelines, and as you gain experience, you develop an ear for what’s needed. Both types of grooves work in all genres. Rock, for example, may call for a blending or a bold groove, depending on the particular style of the tune. For example, a pop style (singer-songwriter) usually needs a blending groove, because the words need to be understood. A progressive rock tune, on the other hand, is much more likely to sport a bold groove. Both styles are part of the rock genre but call for very different groove types. In other cases, the choice between using a blending versus a bold groove is even more subjective. Take R & B/Soul, for example. Some songs have a busy but blending bass groove, while others have an equally busy but bold groove. As you gain more experience in playing bass, the choice between whether to use a blending or a bold groove becomes easier. Sign off with a flourish Putting your own stamp on a groove is just like writing a letter. In a letter, you take care of all the important points you need to cover and then sign it at the end. It’s the same with bass grooves. A sign-off is usually in contrast to the rest of the grooves in a phrase and signals that a large four- or eight-bar phrase is about to be completed. Some musicians refer to this as a turnaround. This is your flourish, your personal signature. You use this element to alert the other players and the listeners that you’re about to start a new phrase. You can sometimes tell who the bass player is by listening to his or her signature at the end of a phrase. Jaco Pastorius, for example, signs off very differently than Paul McCartney, and Donald “Duck” Dunn does it quite differently than Pino Palladino. Go ahead and take some liberties at the end of a phrase; after all, it’s your signature. Just make sure you’re back in time for the beginning of the next phrase. Listen to some cool sign-offs in Chapter 13, Audio Track 108 and or watch sign-offs in Chapter 13, Video Clip 34 being implemented at the end of each four-bar phrase. You may also think of the ornamental flourish of your sign-off as a very fancy groove tail.

Article / Updated 08-11-2022

You can play reggae style grooves on the bass guitar. Reggae music is most often associated with Jamaica and the Caribbean islands. The trademarks of reggae bass are a thuddy sound (short, dark notes) and syncopation — offbeat rhythms (usually spelled and pronounced “riddims” by reggae musicians). Aston “Family Man” Barrett (who played with Bob Marley) and Robbie Shakespeare (who played with Peter Tosh) are two giants of reggae bass. Modern bassists, such as P-Nut of the group 311, also play this style to perfection. With reggae, you often hear a lot of space (rests when the bassist isn’t playing). This reggae groove has a lot of space. This groove fits over a minor chord, which is common to reggae music. Start this groove with your index finger to avoid shifting, and keep the length of each note short. If you want to play this groove over a major or dominant chord, you need to change the ♭ó3 in the chord to a 3. This reggae groove is a bit more on the happy side. It’s for a major or dominant chord. Start the groove with your pinkie. Sometimes you may hear a reggae bass groove that has a flurry of notes. This groove is structured in a tonality that fits over major, minor, and dominant chords. You can start this groove with either your index or middle finger. The drop-one technique, in which the bassist doesn’t play on the first beat of the measure, is signature reggae. Here is a drop-one reggae-style bass groove. Start this groove with your middle finger. When listening to the groove, notice how the drummer hits on the downbeat (the first beat of the measure), and the bassist follows on the next eighth note. Listen to this reggae groove in Chapter 11, Audio Track 82 that starts with four clicks and then a four-beat drum intro before the bass comes in. The rhythm is unpredictable and keeps the listener guessing. You can also watch this reggae groove in Chapter 11, Video Clip 28. Use the previous reggae grooves as a blueprint for creating your own and listen to a lot of reggae bands for inspiration. Better yet, take your bass with you on a vacation to Jamaica!

Article / Updated 08-11-2022

Hip-hop entered the music world in the 1990s. This style features a fat (“phat”) bass groove that sounds more laid-back than some of the other funk styles. Hip-hop is all about the message; the bass groove provides an important but unobtrusive accompaniment to the vocals. Although the bass line isn’t busy, it’s well timed and repetitive. The feel and attitude are the most important features of the hip-hop groove. Raphael Saadiq is a well-known hip-hop bassist; he’s best known for his work with D’Angelo and Tony Toni Tone. Start this hip-hop style groove with your ring finger. The tonality in hip-hop is often minor, but it may occasionally be a dominant tonality. Notice that the groove doesn’t move much from its starting chord. The tone is usually much darker than the bright funk style. Here’s another groove in hip-hop style, this one for a minor or dominant tonality. Start this groove with your middle finger. This example features a groove for a major or dominant tonality; it’s for the happy hip-hoppers. Start this groove with your middle finger. As you listen to these hip-hop grooves in Chapter 10, Audio Track 77, notice the long spaces between each note. Hip-hop grooves often use lots of space and only a few notes. A synthesizer is sometimes used to play (or even double) the bass groove in hip-hop, but nothing grooves like the real thing.