For tabs on this please visit http://dannymstewart.com/free-bass-tutorials.html and search under Slap category; Tabs and notes appear under the video and can be downloaded by right clicking and saving image as….

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

You can hear (and buy) the album at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jurassikfunk.

I played the groove of the first song called “Jurassic funk”, hope you’ll like it!!

You can download the transcription on my website, bassistik.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

groove inspired by a track on the ost of film “r.e.d.” – check it out great film starred by bruce willis – so this video is dedicated to him, because we were born on the same day, but with 30 years difference !

drum backing tracks
slower version at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuupeB5g8zY
normal tempo at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vMCNcgh_fg

Click here to view the embedded video.

Download Transcription/TAB as PDF

Download transcription/TAB as Guitar Pro 5 ( in zip file )

Playing through a couple lines inspired by Jaco. This is making the use of muted sixteenth notes. Pay close attention to the muted notes, I’m almost always playing sixteenth notes, many of them muted.

The lines contain much chromaticism, but being over an E dominant chord, these chromatic notes turn out to be useful extensions. The first lick includes the #11, and b9. The second lick contains the #11, #9, 13th, and major 7th.

I begin by playing at 100bpm, the 80bpm (the video says 60, sorry), and then rubato to give you hints at the fingerings

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Thanks for watching. I’ve been doing some different lessons lately on youtube. Check out my channel for more Click Here Don’t forget to subscribe

chicken picking inspired busy groove with spacy bubbly drums

root notes are D – A# – G – C, watch the right thumb

drum backing tracks
slower version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGuO99dpLAk
normal tempo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nqel6AJJdk4

used standard squier jazz bass, with standard pickups
and really old, beaten up rotosound swing 66s
digitech bp-80
copyright rajoe

dedicated to grumpy man andor

funky linley-like, bona like right picking technique with doublestops and left hand workout served with fresh groove and some salads and squirrel meat!

drum backing tracks

normal tempo 88 bpm version at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBol6awdmLU

slower tempo 68 bpm version at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1q-Fi9ABWI

Click here to view the embedded video.

I tried to play in the style of the great Alain Caron, jazz-fusion player from Canada.

You can get details in the second part of the vid with the slow version; hope you’ll like this type of funk.

You can get the tabs in guitar pro format or pdf on my site, bassistik.com.

Enjoy!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

kind of bobby vega-marcus miller inspired somethin’
title because my computer did a lot of freezing and loading during recording

drum backing tracks

normal tempo 88 bpm version at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV0hjJb__P8

slower tempo 68 bpm version at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnV67DyDfL0

The first lesson that makes it to PlayBassNow, using some muted thumb picking used by some Zawinul players, like Bona or
Marthe and some fill also gotten from Linley Marthe.

drum backing tracks

normal tempo 100 bpm version at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MArL5pZfcTA

slower tempo 70 bpm version at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CENEl3DAi-Q

Click here to view the embedded video.

In connection with Larry Graham and Graham Central Station’s concert November 6, 2011 in Amager Bio, Copenhagen, Larry Graham wanted something extra to happen during his bass solo.
So he contacted me (LG knows me from last time he visited Copenhagen where I interviewed him and also joined him on stage – see link below) and asked me to assemble 10 bass players than would join him on stage for an improvised bass jam.

Needless to say , it wasnt hard to find volunteers, we could have been 20 on stage!
Every versatile bass player over the age of 25 knows Larry Graham and is on some level inspired by him
But there was only room for 10 plus Larry and his band.
What a blast! When I looked around I only saw ear to ear smiles on my colleagues faces:-D

Bassplayers from left to right:

Morten “Jay” Jacobsen
Mikkel Risum
Nikolai Wolf
Christian Grønborg-Veitner
Nicholas Findsen
Mogens Palsbøl
Maciej Szymczynski
Henrik West
Bo Stief
Thomas “MarloweDk” Risell

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The original jam session video …

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

A “Larry Graham style” slap line in the key of E minor
Support me with a optional Download of Video, pdf and Guitar pro 5 TAB here:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

A simple bassline with nice and fairly easy fills using open strings, pulloffs and slides.
We are playing over a C dominant 7 chord and the scale used is mostly Mixolydian (C D E F G A Bb) with the minor third added for bluesy sound (Eb).

Recorded with my Canon T2i (550d) with a mounted Røde Videomic Pro, unfortunately the cameras internal sound limiter overcompress the sound, will fix that for next try (Will probably install the Magic Lantern camera hack )

Support me with an optional download of video, mp3, TAB in pdf and guitar pro format

I was sitting and practicing the main bass line to Larry Grahams The Jam, its got some rapid 16th note thumb slaps and plucked octaves, that are quite hard to execute.
Inspired by that I made up this little E groove (Has nothing to do with the Jam other than the technique used)

Support me by downloading Mp4 video, mp3 sound, PDF of standard notation/TAB transcription PLUS GuitarPro 5 (.gp5) and 6 (.gpx)files for interactive practice

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Support PlayBassNow and download original video, transcription/TAB and mp3 version here

Checking out my new great ‘Bass Mods K6′ six string bass with a Boss looping pedal.

Havent played a six string in a while, so you will hear a lot of unintended string rumble from the low B string – time to shape up on the floating thumb technique:-)

Anyway, still exploring the use of open strings and 3/4 finger picking.
Im playing in the key of Eb, standard 6 string tuning,
Gear used
Pandora px5d into the line in of a Zoom Q3 HD recorder

Tablature available on my website

The amp has 4 presets: Clean, R&B, Rock and Grind w/a 4 band variable EQ, headphone jack, etc. etc. Great practice amp, would be fine on small gigs and sounds great in the studio. The XLR out on the back makes it very easy to plug and play in the studio and get a good tone right off the bat. I am a little old fashioned when it comes to bringing an amp this small to a gig though in any venue larger than 100 capacity, but if you were in a situation where the FOH engineer could give you the stage volume you needed in your monitors then you could definitely count on the sound guy being happy with the direct out your were sending him. Still, for all practical purposes, a studio or practice amp. Favorite preset: GRIND

Please note: Video was shot on the fly using an iPod Nano, so please excuse the narrow screen view. I was, however, pretty happy with the quality of the audio from the Nano recording, so the listener can get a good feel for the sound of the amplifier.

Click here to view the embedded video.

A step-by-step tutorial with Nate Perry on how to play Flea’s intro bass line to “Higher Ground”, the 1989 Red Hot Chili Peppers cover of the Stevie Wonder song, from their album “Mother’s Milk”.

Hi there, my name is Nate Perry, this is the first of many more bass tutorials that I will be putting up and I am excited to be a new member of the PlayBassNow community. “Higher Ground” is a good exercise in slap and pop octave execution and one of Flea’s more well known bass lines. Focus on these key elements and the line will come together in no time:

• Groove and time: Never lose site of the swung 8th/8th note triplet feel of the line. Practice it with a metronome, slowly at first, while gradually increasing the tempo – paying close attention to laying it in there, leaving space in between the notes and focusing on the groove.
• An aggressive right hand attack. An aggressive slap with the thumb and hard pop/pull with the middle finger is essential to bringing out the tone.
• Deconstructing the line, isolating each part and looping the most difficult parts until they become smooth. Don’t just play the whole line over and over. When you run into a snag, focus on that snag until you iron it out.

Good luck and thanks for checking it out!

First a little section about using your singing voice (Im not a singer mind you ) when playing bass.
and also:
Pulloff galore #2.
G groove plus fill in two octaves like in the previous video (L330)

Voice mic very low, shit happens, dont complain, the explanation is really not needed,;-)

E blues groove/lick in with pullofs, vibrato, slides, open strings and good stuff in two octaves

Im playing a Rickenbacker 4003 with bridge pickup only.

Im actually deep down a blues player with funk rhythm

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tablature available on my website

Click here to view the embedded video.

THANK YOUI LARRY GRAHAM! FOR THE INSPIRATION!

Bass guitar funk slapstyle groove. I used my Fender Jazz bass 3TS recorded directly in LineIn. If you need tabs write me an e-mail: mcrtchan@mail.ru

Rock fingerstyle bass groove . I used my Fender Jazz bass 3TS and DUNLOP MXR M-80 DI+. It is mainly used minor pentatonic with added 6 and a little rake. If you need tabs write me an e-mail: mcrtchan@mail.ru

Funky fingerstyle bass groove. I used my Fender Jazz bass 3TS and DUNLOP MXR M-80 DI+. It is mainly used minor pentatonic with added b5, 3, 6 and a little rake. If you need tabs write me an e-mail: mcrtchan@mail.ru

Funky G minor bassline with minor pentatonic fill.
Sound is from the internal camera microphone, a bit too much compression

The chorus bassline from my original song Torn. This line incorporates slap and pop techniques at a moderate – advanced skill level. For tabs on this please visit http://dannymstewart.com/free-bass-tutorials.html and search under Slap category; Tabs and notes appear under the video and can be downloaded by right clicking and saving image as….Backing loop is also available from the media widget below…. Happy slapping!

Tablature available on my website

Click here to view the embedded video.

Interesting slap lines don´t have to be fast. More important are phrasing,
melodie and a combination of all funky “ingredients”: hammer on´s, pull off´s,
slides, triplets etc.

Some funk studies with triplets, hammer-on´s, pull-off´s, doublethumb etc.

Im playing a canadian built 5 string F-bass, model VF5

If you have noticed – I have a “playing ramp” installed between the pickups to keep my fingers from getting caught under the strings when using this plucking technique. Gary Willlis invented this contraption I think, if you want to know more search for “ramp” and “gary willis”. Gary Willis have done a video on have to construct a ramp yourself, it can be found on youtube.

Here is a link to a transcription, TAB or backing track for this lesson, but You need to be a registered user to download. ]]> http://playbassnow.com/bass-lick-of-the-day/l323-4-finger-groove-in-dm/feed/ 1 http://playbassnow.com/playing-styles/slap/advanced-slap-groove-try-this-at-home/ http://playbassnow.com/playing-styles/slap/advanced-slap-groove-try-this-at-home/#comments Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:37:23 +0000 Sebu http://playbassnow.com/?p=10377 hi everybody,

here is some work for your thumb, double popping, hammer-on and so on…

This groove is stolen from Bastien Burger, great french bass player but too shy to share (hey, what a good title for a song!! “too shy to share” !! Give me a folk guitar now!!)

I have a tab for this groove but don’t know how to share it. I’m looking for a solution.

Click here to view the embedded video.

SLOW VERSION :

Click here to view the embedded video.

Download transcription / TAB here

Bass guitar funk fingerstyle groove with rake.
I used my Fender Jazz bass 3TS and Tech21 NYC SansAmp VT Bass recorded directly in LineIn.

A funky little ditty in the key of A with a change to C.  I slow it down in the 2nd half of the vid so you can learn it easily.  Thanks for watching and to see more bass learning videos check out my youtube channel and please subscribe.

Bass guitar funk fingerstyle groove. I used my Fender Jazz bass 3TS and Tech21 NYC SansAmp VT Bass recorded directly in LineIn.

I’m testing several bass books, playin’ some grooves at various levels.

first video is a groove taken from “Slap it!” by Tony Oppenheim, the second from the book “Ultimate slap bass” by Stuart Clayton.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Review of the Musicman Classic StingRay 4 Bass Guitar, Black, 4-String, Single Humbucker, 2-Band EQ, Black Pickguard, Maple Neck.

I’m very much enjoying playing this right now, particularly slap style as the action is perfect and it feels really responsive.

Hope this is a useful insight into what the bass is like, it’s not an exhaustive review, there’s many more sounds that can be got from the bass from your hands and different EQ settings.

Bass guitar funk slapstyle groove. I used my Fender Jazz bass 3TS and Tech21 NYC SansAmp VT Bass recorded directly in LineIn.

Bass guitar funk pickstyle groove. I used my Fender Jazz bass 3TS and Tech21 NYC SansAmp VT Bass recorded directly in LineIn.

16th note funk groove in E, played on this lovely Music Man Stingray Classic series, inspired by and using Rocco Prestia’s approach to finger style funk. Rocco would use mostly his index finger on his fretting hand and then dampen and mute the strings with his other fingers. I use this technique here for part of the groove and then also use the more traditional finger-per-fret technique.

Hope you enjoy!

The 2nd in my diary entries talking about things I’m learning at the ICMP (Institute of Contemporary Music Performance) in Kilburn where I won the scholarship to study a Bass Higher Diploma. This entry is all about the blues scale based in G. The groove is constructed by purely thinking about inversions and is an exercise in learning to play them fluidly and to improve fretboard knowledge. Click here to download fretboard diagram

Slap bass groove in 6/8
For tabs mail me at mcrtchan@mail.ru

This is video answer on Ed Freedland’s WarwickLX video with slow version

this is a video trying to explain one of the numerous effects used by Doug Wimbish.

The groove I played is originally played by the famous french bass player Jean Bisello.

Slow version & details included.

Enjoy!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

another approach of the double thumb technique.

Click here to view the embedded video.

My new slap groove on my new fender jazz bass with doublethumb
For tabs mail me at mcrtchan@mail.ru

I played a groove inspired by the famous french bass player Jean Bisello, hope you’ll enjoy it!!

Slow version on the second part of the video.

The bass is a Spector Euro LX.

Happy new year folks!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Advanced rhythm studies…

What can happen if you change the start point of your pattern…..

For tabs mail me at mcrtchan@mail.ru
Key of B-minor.
Tempo – 100 bpm.
Recorded with Boss LMB-3

Funk bass groove in Am. Bars 1,3,5,7,etc in 7/8 (seven eighth). Bars 2,4,6,8, etc in 8/8.
For tabs mail me at mcrtchan@mail.ru

My favorite scale substitution, playing a minor pentatonic from the 5th of a Minor chord (also useful for 7Sus chords).
In this example an E minor pentatonic scale (E G A B D) over an Am7 chord.

The fast triplet fill is with fast “shakes” (i think it is called), very much in the Abe Laboriel vibe:-)

Large iPod friendly .m4v

Medium iPod friendly .m4v

Flash .flv

In this video i tried to get shuffle feel. I pushed each even 8th beat closer to next odd.
Then added some slides, dead notes, rake… For tabs mail me at mcrtchan@mail.ru.

Nice fingerstyle bass groove with harmonics and hammer on and dead (muted) notes. For tabs mail me at mcrtchan@mail.ru.

A little holiday lick, from Afitos in Greece.
Getting heavy into pick playing again, as always inspired by me friend the great Bobby Vega.
Check out the new Bobby Vega fanpage on Facebook, Im administering it together with Bobby himself. Lots of good stuff is goin to happen there;-)

Im using the good old Korg Pandora px4d with some compression and chorus

Download iPod friendly version here

Download Flash flv version here

Shuffled groove in A with bluesy fills using my “alternative doublethumb technique”.

More details on this technique under

Click here to view the embedded video.

I’m working on a tune called “Me and my bass guitar” by Victor Wooten.

Here is the first groove of the song, not including the chords and percussion at the begginning (we’ll see it on a next video)

Hope it will help to find your way. Slow version on the second part of the vid.

Cheers

Click here to view the embedded video.

For this third lick, a new technique: a right hand percussion with index and middle finger.

Free tabs

Small funk jam…
Tempo 100 bpm
Key of E-minor
Drum machine – BOSS RC-2 loop station
1st track – fingerstyle groove
2nd track – tapping lick
3rd track – something like slap
4th track – slap with doublethumb
5th track – little solo lick
St. Petersburg

Click here to view the embedded video.

Download ipod friendly m4v

Doublethumb slap funk groove in shuffle feel. G-minor.

By popular demand – A series of slap bass lessons covering the basic techniques plus some general playing tips

This lesson will continue with the concepts from lesson 4 and cover the basic “funk/rock scale” – the minor pentatonic scale and trills in addition to thumb slap, pop/pluck, left hand slap and hammerons.

Download iPod friendly m4v version here

By popular demand – A series of slap bass lessons covering the basic techniques plus some general playing tips
This lesson will continue with the concepts from lesson 3 and cover the right hand pluck/pop in addition to basic thumb slap, left hand slap and hammerons.

Download iPod friendly mv4 here

By popular demand – A series of slap bass lessons covering the basic techniques plus some general playing tips
This lesson will continue the concepts from lesson 2 and cover basic slap with the thumb and left hand slap and hammerons.

Download iPod friendly m4v version here

There are many rake notes, harmonics, hammerons. For tabs mail me on mcrtchan@mail.ru. Have a nice playing! )) (St. Petersburg, Neva-river)

Key G-minor. Tempo – 120 bpm. For tabs mail me on mcrtchan@mail.ru.
Have a nice playing! ))

Download iPod friendly version HERE

Chords: C – G – Am – F

Scale: C major

Transcription

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Download iPOd friendly video (m4v format)

Here is a link to a transcription, TAB or backing track for this lesson, but You need to be a registered user to download.

This is a short bass line I wrote based on a Db9 chord, which is based on the Db mixolydian mode, with a touch of Db blues scale thrown in too. The subdivision is 16th notes, the metronome is clicking on 2 and 4.
Check out my other lessons, articles and videos at www.playbassnow.com, a wonderful website devoted to helping you become a better bassist.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them here.

Choose a scale, choose a rhythm pattern and go!!

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1526/compowork01.jpg

Click here to view the embedded video.

Nice fingerstyle 16th notes groove with dead notes, slides, legato and rake. FOR TABS mail me at mcrtchan@mail.ru

I’m workin’ on Rampage, here is the first groove, slow version included.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Another fast doublethumb groove in G based on minor pentatonic

Another fingerstyle groove with lefthand muting, rake, open strings, slides, blues notes.
Mail me at mcrtchan@mail.ru and i send you Tabs for this video

This third lick inspired by Gary Willis uses a A minor pentatonic, with palm mute and dead notes

Download tablature

You can find some details on the second video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Slap Groove in E with fairly advanced Double-Thumb/Pluck technique.
Get the tab here:

Get the tab here:

Casimer

The third in my “Cool Funk lines to play” from myself. This one is a slap and pop lesson, aimed at students with slap and pop experience. If you are a beginner, check out my beginner slap and pop lessons!

Oh, and thankyou for all the positive messages you have all left on my other vids, here on playbassnow.com!

http://www.Dmanlamius.com

The slow version is included.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Slow Slapfunk lick with some of my „alternative doublethumb“ technique (see more details of this technique under  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M09ryv8mQPw )

hammer on, pull off, triplets etc.

BASSIDA aka IDA FUNKHOUSER aka Ida Kristine Nielsen!
Sings, raps and play bass!!

First solo album out now: “Marmelade”.
The music is a mix of old school funk, hiphop and ear catching soul.
-With a lot of Bass in it
Ida is also the bass player of ZAP MAMA and have been playing all instruments, writing and producing music in different bands for years.

Here Bassida shows how to play her bass line to her funky track Marmelade

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The second video tries to give details about the different techniques I used to play that groove, the third video is the slow version of the groove.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Slap lick in E minor.

I use E minor pentatonic

Transcription

Slap Lick over E7 Chord.

Sometimes its harder to play at lower BPM. Im still practicing this one.

Transcription

The inspiration from this groove came partly from listening to Opus Pocus by Jaco and partly from the Beatles track Day Tripper. In Opus Pocus, Jaco uses some cool muted notes in the funky section of the song that influenced the muted note rake before the walk-up from F# through G and G#. The notes in the main riff are roughly based on the Day Tripper guitar riff. There’s a few variations in there where I chuck in some extra muted notes and some quick triplets at the end. Enjoy!

Slap Lick with E-Minor Pentatonic Scale.

Transcription

A lick of the day “Classic”.

Like in the good old days: Korg Pandora px4d, webcam, bad lighting, hum and noise from line input, the original camera angle….:-)

iPod m4v

Flash flv

This is a fast house groove moving between Esus+F#7, will keep your right hand busy…

Emulating a P-bass only using neck pickup on the Sandberg California jj bass.

Backing track used

Click here to view the embedded video.

Quicktime original

iPod  .m4v

Flash flv

Here i am using a alternative technique for doublethumb lines. In principle ist the same purpose: to slap sixteenth notes on one string. The only difference is, that you play the  upcoming movement of you hand with your index finger and not again with the thumb. For additional pops you use the middle finger.

For my taste the sound of the upcoming index finger notes is more satisfying than playing all notes with the thumb. Check it out and let me know your opinion.

At the end of the video you will see that the king of pop still lives on in the heart of so many children….

Quick and dirty slap and doublethumb lick tutorial.
Notes are strictly from the E minor pentatonic scale (E, G , A,  B, D ), but im actually only using E, B and G in the lick (but in different octaves)

Just straight into Quicktime player with  macbook webcam from Sandberg bass California JJ to Tc electronic rh450 amp to Apogee soundcard.
New Fender Nickel-plated steel roundwound strings, gauge 45 -105
Its a mono recording but unfortunately saved as stereo recording, so you will only hear one side, i told you its was quick.
I will from time to time do these “low quality” recordings when i dont have patience or time for HD, audio and videoediting.
Support me by downloading the video, audio and TAB download in on package here

This one concentrates on the right hand technique, but you can also hear the left hand percussions as well as  the strumming right hand on the 2nd part of the groove.
Strumming consists in sweeping a string with all the fingers of the right hand, begginning with the small finger (the 4th), then the 3rd, 2d and 1st.
Right hand slide tries to imitate a out of tune drum.

Voici un groove qui emploie le glissé main droite ainsi que du strumming. La première partie est purement “step”, la deuxième est plutôt “slap”. On m’a demandé du step en contexte de groove, le voici, même si toutes les techniques ne sont pas employées dans ce dernier, ça donne quand même une idée non?

Click here to view the embedded video.

A combination of Victor Wooten style left hand slap, John Entwhistle style “typewriter” tapping and Jaco Pastorius style percussive fretboard slide slaps. Talk about (con)fusion:-D

Im playing a Sandberg California JM bass “Masterpiece editon” im trying out.

I now give online One on one lessons at:

http://www.ashburymusichall.com/offerings/funk-rock-bass-marlowedk

Quicktime original

iPod mp4 version

Flash flv version

The hammeron slap technique (Laboriel, Wooten…) im working on. Some compression is used to even out the volume between normal thumb slap and hammer on slap.
Quicktime original

iPod mp4 version

Flash flv version

Click here to view the embedded video.

Fingerstyle groove with lefthand muting, rake, open strings, slides, blues notes (3b, 3 )…Key of E-minor. Tempo 120 bmp. I used minor pentatonic with adding 3b, 3, 6 (G, G#, C#)

During the groove i use palm muting on all strings  - I put my righthand on strings in between bridge and bridge pick-up and play only with my thumb. Then i rake with thumb on A and D- strings and add some left hand muting to it.  Tempo 110 bpm. Key of  D-minor.

This lick is a mixture of major pentatonic, mixolydian and blues scale – in other words just a bluesy lick;-)

But most important its number 300!

That also means that there is a “videospack_201-300 ” in the making;-)

Support PlayBassNow and download original video, transcription/TAB and mp3 version here

Funky bass groove with muted (dead) notes in Am.  It used thumb, index and middle fingers,  vibrato on 7b (note G on d string)

Dorian Slaplick with doublethumb and Miller style tab….

Here are some bass lines from a few Big Sir songs. If you are unfamiliar with Big Sir, you may recognize the bass player as Juan Alderete from The Mars Volta. If that still doesn’t ring a bell, I urge you to check out both groups and buy all their music.

I’ve selected four great bass lines that display Juan’s great facility on the fretless bass (I hope I’m doing him justice!). His lines are lyrical and very groovy. You can dance to and sing these bass lines easily. They support the tune, the vocals, and are quite catchy. That is melodicism my friends.

If you are just starting on the fretless, these lines are simple enough for you grasp and to help you develop some of your own ideas, while being melodic. I’ve always felt that the fretless has to be somewhat melodic in order to showcase its distinct tone, otherwise, you might as well use a fretted.

Seeing as these are all fretless bass lines, the hardest part is going to be the intonation. You may want to practice these on fretted first to get the fingerings and proper tuning in your head. This way you won’t develop any bad habits if you attempt the fretless right away. That being said, if you feel confident or if you are already experienced on the fretless, then by all means, go for it.

Fast doublethumb groove in G# based on minor pentatonic with 3th added.

In this second lesson on 6 string bass, we will explore the highs with a little melody in A major.

The chords are: A / D / A / E7

www.bassebruno.com

In this first lesson, a groove with chords in F major.

You will notice that the groove is dampen by the palm of the right hand.

The chords are: F maj7 / Bb maj7 / F maj7 / C7

www.bassebruno.com

Bass groove in G#.  There are many muted notes and rake.  It is used minor pentatonic with added 3, 6, 5b.

Funky shuffled bassline

(bass tuned to D – played as in E)

Step bass!!

This term was invented by a French bass player, Jean-Luc Gastaldello.
The step technique includes the main techniques of  slap with different percussive techniques.
These movements are used by masters such as Abraham Laboriel or Victor Wooten.
Step Bass includes about ten different movements for right hand/left hand.

This video is just an example, lessons will follow soon!!

Can be played over Cm, Cm7, Cm6 . First part is mostly C blues scale (with the 6th added )and second part uses the C diminished chord arpeggiated (contains the 1, b3 , b5 and 6 – all the cool blues notes)

On the tuner display of the RH450 amp you can see the note names – very convenient
Tempo is 111 bpm

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(There is a drum track at the end of the lesson for you to jam along to.)

Learning Bass made easy!

Bass groove over chord progression Bm-Em or B7-E7  (I-IV, Im-IVm).

Bass tuned in D  (1-F, 2-C, 3-G, 4-D) !!!

Slap groove in B.

A D7 chord (1,3,5,b7) note based lick with emphasis on the 3rd (F#) in both octaves. You can also look at it as playing selected notes from the D mixolydian scale (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7).

You can download the backing track here

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Click here to view the embedded video.

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A little vacation lick in A minor, with my cheap SX bass, wiring gone bad during travel, so its only the bridge pickup that is functioning, but masking it with Korg px4d autowah;-) The fast run is just an descending blues scale

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Slap bass piece based around specific slap techniques. The double thumb/pluck is the hardest technique for the right hand. This is where you strike through the the A string with your thumb, pluck back up through the string, like a pick, and then in quick succession pluck the G string with your index and middle finger. There’s a slowed down, close-up of the right hand at the end of the video. Happy Slapping!

Another exercise for building right hand stamina – aaand left hand stamina too for that matter:-D

Keep those 16ths pumpin’!

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This kind of bouncy bassline can be quite tricky with the pattern of an 8th note (root) followed by two 16ths (octave)

You can hear that kind of  ” umdidi, umdidi, umdidi “  on the Rod Stewart classic “Do you think im sexy”, bassline played by Phil Chen

RH450 settings are the same as on L290, but ive added some chorus to the track  in Garageband

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A relatively simple bassline using only notes from the E minor pentatonic scale – E G A B D.

Im experimenting with my new audio and video setup:

A Creative Vado HD 3rd generation pocket dv cam for video. Not enough light in this shoot, will be better in next video:)

And for audio; a TC electronic RH450 amp direct output into a Apogee Duet soundcard into Garage band (mac)

On the Jazz Bass Im favoring the bridge pickup and rolling back on the tone control (Jaco style setting)

RH450 amp settings for this lick:

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I’m just playing through this intro for you.

I start by playing it up to speed,
then slowly,
then just the chord shapes (in sequence, this the first step, i just wanted you to hear it first),
then at a medium tempo,
then up to speed.

Coordinate those left hand fingers into getting the chord shapes before adding the melodies in between the changes.

For the right hand, I’m switching between a traditional two finger picking technique and a more guitar player like finger picking, utilizing the thumb,  index and middle fingers. I’m not sure if Tal uses that fingerpicking, but it came instinctually to me.

\This is a great sounding bass part; gorgeous line.
Take your time with it, take it real slow.

Its fun to play when you’ve got it up to speed.  Hope you find this helpful. If you need any clarification, just leave a comment!

Simlarily, I looked at some of Tal’s fingerings for this intro from her performance on Australian TV, which is floating around YouTube for sure. After figuring out the other chords using a Tascam, I watched the video again and verified that these are the shapes she uses.

Continuing with the theme from L288, we play 16th notes with muted notes in the same manner a funk rhythm guitarist would do it; playing all 16ths but muting some. Listen to bassist TM Stevens, he is a master of this style.
Right hand picks 1212 1212 1212 etc

Key is C, notes used are C,  Bb, F , F#, G

Play without stop for a few minutes;-)

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For those of you who still havent visited YouPlayAlong.com

One of my playalongs with a short breakdown of the different sections.

Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favour of fair use.

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A subscriber asked me about a fill i did in the adlib section of L283 Bassline to Csus13 chord, its at the 4:45 mark
The chord is a Csus13, but i play Gm pentatonic over it. This fill takes all the 4th intervals in the scale starting on the root G. Sounds more advanced that it actually is. But be prepared for a blister on your first left hand finger, between 1st and 2nd joint – due to the barring of notes.
Note! I forgot to turn on my preamp, so your hear the boring sound of a clean bass going directly into the soundcard:-)

Quicktime original

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Not much to be said about this one, apart it has this walkin’, cruisin’, positive feel to it:-)

Quicktime original

iPod mp4 version

Flash flv version

This fast lick in E (tempo 145),  mostly sixteenth notes, combines chromaticism, dead notes and repetead notes.

Click here to view the embedded video.

When constructing a bass line to a Suspended chord (the 4th “suspended” interval replaces the 3rd ), its a good idea to use another scale than the obvious choice C mixolydian, to avoid emphasizing the major third because when Im playing the mixolydian scale the positions and scale patterns I use are so  – root, major third, fifth, seventh based – because im a bassplayer.  So to avoid that very “root position thinking” and at the same time getting fresh ideas i use a  “scale sibling” * -  another diatonic scale based on the same notes.

The Csus13, Csus9, Csus7.. is  normally a substitution for the dominant  C7, C9, C13… chord.

And that chord – the dominant 7th chord / mixolydian scale is derived from the 5th step of the F major scale (ionian)
So if we look at the diatonic scale/chord steps of the F major scale we get:
FMaj7 chord and the F ionian scale (steps 1, 2, 3 ,4, 5, 6, 7)

Gm7 chord and the G dorian scale (steps 1, 2, b3 ,4, 5, 6, b7) The scale I choose in the creation of this bassline

Am7 chord and the A phrygrian scale (steps 1, b2, b3 , 4, 5, b6, b7)

BbMaj7 chord and the Bb lydian scale (steps 1, 2, 3 ,#4, 5, 6, 7)

C7 chord and the C mixolydian scale (steps 1, 2, 3 , 4, 5, 6, b7)

Dm7 chord and the D aolian/natural minor scale (steps 1, 2, b3 , 4, 5, b6, b7)

Em7b5 chord and the E locrianscale (steps 1, b2, b3 , 4, b5, b6, b7)

The thing to notice that all 7 scales contain the same 7 notes (F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E) – its just the F major scale starting on the 7 different steps and they have these funny “greek” names Ionian, dorian etc

But you should actually just think of it as just a Major scale starting on different steps and since most of us have practiced the Major scale a lot ( i personally never got around to the locrian scale;-)), the thing is to recognize the different Major scale steps.

So here we have it

Csus13 substituting C13, see as 5 step of F major, so then when you improvise you can use all the before mentioned scales derived frm th F major scale

Here im playing ogf the Gm7 dorian scale, the 2nd step of the F major scale – im still emphasizing the root note C but otherwise looking at as a G minor dorian scale

That forces me to invent new fresh patterns since i see the same notes in a new fashion.

Heres soem of the scale choices i frequently use could use when playing over dominant sus 7:

The root scale of course – C mixolydian
G dorian minor, G minor pentatonic, D aolian minor , D minor pentatonic, Bb Major lydian,  Bb major pentatonic,,,,

The pentatonic scale are interesting because you allready know that scale so well – try and take one of your blues pentatonic licks and play over this backing track – look above for hints of which you could try

AND REMEMBER ITS THE SAME 7 SCALE NOTES (F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E ), you just view it from different “angles of the fretboard” and trick your brain into playing new awesome licks;-)

* “Scale sibling” is my own expression for a scale derived from the “Mother” of all scales on the western hemisphere – the Major scale)

Ive done the backing track in Mac Garageband using a standard drumloop and playing a Squier Stratocaster;-)

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Still using the same funky backing track as in the previous LOTD videos, this time with an b7th – root – octave pick groove.

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Drum loop programmed in Reason 4.

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view on youtube

This second lick,  in 7/4, must be played very quickly, to 145 in sixteenths. Based on the pentatonic minor, this unusual pattern requires large space from the left hand, but the result is rather interesting. Work as long as possible, you will work your endurance.

Again we use the funky D backing track from L279 and L280 for more evil doings;-)
Getting ideas from other band instruments – Im dubbing one of the rhythm guitars and adding something extra – the lick at the end.
Actually a LOT of my Lick ideas come from guitar players (well, in instance i also played the guitar, so i inspired myself, ha ha)

iPod version

By using other ways of right hand picking you can come up with new ideas for – in this instance octaves, and then transfer the idea to standard picking if you wish (as in this example)

iPod version

The backingtrack can be dowloaded here

A “James Brown style” funk groove with anticipated notes and the good old 3 note chromatic walk up from the 9th up to the Major third. The bass line starts on the 8th note before the downbeat 1 Ive recorded the backing track in Garageband (Mac), playing the 2 rhythm guitar parts myself and using a premade drumloop from the program.

The bass is fairly simple notewise and technique-wise, but the challenge is locking with the groove and hitting that D right on the 8th note before 1, especially after visiting the high register.

You can of course play the D on the open string, but the sound of the D on the 5th fret of the A string is so much thicker

Im emulating a P-bass by only using the neck pickup and rolling a bit back on the tonecontrol

The backingtrack can be dowloaded here

This lick is particularly challenging!

The sound a little strange is obtained through many chromatism.

The basic groove used the A minor pentatonic.

The signature is 4/4 and 5/4.  The solo passage in sextuplets requires a great coordination between right and left hand.

You should work very very slowly!!

First part is mainly dorian scale with added major thirds, secon part is minor pentatonic / blues scale

iPod version

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This exercise will give you a good sense of timing if you play it along to a beat or a metronome.

Try and keep everything as tight as possible!  Remember, be strict with yourselves…:)

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Tabs are here!

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This second lick inspired by Gary Willis, in E minor, combines dead notes, palm mute and chords.

A swinged groove in G using open strings, a double stop (6th, b3) and the G diminished chord notes for the fill.
This scale consist solely of minor thirds and as in the example in G contains the 1 , b3, b5 and 6. You can look at it as selected notes from the bluesscale (1, b3, 4, b5, 5, b7) with the 6th added and can be applied to all bluesy settings when using chords like Gm7, G7#9.

iPod version

Quicktime original

Flash

F# Pentatonic groove, using hammerons and muted notes.

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When playing in D, E, A and G, remember to sometimes use the open strings, makes certain lines easier to play and more smooth sounding

The fender Pbass is strung with flatwound strings

As an experiment the ipod version has the drumpattern in one channel and the bassline in the other

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A funk lick inspired by Gary Willis.

For 5 strings, this lick is in C minor pentatonic (C Eb F G Bb). If you do not have 5 strings, you can transpose in F minor pentatonic.

Be careful for the dead notes and rhythm. Inspire you to the video to see the work of right hand technique.

I constructed this Jaco inspired line by thinking in a modal way around an initial E Dorian mode. The first part of the line is basically Em pentatonic, it shifts down to the Db where I then use Db Locrian mode, which contains all the same notes as E Dorian this in turn implies the E Dorian overall tonality.

I also use some passing notes, which aren’t strictly part of the scale, in the chromatic walk up from Db to the root E.

This slap groove uses hammer-ons, pull-offs, 10th chords, harmonics and the funk peel-off. There’s a slow version and a close up of the right hand technique for the funk peel-off.

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Tabs for this lesson are here.

My main site with tons of lessons is here!

]]> http://playbassnow.com/playing-styles/fingerstyle/finger-funk-exercise-3/feed/ 2 http://playbassnow.com/scales/minor-pentatonic-scale/slap-bass-alain-caronstyle/ http://playbassnow.com/scales/minor-pentatonic-scale/slap-bass-alain-caronstyle/#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:27:38 +0000 Bruno Tauzin http://playbassnow.com/?p=2055 Click here to view the embedded video.

Pack slap 1 – #08

You can find the transcriptions here

Pack slap 1 – #07

You can find the transcriptions here

Pack slap 1 – #06

You can find the transcriptions here

Click here to view the embedded video.

Clicky

Also: My home site.

Pack slap 1 – #05

You can find the transcription here

Old video with a 15 second delay in between parts.

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Pack slap 1 – #04

You can find the transcription here

Pack slap 1 – #02

You can find the transcription here

Pack slap 1 – #02

You can find the transcription here

Trying something new, using lots of slides and hammerons. This fill is inspired by a great gospel bass player Thaddeus Tribbet i saw on youtube

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Free and easy bass lessons!

Slap funk in E minor, I use E7 chords and E blues scale

(There is a drum track at the end of the lesson for you to jam along to.)

Learning Bass made easy!

Hammerons on downbeats are hard i think, and is still not second nature to me (maybe 5th nature ha ha), but if one wants to grasp the “Wooten style” its pretty essential.

Ahh, weekends in the summerhouse….:-)

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Always sounds good to repeat your licks in different octaves

This lick mostly use notes from the mixolodian scale ( 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7), except for the minor third (b3) used as chromatic leadin to themajor third (3)

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I use Thumb, index and middle fingers on my right hand