Letting the top notes ring to give the blues bass line a fuller sound.
Played on a 5 strings Fbass VF5 bass, but the general idea can be executed on a 4 string apart from the low D.

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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

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Hey all, check out this latest installation in our series on chords for bass. This lesson is on what I call “Alpha Voicings” for bass guitar. You should check out a few of the previous lessons to get the most out of this one(Pros/Cons, Close Position Triads, Open Position Triads). Otherwise, enjoy this latest lesson!

Cool!

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Cool!

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Cool!

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Tablature available on my website

Jazzy “two five” (Em7 A7) lick
One bar Em7 to one bar A7, but can also be used over a straigth Em7 or A7 groove/solo.
Some examples in the end of the video, where i use snippets of the lick

E6add9 chord played with harmonics (from top B, F#, C#, G#, E )
This is a 5 string bass, so you get 4 harmonics and a fingered rootnote E on th B string. For 4 string bass just play the top 3 strings as harmonics (from top B, F#, C#) and play the open E string.
The lick is based on the E major lydian scale (E, F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D# ), but you can *think* F# mixolydian (same notes but starting on F#), that can help with the fingering

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Tablature available on my website

This is a funk groove that was transcribed from an obscure video where Ray Brown was showing a college class that he could play funk on the upright.

This was one of many choruses.

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This is a quick tutorial explaining what walking bass are and more importantly how to get ‘up and running’ with them without having to get into too much theory.

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Tabs available here

Main riff of “Kuru”

Tablature available here

The bass plays the theme in B minor.

You can download the tablature and the playback here

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Tablature

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It’s important to stress the fact that no, you don’t have to be actually singing the lyrical content as you play it. You merely use the lyrics as a guide to what you end up playing, and that way it becomes easier to “hear” what you are going to improvise.

Hope you enjoy.

Bmaj7 = B major scale
Gmaj7 = G major scale

Tablature

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Here’s a “Chord Scale Primer” with instructions for constructing basic diatonic chord scales and a list of all 7 diatonic chord scales in C major, as well as a page listing the 5 Secondary Dominant chord scales.

http://adamneely.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chordscale-primer.pdf

http://adamneely.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/secondary-dominant-chord-scales.pdf

Enjoy!

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Here’s a “Chord Scale Primer” with instructions for constructing basic diatonic chord scales and a list of all 7 diatonic chord scales in C major.

http://adamneely.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/chordscale-primer.pdf

Enjoy!

Improvisation over C7 chords (C E G Bb) with two scales:

- C myxolydian mode = C D E F G A Bb C

- C Lydian b7 mode = C D E F# G A Bb C

www.bassebruno.com

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Second part:

Improvisation over C min7 chords (C Eb G Bb) with three scales:

- C aeolian mode = C D Eb F G Ab Bb C

- C dorian mode = C D Eb F G A Bb C

- C phrygian mode = C Db Eb F G Ab Bb C

www.bassebruno.com

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Improvisation over C maj7 chords (C E G B) with two scales:

- C major scale = C D E F G A B C

- C lydian mode = C D E F# G A B C

www.bassebruno.com

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A lick for fretless bass inspired by Steve Bailey, with chords and artificial harmonics

Download tablature

Jazz lick with chromatismes over a Em7 chords (E G B D)

Transcription

This lick is a II-V-I in C major   (Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7)

You can use C major scale with some chromatismes.

Download score

www.bassebruno.com

Building on top of what we did with the diatonic 3rds to G Minor Pentatonic, we can keep going at it with these non-linear sequences by creating patterns built on diatonic 4ths and 5ths. These are the most “intervallically active” patterns yet, and are physically the most demanding to play.

Check out what I mean by at this here.

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Here is a pdf with a lot of ideas for practicing these sequences.

When practicing these, especially the diatonic 5ths, go slowly, play lightly and above all don’t tense up your fretting hand. Remember the list of all the different parameters you can control when phrasing these sequences from last lesson. Try not do what everybody does (myself included!) and just go on autopilot sixteenths (or whatever the subdivision is).

Happy Sequencing!

-Adam

A short jazz lick using G# diminished scale:  G# A# B C# D E F G G#

Download lick

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The second type of pattern we can explore falls under the catch-all title of “non-linear sequence.” Instead of taking consecutive pitches from the scale, we’ll look at other grouping of pitches to move up and down. The first grouping we’ll look at are diatonic 3rds.

Here’s the video of me showing what I mean by that.

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Here’s a pdf showcasing some of the ideas I talk about in the video. You need to be a member of playbass.com to see it, so be sure and sign up!

You might notice that this list (and what I cover in the video) is hardly exhaustive as far as what rhythmic concepts are available to us for phrasing these patterns. Here are just some of the parameters we can control and mix/match…

* Pattern direction (ascending, descending)
* Note duration (sixteenth note, triplet, etc)
* Rests, and rest duration
* Repeating 1 or more (or all) notes
* Interpolating other rhythms (throwing in a sixteenth triplet in a sixteenth note pattern, for example
* Doubling note values
* Starting patterns on different syncopations
* etc, etc

You can imagine, there’s a lot to go through! My intention with this isn’t to be exhaustive, however, rather it’s to get you all thinking about new and interesting ways to use the pentatonic scale beyond the clichéd licks that you already might know.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me on YouTube PM. Happy sequencing!

-Adam

In fact, it’s too perfect. Intermediate improvisers will often just let there fingers fly up and down the scale without much thought into how to get the most intervallic and rhythmic interest out of those five notes, and then assume that there isn’t anything else to the scale.

One way we can remedy this is by creating patterned material from the scale that doesn’t rely wholly on ascending and descending the scale at your fingers whim (I know I’ve been guilty of this a LOT). The first of these techniques we’ll talk about is called linear sequencing.

Check out what I’m talking about with this YouTube lesson.

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Hope you enjoy it! Here’s a pdf full of the sorts of ideas that were covered in the video so you can see how these rhythmic concepts are notated. You need to be a member of playbass.com to see it…so be sure and sign up!

Remember to practice the physical pattern all up and down the neck, and be sure to be familiar with as many different ways to shift positions as possible (you don’t want to get locked into one position and then run out of room). This will take a while to get fluid, but it’s worth it. Then try experimenting with the rhythmic displacements and odd phrases, first slowly and “out of time,” then sped up. Remember to practice these displacements both ascending and descending. I’ve found that starting at quarter note equals 60 is a good benchmark for starting out with a new concept. Don’t feel like you need to practice things as fast as I played them in the video at first – I’ve spent quite a bit of time in the shed, ha. Practicing things slowly is the key to getting them under your fingers and really into your playing.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me on YouTube PM. Happy sequencing!

-Adam

To improve your own soloing it´s helpful not to listen only to other bass players, but to good solos on any kind of instrument. One of my personal favorites is this piano solo from Kenny Kirkland on „La belle dame sans regrets“ from Sting (Mercury falling). Extraordinary choice of notes and rhythm. In some notes i am not sure. Sorry, no transcription (am to bad in that, at that level…). But this example is only meant to encourage you, to not only check out  bass-solos…..

A more beginner friendly shuffle blues bassline with fill. The third in this series of quickly recorded licks i did one morning.

Just recorded 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.

I now give online One on one lessons at: www.ashburymusichall.com

Quicktime original

Flash flv

Quick and dirty Bluesy lick with chords tutorial.
Three bars of D7 then one bar of C7
Just recorded 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.

I now give online One on one lessons at:

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

Quicktime original

Flash flv

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;-)

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In this second lesson, we have the roots, fifth and octave.

The chords are Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7

www.bassebruno.com

A simple walking bass with root and fifth.

The chords are Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7

www.bassebruno.com

An example of getting out of the root note box when improvising fills and solos.

Our trusted pentatonic scale – the Major pentatonic (1, 2, 3, 5, 6) is used for more advanced sinister purposes:

Even if you are playing over a Cm7 chord,  STOP thinking dorian and minor pentatonic from the root C, but  think MAJOR and major pentatonic starting on Bb (the b7 of Cm7).

And another way of looking at it :

Cm7 is the second (llm) step/mode of the Bb major scale (l) – so the notes are the same , we just emphasize other scale steps – most important we DONT emphasize the root C

For this fill im using only notes from the Bb Major pentatonic scale to make it even simpler and most bassplayers have that scale in their fingers allready

Totally different patterns will appear on your fretboard , when you think in other scale degrees than the root, and you will make up new hipper lines

Download backing track here

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First an Emaj9 voicing i shamelessly stole from a Bobby Vega youtube video, followed by a B major pentatonic lick (fits EMaj7) – The B Major pentatonic scale consists of the notes B C# D# F# G# which translates to the 5th, 6th, Maj7th, 9th and 3rd step in the E major scale, a nice jazzy/lyric note selection. So when playing over any Major7 chord (EMaj7 in this example), try and play a major pentatonic scale starting on the 5th step (B major pentatonic scale in this example). Lastly im trying to play the chord with “false” harmonics, by using my left hand thumb to lightly touch the string an octave above the last fretted notes and pich the harmonic with a finger (phew, thats hard to put in words, better just look how its done)

Quicktime original

iPod mp4 version

Flash flv version

I now give online “One on one” lessons: http://www.ashburymusichall.com/offerings/funk-rock-bass-marlowedk

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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Flash flv version

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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.

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

iPod mp4 version

Flash flv version

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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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.

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!!

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Here is a transcription of chipie from great saxophonist Ornette Coleman (1930 -).

This theme is very melodic, and sounds beautiful on fretless bass.

The tone of this song is F major.

Here some tips about using 5ths on the bass to get around the neck. (My deepest apologies for calling the A an 11th in CMajor… it’s the 13th !! Trying to think and play at the same time never works for me!

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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Moving up the neck playing all the different positions of the E minor dorian scale, this starts on the 5th (B) and ends on the 9th (F#) .
Notice the use of chromatic notes between the scale notes

Based on a A13 arpeggio (1, 3, 5, b7, 9, 11, 13 ) this fill/lick could be applicable in a shuffle blues setting

Continueing the Em dorian scale in all positions

This position starts on A (the 4th), 5th fret on the G string and ends on the A, 9th fret on the G string.
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3rd part of this series of the Em dorian scale study in all positions

In this position you can reach from the G (the b3) on the Estring to the D (the b7) on the G string.

The lick is somewhat inspired by Miles Davis solo on his famous tune “So what”, THE study of the dorian minor mode.

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Part 2 of this Eminor dorian scale in all positions series

Still in first position but this time not using open strings, making it easier to transpose to other keys – You should be able to use both since open strings gives other melodic ideas because of the fingering, and its sounds really cool when the open string note overlaps a fretted note, see L255.

I also incorporate some chromatic leading notes in this lick, here the notes fall between the octave E and 9th F#, you can view it as walking from E to F# using the note in between:

E –> F –> F#

Same applies in the next similar pattern, where we have the chromatic run from B to C# spelling B –> C –> C# .

Its one of the keys to make scale patterns sound musical and interesting – adding chromatic notes inbetween the scale notes

TIP when ever you have a scale with whole step intervals (2 frets distance), you can add the chromatic note between – the key is to put it rhythmically right.

As a general rule the chord/scale notes should fall on the down beats and the chromatic on the off beats ie when playing the first pattern slow:

Here with 8 notes:

1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1
E F F#

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The first of a series of licks in the 5 different positions of the Em7 dorian scale.

This is the minor scale that is used the most in rock, jax and funk , when playing over minor7 chords.

You can look at it as a mixolydan scale with a lowered third 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7

Start with the first position using all the open strings, i play a lick using trills and hammerons

The lick ends with a GMaj9 arppegio (or an Em11 arpeggio starting on the third ),which ever way you want to look at it.

Remember that Em dorian is the 2 step of the D major scale, so you could try and play your D major scale or even better the G lydian scale (major scale with raised 4th)

Spelling out the dorian scale

Em dorian inspiration video (Tal Wilkenfeld)

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I reuse the pattern from Lick of the day no L229 for many of the ideas

Inspiration video

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