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The Details Of Putting Together A Bass Line

Repertoire & Reading Intermediate 1 min read

Updated

Changing one small detail in a bass line — an eighth-note rhythm, a pitch choice — can be the deal-breaker for the whole line. Practicing with strict attention to every detail builds the judgment you need to make informed, in-the-moment choices when you're improvising bass lines in a performance situation.

Originally published June 11, 2013, lightly edited for clarity.

I have always found it interesting that how changing one little detail in your bass line, a 8th note rhythm and or pitch for example, can be the deal breaker for the line. Experience with this has taught me that when practicing putting together bass lines, scrutinizing every detail of the line has helped me internalize this process, so that when I am improvising bass lines in performance situations, I am able to make informed and better feeling/sounding in the moment choices. The following video shows this process in action with a student during an online bass lesson. Bass-line construction is one of the fundamentals I teach. For personalized feedback on your own bass lines, online bass lessons via Zoom are available.

  1. Bebop Arpeggios

    Repertoire & Reading Advanced 2 min read

    Bebop arpeggios are the chord-tone vocabulary of bebop-era jazz soloing, worked through every chord change so strong beats land on chord tones. Even if you never plan to play jazz, spending time in this style sharpens your rhythmic control over which note goes where — a skill that carries straight into bass lines in any style.

404-386-0983russrodgers@gmail.comTestimonials See Example Lessons On My YouTube channel