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Feeling The Pulse

Practice & Mindset Beginner 1 min read

Updated

Where you feel the pulse directly shapes how your playing feels. For 8th notes and 16th notes to sit correctly in 4/4 time, anchor your internal pulse on the quarter notes. Whether you're running harmonic exercises or laying down a groove, locking to a steady pulse is the first job of the bass.

Originally published June 5, 2013, lightly edited for clarity.

Where you are feeling the pulse will directly impact how what you are playing will feel. As with most musical situations I encounter it’s not about the right or wrong with what is done, but how the intention of what you wanted to do affected the results. To make 8th notes or 16th notes feel like 8ths and 16ths in 4/4 time, it is important to feel the pulse on the quarter notes. When working harmonic exercises in time or applying them in a musical situation, make sure you are solid on where the pulse is. The following video demonstrates this topic during a real online bass lesson. Time-feel is one of the fundamentals I teach. For personalized guidance on time-feel and pulse, online bass lessons via Zoom are available.

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