CONTENTS · The New Basics: Rock Bass 17 Eighth Notes So far, we’ve covered whole notes, half...
3
2 The New Basics: Rock Bass CONTENTS The compact disc will make learning with this book easier and more enjoyable. This symbol will appear next to every example that is on the CD. Use the CD to help ensure that you are capturing the feel of the examples, interpreting the rhythms correctly, and so on. Use your balance control to take the bass out of the mix, so that you can play along with the guitarist by yourself. The track numbers below the symbols correspond directly to the example you want to hear. Track 1 will help you tune to the CD. Have fun! Track 1 Introduction ..................................................... 3 About the Author ....................................... 3 Getting Started ................................................ 4 Parts of the Electric Bass ........................... 4 Holding the Bass ........................................ 5 The Hands .................................................. 5 Tuning Your Bass ........................................ 6 Reading Music—Pitch ................................ 8 Reading Music—Time ............................... 9 Tablature ....................................................10 How to Pluck a String ............................... 11 Start Making Music!...................................... 12 Notes on the 1st String (G String) .......... 12 Notes on the 2nd String (D String) ......... 13 Introducing Accidentals........................... 14 Ties............................................................ 15 Notes on the 3rd String (A String) ......... 16 Eighth Notes............................................. 17 Notes on the 4th String (E String) .......... 18 Warm-Up Exercises ....................................... 20 Introducing High D, E, F, and G ............... 21 Understanding the Fingerboard ............. 22 The Spider ................................................ 23 Theory for Bass Players................................. 24 Major Scales ............................................. 24 Scale Fingering Patterns.......................... 25 Key Signatures ......................................... 28 Triads ........................................................ 29 Arpeggios ................................................. 30 Diatonic Triads .......................................... 31 Introducing Dominant 7th Chords .......... 32 Bass Lines with Dominant 7th Chord Arpeggios ................................ 33 Rests.......................................................... 34 Building Bass Lines ....................................... 37 Roots and 5ths ......................................... 37 Arpeggios ................................................. 38 Diatonic Passing Tones ............................ 39 Chromatic Passing Tones......................... 40 Bits ‘n’ Pieces ................................................. 41 The 12-Bar Blues ...................................... 41 Funk Bass—Slap ‘n’ Pop Technique ........ 43 Putting It All Together ............................... 46 Bass Guitar Fingerboard Chart ..................... 47 Bass Guitar Fingerboard Chart.................... 47
Transcript of CONTENTS · The New Basics: Rock Bass 17 Eighth Notes So far, we’ve covered whole notes, half...
2 The New Basics: Rock Bass
CONTENTS
The compact disc will make learning with this book easier and more enjoyable. This symbol will appear next to every example that is on the CD. Use the CD to help ensure that you are capturing the feel of the examples, interpreting the rhythms correctly, and so on. Use your balance control to take the bass out of the mix, so that you can play along with the guitarist by yourself. The track numbers below the symbols correspond directly to the example you want to hear. Track 1 will help you tune to the CD. Have fun!
Track 1
Introduction ..................................................... 3About the Author ....................................... 3
Getting Started ................................................ 4Parts of the Electric Bass ........................... 4Holding the Bass ........................................ 5The Hands .................................................. 5Tuning Your Bass ........................................ 6Reading Music—Pitch ................................ 8Reading Music—Time ............................... 9Tablature ....................................................10How to Pluck a String ...............................11
Start Making Music! ...................................... 12Notes on the 1st String (G String) .......... 12Notes on the 2nd String (D String) ......... 13Introducing Accidentals ........................... 14Ties ............................................................ 15Notes on the 3rd String (A String) ......... 16Eighth Notes ............................................. 17Notes on the 4th String (E String) .......... 18
Warm-Up Exercises ....................................... 20Introducing High D, E, F, and G ............... 21Understanding the Fingerboard ............. 22The Spider ................................................ 23
Theory for Bass Players ................................. 24Major Scales ............................................. 24Scale Fingering Patterns .......................... 25Key Signatures ......................................... 28Triads ........................................................ 29Arpeggios ................................................. 30Diatonic Triads .......................................... 31Introducing Dominant 7th Chords .......... 32Bass Lines with Dominant 7th
Chord Arpeggios ................................ 33Rests.......................................................... 34
Building Bass Lines ....................................... 37Roots and 5ths ......................................... 37Arpeggios ................................................. 38Diatonic Passing Tones ............................ 39Chromatic Passing Tones ......................... 40
Bits ‘n’ Pieces ................................................. 41The 12-Bar Blues ...................................... 41Funk Bass—Slap ‘n’ Pop Technique ........ 43Putting It All Together ............................... 46
Bass Guitar Fingerboard Chart ..................... 47
Bass Guitar Fingerboard Chart ....................47
NBRB-Mac.indb 2 6/27/12 5:55 PM
17The New Basics: Rock Bass
Eighth NotesSo far, we’ve covered whole notes, half notes, and quarter notes. An eighth note is half a beat long, so two eighth notes equal one beat.
Eighth-note bass lines are a staple in rock music. Despite their seemingly easy construction, they can be tricky to play effectively. When practicing eighth-note patterns, it’s important to think of going forward and not letting the lines get bogged down. As always, practice with a metronome or drum machine. Always play with what I call “attitude.” Drive the music—give it life. Remember, you’re the bass player—play like it!
Notice that when eighth notes occur in succession, they are beamed together.
AN EIGHTH NOTE
e = ½ beat
? 44 ..
..
etc.
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
4 4 4 4 2 2 2 2
5 5 5 5 3 3 3 3
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
2 2 2 2
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1
3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2
0 0 0 03 3 3 3
B
TA
Fingerings:
Example No. 21Track 12
On the surface, these lines seem easy. Technically, they are. Musically...now that’s another story. If you need inspiration, listen to any Rolling Stones or Van Halen tune.
Here’s a line that uses ties across the bar lines. This produces a very cool bass line.
In the Style of Van Halen
? 44
etc.
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ≥Bmin ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
1
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
(1) & 2 & 3
0
&
1
4
3
&
0 2 4( )2 2 2 2 2
etc.
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≤
1
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
œ œ# œ# œ œ œ œ œ
≤F#≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
(1)
3
&
1
2
1
&
0
3
0
&
1
4
0
&
4( )2 0 0 0
2 2 2
? ..
..etc.
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
1
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
(1) & 2 & 3
0
&
1
4
3
&
0 2 4( )2 2 2 2 2
œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
0
1
0
&
3
2
3
&
1
3
1
&
0
4
0
&0 0
4 4 2 2 0 0
œ# œ œ œœ# œ œ œ
≥F#≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
3
1
3
&
3
2
3
&
1
3
1
&
0
4
1
&
4 4 4 40
2 2 2
Chords played on the CD, or for your teacher or friend to play:
B
TAB
TA
Fingerings:
COUNT:
Example No. 22Track 13
beam
NBRB-Mac.indb 17 6/27/12 5:56 PM
37The New Basics: Rock Bass
BuiLdinG Bass LinesRoots and 5thsIn learning to build your own bass lines, it’s best to start with the fundamentals, so let’s start with some basic lines. The fi rst involves root motion. In other words, only the root of each chord is played. At a rock gig, you could do this all night long and be slammin’. Many of rock’s best bass lines consist of nothing more than the root of each chord being played in eighth notes.
? 44 ..
..etc.
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ≥D7 ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
3
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤ ≥ ≤
( )5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
etc.
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
1
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 3
etc.
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œC
( )3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3B
TA
? b 44 ..etc.
Root 5th
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ≥D7 ≤ ≥ ≤
4 4 4 4 0 0 0 0
5 5 5 5 0 0 0 0
Root 5th
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œG
2 2 2 2 4 4 4 4
5 5 5 53 3 3 3
Root 5th
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œC
2 2 2 2 4 4 4 4
5 5 5 53 3 3 3
Root 5th
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œF
2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1
3 3 3 33 3 3 3
B
TA
..
? ### 44Root 5th
˙≥ ≤̇A
0 1
20
Root 5th
etc.˙ ˙D
0 1
20
Root 5th
˙ ˙A
0 1
20
Root Root
˙ ˙
0 0
0 0
Root 5th
˙ ˙D
0 0
00
Root Root
˙ ˙
4 4
5 5
? ### ..5thRoot
˙ ˙
A
0 0
00
Root Root
˙ ˙
0 0
0 0
Root Root
˙ ˙Bmin
1 1
2 2
Root Root˙˙
E7
0 1
2
0
Root Root
˙ ˙
A F #min
0 1
02
Root Root
˙ ˙
Bmin E7
1 0
20
B
TAB
TA
..
Example No. 59Track 33
Example No. 60Track 34
Adding the 5th of the chord makes this line more interesting.
Example 61 uses both concepts.
Example No. 61Track 35
NBRB-Mac.indb 37 6/27/12 5:57 PM
![2021 [dotted half = 58] [eighth = c.104] - PYO Music](https://static.fdocuments.us/doc/165x107/6269366879ce7531177d8e43/2021-dotted-half-58-eighth-c104-pyo-music.jpg)
