Bass Seminar • Ideas for TASTEFULLY going beyond the root
note • Based around ’10,000 Reasons’• All material taken from the Musicademy DVD
video lessons also available via our streaming site
Bass Seminar
• All material taken from the Musicademy DVD video lessons
10,000 Reasons: Verse 2
Beyond marking chords
Use 8th notes to add tension and release
Divide the bar length – half low half high
10,000 Reasons: Chorus 3
Kick Drum • Clap the kick drum with track then in isolation
with drums • Clap the groove - which beats are the bass
groove on?
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
10,000 Reasons: The Groove
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a/ / / / / (/ /)
10,000 Reasons: Chorus chords
|A E |B/D# C#m |A E |B riff ||A C#m |A B C#m |A B |E |
Tasteful Additions • Ghost Notes
• Passing Notes – step wise (7ths and 2nds) – chromatic – between 4th and 5th – Using the 5th – v important!
• Riffs
10,000 Reasons: Riffs - Note choice
• Riffs should be based around chords not scales
• recommended riff notes - 1st 3rd 5th 7th 8th (octave)
• Major chords - note choice order = 5th below, 5th above, octave, 7th 2nd p3rd in that order
10,000 Reasons: Chorus 3 Riffs
Riff 1 (B chord) – 5th and octave ‘power chord’ shape – Use 2nd (9th to add colour)
Riff 2 (B chord) - ‘pull’ riff using 6th 2nd 1st (then passing
note to new A chord)
10,000 Reasons: Chorus 4
• 8th notes in from verse 3 • Ghost and passing notes
• Riff 1 (B chord) as per chorus 3 • Riff 2 (E chord) chord tones = 3 4 3 2 1 5 1 • Riff 3 (B chord) chord tones = 3 4 3 2 1 6 5
Which sounds better - Riff 2 or 3?
10,000 Reasons: Chorus 4 turnaround
• Minor chord riffs - Feature b7th and b3rd
Chord tones 1 1 7 1 3 1
E scale for understanding notes to use
Scale 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Notes E F# G# A B C# D#Chord maj min min maj maj min dim7th maj min min min dom min ½ dim (b7)
basic chord (triad) makeup 1 E F# G# A B C# D#3 G# A B C# D# E F#5 B C# D# E F# G# A
7th D# E F# G# A B C#name maj7 min7 min7 maj7 dom7 min7 ½ dim (b7)
10,000 Reasons: Outro
Playing in a higher register
• Works with a more delicate dynamic • Gives room for more melodic phrasing– Still always focus on chord tones
• Works well when the drums have stopped
For Further Bass Lessons• www.musicademy.com• Sign up on our mailing list at the Musicademy booth to receive
these teaching notes by email• Plus lots of DVD courses (Advanced Bass is via
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