Whenever we as bass guitar players perform, we have a very important task at hand: to craft a bass line that best serves the song and solidifies a groove.
In the Foundations edition of Ryan Madora’s Bass Cafe, you’ll learn how to establish a groove that allows for a conversation between the instruments and, ultimately, lets our audience feel the music properly. Fretboard dexterity, technique, applying diatonic harmony, and getting comfortable identifying chord progressions are just some of the topics Ryan Madora focuses on as she takes you through learning to play some of modern music’s most popular tunes.
Here are 10 free video bass guitar lessons from the course. For the full course, check out Ryan Madora’s Bass Cafe: Foundations on TrueFire!
Bass Guitar Lesson – Major Scale Workout 4: Scale with Arpeggios
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Now that you’ve played the scale in thirds, we’ll build triads or “arpeggios” built off of each note in the scale. We’ll be working in the key of G, using the horizontal position or “four fret span” pattern. We’ll identify the chord quality of the triad as major, minor, or diminished. We’ll play through the exercise ascending and descending.
Bass Guitar Lesson – Major Scale Workout 4: 8ths & 16ths
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Here we’ll practice the major scale with a straight time feel. We’ll alternate playing the scale with 8th notes and 16th notes.
Bass Guitar Lesson – Major Scale Workout 4: Swing & Triplets
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Now, we’ll practice the major scale with a swung feel. We’ll alternate playing the scale with swung 8th notes and triplets.
Bass Guitar Lesson – Workout the entire Neck: Transposing Exercises
Once you’re comfortable with these major scale exercises, practice playing them everywhere on the neck.
In The Midnight Hour (Wilson Pickett) – Bass Guitar Lesson: Demonstration
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We’ll learn another classic R&B bass line that features triads, this time in the key of E. Before getting started, we’ll discuss the major pentatonic scale and why it’s common in classic R&B. We’ll play through the chord progressions, identify the turnaround, and put all of the parts together!
In The Midnight Hour (Wilson Pickett) – Bass Guitar Lesson: With The Band
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Now it’s time to take our R&B progression in E and play along with the track!
All The Small Things (Blink 182) – Bass Guitar Lesson: Demonstration
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Let’s get comfortable jumping registers within a song. We’ll be playing a fast-paced rocker in the key of C with the intention of changings registers between the verses and choruses. Work on pedaling consistent 8th notes throughout the song while following the chord progression and nailing the jumps!
All The Small Things (Blink 182) – Bass Guitar Lesson: With The Band
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Let’s play along with our fast-paced rock track in C!
With Or Without You (U2) – Bass Guitar Lesson: Demonstration
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We’ll focus on the “4 chord song” in the key of D. We’ll work with a song that keeps the progression the same throughout all sections so that you can get comfortable hearing the progression. We’ll learn how to identify the notes in different places on the neck so that you can play the verses and choruses in different registers.
With Or Without You (U2) – Bass Guitar Lesson: With The Band
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Play along with the track! Try to change up your pattern every eight bars to add dynamic movement and to get comfortable switching registers. Think about matching the dynamics of the band for each section.
Digging these free bass lessons? Check out Ryan Madora’s full course, Bass Cafe: Foundations for more!