Bass Guitar Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 01-18-2022

The real fun and challenge of playing a bass guitar is that the patterns of the chords and scales never change, no matter what musical key you’re in. Memorizing the order of your bass’s musical notes can prepare you to tackle those chords and scales. Once you know the notes, you can master basic chords, 7th chords, modes, and solo scales and become a truly versatile bassist. And while you’re working on those chords and scales, use playing exercises to strengthen your left hand and increase your versatility even more!

Article / Updated 05-13-2021

Swing style grooves can be accomplished easily with the bass guitar. Swing style originated in the late 1920s and early ’30s. The style of the Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman bands typifies the music of the early swing era. Bands like The Brian Setzer Orchestra bring swing to today’s music scene. In swing style, the first note of the two eighth notes in each beat is slightly longer than the second — long, short, long, short — and it gives the feeling of…swinging. Each of the four beats in a measure still has the three parts of a triplet, but you tend to play on only the first and third of each — on the “tri-” and on the “-let” of the “tri-pe-let.” The bass line in swing style is predictable but cool (it makes you want to snap your fingers). The vast majority of swing tunes are based on a major or a dominant tonality. This swing groove is in a major tonality, using a major pentatonic scale. Start this groove with your middle finger to avoid shifting your left hand. This swing groove uses a mode — in this case, the common Mixolydian mode.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-12-2021

Playing bass guitar well, much like playing any other musical instrument, requires practice. And how do you practice? You play exercises, often over and over, until you master them. Fun, no? You'll have an easier time mastering bass guitar exercises if you understand how to read music and tablature and have a basic understanding of common bass grooves.

Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016

Although there are many popular right-hand bass guitar techniques, it is important to learn how to position your right hand for finger-style playing, which is the most flexible and widely used bass guitar technique, used in virtually all styles of music. This technique also allows you to work more efficiently with dynamics (accenting certain notes). The name finger-style refers to the use of the index and middle fingers. You can hear this style in country, rock, jazz, and funk—and just about any other type of music. Jaco Pastorius, James Jamerson, and Francis Rocco Prestia are only three of the multitude of bassists who use this technique.

Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016

If you know how to properly position your right hand for slap-style playing on the bass guitar, you'll be able to produce a wider variety of sounds. The idea behind slap style (or thumb style) bass guitar is to strike a low string with the side of your thumb, giving it a percussive sound (a sharp attack and decay of the note, like a drum), and then to snap (or pop) a high string with your index finger.

Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016

When you're going to play your bass guitar with a band or another instrument, you need to be sure that you're all tuned to the same reference pitch. Using an electronic tuner is by far the easiest way to tune your bass. Modern tuners have a display that lets you see exactly where your string is (pitchwise), whether it’s sharp (too high) or flat (too low), and what note you’re closest to.

Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016

After you've removed the old strings and cleaned the fingerboard, it's time to restring your bass guitar with brand-new strings. New strings are usually coiled in envelopes. The envelopes are numbered according to string size (the thickest string has the highest number). With most electric basses, the new string has to be pulled through a hole in the bridge. Make sure your wire cutters are nearby when you restring your bass. You’ll need to cut the new strings down to size.

Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016

The name finger-style refers to your striking the strings on your bass guitar with the index and middle fingers of your right hand. You can hear this style in country, rock, jazz, and funk — and just about any other type of music. Jaco Pastorius, James Jamerson, and Francis Rocco Prestia are only three of the multitude of bassists who use this technique. Take the following steps to set up your hand properly.

Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016

Imagine that you’re getting together with a bunch of other musicians or bass guitarists to play some music. The guy in charge says, “Let’s jam in D7.” (He’s talking about playing in D dominant.) Don’t panic. The following list gives you some guidelines for determining what notes to play during a D7 jam.

Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016

You’re playing with the band as a bass guitarist, jamming on a dominant groove …but wait …what if the guy in charge yells, very enthusiastically, “Let’s jam in D minor!” Uh, oh…a minor adjustment is in order. Relax. Here’s the process: