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The song Substance is a fantastic tune to learn in the style of folk-swing or lighter rock with maybe just a hint of classic country mixed in. This one’s set at a nice, easy tempo and feel to allow you to work on the fundamental techniques that are critical for moving forward as a better bassist and musician. While working on this piece, you’ll learn things like how to play clear and consistent sounding notes, quarter-note and quarter-rest rhythms, whole notes, how to mute the strings for rests using both hands, how to lock in with the rhythm section, song form, and so much more. It could be your perfect introduction to playing tunes with a band, so check it out!
If you’re just getting started playing bass, and want to learn a tune that grooves hard, but in a rock, or indie-rock style, Mirage could be the perfect choice for you. This one’s set at a nice, easy tempo to allow you to work on the fundamental techniques that are critical for moving forward as a better bassist and musician. In it, you’ll learn the proper hand position to consistently play fat, juicy bass notes. You’ll get to know proper string muting using both hands, how to play rhythms like quarter notes, half notes, and rests, how to lock in with the rhythm section, and more. So, if you want to up your bass game, check this one out!
This track is written in a classic rock style. The bass line grounds the entire tune and provides a solid base for the other instrumentalists to play over. The focus here is playing whole notes, half notes and quarter notes, and your aim should be to focus on locking in rhythmically with the other instruments and producing clear notes. Accuracy and consistency are key here!
This is a fantastic rock track that has big guitars, big drums and space for you to lay down some big bass! The bassline locks in nicely with both the drums and the rhythm guitar, something that contributes to a really solid, powerful sound. This track will help you to work on your rhythmical feel, your timing and your consistency of sound.
If there are any absolutely critical bass lines to memorize in the world of music, ones that you need to have in your tool kit, this is probably #1 on the list! “Rox Sox” is a 12-bar blues tune in the classic style of Chuck Berry, or maybe Brian Setzer with a “jump swing” kind of feel. While studying this piece you’ll learn the must-know bass line pattern, plus tips on tone, technique, and bass line construction that will take your skills to the next level.
This is an awesome acoustic rock-style tune written in 3/4. If you’ve never played in 3/4 before, it has a very distinct lilt to it, something that we don’t really experience when we play in 4/4. Knowing how to play in 3 is a must-know skill for bass players, not least because it’s one of the most popular time signatures used by songwriters (after 4/4, of course!). The bass line itself has a real melodic quality to it as it weaves seamlessly between the different chords. We’re also presented with a couple of grace note slides, which add an additional degree of expressiveness to the bass line.
This tune is a really excellent choice for you to practice and get under your belt because of one key element that will be super-important to know in your development as a bass player and musician: playing the shuffle feel. The shuffle feel is an essential rhythmic groove that is found in countless blues and rock tunes, like “Pride and Joy” by Stevie Ray Vaughan, “Don’t Stop” by Fleetwood Mac, and even “Higher Ground” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In “Shufflin,” Scott will break down this groove for you, step-by-step, so you’ll be able to comfortably and confidently sit in the pocket for any shuffle tune that comes your way.
This is a really great rock tune to learn that sounds a bit like a mashup of Joe Satriani and the Police. In fact, you’ll hear that one section of the piece is a play on the classic Police song “Message in a Bottle” with its similar bass line and harmony. While working on “Message,” you’ll be challenged to truly strengthen your rhythm and timing, with Scott providing practice tips and tricks to help you lock in with a drummer and a band better than ever before.
This tune is written in a hard rock/ heavy metal style. Whilst most tunes in this style are written in 4/4, this tune is written in 3/4 something that gives it a really unique vibe. 3/4 is a really common time signature (other than standard 4/4 time, it’s one of, if not THE most frequently used time signatures in western popular music), so getting to grips with it will certainly stand you in good stead.
With its melodic bass grooves and folk-rock vibe, “Progressional” is a super fun tune to play that is sure to challenge your bass skills. Inside this piece, you will learn a multitude of concepts and techniques, like how to play in a half-time feel, hammer-ons in a fill context, and more. In addition, we’ll deconstruct a really cool riff up the neck that’s built from the Dorian scale, plus give you tips on how to compose a bass line over a chord sequence. We think you’ll love this piece, so grab your bass and check it out!
