Learn To Play Bass Like The Best
Learn the basics of technique, gear, and most importantly, how to think like a bass player. Whether you're a guitarist-turned-bassist or just a lover of the low end, this comprehensive course will take you through blues, rock, and funk so that you can confidently step into a band. Perfect for the beginner-to-intermediate player.
The Guitarist's Guide To Bass
This course provides you with all the tools you’ll need to get acquainted with the instrument and to understand the role of the bass player.
To do this, we will be working on:
Tone and Technique: The secrets of plucking, muting, and fretting so that you can get great tone and confidently play with your fingers or use a pick.
Transferring Knowledge: Take patterns that you’re familiar with, such as arpeggios and the pentatonic scale, and visualize them on the bass. You’d be surprised by how much you already know!
The Rhythm Section Philosophy: Understand the role of the bass player, learn how to interact with a drummer, and bridge the gap between harmony and rhythm. This will orient your mindset and free you from always having to take a solo.
Blues You Can Use: Learn a few shuffle patterns, a slow blues, and even some jazzy substitutions that commonly show up in West-Coast style jump blues. You’ll be ready to jam in no time!
Rock On: Focus on feel and learn how to navigate chord progressions that show up in your favorite rock tunes. The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, Creedence, U2, The Killers… the list goes on and on.
Funk it up: If you’re not having fun already, don’t worry. We’re about to FUNk it up. We’ll create grooves, improvise a bass line, and show you how to add fills.
Gear: Understand the difference between 4 and 5 string basses, Precision and Jazz pick-ups, and short-scale instruments.
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Understand the role of the bass player, learn how to interact with a drummer, and bridge the gap between harmony and rhythm. This will orient your mindset and free you from always having to take a solo.
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Learn how to apply your knowledge of guitar to the bass!
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Learn major scale shapes on the bass.
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Learn minor scale shapes on the bass.
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Take on the “bass mindset” and learn how to be a great band member.
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Learn how to be a great part of the rhythm section by paying attention to the drummer.
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Ryan chats with guitar player/educator Brett Papa about what it means to be a blues bass player.
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Your basic blues shuffle and your first musical goal!
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Learn the basic shapes for this blues shuffle.
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Take these shapes a step further with more variations. These can be applied to all kinds of blues tunes!
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Learn the rhythmic approach to a shuffle and the basics of blues walking.
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Take your shuffle groove a step further with more rhythmic variations.
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Learn more about the 12 bar blues and how to navigate through the chord progression.
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Let’s get ready to rock! We’ll introduce the concepts for this chapter and chat about how to integrate these lessons into our favorite tunes.
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The perfect three chord rock song.
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Learn how to play through the verse. We’ll chat chord progression, rhythmic feel, and more.
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Learn how to play through the chorus. We’ll chat chord progression, rhythmic feel, and more.
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And finally, some fancy stuff. Learn about chord inversions and how that can elevate your bass line.
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We’re taking it up a notch! Let’s listen to the perfect four chord rock song.
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An overview of how to approach this type of song. These lessons span the genre of rock and can also be applied to country and Americana.
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Time to dig into the verse!
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Don’t bore us, get to the chorus.
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Learn the fretboard and add dynamics by changing registers. The perfect way to impress band mates and replicate the feel of rock and roll.
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Ryan chats about groove and funk. It’s the bassist’s time to shine!
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Learn about our musical goals and how to work through this section of the course.
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Believe it or not, most funk grooves feature just two chords.
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Let’s dig into the lesson so that you can get grooving!
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Ready for a funky blues? Frequently called at blues jams, you’ll be prepared to lay down the groove.
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Let’s find out groove, add some dead notes, and take it through a 12-bar-blues.
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Time to bring some New Orleans vibes into our funk playing.
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Learn how to use the minor pentatonic to great awesome funk grooves.
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Who doesn’t love gear? Ryan will break down the importance of different instruments, tone, and more.
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The legend of the P bass and why it could be the right bass for you.
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Short scale basses are all the rage these days and they’re great for transitioning from guitar.
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Ready for that 5th string? We’ll chat about jazz style pick-ups and how versatile this instrument can be.
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