PRIVATE LESSONS Groove? ELECTRIC BASS ESSENTIAL PATTERNS AND BASS LINES FOR ALL STYLES by David Keif ISBN 0-7935-8925-8 LEONARD*CONTENTS Introduction About this Book Straight Eighth Notes Groove 1 Groove 2 Groove 3 Triplets Groove 4 Groove 5 Groove 6 Straight Sixteenth Notes Groove 7 Groove 8 Groove 9 Groove 10 Shuffle Sixteenth Notes Groove 11 Groove 12 Groove 13 Groove 14 Bass Compositions “Homerun” “Chick'n Stu” “Say What “The Fugitive” Music Acknowledgments About the Author 9 10 u 12 13 4 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24STRAIGHT EIGHTH NOTES This groove is fairly simple, but the intervals in beats three and four of the first and third measures present an awkward fingering. The double stops are all perfect fifths. Notice that the guitar doubles the bass in the second section of the groove % © Groove 1 "D.C. al Coda Emtadd2y 8 30 pay th et om 2 To Coda QStraight Eighth No’ Measures 1-8 are standard pop-style bass parts. In the ninth measure the groove becomes a combination of bass part and chordal accompaniment. Keep the shifts between the two quick and clean. Analyze the relationship of the double stops to the chords & 9 Groove 2 Bn? DF Gina ea Bo ete t za fmae a. —— a eo cag Bn? : : — = ate (FS 1 a 7 FP a | ‘ 1 SS E Say oe = Em Cmaivt 6||] Ble duThe first section of this groove is based on the interval of a sixth. (It will help you learn if you can without using the open strings. The second section is mostly chord tones—almost like recognize ai repeating theme or characteristic of the music. we find more challenging fingerings. Gm & O Groove 3 ise Am? G 3 key signature denotes G Dara Am? bo m7 op? a piece ) Try to play this groove arpeggios! Here pray Gm *“DG.alCoda — ()} Coda eect 72) #8 2 BS pole Ett sitter Seal ae Ges * Play thn form as, ‘Ont ne gto ConTRIPLETS The first section should be played in one position until the B in the second measure. Start with the second finger on A» and shift only to reach the B. The second section outlines the chords with arpeggios crossing all four strings. Notice how the double stops are all seventh intervals. 2 & Groove 4 * D.C. al Fine Fine (third time)This groove presents some very difficult fingering and shifting. In the first section, the first measure should be played without a shift. The second measure starts with a 1-9-5 interval combination on two chords and should be played using the same shape at two different areas of the neck. The fourth measure starts the same way as the second but requires one additional shift to complete, Be ready for the quick transition to the first chord of the second section. This section can be played in one position until the last note before the Da Capo. Watch for the tricky rhythm in the last two measures of the groove. Beats 3 and 4 of the second-to-last measure and beats 1 and 2 of the last measure all have notes which fall on the second sub-division (one-and-a) of the triplet. © Groove 5 * D.C. al Fine Bem? A brett tate oe 2 28 cece tHe i oe fe =| L 8 * ‘ 1 : oo = c 8 ae de | ane 1 E 7 7 | / 7 1 ® Fine oops eta Aly Ebm = Fe he w _ = | 5 4 7 6 4 i $ ‘ 2 ; |Groove 6 is definitely one of the more challenging grooves in the book. Although there is a repeating, pattern, this groove requires some fast shifting and stamina to play smoothly and solidly. Pay particular attention to the triplet feel to make sure the groove swings. d } Groove 6 10SEXTEENTH NOTES Notice that this groove doesn’t have the root of the chord present until the The difficulty of this groove is the big position shift which occurs between the and the low Fé on the E string, and back again. Using the open A and the those shifts easier. Watch out for the 2/4 time signature in the and of the third beat high F¢ on the G string open D string will help make second ending. } } Groove 7 te 2 ie te fe SS ee ft te — ppc oP le = dae oo 4 oo I 10 4 e336 0 23 i =D. al Fine 87 o = ee eee ee ee See — = 7 —— — 8 6 ote 6 8 w 8 8 1 " Q 5 7 10 ‘ "ECE Groove 8 opens with a line built on fifth intervals. Like the last groove, it does not start with the root of the chord, but still implies the harmony. Slide from the F# that ends the first measure into the which starts the second me: sure, The double stops in the first section are major tenths. The second section is fairly standard until the last two measures which return to the sequence of fifths followed by three double stops. } Groove 8 cm? Band Base maj? Amaj7 To Coda Amaj? *D.C.alCoda Coda Get ar Gat ET Cém7 Fm Amaj? Cem? be 8 2° Wee B18 2 4 6 7* = sae seta ta aia Pash a ae 12Consistent, driving sixteenth notes present the biggest challenge of this groove. This is another groove which starts with a note other than the root. I suggest extended fingering for the first two beats of the first three measures. Shift your hand up the neck at the end of tie third measure (E> at the thirteenth fret of the D string) to make the fingering easier in the fourth measure. @ } Groove 9 19 = tt site Fp EF ont Phe es et Sig ge et — — J a0 ~ Fy #8 eo eG 10 oto 0 ooo oo 668 To Coda © AbTEI Gro - a. ae 2 bo a8 8 0 10 wo | | 13Groove 10 is another sixteenth-note groove. There's nothing, unusual here until the last two measures, where you may elect to shift up the neck to play the and of beat 2 and beats 3 and 4. The last measure is played best around the twelfth fret ® 4 Groove 10 Fall Without f Fie oie oy” Se i I 4 e554 4 22-2446 Db, ote pip oy —=—_— — 6 6 6-5 4-4 alee 55 4a 46° 222446 Eom B? Bb745(59) Ebm Db, > * Mie ose 3, . Bb 785159) 665543 2 2 14Groove 11 begins with shuffle sixteenth notes. Very syncopated rhythms and short notes are the character of this groove, so the note value should be interpreted exactly as written, The last two measures are unison with the keyboard. Notice the major seventh double stop at the end Groove 11 eats og the r | j | —S= E749 ay sie a 2 - — 7 7 - 2 48 4a — 244 ay 4 + D.C.al Fine Fine (06/ repeat) AT Gate Ga7eo Cémimaj?) fe & | 15SSE Due primarily to the slow tempo, this groove is deceptively difficult. The groove in the first section is based on octaves moving in the interval of a tri-tone. Be sure to swing the sixteenth note phrases. Groove 12 hind Bese leeee 7 Doel Bol} ~~ e fee 2 ~ ate * * 28 fet ey +: To Coda () ETH RC} 8 . 2 5 2 —— s 2 | +) 4 4 4 Cs a *DS.al Coda oe ee 78 a ptig tot es SS : | : | Ce a 4 ° 7 0 3 ay ei oa 2 Hs: Ont hurd 16Groove 13 presents several difficult challenges. The basic groove in the first demanding due to the string crossing, and is further complicated by the swing (ie. hip hop) feel Watch out for the sixteenth-note line at the end of this section. The second section starts on the second sixteenth note of the first beat and continues to be very syncopated. The keyboard part during this section is unison at times but does not play all of the accents. } Groove 13 Fall Witour Hand Rise ection is very b7#9 5 _ my Gm Bo OF Gui pik Gm suas — oe e548 s Sxa4 3 = : aatatatel toa 2 3 : Fine D.C. al Fine i/tepeat) 69 e789 GA mit Dmit Gm7 D7: 7SENN The first section of this piece is a typical R&B-style bass line. It is the shuffle feel which adds to the difficulty. Be sure to record it and listen back to check your feel. The second section spans the neck from low F to high C. Be sure to play the written slides. } Groove 14 beets Bhan Bans 18BASS CONIPOSITIONS “Homerun’ starts with a simple 12/8 bass line which develops into the melody for the second half of the composition. The melody is also supported with bass notes, which are sometimes played to create the harmony. Notice how the chords and bass notes in measures 5 and 7 are different under the same melodic motif. & Homerun Bm? em oe 2 19:8, ye : = ? 8 oe ea Ee + ' wo ‘ To 9 “aH 5 5 7 7 s 7 a =f - =| 4 now 6 4 a4 o Pn 5 5 t 7 - - | 7 7 ° Atunt Gimt Fem? Gai sya ef & pf te [te - ~ “4 Wt 6 we é 6 a" 1a yee L 6 ® 116 I — Dal Fine Fa7b9 Emo igi TS = i = 7 Roo 1" “ ute | a “OT “ Le 7 19For "Chick’n Stu,” the bass functions like a keyboard or guitar in the first section; the bass part is the main accompaniment using a combination of bass notes and double stops. In the second section, the bass and guitar play the melody, with the bass adding occasional roots under the melody for support } } Chick’n Stu Swing(se « Emo eo foe = f cise (9% =] Fem? ate [Ftp b> py ee ee we we 16 ae = 20EES Peg : a ee ee eee F 22 Be : E © py = = a a — — ee : * 8 . # 8 a aThe first eight measures of “Say What” are standard sixteenth-note, funk-style lines. The Amaj7#11 chord is a double stop—the top note being the #11. In the second ending, the bass part starts the melody, which becomes a combination of double stops and counterpoint. Alll of the double stops, with the exception of one, are the root of the chord with the melody on top. For the D7, the double stop is the 3rd and 7th of the chord Say What cen AmaitA11 CR a as ' . (Def h ae Tl ee oa eos i on | aten on " 1" 0 # 9 9 ries 8 4 Amira 2 fa's fe = cal? pont We ee e =" — a | os ate — Ts fis 5 r Es oe eee 9:4 55.2 = [ fie oS : Fee rere ae 3 oe : (*;="8 4 aH = # 8 ¢ ® He DC alFine Fim? ei eee pear St > yo iP $6 == Boe | - HW ¢ WO tt 14 a ; y ° ny iy | 0 : + y 22EEX “The Fugitive” begins with standard sixteenth note lines. The main challenge lies in the second section where the harmonized melody line results in some very difficult fingering and shifts The Fugitive Ebmaj7411 Fam7bS Abmaj? Dm7 Bm? i. — in) 3+ D.C.al Fine (repeat Fine Dm — 7-046 “ a w+ 5 E | | ™ geal “ ew 78 23.