Be the Bass With These Left Hand Techniques

1. Pop Bass:

Ex. 1 has a Pop feel to it. The C major chord is syncopated and falls right before beat 1 of measures 2 and 4, but there’s a lot of
space in the bass part, which should make things easy. Embrace the simplicity and concentrate on making it feel good. You can
practice all the examples in this article by setting up a simple “two and four” backbeat drum pattern to play over.

2. Rock Bass

Ex. 2 follows the same pattern as in Ex. 1 but now we’re adding a straight eighths rock feel on measures 2 and 4. Notice how
this helps propel the rhythm forward.

3. R&B Bass

Ex. 3 is another variation on the same pattern. The busier bass line here is beginning to imply a more R&B or funk kind of
groove. It’s a bit counterintuitive, but notice how the more syncopated the pattern becomes, the easier it is to play.
4. Syncopated Bass

Ex. 4 introduces more syncopation to the mix. Here, both hands play the first two beats of measures 1 and 3
simultaneously. Make sure to respect the staccato markings to maximize the funk factor.

5. Funk Bass

Ex. 5 is full-fledged funk. The right hand is syncopated in the style of Roger Troutman’s guitar on Zapp’s classic track “More
Bounce to the Ounce.” Notice how the bass line plays “in the cracks” of the groove, which is the key to making this pattern
feel good.

6. Contemporary Jazz Bass

To practice Ex. 6 effectively, take it at a slightly slower tempo and switch up the drum pattern. All of the chords fall on beat
1 except for the last measure. If you have trouble, slow down the last bar so you can feel the displacement of the chord
right after the left hand lands on beat 1.

Source: https://www.keyboardmag.com/lessons/be-the-bass-with-these-left-hand-techniques