If you want to know how to play advanced bass guitar, then check this out.
Playing advanced bass techniques are quite hard and time consuming. It will require lots of practice, comprehension and patience. As the saying goes “Practice makes perfect”; always remember that practice helps us to master and maintain skills. With proper practice and enough patience, you will be able to play like a pro too. Most famous bassists that we know spend years practicing and mastering of their skills. Everything starts with the basics.
Here are the essential lessons that you will encounter in learning how to play advanced bass techniques:
Music Theory: This is a very important lesson that every musician should learn. Music theory will help you create music and communicate with other musicians. Music theory will also give you terminologies and definitions that you need to know as a musician.
o Basic Elements of Music
Rhythm – patterned movements of the beats in a song. This is about the music's duration.
Beat – a recognizable rhythmic pattern used in music.
Meter – this is simply the beat count of the music. Time signatures are used to identify the number of beats per measure.
Tempo – simply means the speed of the beat.
Harmony – group of notes played together.
Melody – another group of notes played together, often played individually which gives it a defined linear sound.
o Intervals – refers to the distance or space between two notes. Intervals are described as:
Whole Step or Tone – one note or space apart.
Half Step or Semitone – no space between two notes.
o Musical Intervals and Scale Degrees – These will help you locate the note that you will be playing. Each note in a scale is labeled.
Scales and Modes – This is one of the most important topics that you need to learn, especially if you want to be a full-fledged musician.
There are different types of scales:
1. Major Scale – basic and common scale pattern, widely used in different genres, because it is easy to play and pleasing for the ears.
2. Minor Scale – another basic and common scale, but this scale is typically equated with sadness.
3. Pentatonic Scale – this scale contains 5 notes in a scale/octave.
1. Major Pentatonic – Can be used in any genre, because it is easy to play and pleasing for the ears,
2. Minor Pentatonic – Commonly used for jazz, rock, and blues.
4. Melodic Minor
5. Harmonic Scale – Commonly used in neoclassical rock compositions.
6. Blues Scale – Used for blues, jazz, funk, and rock.
There are 7 modes in a scale (Greek modes) developed by the Greeks long time ago. Each mode use the same notes but different patterns and moods.
1. Ionian Mode – The first mode. The starting note for this mode is C.
2. Dorian Mode – Second mode. The starting note for this mode is D.
3. Phrygian Mode – Third mode. The starting note for this mode is E.
4. Lydian Mode – Fourth mode. The starting note for this mode is F.
5. Mixolydian Mode – Fifth mode. The starting note for this mode is G.
6. Aeolian Mode – Sixth mode. The starting note for this mode is A.
7. Locrian Mode – Seventh mode that starts with B.
Arpeggios – also known as broken chords and arpeggiated chords. These are notes in a chord played individually. Since we typically do not play chords on the bass guitar, we can just simply play arpeggios or just the root note of the chord.
Advanced Techniques – Here are some popular advanced bass techniques.
o How To Slap – Instead of plucking the strings, you will use your thumb’s knuckles (the bone or joint) to ring the string. Allow your thumb to bounce off the strings.
o How To Pop – Another type of plucking. you will just simply place the tip of your index finger under the strings, like a hook, and then pull.
o How To Tap – This is playing 2 to 3 notes at the same time. You can use both of your hands. For the left hand, use a hammer-on technique, and for the right hand, simply tap and flick the strings using your index finger.
o How To Sweep Pick – This technique is usually for playing arpeggios and triads. Instead of plucking each string to play the notes, you will just simply strum the string with your thumb. If there are two notes on the same string, just apply the hammer-on technique.
o Harmonics – are bell-like sounds. Harmonics tips for bass guitar is one popular query on the Internet, because playing harmonics are tricky and a bit hard.
Natural Harmonics – there are specific frets where you can play natural harmonics (3rd, 5th, 7th, and 12th fret). Lightly place you fretting finger over the string. Pluck the string using your right hand.
Artificial Harmonics – Place your fretting hand on the note that you want to play. Then lightly place your right index finger 12 frets away from the fretted note, then ring the string with your right thumb.
Pinch Harmonics – Put the tip of your right index finger and right thumb together as if you will be pinching something. Use your index finger to pluck or ring the string, then use your thumb to stop the vibration to produce harmonics.
Tap Harmonics – Just like artificial harmonics you need to pluck the string 12 frets away from the fretted note. The only difference between the two is that you will lightly tap the string to produce a bell-like sound or harmonics.
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