Creative Bass eMag 16

Compiled and written by Bass Player and Music Educator George Urbaszek
Bass Lessons Online

Tip
Play a riff/groove/line/figure you are very familiar with. Change the duration/length of any of the notes and hear how it changes the feel. Experiment. Experiment a lot! Be committed.

Today’s Lesson
Here is a (mini) lesson in creative improvisation in only 4 steps. You may have come across this info before; however, I have added audio for you to check out some of my takes on the concept.

This information may be much more powerful than first meets the eye, so take your time and often re-visit the concept throughout various stages of your development.

Just click the text “HERE” to listen to (and download) audio samples in MP3 format.

1. Play the notes of a G7 chord as an arpeggio – G B D F
Click HERE for audio

2. Precede each chord tone with a semitone (half step) from below – F# G, A# B, C# D, E F
Click HERE for audio

3. Use any combination of the two-note groups (approach note plus chord tone) making sure, however, that you always end on a chord tone (G B D or F)
Click HERE for audio

4. Be creative with your rhythms and choices of register.
Click HERE for audio

The great thing about this approach is that you don’t even have to know the note names of the chords you are improvising over. Nor do you have to know the names of the approach notes. And you will be using eight notes out of twelve possible notes (of the chromatic scale) for your creations. All you initially need to learn are the arpeggio shapes.

Recommendations

In the previous eMag I mentioned the emergence of female bass players.

My all-time favourite is Me’Shell Ndegeocello – She is a MUST CHECK for the most tasty, relaxed, musical, emotional, spacious, sometimes unusual and compelling BASS GROOVES. Her music goes way beyond bass playing.
Great “entry” CDs for you to check out are her early “Plantation Lullabies” and “Peace Beyond Passion”

Here are links to several Me’Shell websites where you can gain great insight:
http://www.freemyheart.com/
http://www.theworldhasmademethemanofmydreams.com/ (cool entry graphic)
http://www.myspace.com/officialmeshellndegeocello (contains a FUNKY slap clip)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Me'Shell_Ndeg%C3%A9Ocello (this wiki page is interesting too)

How about Carol Kaye! She has appeared on countless hit recordings you have definitely heard. Carol is also a great bass teacher.

http://www.carolkaye.com/
http://www.carolkaye.com/www/library/index.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Kaye (yes, another wiki page)
http://abbeyrd.best.vwh.net/carolkay.htm (a great insight into the life of a session player)

Enjoy your bass playing too!

George Urbaszek
Bass Player and Music Educator
Serving Bass Players Worldwide since 1996
Bass Lessons Online