This puts the modes I want to riff on easily within reach. I tend to rely on the patterns below.Ī trick I developed (though I doubt I'm the first to use it) is to use my second finger on the root note of any major chord and my first finger on the root of any minor chord. Using the Ionian mode for major chords and the Aeolian mode for minor chords is a safe bet in most forms of music. Using these two modes can help you make an improvised bassline truly interesting. I'm sure many of our readers are already able to do this without thinking about it. With a little practice and ear training, you should be able to pick out whether the chords you're playing over are major or minor. It's possible, but highly unlikely in most songs, for the natural fifth to be a wrong note. Once you have the roots of the progression down, you can play the natural fifth of each root note over any major or minor chords. However, you're probably going to want to embellish at least a little bit when you can. Especially with jazz and metal songs that may feature minor seventh chords with a flatted fifth (m7b5), you can never go wrong by sticking to the roots and octaves, regardless of what the chords are. Some great bass riffs rely almost solely on the chords' roots and octaves. Even the most repugnant band members are likely to tell you what the root notes are, or preferably give you a chord chart – though I've learned not to count on that "luxury." The second most important thing to do after getting into a rhythm is to play the right notes, which brings us to the next point. This will create a solid rhythm for your band to play over (so if the rest of the band is out of time with you and the drummer, they can't blame anyone but themselves). If you're improvising a riff, you should try to match your notes as closely as possible with your drummer's kick. Of course, their coordination is near superhuman and they had some time to plan ahead, but they demonstrate a good connection between drummer and bassist.Īt the end of the video, Smith shows how he uses the kick drum to match the accents on Flea's bassline. This video features Flea and Chad Smith of RHCP improvising together. Even playing the right notes comes second to this. The most important thing when playing bass is to be in time with the drummer. However, in my experience as a bassist, I've been forced to come up with a bassline on the fly very often, and what I've outlined below will get you sounding closer to a completed bassline when you're hammering out a song with your band. I want to clarify up front that these tips aren't intended as a substitute for writing out a musically correct part for your instrument. though if you're the kind who cannot bear to live without recognition, chances are you're not bold enough to play bass.) (Just don't expect much gratitude for it. However, with these tips, you can exceed the high expectations of your bandmates. That kind of dependability does not come easily despite what the more treble-minded musicians may think. In fact, a bassist is often expected to be able to craft perfect lines for a new song with little more than a demonstration of the chords on guitar. While everyone in a band loves a good bassline, you're unlikely to hear anything about your playing unless it's bad.
A lost singer can listen for the low end to get back in the groove, and an overly experimental guitar solo can be grounded by a steady bassist.
The best bassists are unflappable even when the rest of the band is faltering. A peculiar type of stoicism is expected of most bassists.
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