Bass: Bassline Construction

The exercises below are similar to the exercises in the walking bass chapter, except that the focus is on the choice of notes in general bass lines or grooves here.

The examples only serve as illustrations. Try to understand the principles, then practice them with different chord progressions and with your own rhythms and variations.

Root and Fifth

Root and Fifth

Root and Third

Root and Third

Triads

Triads

Root, Fifth and Octave

Root, Fifth and Octave

Root, Fifth and Ninth

Root, Fifth and Ninth

Root, Fifth and Tenth

Root, Fifth and Tenth

Diatonic Approach

Diatonic Approach

Chromatic Approach

Chromatic Approach

Pentatonic

Pentatonic