Bass is Bill's own instrument on stage: he plays it in a working band, so lessons come with the view from the back line, next to the drummer.
What the bass does
The bass has two jobs at once. Rhythmically, it locks with the drums, especially the kick drum, to set the groove: the repeating rhythmic feel of a song. Harmonically, it plays the lowest note under the chords, most often the root, and that note decides how the chords above it sound.
A four-string bass is tuned E-A-D-G, the same notes as the lowest four guitar strings but an octave lower. Guitarists who switch keep their knowledge of the fretboard; what changes is the role, the heavier strings and the longer reach.
Technique
- Fingerstyle: plucking with alternating index and middle fingers. The most common approach, with a round, full tone.
- Pick: a plectrum gives a sharper attack and helps with fast, even lines; common in rock and metal.
- Muting: stopping strings that should not ring, with both the fretting and the plucking hand. Low strings sustain long and build up noise quickly, so muting belongs to bass technique from the beginning.
- Slap: the thumb strikes the lower strings and the fingers pull ("pop") the higher ones for a percussive sound. It is an option rather than a requirement.
Reading and walking lines
Bass parts are written in bass clef, and much bass music is also published as tab. Lessons teach both.
A walking bass line moves in steady quarter notes, one note per beat, connecting the chord tones with scale and passing notes. It is the standard bass approach in jazz and common in blues. Building one teaches how chords move from one to the next.
Grooves across styles
- Rock: eighth-note lines built on chord roots and locked to the kick drum.
- Metal: fast picked or fingered lines that double the guitar riffs, often in lowered tunings.
- Blues: the shuffle feel and the twelve-bar form, with walking and boogie patterns.
- Jazz: walking lines, chord tones and reading from chord charts.
- Folk: root-fifth patterns that support acoustic instruments and voices.
Bring a song and Bill writes out its bass line. A busy part starts as roots on the main beats; the passing notes and fills go back in once those sit in the groove. Bill plays the other part with you, so the line is practised against the song rather than alone, which is what a band will ask of you.
Types of bass
| Choice | Options | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Strings | 4-string (E-A-D-G); 5-string adds a low B | Range below low E; a 5-string has a wider neck |
| Scale length | Long scale (34 inches, the standard); short scale (around 30 inches) | A short scale has a shorter reach and a lighter feel |
| Frets | Fretted; fretless | Fretless gives a smooth, sliding tone but needs exact finger placement |
| Electronics | Passive; active (battery-powered preamp) | Active gives more output and onboard tone control; passive needs no battery |
Body styles, pickups and the Precision-style and Jazz-style designs are covered in the kinds of bass guide, and bass amps in the amps guide. Bring the bass you have, or the one you are thinking of buying, to the free intro visit.
Questions
Is bass easier to learn than guitar?
Early bass parts are often single-note lines, which makes first songs approachable. The strings are heavier, the reach is longer, and playing tightly in time with a drummer takes its own practice.
Should a beginner start on a 4-string or a 5-string bass?
Most beginners start on a 4-string, which covers most bass parts and has a narrower neck. A 5-string suits music that goes below low E, such as many metal parts.
What do bass lessons cost?
$35 per lesson: 30 minutes, one to one, once a week.
