Delta Charter Music

โ† Bass ยท Grooves ยท about 20 min

Root notes and your first groove

Play just one note per chord and you are already making music.

What's a root note?

Every chord has a name, like G or Em. The note with the same name is the root. The bass usually plays the root, because it tells everyone which chord is happening.

G chord โ†’ play G. E minor chord โ†’ play E. C chord โ†’ play C. D chord โ†’ play D.

The chord chart

1G
2Em
3C
4D

Each box is one measure of 4 beats. Play the chord on each slash, then repeat the whole line.

Your first groove

G is on the E string (3rd fret). E is the open E. C is on the A string (3rd fret), and D is on the A string (5th fret). Four steady beats for each chord.

Key of G 4/4โ™ฉ = 72 Bass: written an octave higher than it sounds
1G
2Em
3C
4D

Each box is one measure of 4 beats. Play the chord on each slash, then repeat the whole line.

G|-------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
D|-------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
A|-------------|--------------|--3--3--3--3--|--5--5--5--5--|
E|-3--3--3--3--|--0--0--0--0--|--------------|--------------|

Press play to hear it, or turn the tempo down and play along.

Lock in with the drums

Bass and kick drum are a team. Try to hit your note at the exact same time as the kick drum.

  1. Listen

    Play the drum beat from the Drums module, and listen to the kick.

  2. Match it

    Play your root note exactly with the kick. When they line up, it sounds huge.

  3. Mute the rest

    Rest your fretting hand lightly on the strings you aren't playing so they don't ring.

Can youโ€ฆ