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greghagger

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Everything posted by greghagger

  1. greghagger
    Tone is so important for us bass players. Without a good sound, what do we have? Most of the time when we practice at home at low volumes or using headphones, we lose perspective of how tiny tweaks and changes to our technique can make massive differences when playing live at much louder volumes. A loud amp or PA will amplify any subtle changes we make and that is something we should always be aware of when practicing. When I first started putting serious work into my bass playing in the early 90's I went to a more advanced bass player for some help with my sound. He showed me a simple change I needed to make and to this day that has stuck with me and it's something I'm always aware of. I've made a YouTube lesson on this technique because it's something that I often see new students missing and you may also need to work on this to improve your tone. This technique involves the mechanisms behind how you pluck the strings and it's a simple technique that anyone can start to use from beginner to intermediate players. Maybe you mastered this technique ages ago but I'm sure that there is something in this lesson for everyone.... There are exercises in the video that you can also download on a free PDF. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/9pLDn7RaEn4
  2. greghagger
    Hey @lowdown thanks man! Good suggestion for software in your last message. I highly recommend going down that route for students once they have grasped the basic of writing music. I’m running a boot camp in September for beginner readers and there will be notation tasks so I made the YouTube lesson to help with that as well as for general viewing.
  3. greghagger
    Yes @paul_5 that’s a good suggestion for a software program but I highly recommend that beginner readers physically write down music first to learn the basics properly. Programs will automatically do a lot of this which is great once you’ve established the basics.
  4. greghagger
    Good suggestion @FDC484950 Music notation software is great, I use Sibelius pretty much everyday. But I recommend students to physically write down music first of all as it helps with learning to read music as well. It’s good to learn the rules of writing but software programs will automatically do this for you. Once you’ve mastered and understand notation then using software programs make a lot of sense.
  5. greghagger
    Ever wanted to write down music but don't know where to start? My new YouTube video lesson is an easy guide to get you up and running with writing down music. You don't need any fancy software, you just need a pen and the manuscript paper which I'll give you in the free PDF booklet to print out. It’s so handy to be able to notate music, even if you just want to scribble down a riff to remember later on. Notating music also helps to speed up learning to read music and the two skills complement each other. The PDF booklet link is in the video description. I’d love to hear how you get on so leave a comment under the video to let me know or if you have any questions please ask. https://youtu.be/Dm8T99qR2DU
  6. greghagger
    If you play bass for a while then there’s no doubt that you’re going to hear about Jaco! Although his bass lines are often challenging to play, he still used basic pattens that he developed to more complex grooves. A few years into playing bass I worked out one of those pattern and I knew instantly that it was going to be really useful for Funk and Soul bass lines. It falls under the fingers very nicely and sound great! It's a basic 16th note groove that you can use over one chord or when the chord progression moves from chord 1 to chord 5 and back to chord 1 again. You might also have heard of Rocco Prestia and Jerry Jemmott who were also playing in that era, they frequently used this groove in their bass lines too. Check out the video lesson to find out more... Free PDF in the video description. https://youtu.be/tkaLlilo5lY
  7. greghagger
    One of the most common questions I get from bass students is should I practice scales and if so, which ones? Now there are a lot of scales out there and trying to practice them all is let's face, pretty boring and tedious! Although I think it's important to have basic scale knowledge, I don't recommend mindlessly running scales each day. But there are four scales that are essential to know if you want to create riffs, bass lines and licks that you know are going to sound great. These scales are the major and minor pentatonic scales and the two Blues scales. I've made a new Youtube lesson showing you all four scales and an easy way to remember them. There's also a handy PDF booklet with the four scales in standard notation and TAB along with fret diagrams. If you do run scales in your practice sessions, these four should be the ones you focus on. https://youtu.be/bUZPpdn8G_A
  8. greghagger
    @paul_5So great isn’t it. Interesting when you come to play some of the more tricky lines that don’t fall under the fingers so much on bass.
  9. greghagger
    You might already be aware of how important the pentatonic scales are for us bass players. They can be used to create bass lines, riffs and licks that you know are going to sound great. There’s a song called Mojo Hannah by Elkie Brooks that has a bass line almost exclusively made up from the major pentatonic scale. It’s really fun to play and a good example of how to incorporate certain scales into bass lines. I’ve transcribed the bass line note for note and you can download the free PDF In standard notation and Tab. I’ve also made up a webpage where you can hear me playing the main riff, learn the pentatonic scale and read the bass line. Even if you don’t yet have the technique to play the bass line at full tempo, it’s still worth learning and playing at the speed you’re comfortable with. Enjoy! https://www.gbshed.com/mojo-hannah-bass-line
  10. greghagger
    Cheers, glad you like it.
  11. greghagger
    It may come as a surprise to you that there is a formula that can help you to play great sounding walking bass, but there is! Certain note choices just sound 'right' every time and the quicker you get to know those, the quicker you'll be able to play walking bass lines that work, sound great, and help support the band. Walking bass lines can be utilised in many style of music, Blues and Jazz are the obvious ones but you'll also find walking bass in Ska, Reggae, and Pop for example. In my latest YouTube video I show you this formula and how to pick the ‘best notes’ for your walking bass line. I use a simple Jazz progression but everything you learn in the lesson can be applied to any style of walking bass. This is a great starting point for improvising your own walking bass lines. Once you learn these walking basics you can develop them and start getting more creative with your note choices. There is a free downloadable PDF booklet in the video description. Enjoy!
  12. greghagger
    I was jamming through a Robben Ford track the other day and I found myself messing around with an idea for a lick. Without really thinking about it I was using a pattern based on the minor pentatonic scale. This is a really useful scale to utilise when trying to come up with licks and fills. Once you get the pentatonic scales under your fingers, you have options and great sounding note choices for creating bass lines and knowing these scale shapes also help with transcribing. So I thought I'd share this lick in a YouTube lesson and also run through the minor pentatonic scale. A bonus is that this lick will work over minor and major chords so it's very versatile. Some of you may find the lick pretty technical and fast so it might take a while to learn but I've also put a second easier lick in the lesson for those of you that don't fancy the main lick! You’ll find the free PDF link under the video. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/4AXGXTcugZA
  13. greghagger
    There's a great way to link up chord changes in Blues and Jazz bass lines that pretty much every experienced player will use. When I first started playing in a Blues band and worked this particular walk up out, I found it so useful for loads of the bass lines I was playing. This walk up is very simple but extremely effective and you can use it in lots of different musical situations. In my latest YouTube lesson I show you how to use the walk up to connect different chords in a 12-Bar Blues. I think you'll be surprised at just how easy it is to learn and play this simple one-bar pattern. Once you know this walk up then you can use it in Blues walking lines, groove bass lines, Jazz standards, Gospel, and the list goes on. There’s a free PDF booklet in standard notation and Tab in the video description. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/VNx_5mdOdGY
  14. greghagger
    No worries. Great song isn’t it!
  15. greghagger
    Black Magic Woman is an absolute classic that every musician should know. I heard the Peter Green version first but remember being blown away when a friend then played me the Santana version with the extended jam section at the end. Check it out if you haven't heard it. I love the mix of Blues, Rock, Jazz and Latin in Santana's music. But most of all I love the vibe and energy that comes across in all of his songs. The bass line to Black Magic Woman is fairly simple to play (apart from the Latin riff at the end!) but it does require you to lock into the groove and land accurately on each change of chord. Once you get it, this is a lovely bass line to play. I’ve made a video lesson on the bass line from this extended Santana version. You can also pick up a full transcription in standard notation or Tab for free under the video. Enjoy this classic bass line. https://youtu.be/5uyro1t_vks
  16. greghagger
    That’s good to hear!! 😂
  17. greghagger
    You can have great fun playing bass at Blues jams. There's something really liberating about stepping onstage with a bunch of musicians that you don't know and playing a tune totally off the cuff. Now the thought of doing this may fill you with dread, you might not think that you're good enough to get up to jam or you might not know how the whole scene works or even how to get yourself on the list to play. I've put a video lesson and article together to help anyone who has aspirations to get up and play at a Blues jam. I'm sure that the lesson will give you the confidence to go for it and head down to play at your local jam. In the video I discuss common Blues jam tunes, I talk about learning Blues song structures and importantly give you some of my personal experience concerning jam night etiquette. I hope this helps and I’d love to hear any of your jam night stories or if you would like to play at jam and the lesson helped you. All the info you need is on the webpage. https://www.gbshed.com/how-to-survive-a-blues-jam-for-bass-players
  18. greghagger
    The Blues shuffle groove can be problematic for bass players attempting to play it the first few times. There's a particular rhythmic pattern that has to be there in the bass line and this often throws players. To play the shuffle groove correctly, it's all about understanding how the beat is divided and how to lock in with the drums. After that it's easy... he says! To help you with the Blues shuffle I have created a new free lesson page on the Greg’s Bass Shed website where I start with explaining the basic groove and then show you shuffle bass riffs that you can use at a Blues gig or jam night. So many great Blues tunes are played with the shuffle feel so it's great to master it once and for all. You can also download a free PDF with all the Shuffle bass riffs on it in Tab and standard notation. https://www.gbshed.com/how-to-play-the-shuffle-groove-on-bass
  19. greghagger
    Did you know that Jazz is heavily influenced by Blues and that the Jazz Blues chord progressions come directly from the humble 12-Bar Blues? In my new video 'Evolution Of The Jazz Blues', I show a clear path from the tradition 12-Bar Blues progression to the more complex Jazz Blues progressions used by Jazz musicians such as Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. Understanding this link is vital if you want to really understand the lineage of the Jazz Blues and play walking bass lines to these chord progressions. I’ve put the various chord progressions from the lesson on a free PDF which is downloadable from a link underneath the video. There’s also the ‘standard’ Bebop Jazz Blues progression on the PDF and you should know this if you want to survive a Jazz jam night! If you’re looking to start playing Jazz then this is definitely a good video to check out. Have fun! https://youtu.be/g2J3g8EvYRc
  20. greghagger
    That’s a really great version too!
  21. greghagger
    I’ve always loved the descending unison riff in the tune Feelin’ Good. It’s so powerful and really defines the song. The Nina Simone version is probably the most well known with versions also by Michael Buble and Muse. I found a Joe Bonamassa version that I really like and I’ve used this to make a lesson. In the video find out how slash chords work and how they can help with creating smooth linear bass lines. I’ve transcribed the whole Bonamassa and Nina Simone bass lines and you can get a free copy of the PDF booklet in standard notation and TAB under the YouTube video. Have fun with this. https://youtu.be/HYieMYZm8sQ
  22. greghagger
    When thinking of Reggae bass, one man always springs to mind and that's Aston "Family Man" Barrett. He's one of the forerunners of the Reggae scene, playing on all the Bob Marley hit records . Playing Reggae bass can initially be confusing with the very particular 'riddims' and grooves involved. There are specific rhythmic patterns that sound great and bass is so important in this style as it really drives the tunes. To keep things simple and get you started with playing Reggae I have laid out a lesson with six fundamental techniques that you can use to construct your own Reggae bass lines that work and sound authentic. In the lesson there are four bass grooves and two backing tracks to quickly get you up and running playing Reggae bass. I've made up a lesson page on the GBS website that you can work through and you'll also find the Youtube lesson video at the top of that page with a free downloadable PDF under the video. https://www.gbshed.com/how-to-play-reggae-bass-lines
  23. greghagger
    The reason you can hear the clanking in online tutorials is because the vocal mic is picking it up. It’s that simple! Try and record yourself playing with a mic near your bass and it will all make sense! When I make my bass tutorials I cut the vocal track out of the video in the sections where I’m playing during editing but sometimes I’m talking and playing so I can’t do this in these sections. Also, a lot of fret noise disappears in the mix. If you’ve ever been in the studio and listened to bass only on playback, you’ll hear a lot of noise!
  24. greghagger
    Hi, if you want more of a manual that gets you started reading by yourself with a teacher then check this book out. It explains how to work out the notes and rhythm. https://www.gbshed.com/books/reading-music-for-bass-players
  25. greghagger
    There's a quick way to learn any scale and then play it over the whole bass fretboard. This involves visualising a shape that the scale makes and using this shape as 'building blocks' to stack on top of each other. This method enables you to see where all the notes of the scale are over the entire fretboard. Once you can play scales over the whole fretboard, you're open to more easily constructing fills and riffs using the notes that you know work and sound great. The pentatonic scales in particular are essential to us bass players and you need to have these under your fingers. I focus on the major pentatonic scale in this new YouTube video lesson. Find out more and download the free PDF with all the exercises and fret diagrams by clicking the video below. https://youtu.be/wnJ0ilCM0i8
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