Bass Exercises: Applying Roots And 5ths To The Blues

Applying Roots And 5ths To The Blues Exercises

Bass Exercise #1: G Blues Using Roots and Fifths

This bassline probably isn't going to get you on the cover of Bass Player magazine. It's very important to have this kind of line under your fingers, however. Here you are simply going up and down the root, 5th, and octave of the root creating a very supportive bassline.

Bass Exercise #2: Root Fifth Bassline on a C Blues

Here's another straight blues in C. On the 8th note before each root, you are approaching each root with the chord's 5th. It's very effective and supportive. Notice when changing chords we are anticipating the next chord with its 5th before the change occurs. This is very common and shouldn't throw you off.