StudyBass Fundamentals One

Welcome new StudyBasser! In this first curriculum my intention is to put you on the right track to be not a bass player, but a bass-playing musician. The way you think about music and learning music has a big effect on how fast and well it goes for you. This curriculum gets you thinking right. The lessons start with a fair amount of important reading. Then we start playing!

In this StudyBass curriculum you will learn:

A broad overview of music
The role of the bass
Essential beginning music theory
Basic bass technique
Reading music notation, bass tab and StudyBass AlphaTab
Tips on practicing
Simple bass note patterns used in most basslines
Essential basic rhythm skills
Beginning intervals

Lesson Blocks

From the Top
The goal of this first lesson block is to give you a broad look at music and the bass guitar. With my students I've found thinking about music and the bass in this way really helps accelerate their learning. There aren't many exercises to play or quizzes to take -- just a bunch of important reading. Do not skip this lesson block!
Basic Bass Technique
The purpose of this lesson block is to show you what makes up good technique and to give you some beginning exercises for developing good habits and coordination.
Reading Music Part One
When studying music it helps a lot to understand how it is written. In this lesson block I introduce you to the basics of music reading and common musical notation for the bass. Without this basic foundation, you will struggle with the lessons found here and elsewhere.
How to Practice
Something that can make or break your progress is knowing how to practice. This is a group of articles I wrote to give you an understanding of what practicing is and how you should go about it. Learning to play an instrument is a lot of work. Many people make it even harder on themselves with a poor approach to practicing.
Common Bass Patterns
If you plan to play music with others, you need to know what notes to play. The idea of this lesson block is to give you a beginning understanding of what notes bass players choose and why. These are all simple-to-play note patterns and apply in a lot of musical situations. You may discover these patterns make up the bulk of most basslines. Once you know these patterns you're ready to start playing with others!
The Rhythmic Pulse
In this first lesson block on rhythm, the goal is to play a steady, consistent pulse. All other rhythms center around this pulse. You can't play bass without developing this inner sense of the musical pulse.
Intervals Part One
In this lesson block I will explain the building blocks of all scale and chord patterns in music -- intervals. Intervals are essential for understanding note patterns and the bass fretboard.
- About Intervals
- Basic Intervals
Rhythmic Subdivisions
Once you can play a steady pulse, the next step in your rhythmic development is to subdivide the beat. All other rhythms are derived from dividing the basic pulse of the music. In this lesson block I'll explain what it means to divide the beat, some common ways the beat is divided, and how to count it along with some exercises. We'll also look at a common rhythmic feel called shuffle.
End of StudyBass Fundamentals One

Congratulations on making it through the first curriculum! The beginning of playing an instrument is the hardest, most frustrating part. You're on your way.

The next phase is StudyBass Fundamentals Two. In the next curriculum you'll learn about the most common scale patterns and, more importantly for bassists, chord patterns. You'll learn some basics about harmony. And lastly, we'll start on the blues--the roots of a lot of music and great musicians like you're going to be.

Go to StudyBass Fundamentals Two

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My StudyBass

StudyBass Fundamentals One

In this StudyBass curriculum you will learn:

Lesson Blocks

From the Top

Basic Bass Technique

Reading Music Part One

How to Practice

Common Bass Patterns

The Rhythmic Pulse

Intervals Part One

Rhythmic Subdivisions

End of StudyBass Fundamentals One

Go to StudyBass Fundamentals Two

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