Here's a riddle for you:I give funk music that extra edge. I add help fit the bass in the context of the drums and the guitar. You can feel me more than you can hear me.What am I?Muted notes, of course!What is Muting on Bass Guitar, Anyway?Muted notes are notes that are "choked off" and not allowed to ring out. These are the notes that can be though of as "place holders" for … [Read more...] about All You Need to Know About Muting on Bass Guitar
Lessons and Tips
How Vibraphone Player Gary Burton Can Up Your Bass Solo Technique
Before you bounce off this post - here me out! Yes - Gary Burton is a jazz vibraphone player and not a bass player in any way. And true there are lots of jazz bassists out there who are seasoned in the industry like any jazz musician. But I can think of none who can teach more about jazz improvisation than someone like Gary Burton. Moreover, I can't name any jazz bassist … [Read more...] about How Vibraphone Player Gary Burton Can Up Your Bass Solo Technique
SBG Lesson: Right Hand Technique
You're a few weeks into playing bass guitar and you're still thinking to yourself the same thing Will Farrell was as Ricky Bobby, "I'm not sure what to do with my hands." Bass guitar is a much more, for lack of a better word, physical instrument than guitar or keyboard. Playing with your fingers on your right hand is considered a standard way of playing the instrument and in … [Read more...] about SBG Lesson: Right Hand Technique
SBG Lesson: Left Hand Position
Good or proper form when holding the bass are relative experiences. What might be considered comfortable for one person might not be for another and vice versa. As I made note in the last newsletter, I felt like as Smart Bass has grown, I've neglected the one thing thin imparticular that I've wanted to do from the start: have online bass lessons done and have them done my … [Read more...] about SBG Lesson: Left Hand Position
An Easy-to-Use Guide to Using the Musical Modes
In this post, we're going to be taking a look at what the musical modes are and how to use them. The musical modes are one of the most misunderstood, challenging and most difficult concepts to explain - regardless of your instrument. But for bass players, where this is one of the most sought after questions that usually is faced with an unsatisfying answer (on Talkbass, use … [Read more...] about An Easy-to-Use Guide to Using the Musical Modes
Improve Your Practice Routine for Bass With This Book
In this post, we're going to dive a little deeper in developing a good practice routine for bass and for musicians as a whole. Why do this? Why even waste the time and energy writing about this topic? It seems so simple, right? Just pick up the bass and play some scales, some chords, learn a song and you're done. But how long do you need to do it to reach what many (and … [Read more...] about Improve Your Practice Routine for Bass With This Book
Take the First Step to Locking in With The Drums With This Single Post
I don't need to say it anymore: drummers and bass players go together like peanut butter and jelly. One works well and really does need the other to have that extra special bit of life brought to it. When it comes to locking in with the drummer, there is no one right answer for when it comes to what bass line can work. This is where the artistic component of music comes into … [Read more...] about Take the First Step to Locking in With The Drums With This Single Post
Pre-Practice Finger Exercise for Bass: The Small X
This week, I wanted to share a finger exercise for bass that's a personal favorite of mine and that is the Small X. The name comes from that if you were to look at it from the top view, the exercise would be forming an X shape. This finger exercise is particularly good exercise for beginners who are looking to build dexterity and strength early on in their playing and … [Read more...] about Pre-Practice Finger Exercise for Bass: The Small X
Master Counting Music With This Single Blog Post
You're frustrated. You're confused. How the heck do I count music? All these symbols, these values - how on Earth do you remember all of them and keep track of them all? Believe it or not, the answer is remarkably simple and once you see it, you'll wonder how you ever. The beauty behind music and counting as a concept is that it is all patterns. And what's even better is that … [Read more...] about Master Counting Music With This Single Blog Post
Filming “Mastering the Funk”: What I Learned About Filming Instructional Courses
This past month, I worked intensively on finishing my first bass guitar online course called, Mastering the Funk. The experience itself was a wide array of emotions and feeling including frustration, anger, joy, fulfillment and satisfaction. I've been a bass player for a number of years - going on almost 10 - and this was the first time I decided to unload many of my ideas … [Read more...] about Filming “Mastering the Funk”: What I Learned About Filming Instructional Courses