Please help me to understand bass lines in every key

[Suddygirl]

I am having trouble in this area.  My left hand seems to be lazy!!  I have a bass player so I never run my own bass line.  Well guess what????  When my bass player is absent I have no bassline in my songs except the one bass note of the chord I am playing.  In other words I don't know how to walk my bass with my left hand in every key.  Please someone help me and explain this in very, very SIMPLE LANGUAGE........  Thanks be to God for people like you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Suddygirl@chartertn.net

[T-Block]

The purpose of a bass line is to keep the music going.  No matter what happens, always keep your bass line going.  The bass line can function with or without any RH chords, but not the other way around.  This is what drives your music. Without this, your music will more or less be dead. As for how many bass lines there are, there are tons of bass lines, but I am going to focus on 2 of them. 

Key Eb  LH/RH

1. The first bass line you should learn is the classic shouting bass line.  The scale degrees you are playing are:  3, 4, #4, 5, 6, *#6/b7, 7, 1  I'll also put the fingers I use beside each note:

Eb (1) / index finger
G (3) / pinky
Ab (4) / middle finger
A (#4) / thumb
Bb (5) / middle finger
C (6) / thumb
Db (b7) / middle finger
D (7) / thumb
(repeat)

*The reason why I have a #6 or b7 is because that note maybe a #6 in one key, but a b7 in another key.  Both notes sound the same, but you have to name the note correctly according to your key.


2. After you got that bass line down, you can add on the second bass line that you should learn, which will just be an add-on to the classic shouting bass line.  The scale degrees you are playing are:  2, *#2/b3, 3, 4, 6, *#6/b7, 7, 1   I'll also put the fingers I use beside each note:

Eb (1) / middle finger
F (2) / thumb
Gb (b3) / middle finger
G (3) / thumb
Ab (4) / index finger
C (6) / pinky
Db (b7) / middle finger
D (7) / thumb
(repeat)

*Same thing applies to the #2/b3 note as it does to the #6/b7 note.


Other basslines:

Eb, F, Gb, G, Ab, Gb, F, E
Eb, Db, Bb, A, Ab, C, Db, D
Eb, G, Bb, A, Ab, C, Db, D
Eb, Db, C, B, Bb, C, Db, D
Eb, G, Bb, C, Db, C, Bb, G
Eb, G, Bb, C, Eb, C, Bb, G

Once you learn a bass line in one key, then you should learn it in every other key.  Fingering is up to you, however you feel comfortable playing them.  Every key is different, so it takes much practice and patience.

[nouky7]

Hello Im new to this forum and this forum has ALOT of information.............(VERY GOOD)

This was something I was struggling on, my left hand bass.

When you are playing a song how do you apply the bassline to it?? when to play it on which chord etc.

[SisterCM]

How do you determine what bass line to use? 

[T-Block]

How do you determine what bass line to use? 

That's determined by the main bass notes of the song. For example, the first bass line I posted in this thread:

Key Eb  LH/RH

1. The first bass line you should learn is the classic shouting bass line.  The scale degrees you are playing are:  3, 4, #4, 5, 6, *#6/b7, 7, 1  I'll also put the fingers I use beside each note:

Eb (1) / index finger
G (3) / pinky
Ab (4) / middle finger
A (#4) / thumb
Bb (5) / middle finger
C (6) / thumb
Db (b7) / middle finger
D (7) / thumb
(repeat)

You play this bass line when there is no real chord pattern present. So, this is good for your shouting music, for times in a fast song when you're just stuck on the 1 chord for a long time, etc.

Let's look at the 2nd bass line I posted:

2. After you got that bass line down, you can add on the second bass line that you should learn, which will just be an add-on to the classic shouting bass line.  The scale degrees you are playing are:  2, *#2/b3, 3, 4, 6, *#6/b7, 7, 1   I'll also put the fingers I use beside each note:

Eb (1) / middle finger
F (2) / thumb
Gb (b3) / middle finger
G (3) / thumb
Ab (4) / index finger
C (6) / pinky
Db (b7) / middle finger
D (7) / thumb
(repeat)

*Same thing applies to the #2/b3 note as it does to the #6/b7 note.

Now, this bass line I posted is for when you have a 1-4 progression during a fast song. This is usually the Vamp of just about every Congregational song out there. It can also be used during shouting music when u want a change from the other bass line.

Notice how it starts with the 1, runs up in half-steps to the 4, then up in half-steps to the 1 again. In time, you will be able to tell which one to use.


As for other bass lines, like I said ealier it depends on what the main bass notes are of the song are and how much time u have between bass notes. So, if u have a 3-6-2-5-1 progression, what u would do is come up with bass notes to run in-between those main notes to keep it moving. Example:

Key Eb

G(3)/

C(6)/

F(2)/
 
Bb(5)/

Eb(1)/

Now, if u were to just play those notes by themselves, there would be a lot of empty space. So, just fill in the space with notes that lead up to your next bass note:

G(3)/
A, B, G /
C(6)/
D, Eb, C /
F(2)/
G, Ab, A /
Bb(5)/
C, Db, D /
Eb(1)/

You can get as creative as you want. There is no set way to do it. Experiment and see what u can come up with.

[SisterCM]

T-Block thank you for all your help.  I pretty much got the bass for the fast congregation songs and shout music.

example:  using this bass,
Eb (1) / middle finger
F (2) / thumb
Gb (b3) / middle finger
G (3) / thumb
Ab (4) / index finger
C (6) / pinky
Db (b7) / middle finger
D (7) / thumb
(repeat)

I would play Prasie the Lord everybody, I would play the 1m, 4 and 5 chord. Call and response songs.

I am having a very hard time with the bass in slow songs and solos. I can't hear the Bass. 

[T-Block]

I am having a very hard time with the bass in slow songs and solos. I can't hear the Bass. 

Same idea. You need to know what the main bass notes are for the song. Then, just fill-in when you have space.

[SisterCM]

Same idea. You need to know what the main bass notes are for the song. Then, just fill-in when you have space.

I will work on this more.  Thanks.

[gab77]

Thanks t block pls can u help me understand how to apply those fancy extended chords to spice up my playing.thankS

[musallio]

I am with you sisCM, but take T's advice- eventually you will be able to recognize the bass notes for those songs where you can't hear the bass.
It is only now that I can figure out the main bass notes for such songs.
Once you have that, then come up with fill ins is easy.

All the best with this exercise.