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greghagger

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Everything posted by greghagger

  1. greghagger
    Cheers, glad you like it.
  2. 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!
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. greghagger
    No worries. Great song isn’t it!
  6. 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
  7. greghagger
    That’s good to hear!! 😂
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. greghagger
    That’s a really great version too!
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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!
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. greghagger
    Hi, I’ve just opened up a new Jazz video course to help anyone interested in starting to play Jazz bass. The course is a deep-dive into the Jazz Blues progressions and how to play walking bass lines from chord charts. The Jazz Blues is a great starting point when playing Jazz and studying this form will give you a strong foundation in Jazz bass playing. You can take the video course at your own pace and join if you are an electric or upright player. You get lifetime access. I’m offering a special bonus group coaching upgrade with the video course until tomorrow night. You’ll get 4 free online group coaching sessions to reinforce the contents of the video course. So if you are keen to start playing Jazz and walking bass, you can check out more information by clicking below. Please ask if you have any questions. Cheers Greg https://www.gbshed.com/wtj-launch-week
  18. greghagger
    The slow 12/8 Blues has a certain bass groove that you really need to play if you want to be authentic to that style. 12/8 Blues tunes are often in minor keys too, and although they frequently follow the 12-bar Blues progression they often have a few 'quirks' which you need to know about. The tune I'm covering in this week's lesson is 'The Great Flood' by Joe Bonamassa, a classic 12/8 minor Blues tune. I work through the chord progression and then show you how the bass line is developed from the studio version to the live versions. The live versions I’m working from feature Carmine Rojas on bass. He plays the Blues with a more modern approach on a 5-string. He’s got an impressive CV and is well worth checking out. Find out more about this bass line and also about the minor Blues form in this video lesson. You’ll find the chord chart and bass line transcription link under the video. I’d love to hear how you get on with this song and whether you have any favourite Bonamassa bass lines. https://youtu.be/c6R3CdzKVF0
  19. greghagger
    If you're a fan of the slow 12/8 Blues and you haven't heard the tune, Life Is Hard by Johnny Winter then check it out as it's fantastic. It's a minor Blues so there are some juicy chords in the progression along with a great hook that the whole band plays. This makes the bass line very satisfying to play. I've transcribed the bass line, the exact part as played by Jeff Ganz the bassist. I’ve also made a transcription page on my website where you'll find the original song along with standard notation and TAB for the whole bass line. You can download the chart here too. Let me know what you think of the tune. https://www.gbshed.com/life-is-hard-johnny-winter-bass-line-transcription
  20. greghagger
    Cheers @Linus27 glad you liked the lesson.
  21. greghagger
    Want to start playing Jazz bass? Jazz can be pretty inaccessible if you don’t have any previous experience playing it. So I’ve made a lesson to get you started on your Jazz journey. Find out which albums and bass players to start listening to. Find out how to start creating great sounding walking lines. Watch this space to find out about my free Greg’s Bass Shed Jazz Week that is happening online in April. https://youtu.be/hVYaKAAIgrU
  22. greghagger
    I've had a request to look at a section of the tune Tightrope, specifically the version from 'Live In Montreux'. The brief was to explain what on earth Tommy Shannon played in a certain chorus of this tune. This request reminded me of a one-to-one lesson I'd done a while back on the very same section of bass line. When I first analysed this bass line I found something there which was new to me. It's so simple and yet so effective and I'm surprised that I hadn't seen this technique being utilised on bass before in Blues. Find out more in the latest GBS Youtube video and you'll have a cool Blues riff that you can surprise everyone with! I’d love to hear if you’ve seen this sort of thing being used before by Blues bass players. https://youtu.be/vbMOHSxMGRc
  23. greghagger
    You’re on the money with Tommy’s playing. He’s often underrated in my opinion. I haven’t heard much of Storyville. Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll check the album out.
  24. greghagger
    I really love Tommy Shannon's bass playing, especially alongside Stevie Ray Vaughan. He brings interest and excitement to Blues bass. The bass line from Mary Had A Little Lamb is a great example of Tommy Shannon's style and how he develops a basic riff to create an engaging bass line while still complimenting the guitar part. In my latest YouTube lesson I show you how to play a simplified version of the bass line that works really well with the whole song. In the second part of the lesson I analysis the bass line and show you some of the licks and musical devices that Tommy Shannon uses. I've made up a PDF booklet for the lesson which includes the simplified version, the whole bass line transcription and a version for 5-string. You can get a free copy of that in the video description. https://youtu.be/ZWaVRoO3cME
  25. greghagger
    Yes, you have to register to get the PDF. It’s very quick! If you don’t input an email address then there is nowhere to send the PDF to. Let me know if you are still having trouble and I’ll look into it for you.
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