Bass Improvisation 101
If you want to know how to play better bass solos and fills you've come to the right place.
Having trouble coming up with fills and bass solos that you love?
That's pretty common among bass players and it stems from the fact that we don't spend a lot of time focused on playing melodies. As a bassist that has taught numerous students over the years, one thing has become glaringly clear about a players ability to play bass solos:
"How you practice scales is how you improvise."
If you really think about the way you approach solos, you'll realize that it is entirely limited to the way you practice the scales that you know. If you only know them in one position, I'm willing to bet that's where you are stuck when trying to solo.
Amazing bass solo lines aren't just going to magically appear in your playing.
I wish there was an easy solution, but becoming a great improviser is something that takes a lot of practice and work. Exploring and mastering patterns and scales on bass guitar and transcribing bass solos by your favourite players are just a couple of the ingredients that will make you a great bass soloist.
Here's the Good News.
Becoming amazing is going to take a long time. BUT you can get A LOT better in a hurry. With just the 5 Quick Tips that make up the first chapter of this course, your bass playing and your bass solos and fills will improve immediately. That's because we focus on improving the way you practice scales on bass and how to apply those scales so you can play awesome bass solos completely of your own creation. Even with knowledge of only a few scales, these tips will help improve your bass solos AND improve your knowledge of the fretboard at the same time.
Current Instructors of This Course:
Cameron Dougall
Low End Nation Creator/Instructor and Session/Touring Bassist
Cameron Dougall is the creator of Low End Nation and is an in demand touring and session bassist from Toronto, ON currently residing in Calgary, AB, Canada. He has toured extensively across Canada and the United States and has worked with artists including Divine Brown, Jarvis Church (Philosopher KIngs), Maya Azucena, KC Roberts, Guru, Matisse (Keys N' Krates), Graph Nobel, Res and God Made Me Funky.
Cameron attended the prestigious Music Program at Humber College in Toronto and has studied bass players and amazing bass soloists Rich Brown, Orin Isaacs and Will Jarvis.
Cameron currently records and performs with R&B/Neo Soul group Tendavillage and instrumental prog metal band NOK NOVUM, among many others.
Calvin Beale
Low End Nation Instructor and Session/Touring Bassist
Calvin Beale is aJuno Award winning in demand live/studio bassist. He has backed some of the world's greatest artists including:
Prince, Eric Benet, John Scofield, Bryan McKnight, Jim Cuddy, Johnny Reid, Debrah Cox, Ruben Studdard, Glass Tiger, Francesco Yates, Ruben Studdard, Chris Hadfield, Amy Sky, Susan Aglukar, Carly Rae Jepsen, Carly Rose Sonneclair, Divine Brown, Kardinal Offishall, Maestro Fresh Wes, Steven Page, Keisha Chante, Jully Black, Orianthi, Suzie McNeil, Matt Dusk, Snow, David Clayton Thomas, Guthrie Govan, Luke McMaster, Sean Jones, Tony bennet, Crystal Shawanda, Elise Legrow and Alan Frew.
As well as being a Low End Nation Instructor, Calvin is also an instructor of music at both Centennial College and Merriam School of Music in Toronto.
Calvin has also appeared on The Casino, The Toronto Show, Good Morning America, Cover Me Canada, Canada AM, Canadian Idol, MTV, The Much Music Video Awards and Bravo's Live From The Masonic Temple.
Course curriculum:
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Tip #1 - Play Your Scales in Two Octaves
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Tip #2 - Rhythmic Variation
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Tip #3 - Intervallic Variation
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Tip #4 - Know The Chords
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Tip #5 - Make Melodies
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The Major and Minor Sides of The Key
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About this course
- 6 lessons
We add new lessons regularly.
Have a concept you want us to cover?
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