MEL BAY’S REGGAE GROOVES FOR ELECTRIC BASS y Chris Matheos CD CONTENTS 7 intro Bx 1821241 (Zi) Variation tdeas (cont) Ex9.& 10:30} mw Ex3a4 [18] zB Ex 12,341 fea Ex5.& 6:21] a Ex 1381838) [E] Rhythmic Displacement Ex 1 & 2:19] i] RhythmSection Ex 1 & 2:48) wo Ex 3&4 1:36) Ex3.84 1:50) [E] Crossing’ The Barling Ex 1&21:31] al ExS&6(51) fl Ex3.& 4:31] EX7&8 [4] [el Ex 5.& 6:53] @ Fx9 8 10 [46] [3] Dead Notes Be 12/20) a Ex 11 & 12 (46) fw Bx 3&4 [40] Bo Ex 13.14 [48 fT) Frelless BasvSides Ex | & 2/38) i] EX IS & 1643] ica Ex 3-5 11:00] a Ex 17 & 18146] i) By 1&2 fa) 3] Rhythm SecNo Bass Ex 1 & 2 [:48) ia] Ex 3&4 (34) (a Ex 3&4 [47] (5) Bx 5.8 61-36) ea Ex 5 & 61:49} fis] Patieras Ex 349] Bs) Bx 7&8 [44] [iz] Variation Kdeas EX 1&2 341 a EX9 & 10[46) ww x34 )31) wl Ex 11 12 [48] 173] Ex 5.&6(33) fea Bx 138 14 [40] eal Ex 7&8 (341 Ex 15.& 161421 ical Ee 178 18 [47] co) (©1900 BY MEL BAY PUBLICATIONS, INC. PACIFIC, MO 69069 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT SECURED 8 fi! MADE ANO PRINTED INU S.A Visit us on the Web at http://www.melbay.com — E-mail us at email@melbay.comCreating a reg egae bass line is very simple. There are a few patterns that make up many of the classic bass lines, One of the most common patterns is the root, fifth, octave, pattem. Ifwe were to play itundera D chord it would look like this: This pattern can also be played like this: Example two has the same rhythm as example one. Another common pattem is the root, third, fifth, patter.This pattern can also be played like this: The above patterns are very simple, ‘They are some of the most common pattems in reggae bass. Many students have difficulty playing reggae bass lines at first. Some bass lines do not always starton the root. The previous four exercises started on the root. The following example is two bars long, The fitst bar startson the root on aD chord. The second bar starts on the fifthofan A chord. Inthe second bar lam reversing the root, third, fifth pattern. Iplay fifth, third, root | aj—o —— at Sa 4-7 = 774 = 5 This can be done with most patterns. If am playing a four bar phrase, I usually like to play the root on the first bar. On the second, third, or fourth bars, I may break it up. I like to play phrases starting on the third too. Reggae isa groove based style of music for electric bass. Changing up the starting notes ofa patter can make your groove less repetitive sounding Another unusual thing about reggae bassiis that you do not always have to play on the downbeat, Itis common ‘ocompletely skip the downbeat. In the following example, Iplay nothing on the downbeat of the second bar | call this technique breathing. By adding a rest here and there, you can create a very interesting feel 6RHYTHMIC DISPLACEMENT/ BREATHING Itis very easy to create a breathing feel. | like to take things a step further by doing some rhythmic displace- ment. | like to take a rest and move it to a different spot in the bar. Examples 1,2 and 3 all use the same pattern, butin each example I start the pattern on adifferent beat, All three examples have two quarter note rests and one eighth note rest, By changing the order of the rests, we create rhythmic displacement. With a solid drum groove undemeath, rhythmic displacement can hardly be noticeable, butitisa great way to make your groove suddenly sound more interesting. EXAMPLE 1- EXAMPLE 2- EXAMPLE 3-EXAMPLE 4 mixes the above three examples.CROSSING THE BARLINE Reggae bass lines are also very unique because the bass does not alway’ play on the downbeat. Inthe previous chapter we have seen some examples of this, When working with two bar phrases, itis common to hold a note over the bar line. The following examples demonstrate this: —$—_3-_—_$5— eels — 3 sl Holding notes over the bar line can create a tasteful effect, but sometimes itis justas tasteful to putrests in place of the tied note. Example three is the same as example one, but I put rests in place of the tied note. Example four is the same as example two. but I've done the same to it(Often a complete song will vamp on a two bar bass groove. A good way to create variety ina vamp groove is to mix the feel up. The below example is a vamp. I hold a note over the bar line on half the bars, and leave rests vou! the bar line on other bars. I am altemating examples one and three with examples two and four. 10DEAD NOTES Dead notes can be added toa groove to create amore percussive feel. Playing dead notes is simple. Change nothing with the right hand technique. With the left hand, mute the strings instead of fretting anote, Leave the fingers resting lightly on top of the strings. Dead notes sound like “clicks”. ‘The occasional dead note can add abit of drive toa groove. When dead notes are properly added toa groove, it almost feelsas though youre pushing the rhythm section. Tlike to take a groove and add one or twodead notes tot. I usually add them in place of an eighth note rest with dead notes, Examples one and twoare very similar grooves. Inexample two have replaced some of the rests with dead notes. Bothexamples havea great feel to them. They are bothexcellent grooves. Onc is not necessarily better than the other. Adding dead notes is a great way tobuild the song. [often like to mix the dead note feel of example two, with the more laid back feel of example one. ulExample three is an expansion of the previous two exercises. 12ERETLESS BASS/ SLIDES Thave always enjoyed playing regeae witha fretless bass. There are so many little things that can be added to a groove with a fretless bass. My favorite thing to add to grooves are slides. I generally do all my reggae slides ina downward motion (in the direction of the headstock). Slides can be played on a fretted bass, but itdoes not have the same tone or feel asa fretless bass. Inexample one there is a half note at the end of the first bar. Inexample two there isa slide at the end of the first bar, instead of a half note. : a Sey | 5 cea —— | A small thing like a slide can make a large difference ina groove. “NOTE: Ifyou do not owna fretless bass and want to get more out of your slides, Irecommend that you experiment with your tone knob, Try setting it ona more bass sounding setting. Your slides should come out better, 13My approach to playing fretless bass is different than my approach to fretted bass. On fretless | often look for rests. and replace them with a slide. If] am playing a vamp, I like to alternate the rests with slides. This can subtly create unique variety to your groove. <= 4EIVE AND SIX STRING BASS Low end is an important part of the regeae style. A low “B” string isa great way to create more low end. Ihave not found a high “C" string very useful inthis style, The following grooves are written for five string bass. They can also be played on a six string bass.—- = SS pra a pe Le) 4 4-9 4 |MOVING PATTERNS The previous section used a lot of the same patterns from earlier in the book. The pattems were moved to be played witha low “B™ string, Reggae bass isa patter oriented style. have often played a popular song with a band. Then I'd play the same song with another band, but in a dillerent key, So I had to move the pattern to a different spot on the bass. Being able to move patterns isa very usefil technique, The following examples are all the same pattem, In each example I move the pattern toa different spot on the bass, 7VARIATION IDEAS The following pattems are all very similar. | wrote them to show some variation ideas inaction. I changed small things like rests and the length of notes. The following fourteen examples are a few of my variation ideas. They show some of reggae’s most basic groove ideas at work. I hope you will create your own variation ideas. Example | Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 18Example 5 Example 6 Example 7 Example 8 Example 9Example 10 Example 11 Example 12 Example 13 | 7 Example 14RHYTHM SECTION the following cighteen examples have been recorded with a full rhythm section. They have also been recorded without bass so that you can play along 21Ex. 13] c 7 : F7 G 23Ex. 18) 24