Guitarists may be flashy, singers may be under the spotlight, and everyone’s looking for a drummer. However, no band or music group is complete without a bass – the instrument that adds meat to the sonic “bones” of the collective sound.
The bass guitar is a tactile, remarkably responsive instrument that can be played in numerous ways. You can keep things simple and hold the rhythm with simple notes; you can add a bit of “thump” and make the sound groovier with slaps and pops. You can also layer your band’s tone with melodies of your own.
This versatile instrument is easy to pick up but fairly difficult to master. If you’re looking for the best bass education either for yourself or for your child, let us welcome you to The Music Box – Tampa’s leading music school.
In this article, we’ll cover the basics of bass melody and rhythm, explaining what our bass coaches typically teach to greenhorn players throughout the first couple of lessons, but we’ll also give you an overview of what other adventures you’ll be in for when you enroll in The Music Box.
The Basics of Rhythm in Bass
When you hear an awesome song on the radio or during a live show, you’re not banging your head to the guitar riffs – you’re moving to the rhythm of the song. Described as a “strong repetitive pattern of sounds”, rhythm compels the listener to dance while on the other hand giving the band a firm foundation.
Falling out of rhythm is a disaster on any instrument, but if the bassist is good, “returning” to the song is much easier.
At The Music Box, we teach our students how to keep a steady rhythm, regardless of the song’s tempo or complexity. Whether it be Metallica’s “Four Horsemen” or Oasis’s “Wonderwall”, a proficient bass player is supposed to keep count of the bars.
It is also crucial to neither lag behind nor hurry ahead of the song. Our bass lessons are designed to help the student understand how to play any song they want, regardless of genre or preferred music style. Check out what our brightest students have learned in just a couple of weeks on our Facebook page.
Getting in the Groove
In truth, rhythm can be “taught,” but its nature is more instinctive. Because of this, The Music Box bass coaches are more focused on working with each student as they get the “feel” for rhythm rather than instructing them about “how it’s supposed to be done.”
Each song is composed in a certain time signature and tempo; each bar is filled with a set number of notes.
However, “feeling” the song is what rhythm is all about. It is possible to mathematically recognize patterns and memorize all the numbers, but we firmly believe that all bassists will benefit more from understanding the essence of the song’s rhythm. Swing by our Instagram page if you want to see and hear our students applying these lessons to practice.
Fundamentals of Bass Melody
If the bass was meant to be played exclusively on the fat E string, it wouldn’t be a 4-string instrument. Even though you won’t have access to as many notes as a guitarist would, you’ll still be able to play at least 37 notes, even on a short-scale bass.
Regardless of which music genre you’re into or what song you want to learn how to play, you will inevitably come across certain riffs and licks that aren’t as plain as hitting one note until your fingers are numb.
Just listen to Rush, Red Hot Chili Peppers, or Primus. Geddy Lee, Flea, and Les Claypool (respectively) are playing their basses as guitarists would, synchronizing with their guitarist bandmates and making the songs fuller and more entertaining to listen to.
Even though many people perceive bass as the ultimate rhythm instrument, the sky is the limit to what you can do. Our bass coaches strive to foster creativity in all students and teach them how to properly channel it in both covers and their own songs. Check out our TikTok page to see how it’s done.
Tapping, Popping, Sliding, and Other Cool Techniques You’ll Learn at The Music Box
Just like the creativity of a writer is usually limited by their vocabulary, bass players won’t be able to make the next “2112” or “Anesthesia” if they don’t master the fundamental bass-playing techniques. That’s where we come in.
The Music Box was founded to teach young bassists elementary and advanced techniques that are widely used in the majority of songs. It doesn’t matter whether you’re into rock, metal, pop, or jazz – you’ll need a certain skill set before you can attempt to cover some of your favorite songs, not to mention write originals.
The Music Box coaches are highly experienced professionals who’ve spent years working with kids and adults. Starting from the simplest techniques, such as hammer-ons and pull-offs, our coaches gradually move on to slapping, popping, thumping, tapping, and more.
One of the main advantages of enrolling in The Music Box is that you’ll never be bored. In each class, we teach something different after revisiting previous lessons. If you’ve missed out on a few lessons, don’t worry – we also offer private lessons to help you catch up with your classmates.
Ready to Join? The Music Box is but a Click Away
Children aged 4 and older, teens, and adults – all are welcome at The Music Box. We know that the best time to start taking bass lessons is as early as four years old, and we are committed to providing the best possible music education for the youngest of our students.
We’re headquartered at 4321 Gunn Highway in Carrollwood, Florida, so swing by if you want to attend a class and see what you’re signing up for in person. Alternatively, send us an email or simply follow this link, and our staff will help you through the rest of the way.
