Tutorials for Blues Bass

[Cinzel]

Another thing you could do is to grab the free 14 days trial in the Scotts Bass Lessons website and give a run through the "The Essential Blues Deep Dive". It goes through all the basics of the blues, from the shuffle feel, I-IV-V progressions, turnarounds and variations. I got all my blues basics from there, and since he has a band with with through the duration of the course it allows for playing along.

 

[Eric Swaim]

Be able to play in "the pocket" or in "the groove" or everything else will not matter.

 

[dave64o]

Listen to a lot of the type of playing you want to learn and buy Ed Friedland’s book.

 

[bearfoot]

an interesting sidenote, blues as the conventional I-IV-V came of early record-selling endeavors and marketing. Blues prior to that is far less predictable in harmony and rhythm, and the term "blues" more authentically IMO refers mainly to the mood, not a scale or 12-bar pattern.

less of a sidenote, I would say it's far more about feel, and you've done enough homework. All the study won't matter if the feel isn't there.

 

[Spearsy]

Listen to a lot of the type of playing you want to learn and buy Ed Friedland’s book.

+1 on Dave's advice.

Personally, I think Blues is like an onion - lots of layers to it.
The more you listen, the more you'll hear.

If you can shuffle like this, you'll be fine ...

 

[MisterFabulous]

And find out what the band you're joining is playing!

 

[ArtechnikA]

As you develop, you will discover there are lots of subtleties and variations.
One of the most challenging parts of supporting a blues power trio is making a 4-hr blues set not sound like 4 hours of the same song - which it kinda is...

 

[ELG60]

A cat who hosted a blues jam I've been attending recently . . . Who, by the way, toured with Sammy Davis Jr., for 15 years, told me to absorb B.B. King "Live at the Regal," and that would give me a good basic working knowledge of the blues.

 

[micguy]

Be able to play in "the pocket" or in "the groove" or everything else will not matter.

Timing: There are times when you should pull the beat, and times when you should push it. Don't try to do either of those for a while - just stick with the beat for a while. Eventually, with enough experience, you'll know where to pull and push. While this is true for a lot of genres, with Blues it's key.

Intonation: The other folks in the band (guitars, vocals) will be the ones with most of the work pushing and pulling on notes (bending stuff in between semitones). In a blues band, the bassist probably shouldn't be doing that much, if any - you help define where the "real" notes are, so they can bend around your reference. I hope that makes sense.

 

[pablomago]

Thanks for all the good advice!

I havbassae some older blues CD's to listen to, Albert and B.B., Muddy Waters and even more ancient stuff on back to Robert Johnson. The band I'm joining is a more modern band, so I'll be applying a bit of everything to the mix. They also add a little R&B and jazz to the mix. I just want to be solid and provide the foundation.

I'm also a guitar player, so I want to play like the bass player I'd want backing me if that makes sense. I understand the role of bass unlike some guitarists who play bass. It ain't about me. It's about the band. I really love being the guy in the back providing the foundation that makes the pretty girls dance.

I'm looking forward to this!

 

[Al T.]

The Chess Box Willie Dixon set trains the ear and is the source of a lot of what we hear now.

 

[JRA]

all the stuff you're listening to is sufficient (some walking, some bounces). unless you're a beginner, you're over-thinking it. if you're just beginning: you're over-thinking it. it's feel.

since you can't get the 'feel' thing from a book = show up and hook up: if the other cats don't think you're supplying them with what they want/need = they'll help you get their groove on. serious blues cats have serious fun. try showing up as an interested student instead of a wannabe expert. relax (way good for blues!), and good luck!

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Louis

A cat who hosted a blues jam I've been attending recently . . . Who, by the way, toured with Sammy Davis Jr., for 15 years, told me to absorb B.B. King "Live at the Regal," and that would give me a good basic working knowledge of the blues.

Louis Lauchie! I wore out the vinyl, you bet. Listen for the turnarounds—you can have a lot of fun with them.

 

[mikew31]

These are the best YT videos I've ever seen to get you up and running with the blues. This guy actually gets it that the blues is a feel thing and not an academic exercise. He knows the theory and talks about it, but it's not what it's all about.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Actually, this right here is a pretty good tutorial. This may sound odd, but listen to the drummer, then go back and listen to the bass. This is how you play a Chicago shuffle!

 

[pbassnut]

Learning the Nashville number system will be of help to you. This way, you will understand some of the standard blues terminology like "quick four", "start on the five", "hold on the one until the vocals start", "meet me on the four", "two - five - one turnaround", "long one", "tag it to the five", etc. There is also quite a bit of slang out there for classic blues grooves like "downtown box shuffle", "uptown box shuffle", "flat tire shuffle", "12/8 slow blues", "thumper", etc. Then there are shorthand terms for classic blues chord patterns (that are not straight ahead twelve bar blues) like "sixteen bar blues", "eight bar blues", "church changes", "rhythm changes", etc. These terms are not necessarily universal, but I've found that a lot of experienced blues players know them and it's a quick way to latch onto a stick drawing of what you'll have to back them up with at blues jams or sub gigs. Also, buy this CD ...

https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Little-Walter/dp/B000002OBZ/ref=sr_1_6?crid=39A48LIN88MXE&keywords=little+walter+cd&qid=1565191935&s=music&sprefix=little+walter,aps,120&sr=1-6

... and familiarize yourself with the songs. If you seriously get into playing blues, there are a whole lotta harp players out there and Little Walter is ground zero for harp led blues and so many of the tunes on this disc are iconic and established blues standards that you're likely to run into.

Lastly, don't be afraid to play simply and be fully vested in a supporting role. Being reliable, a good hang, hitting the changes and staying in the pocket has enabled me to get much more work over the years than my "talent" should ever have warranted.

 

[vincent69]

The following video, simply called "Beginner Blues Bass "Survival Shapes” (Simple Method for 12 Bar Blues)" might be of some help. At least it's plain simple and goes directly to the point.

 

[Andy Daventry]

Keep it simple, don't noodle, listen to the drummer. Work with the drummer.

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]

Maybe from Roscoe Beck:
Invalid Link Removed

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Learning the Nashville number system will be of help to you. This way, you will understand some of the standard blues terminology like "quick four", "start on the five", "hold on the one until the vocals start", "meet me on the four", "two - five - one turnaround", "long one", "tag it to the five", etc. There is also quite a bit of slang out there for classic blues grooves like "downtown box shuffle", "uptown box shuffle", "flat tire shuffle", "12/8 slow blues", "thumper", etc. Then there are shorthand terms for classic blues chord patterns (that are not straight ahead twelve bar blues) like "sixteen bar blues", "eight bar blues", "church changes", "rhythm changes", etc. These terms are not necessarily universal, but I've found that a lot of experienced blues players know them and it's a quick way to latch onto a stick drawing of what you'll have to back them up with at blues jams or sub gigs. Also, buy this CD ...

https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Little-Walter/dp/B000002OBZ/ref=sr_1_6?crid=39A48LIN88MXE&keywords=little+walter+cd&qid=1565191935&s=music&sprefix=little+walter,aps,120&sr=1-6

... and familiarize yourself with the songs. If you seriously get into playing blues, there are a whole lotta harp players out there and Little Walter is ground zero for harp led blues and so many of the tunes on this disc are iconic and established blues standards that you're likely to run into.

Lastly, don't be afraid to play simply and be fully vested in a supporting role. Being reliable, a good hang, hitting the changes and staying in the pocket has enabled me to get much more work over the years than my "talent" should ever have warranted.

Speaking as somebody who spent the better part of 20 years doing this, first in New England and then in North Carolina, I will vouch for this advice. I haven't heard all the terms, but I've heard some of them, and they are indeed useful. For me, the main thing was to be ready for anything. When I played with Chuck Beattie out of Asheville, I never rehearsed with him. Not once. He wasn't into set lists, either. When you have to work that way, it's good to have those quick signals!

One other thought: If you get heavy into Muddy Waters, you're going to come across some 11-bar blues. Just sayin'

edit:
“It takes a special person to make the very simple things correctly.”
—Anthony Bourdain