This week’s exercise is a slap groove that’s played over a shuffle feel. This line is in the key of E minor, but starts on a non-scale tone, the Bb. This note is the ‘blue note’ and works because it comes from the E blues scale. As you’ll hear, this is a very striking note […]

This week’s exercise is a two handed tapping line that is a great place to start if you’ve never used the technique before. If you’re new to the two handed tapping technique, the first thing you’ll need to work on is tapping notes with your picking hand. To do so, rest your thumb on the […]

This week’s exercise is a melodic line that uses tenths and chords to outline the harmony. In the first bar, a descending figure B – G# – E is played following an open E-string. These notes are the fifth, third and root of an E major chord, so the tonality is very well-defined here. At […]

This exercise is an uptempo funk groove that is played with the plectrum. Palm muting has also been used quite extensively here. The first bar opens with a four-note figure on the first beat. A D is played at the seventh fret of the G-string and is followed by a ghost note. These two notes […]

This final exercise in the Bass Lick of the Week series is a slap and pop groove that also makes use of some strummed chords. This line opens with a B power chord, which is strummed with the fingers of the picking hand. To strum this chord, flick downwards forcefully, allowing the fingernails to strike […]