KINGSTARWORLD BASS GUITAR COURSE STEP ONE __________________________________________________________________________________________ MODULE I: Introduction – Approximately 4 weeks Approach to practice Music Fundamentals Pitch  Keys  Flats, Sharps and Naturals Rhythm  Rhythmic Values (Notes and Rests) Music Notation Intervals  Semitone/half tone  Full tone/whole tone  Greater intervals MODULE II: Introduction to Bass Guitar – Approximately 3 weeks The bass guitar parts Bass guitar Maintenance Left and right hand placement Scales at different positions  Chromatic  Augmented  Exercises for finger agility and strengthening  Diatonic major MODULE III: Creating your bass line – Approximately 3 weeks Bass progression and common bass tones Arpeggios – Broken chords Bass Riffs Exercises MODULE IV: Bass Guitar & Drum Grooves and workshop – Approximately 4 weeks Song Study Workshops Performance Advice Toning the Bass Guitar

MODULE I Basic Theories of Music Introduction to Bass Guitar Keys Definition of some Concepts Scales Exercises Song Study Workshops INTRODUCTION TO THE BASS GUITAR The bass guitar and the drums form provide the ‘rhythm section’ of the music. The create the backing beat, driving force and ‘tightness’ needed in for successful performance. In this course we shall teach you: 1. How to read and play bass guitar music using standard music notation as well as the easier TAB notation 2. Keys and notes (including the naturals and the accidentals) on all the four strings 3. Scales, Arpeggios and Riffs as necessary tools

The Bass Guitar Bridge

Pick-up

Belt Hook

E, A, D & G Tuning Pegs

Belt Hook

12th Fret

Fret Metal BarStrings Neck Bridge

Volume & tone control knobs It has been established from classical Physics that the frequency of oscillation (vibration) of a string is inversely proportional to the length of the string and also with the thickness of the string. That is to say that the shorter the length of the string or the smaller the thickness, the higher the frequency and vice versa. Pitch on the other hand increases with frequency. Stringed instruments operate on this principle. Different pitches (and thus keys) are obtained by varying the length of the strings. In Guitars this is done by having the main bridge at the body of the Guitar constant while varying the other end. This is achieved by pressing the stings with the fingers on the board against any of the metal bars. Thus the effective length of the string is the distance between the main Bridge and the metal bar against which the finger presses. It is then obvious that for a particular string the pitch increases as you move towards the body of the Guitar while it decreases as you move towards the neck. And for a particular fret position the pitch increases as you move from the thicker to the thinner string. Open strings (i.e. strings not pressed against the guitar board) lay against two Bridges – The main Bridge and the neck Bridge. For open strings the neck bridge serves same function as the metal bars, so that the effective length of the strings is the Kingstarworld Solution Ltd. www.Kingstarworld.com, email [email protected], Phone: 08036711333.Woji PHC Nig.

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distance between the two bridges. These open strings are assigned as key E, A, D, G (for 4 stringed guitars), from the thickest string to the thinnest. Each string is tuned by a separate Tuning Peg. The finger is punctuated by dots along its length. This is just to give the player a sense of position while moving along. Notice the double dots on the 12th fret. That indicates an octave on each string. The Fret of the Guitar is the distance between adjacent metal bars. The Guitar is graduated in half steps.

Frets Open strings

A D G

E

Neck Bridge

1 2 3 4 5

The Finger Board

etc

.

The Key Circle

etc

14 B E A

13 F

12 E A D G

11

10 D G C F

9

B E

8 C F

7 B E A D

FINGERING

6

5 A D G C

4

B

3 G C F

2 B E A

1 F

E A D

G Neck Bridge

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Left Hand Finger number 1 – 4 are used for playing, while the thumb lays at the back of the finger board to provide support for the other fingers as the press on the strings. For bass guitar finger tips are not normally used (unlike lead guitar). Simply lay the respective fingers on the frets across the strings. This way one finger can be used to play multiple strings on the same fret instead of placing it afresh each time. In most cases it is better to lay the fingers directly on the respective positions and apply pressure only on the finger corresponding to the note to be played. Right Hand The right hand is used for stroking, slapping or popping the strings. Except for slapping, the Thumb is not normally used. Use fingers 1 and 2 for playing the strings. Using the two fingers alternately is very useful for fast playing. For slap bass techniques the thumb is used for slapping while fingers 1 and 2 are used for popping. However, nothing is cast on the stone. SCALES Scales are important. They are the basis of melodies and chords. Without knowing your scales, you are a car mechanic without his tools. A good way to define a scale is to list the following characteristics:  A scale is an organized series of pitches  A scale consist of a series of notes that differ in sound  A scale utilizes accidentals, when necessary A scale is linked to the concept of "Keys" in that a song which utilizes a given scale is said to be in that key. 1

6

Fret 1

2

7

“

2

3

“

3

“

4

“

5 etc

.

1 1 1 2

1 6 1 7

8

1 3

4

9

5

1 0

Finger

0

1

“

1

1 8

“

2

“

2

1 4

1 9

“ 3

“

3

1 5

2 0

“ 4

“

4

“

5 etc

Finger

6

Fret 1

4 2

9 7

5 3

0

“

1

“

2

“ 3

1 0

“ 4

8 1 1

“ 4

Augmented Scale

Chromatic Scale Diatonic Scale Major Scale A major scale has 8 tones or notes. It is built using the following pattern: R-W-W-H-W-W-W-H 2

The C major scale is as follows

5

Finger

0

1

1

2

3 4

3

1

“

1

2

“

2

3

7

“ 3

4

8

“ 4

6

4

3 1

2

6

“

4

5

Finger

1

2

7

“ 3

8

“ 4

5 5 08036711333.Woji PHC Nig. Kingstarworld Solution Ltd. www.Kingstarworld.com, email [email protected], Phone: etc

etc

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The second pattern can be used for other keys

Practical Work I

E

A D G

E

A D G

E

A D G

E

A D G

E

A D G

E

A D G

E

A D G

E

A D G

E

A D G

E

A D G

E

A D G

E

A D G

1 2 3 4 5 etc

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