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Modern Electric Bass

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Course Objectives

Develop good habits and lay the foundation for becoming a better bass player.

Discuss music as a language and become more fluent with the language.

Develop technical proficiency as a means to achieving your musical goals.

Address the role of each hand independently. Integrate both hands into a fluent technique.

Develop an understanding of harmony and theory; crucial to breaking out of your rut and expanding your musical horizons.

Establish familiarity with a variety of different styles and the role of the bass player in each.  Give examples of how the bass works in these styles through historical context.

Understand gear and the appropriate use of gear in different stylistic contexts.

Syllabus

Week 1:  The metronome, fundamentals of both hands, notes of the bass, the Chromatic Scale.

 Week 2:  Triads, the Major Scale, rhythms, The quarter note and
 subdivisions, mixing rhythms.

Week 3: Chords and arpeggios. The 7 Chord. More technique: warm-ups.
Creating a bass line part 1.

Week 4: More scales...pentatonic, minor. Style study: rock.

Week 5: Introduction to the modes. What are they? What's the big deal?
Modal music, e.g. "Kind of Blue."

Week 6: Time-out for gear. Major families of basses, amps, and
effects. What's appropriate for each style?

Week 7: Major harmony. Style study: jazz. Jazz as a tool for expanding
knowledge, even if you can't stand it. Transcriptions.

Week 8: Creating a bass-line: funk, R&B, and soul. Introduction to
soloing and improv. Advanced techniques, including slap, tap,
harmonics, etc.

Jonathan Herrera

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A graduate of music programs at the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles Music Academy, Jonathan is one of the most in-demand bassists in the Bay Area. His stage and studio credits include Oz Noy, Brain, Miguel Migs, Petalpusher, Zigaboo Modeliste, Garaj Mahal, Levy's Love Lounge, Home & Garden, Russ Ferrante, Steve Turre, Cyrus Chestnut, Rhiannon, Matthew Charles Heulitt, and many more. Jonathan is also the Editor of Bass Player Magazine.