Chords for A step-by-step guide to improvise bass lines

_ _ _ [G] _ _ _ [E] _ _
_ _ _ _ [Bm] _ _ _
In this video I present an action plan [B] that you can use when you want to improvise [D] basslines.
_ You'll see that you do not need to know much theoretical knowledge to start improvising.
_ _ _ First of all we need a chord progression for our _ improvisation. _
Let's use this.
_ _ One bar D major, _ _ [F#] one bar F sharp minor, [A] _ [B] _ _ one bar B [G] minor and one bar G major.
[D] _ _ _ If you have trouble finding the root notes, check out the video I made about finding all
the notes on the bass guitar in 5 minutes. _ _ _
_ The first and most important step of this action plan is rhythm.
This is the basis for your bassline.
You can already improvise a lot with only rhythm.
For example. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [F#] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [B] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [F#] _ _ _ _ _
_ [Dm] _ _ [B] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ The next thing you can use are octaves. _ _
Since this [D] is the same note as the root note, you can always use it without clashing the
melody or harmony.
_ _ You can find the octave of any note on the bass guitar doing the following.
_ You slide two squares to the right, in the direction of the body, and two strings upward. _ _ _ _
_ _ Now let's combine the first two steps, using octaves in a rhythm. _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [F#] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [B] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [E] _ _ The next step would be using fifths.
_ From this point on, it slightly starts getting theoretical, because there are different fifths.
_ When you use which one, depends on the chords that are played.
_ But the perfect fifth is located in major and minor chords.
That's the majority of the chords. _
So probably most of the times the perfect fifth is usable.
_ _ _ You can find the fifth of any note on the bass guitar doing the following.
_ You slide two squares to the right, in the direction of the body, and one string upward. _ _ _
You can also octave the fifth down. _ _
_ _ _ Now let's combine this step with [D] rhythm. _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [C#] _ _ [F#] _ _ _
_ _ [B] _ _ [F#] _ _ _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ And combine it with using the octaves as [D] well. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [F#] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [B] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [G#] _ _ _ Next up you can use thirds.
_ A basic explanation is short.
_ _ Major has a major third, a three.
And minor has a minor third, a flat three. _
_ You can find the thirds on different places from the root note.
_ Actually, this is also true for octaves and fifths.
I elaborate on this in the interval video. _ _ _
For now, we use only one way. _
_ Playing the major third contains sliding one square to the left, in the direction of the
head, and one string upward. _ _
Playing the minor third contains sliding two squares to the left, and one string upward.
_ _ _ _ Let's first combine this step with rhythm.
[D] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [F#] _ _ [A] _ _ _ _
[F#m] _ _ [B] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [D] _ And now use all the other previous steps as well. _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [F#] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [Bm] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _
_ _ [B] _ [D] _ _ _ _ _
_ Another thing you can use is to play towards the next root note.
_ So when you play the first bar, D major, you already start thinking about the second bar,
F sharp minor.
_ You can play towards this note from above, _ or below.
_ Depending on the rhythm, you decide how many notes you want to play towards the next root note. _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [F#] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [B] _ _ _ _ _ [A#] _
_ [G] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[C#] _ _ [D] Let's combine it all. _ _
_ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _ [F] _
_ _ _ _ _ [Bm] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [A] _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [C#] _ _
The next step is to use pentatonic scales. _
We will use two scales. _ _
Major pentatonic, that can be used on every major chord.
_ We already have the root note, third, fifth and octave.
And with this scale, we add the intervals second and sixth.
_ _ The other pentatonic scale is minor pentatonic, that can be used on every minor chord.
_ We already have the root note, third, fifth and octave.
And with this scale, we add the fourth and seventh. _ _
Why the pentatonic scale consists of these extra notes, I explain at SV Method.
_ _ _ _ Let's combine all the steps so far.
[D] _ _ [B] _ _ [D] _ _
_ _ [F#m] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [B] _ _ _ [A] _ _ _ [F#] _
_ [G] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ You now have seen that you can improvise a lot without much theoretical knowledge.
[D] _ _ But theory can give you inspiration.
_ These next steps, it's getting more theoretical.
_ _ _ This seventh step contains playing church scales. _
Every chord in a chord progression has a scale that sounds natural.
_ _ If you want to know more about this, you can check out SV Method.
_ _ In this chord progression, it's the following.
_ _ _ These scales consist of a series of intervals.
_ I elaborate on this in the church mode video. _ _
From the previous steps, you already know six intervals.
_ So this next step provides you with two additional notes.
_ You can add these new intervals in your _ improvisation.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [F#] _
_ _ _ _ [A] _ _ _ [B] _
_ [G] _ _ _ [C#] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [A] _ [G] _ _ _
_ We've now used the scales belonging to the chords in the chord progression.
_ You can also use the intervals that are not located in the scales.
_ _ For example, when we look at the D major scale,
_ these intervals are not located in the scale. _ _
_ This means that these notes are not natural to the chords in the context of the progression. _
It's good to be aware of that, and it can actually be pretty cool to use them.
_ You may have already used some of them in step five. _
_ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [F] _ _ _ _ [F#] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ [A#] _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [E] _ _ _ So this actually means you can play any note.
You may ask, _ why use an action plan?
_ That's because every note has its own function.
And when you can play just any note, it doesn't mean that any note will sound right to you.
_ _ When you know the function of the note, you can start using it creatively in [N] your bass line. _ _ _ _