Posted on

Having difficulty playing Bach Cello Suite?

Bach on Bass

Ā 

Ā 

If the opening statement of the Bach Cello Suite gives you trouble on bass, try this drill! It will keep your mind and your fingers sharp and it will get you going – Bach on Bass!

Free TABS and diagrams for you here: https://righton.arisbassblog.com/courses/microbass

Look for lesson #13.

Transcription

One minute Bach practice with Ari. Playing the Bach Cello Suites is one of the sweetest things you can do on the bass. It’s also a heck of a technique workout. Just the opening statement takes you all across the fretboard .

What are you playing? You’re playing 1-5-10-9-10-5-10-5. Super easy to get tense, frustrated and give up. Don’t. Here’s a good tip: practice it through the cycle left or right doesn’t matter. I’m doing descending fifths here but it forces you to really know what you’re doing – you’re constantly shifting and adapting. What a great workout for the hand. You can take it all the way around to the key that you started with. If you wanted to step it up a notch do it through the diatonic cycle. Now I’m staying in one key and end up playing diminished minorā€¦ and major chords.

It’s a great drill.

We are running our first Sale in five years!
Use coupons on any of our courses, even the big 20 Unit Theory Course!

Black Friday Sale Arisbassblog
Take me to the Sale!
Posted on

Modes Pedaling Drill

modes

Enhance your bass guitar skills with the Modes Pedaling Drill, a powerful exercise designed to strengthen your playing abilities.

Join me as I guide you through this engaging drill, focusing on various modes and their application.

Elevate your musical proficiency and develop a solid foundation in bass guitar technique with this comprehensive drill!

Free TABS and diagrams for you here: https://righton.arisbassblog.com/courses/microbass

Look for lesson #A10.

Modes Pedaling Drill

Video Transcript

One minute moats pedaling drill with Ari.
Take the modes and start them all from the same root. Sort them from brightest to darkest. If you do that then you will only have one note changing going from mode to mode. Key of G:

This is lydian: [šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays lydian scale šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ]

Ionian: [šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays ionian scale šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ]

Mixo: [šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays mixolydian scale šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ]

Dorian: [šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays dorian scale šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ]

Aeolian: [šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays aeolian scale šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ]

Fridge: [šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays phrygian scale šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ]

Locrian: [šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays locrian scale šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ]

Posted on

Importance of the Circle of Fifths

cycle of fifths

Discover the significance of the Circle of Fifths in music theory.

Uncover why this powerful tool holds immense importance and learn how it can enhance your understanding of key relationships, chord progressions, and harmonic patterns.

Dive into the captivating world of the Circle of Fifths and unlock new realms of musical knowledge and creativity!

Free TABS and diagrams for you here: https://righton.arisbassblog.com/courses/microbass

Look for lesson #A12.

Importance of the Circle of Fifths

Video Transcript

One minute Theory with Ari

Let’s talk about the cycle of fifths for a moment. So many people simply think of it as a tool to organize your sharps and your flats and your majors and your minors. Don’t call it A sharp major, call it B flat major and that’s all nice and good.

It’s such a great ear training tool and it’s such a great practice tool. For example, if you simply play through the cycle to the left: C to the F to the B flat to the E flat to the A flat to the D flat and so forthā€¦ you are playing descending fifths. And you hear how this has such a pulling quality to it because it sounds like a mini resolve each time. It’s like 5-1, 5-1, 5-1, 5-1, 5-1, 5-1, 5-1 all right. So it sounds like gravity and you’re falling down the stairs and you simply can’t stop.

Songs that do that are for example, Fly Me to the Moon or Autumn Leaves. Now if you go the other way see that the G to the D to the A to the E to the B, then you hear this much more uplifting quality and a song that does that for example, is Hotel California.

Now in songs you often stay within one key versus in the cycle you’re really changing keys but what I just said is still true for the bass movement.

Posted on

Scale Degrees are Sounds and Numbers

scale degrees are sounds

Unlock the power of scale degrees in music theory with this captivating video.

Dive into the world of bass guitar tips with @LearnBassWithAri as we unravel the intricate connection between sounds and numbers. Explore the theoretical aspects of scale degrees and gain valuable insights to expand your musical understanding.

Join me on this educational journey and enrich your playing abilities with comprehensive theoretical knowledge.

Free TABS and diagrams for you here: https://righton.arisbassblog.com/courses/microbass

Look for lesson #A11.

Scale Degrees are Sounds and Numbers

Video Transcript

One minute scalar of practice with Ari.
Practice the scale, and say the scale degrees, and then cement those sound relationships to the root by playing the root in between every single note, like this: C mixolydian.

[šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays scale šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ}

Say the scale degrees: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – b7 – root. Now cement those sound relationships with the root by playing the root in between every single scale degree. Major 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, major 6th, flat 7th, root. These are sounds. These numbers are sounds. You can also relate them to the top root, and then all the intervals invert – what used to be the minor 7th now becomes the major 2ndā€¦ minor 3rd, 4th, 5th, minor 6th, minor 7th, root.

[šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays scale šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ}

Posted on

Triad Drill on the Bass

triad drills on bass

Practicing anything through the cycle of fifths is a great idea.

However, you can optimize your effectiveness by doing this…

Free TABS and diagrams for you here: https://righton.arisbassblog.com/courses/microbass

Look for lesson #A8,

Transcription

Practicing anything through the cycle of fifths is a really good idea. However, the way the bass fretboard is laid out, it’s very tempting to find some sort of symmetric figure and just move it around the strings. We are tuned in fourths – the inversion off the fifth.

For example, if I give myself a goal to practice major triads through the cycle, I can do it like this – I’m going to go to the left, cycle of descending fifths: C F Bb Eb Ab Db and then before I know it, I’m just weaving that pretty shape through the entire fretboard.

It’s nice and well, but you can up the challenge by doing the following: Try to stay in one position. I’m gonna grant you one fret but that’s all you’re allowed to move. First finger on the second fret now try to do the same drill – major triads through the cycle, but stay put as much as you can. C F Bb Eb, I moved for the record, Ab Db Gb B. I’m moving back, E A D G C. Now do that in several areas of the bass – it’s a really good drill.

We are running our first Sale in five years!
Use coupons on any of our courses, even the big 20 Unit Theory Course!

Black Friday Sale Arisbassblog
Take me to the Sale!
Posted on

Quick Pentatonic Trick for bass Players

triad drills on bass

A cool way to practice pentatonic scales with this pentatonic trick!

Free TABS and diagrams for you here: https://righton.arisbassblog.com/courses/microbass

Look for lesson #A7.

Quick Pentatonic Trick for Bass Players

Video Transcript

Pentatonics in groups of threes and fours. I’m going to demonstrate that with my Pattern 1 in a pentatonic shape called the hexagon. Roots are here and here, major pentatonic, extend to the end of the shape root in minor, here and here.

Groups of threes: [šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ Ari plays [šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ]

Turn around the starting point: [šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ Ari plays [šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ]

Groups of fours: [šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ Ari plays [šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ]

Turn around the starting point: [šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ Ari plays [šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ[šŸŽµ]

While you’re doing these drills, make sure to index-middle-alternate in your plucking hand.

Posted on

The Practice habit that will make all the difference!

practice tip - recording yourself

#A6

With this bass practice habit you 10x your practice effect.

Learn why and how this practice habit is gold!

Ā 


The Practice habit that will make all the difference!

Video Transcript

So here’s a typical scenario. You’re practicing the first few measures of a tune and you’re doing great. Then you make a mistake, aargghhh, you go back, back up a little bit, fix it and move on. So, essentially you practice like this: play – make an error, aarggh – back up – fix it – keep going.

But here’s the danger, if you keep practicing like this you end up being able to only do it correctly once you did it wrong first. And you can end up in a really pesky loop: play – make an error – back up – fix it – keep going; Play – make an error, ugghh – back up – fix it – keep going; Play – make an error, ugghh – back up – fix it – keep going.

The only way you can play it correctly is if you make the error first. How can you avoid this scenario because eventually fixing that is very arduous? Avoid this loop in the first place. You do this as follows: first you analyze what the issue is. Typically, it’s one of these three reasons:

  1. Note problem
  2. Rhythmic problem
  3. Technique problem

If it’s a notes issue, slow it way down – no metronome for the stretch go as slow as you need to.Just find the right pitches.

While you’re at it, check if you’ve got good fingering because maybe there are different places where you can play the same note and it makes a little bit more sense to change that. If you know your theory because you read this book, you might also want to analyze what the context is, because that oftentimes gives you good clues as to what the fingering should be and where you should play it. By the way, make sure that you write down good fingerings.

Is it a rhythm issue?


Step 1: slow it down
Step 2: make sure you feel the subdivision
Step 3: find out what the rhythm is without the pitches
And you could bring in the metronome counting a lower subdivision.

Is it a technique issue? That’s a different video because there’s a lot that goes into good technique, but do remember what I said earlier about fingerings, because good fingerings will very much help you in your pursuit to play it smoothly.

To summarize: avoid falling into a loop of mistakes in the first place. It’s very hard to undo. You get there faster. Do not fall into a loop of mistakes.

Posted on

Bb Lydian – Practice Trick

A practice trick that makes bass scales practice… practical!

We use Bb lydian as our example scale, but the concept works for all scales.

Practice with me…

Free TABS and diagrams for you here: https://righton.arisbassblog.com/courses/microbass

Look for lesson #A5.

Bb Lydian – Practice Trick

Video Transcript

One minute scalar studies with Ari, installment 3.

Groups of twos: Take a scale Bb lydian
[šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays scale šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ]

and group two and two together
[šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays scale in groups of two šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ]

Now play with the phrasing – long, short right, I could turn that around [šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays scale w long-short phrasing šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ]

I could swing it
[šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays scale – swinging it šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ]

Groups of twos.

Posted on

A fun and creative way to practice a scale

scale

If you know a scale like this, you know it well.

Hint: It involves the diatonic cycle… Ready?

Free TABS and diagrams for you here: https://righton.arisbassblog.com/courses/microbass

Look for lesson #A4.

A fun and creative way to practice a scale

Video Transcript

A fun and creative ways to practice the scale, installment #2!

Play the scale one time to get yourself dialed in and then break it down into its diatonic triads and step by step play the diatonic triads. [ šŸŽ¶ Ari plays the diatonic triads šŸŽ¶ ]

You can say the scale degrees: 1 – 3 – 5 – 2 – 4 – 6 – 3 – 5 – 7 – 4 – 6 – 8 – 5 – 7 – 2 – 6 – 1 – 3 – 7 – 2 – 4 -1 – 3 – 5. You can play one up and the next one down. [ šŸŽ¶ Ari plays one up and one down šŸŽ¶ ]

It’s pretty or you can play them all down [ šŸŽ¶ Ari plays them all down šŸŽ¶ ]

You can play with the click as triplets or what’s even funner is if you play 16th notes two-e-and-a-go-e-and-aā€¦
[ šŸŽ¶ Ari plays as 16th notes triplets šŸŽ¶ ]

Posted on

Practice a scale using this practical trick!

practice a scale bass scale practice practice a scale

1 Minute Scale Practice

This trick will immediately open up a chord into a scale for you! Example scale: Eb mixolydian!

Practice with me!

Free TABS and diagrams for you here: https://righton.arisbassblog.com/courses/microbass

Look for lesson #A2.

Practical Trick to Practice a Scale

Video Transcript

One minute scale practice with Ari! Practice a scale!

Take any scale you want to learn – let’s say Eb mixolydian. What you do is you take a triad inside that scale [šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays the triad šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ] just the triad: root-three-five and then eight.

And then you play a little embellishment from every single one of those triad notes: up one, whole step down (because it’s mixolydian, right) Then from the root, from the 3rd: 3-4-3-2-3; from the 5th:: 6-5-4-5. and from the octave 8-b7-8.

If you do that, you hit every single scale degree. [šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ Ari plays it all šŸŽµšŸŽµšŸŽµ] and is eminently practical because the chord’s gonna say Eb7 for example, and all you need to know is the triad notes – one up, one down from there.


Check out my cool Marleaux Basses
Another video you might like: How to tune a bass