Bass: Intro to Upright and/or Electric Bass for the Non-Bassist

Master the functional concepts on upright and/or electric bass that can immediately help the bassist in your ensemble reach their potential. Learn correct techniques for the right and left hands; practical approaches for developing bass lines in rock, jazz and Latin music styles; how to apply scale and arpeggio knowledge to improvise using chord charts that do not include a written-out note-for-note bass line; common fingering patterns for major and minor scales; arpeggios; and bass lines for the blues and common progressions such as ii-V7-I. You’ll leave this course feeling prepared to teach all levels of bass as well as compose and perform bass lines encountered in many genres. Only one type of bass is needed in order to take this course.

How this course works:

The course is done completely on your own time, there are no scheduled meetings. There are six units, about one per week during the summer term, and about one every two weeks during the fall and spring. Students will watch the instructor’s videos and read the content, then make videos of themselves demonstrating the skills. The instructor will watch your videos and provide feedback, which students can then apply to your next assignments. 

Outcomes:

• Demonstrate basic techniques on the double bass and/or electric bass (bass guitar)
• Understand fingerboard layout and how to find proper fingerings
• Play with good tone
• Read and improvise on a jazz chord chart
• Master self control and personal goal -setting
• Learn level-appropriate repertoire
• Perform at a level that will allow demonstration for students and colleagues